The Fishing Reel Patent Archive

The mechanical heart of American angling

Click reel

Patent drawing of a circular fishing reel showing a perspective view with crank handle and cross-bar frame (Fig. 1), a cross-sectional side view (Fig. 2), and an internal view of the click mechanism with ratchet, dog, and spring (Fig. 3).IMPROVEMENT IN REELS FOR FISHING-LINESFrancis J. Philbrook · June 12, 1877Patent drawing showing a round fishing reel with click and ratchet mechanism, a side view with foot, and an edge view of the reel mounted on a fishing pole held by a hand.FISHING-REEL.August F. Meisselbach · February 23, 1886Patent drawing of a nineteenth-century multiplying fishing reel showing the side plates, hand crank, internal gear wheel and pinion, bow-spring drag lever with thumb piece, and click-spring mechanism labeled with reference letters across eight figures.FISHING-REEL.Thomas Henry Chubb · September 27, 1887Patent drawing of a Victorian fishing reel showing a front plan view with a spoked outer disk and central click mechanism, plus two side-section views revealing internal gears, screws, and a hollow oiling stud.FISHING-REEL.Charles M. Clinton · October 29, 1889Patent drawing of a fishing reel showing a circular end view with crank and gears, a longitudinal cross-section revealing the internal spool and brake mechanism, and an inner face view of the detachable end plate with ratchet and pawl.FISHING-REEL.Ernest Holzmann · March 4, 1890Patent drawing of a fishing reel showing seven diagrams: side and front elevations of the reel body, an internal view with the cap removed revealing the crescent-shaped spring brake-arm and gear, a detached view of the cap with its slotted operating-button, a cross-section through the cap and drum flange, and two additional views of an alternate brake-arm and button arrangement.FISHING-REEL.Andrew B. Hendryx · January 27, 1891Patent drawing sheet showing seven mechanical views of a fishing reel, including plan and end views, internal gear and cam sections, and isolated parts like the click disk, drag cam, and handle cog-wheel, all labeled with reference letters.FISHING-REEL.Richard E. Fenner · June 7, 1892Patent drawing of a Meisselbach fishing reel showing the cheek plate with internal click mechanism, an edge cross-section revealing the spool and spindle, a perspective view of the frame with spool removed, and a detail of a modified click-spring.FISHING-REEL.August F. Meisselbach and William Meisselbach · January 14, 1896