Fishing Eeels. 201 



whereby the artist-angler could really enjoy the "music 

 of the reel/' the two bells being tuned in thirds. 



The peculiar mechanism of the reel is the application 

 of the principle of the epicycloidal wheel, whereby recip- 

 rocating motion is converted into circular motion. While 

 the power of this plan of gearing is greater than in the 

 ordinary reel with two wheels, the friction is also too great 

 for casting; consequently it was abandoned. 



An old reel stamped "Meek & Milam" was exhibited 

 in my collection, made somewhere about 1844, and is 

 shown in the accompanying illustrations. The pillars 



Fia. 

 Diagram of epicycloidal wheel. 



are still of the Snyder plan, as also the long narrow spool. 

 The improvements are a collar to crank-shaft, sliding but- 

 tons for alarm and drag, and a better shape to front disk- 

 plate. Here we have for the first time the bent or 

 U-shaped alarm spring formed of a piece of watch spring. 

 Tt will be further observed that with the exception of the 

 ornamental bars or pillars of the Hardman reel, this reel 

 is a close imitation of it in its general form, in the sliding 

 buttons and their screws, in the collar and the retaining 

 screw of the crank. A strong resemblance is' also seen 



Fig. 36. — Gearing of epicycloidal wheel. 



Fig. 37. — Bell click, showing bells and hammers. 



