The Fishing Reel Patent Archive

The mechanical heart of American angling

Free-spool mechanism

Patent drawing of a fishing reel in longitudinal section, showing the wound spool B inside frame A, with a bevel-pinion D, spring E, sliding hollow crank-shaft F, bevel-wheel G, and an offset crank handle H attached at the side.REEL FOR FISHING-RODS.John A. Bailey · August 5, 1856Patent drawing of a fishing reel showing a circular geared reel mounted in-line with a rod stock, with a side crank handle, gear wheel, pinion, and spring mechanism labeled with letters A through E.FISHING-REEL.John Dreiser · August 14, 1883Patent drawing showing a wood-handled fishing reel mounted between two rod sections, with side views revealing internal star-shaped and toothed gears, a crank handle, and a cross-sectional diagram labeling the spindle, gears, and slide mechanism.FISHING-REEL.Anton Lang · August 21, 1883Patent drawing of an 1889 fishing reel showing a circular side plate with internal gear and friction mechanism, a cross-sectional view revealing the spool, hub, and rod-mounting frame with concave arms, and a plan view of the handle assembly with locking bolt and thumb-operated disk.FISHING-REEL.George W. Prouty · January 29, 1889Patent drawing of a fishing reel showing a cutaway frame with spool, sliding pinion sleeve, crank handle assembly, and a separate detail view of an assembled cylindrical reel with a hinged brake arm crossing the wound line.FISHING-REEL.Curtis N. Wilcox · June 14, 1892Patent drawing showing a fishing reel mounted on a pole with exploded and sectional views revealing the internal spring-loaded brake lever, ratcheted mainspring drum, and line-spool components labeled with reference letters.FISHING-REEL.Herman W. Martin · November 30, 1897Patent drawing sheet showing eight numbered figures of a geared fishing reel, including side and sectional views revealing internal gear wheels, a clutch pinion, a brake lever with shoe, a screw-spindle level-wind guide, and a small pinion detail, with inventor's signature and witness signatures at bottom.FISHING-REEL.George O. Brosnaham, Jr. · December 6, 1898