The Quest for Adjustable Drag
I have had a long fascination for the ingenuity and range of invention in fishing reels. One of the most interesting areas is in the search for an effective way of braking a fly reel and restricting the opportunity for a running fish to take line. The second half of the nineteenth and first couple of decades of the twentieth century were especially inventive, with a large number of patents being registered. This is a little exploration of some of the ideas. It is by no means comprehensive and will probably omit as many ideas as it includes, but I hope it will at least be informative.
The earliest and simplest attempt to restrict the free-running of a reel seems to have been the caliper drag, using a pawl placed between the jaws of a single horseshoe-shaped spring, the pawl engaging with a sprocket, usually mounted on the line drum. More sophisticated versions allowed for the pawl to be disengaged, making the reel an “optional” check. Platewind reels of all types, including bi-metal and Perth style reels, seem almost exclusively to have been supplied with this early form of check. Spring and pawl check work seems to have appeared at about the same time as the cage and drum style of cast aluminium reel, towards the end of the nineteenth century, although I’m not certain anyone has identified the first reel or manufacturer to use this method. Both styles of check continued to be used in parallel until spring and pawl became the preferred solution, sometime after WW1. Both methods provided for some braking of the reel action, and could be tuned to apply greater pressure as line runs off the reel, and less when retrieving line. They were, however, both either “all or nothing” solutions to the problem of braking the motion of the reel. What was needed was some sort of adjustable, incremental drag that could be increased or decreased as needed.
Kelson's Patent Lever Action Winch
In his “History of Fly Fishing“ (Medlar Press, 2011), Andrew Herd cites the great George Kelson as being one of the first to contribute a working solution.
Kelson’s Patent Lever Action Winch was made and marketed by Farlow’s and is mentioned by H. Cholmondeley-Pennell in his 1888 book on Trout Fishing. The reel makes use of a brass spring, centred on the spindle and held between the drum side and back plate of the reel. A threaded plug in the back plate of the reel can be adjusted to increase pressure on the spring, increasing the friction between spring and drum. Earlier versions of the winch had a plain knob with a coin slot to adjust the tension, later versions a more ergonomic dial (see illustration). The reel continued to be available for some time, a lightweight aluminium version being made, as well as a “Perth” style version.
In his “History of Fly Fishing“ (Medlar Press, 2011), Andrew Herd cites the great George Kelson as being one of the first to contribute a working solution.
Kelson’s Patent Lever Action Winch was made and marketed by Farlow’s and is mentioned by H. Cholmondeley-Pennell in his 1888 book on Trout Fishing. The reel makes use of a brass spring, centred on the spindle and held between the drum side and back plate of the reel. A threaded plug in the back plate of the reel can be adjusted to increase pressure on the spring, increasing the friction between spring and drum. Earlier versions of the winch had a plain knob with a coin slot to adjust the tension, later versions a more ergonomic dial (see illustration). The reel continued to be available for some time, a lightweight aluminium version being made, as well as a “Perth” style version.
James Brown Moscrop's "The Manchester Reel"
At about the same time the Kelson winch was being marketed, a Manchester textile developer, James Brown Moscrop, was turning his inventive talent to the subject of reels. A keen angler, Moscrop had already contributed significantly to the textile industry when he patented his reel design in 1888. Manufactured on Moscrop’s behalf by Reuben Heaton, the reel was much commended at the time and soon acquired the epithet “The Manchester Reel”. Moscrop’s original 1888 UK patents are not easily available, but a later version filed in America in 1891 is. This appears to be a conflation of the two UK patents dealing with the method of construction of the reel and secondly, the manner by which the resistance of the reel might be adjusted. The following is a complete version of the file from the American patent of 1891.
At about the same time the Kelson winch was being marketed, a Manchester textile developer, James Brown Moscrop, was turning his inventive talent to the subject of reels. A keen angler, Moscrop had already contributed significantly to the textile industry when he patented his reel design in 1888. Manufactured on Moscrop’s behalf by Reuben Heaton, the reel was much commended at the time and soon acquired the epithet “The Manchester Reel”. Moscrop’s original 1888 UK patents are not easily available, but a later version filed in America in 1891 is. This appears to be a conflation of the two UK patents dealing with the method of construction of the reel and secondly, the manner by which the resistance of the reel might be adjusted. The following is a complete version of the file from the American patent of 1891.
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The real puzzle here, no pun intended, is that the brake described in the patent application bears no resemblance to the reel as produced. In the patent, Moscrop describes a mechanism based on two plates, held in tension by a spring and acting on the front and rear faces of the reel. As you will see from the following images, the Manchester Reel as produced has a completely different means of braking.
The reel itself is a marvelous object, made by Heaton from what appears to be bronze or “red brass”. It is elegantly made and surprisingly heavy for its size. The actual brake is in the form of an offset spring-loaded screw. Advancing this causes a bronze shoe to rub against the back plate of the reel, - you can clearly see the track created by this on the backplate. Interestingly, the calliper check is mounted on the spool rather than the backplate – in fact the sprocket is on the backplate, in a complete reversal of the conventional practice for platewind reels.
The reel itself is a marvelous object, made by Heaton from what appears to be bronze or “red brass”. It is elegantly made and surprisingly heavy for its size. The actual brake is in the form of an offset spring-loaded screw. Advancing this causes a bronze shoe to rub against the back plate of the reel, - you can clearly see the track created by this on the backplate. Interestingly, the calliper check is mounted on the spool rather than the backplate – in fact the sprocket is on the backplate, in a complete reversal of the conventional practice for platewind reels.
The other reason I think the Manchester Reel is of significance is a little off topic for this page, but still important. It relates to the method of construction described by Moscrop in both his patent of 1888 and the American patent of 1891.
"In performing my invention I construct the outer part of the frame in one brass or other suitable metal casting (marked a) and with suitable orifices formed therein all round to lighten it and also to permit the fishing-line to pass through. The opposite side of the improved frame is open to allow the reel (sic) d to pass in and out sidewise and to slide on the hollow boss or axis e."
In this paragraph Moscrop is clearly describing the cage and drum method for constructing a fishing reel, WHICH CLEARLY HE IS PATENTING. Not only does this make the Manchester Reel the first essentially "modern" fly reel, but it also goes a long way to explain why platewind reels in the UK and similarly crankwind reels in America, remained the principle pattern for reels until the beginning of the Twentieth century.
Malloch’s brake
It’s likely that another contemporary angling personality made his contribution to the cause at about this time too. Peter Duncan Malloch was a respected angler, taxidermist and tackle maker/retailer operating out of Perth in Scotland. Malloch’s reels were highly thought of, and his “Sun and Planet” mechanism was well ahead of its time. Malloch’s introduced a centre drag reel with a clever braking action controlled by a wedge, advanced into the hollow spindle of the reel. None of the patents lodged before 1890 is currently available online, and it is the absence of a patent for this mechanism that leads me to think it probably dates from about the same time as Moscrop’s reel. Here’s a schematic of the mechanism.
It’s likely that another contemporary angling personality made his contribution to the cause at about this time too. Peter Duncan Malloch was a respected angler, taxidermist and tackle maker/retailer operating out of Perth in Scotland. Malloch’s reels were highly thought of, and his “Sun and Planet” mechanism was well ahead of its time. Malloch’s introduced a centre drag reel with a clever braking action controlled by a wedge, advanced into the hollow spindle of the reel. None of the patents lodged before 1890 is currently available online, and it is the absence of a patent for this mechanism that leads me to think it probably dates from about the same time as Moscrop’s reel. Here’s a schematic of the mechanism.
This is how the mechanism looks in the reel itself:
The Alfred Patent, 1906
The Alfred patent filed in 1904 is perhaps the most elusive and eccentric of the experiments in applying drag to a fly reel. William Henry Lampert Alfred, as he declares himself on the patent application, gives his address of record as "6 Crooked Lane, King William Street, London". - which is also the address of Eaton & Deller, a very old and respected tackle maker and retailer. It is therefore no surprise that the only example of a reel made under tis patent to have surfaced was an Eaton & Deller product.
The Alfred patent filed in 1904 is perhaps the most elusive and eccentric of the experiments in applying drag to a fly reel. William Henry Lampert Alfred, as he declares himself on the patent application, gives his address of record as "6 Crooked Lane, King William Street, London". - which is also the address of Eaton & Deller, a very old and respected tackle maker and retailer. It is therefore no surprise that the only example of a reel made under tis patent to have surfaced was an Eaton & Deller product.
The Alfred Patent is the reel on the right, featured in a Bonhams sale of July 2008. Paired with an unremarkable Hardy Sunbeam it made £200. (Image source © Bonhams)
The patent itself is indeed ingenious and is the first to allow for the application of drag in only one direction. The core of the mechanism is a disk, machined to hold four ball bearings in ramped compartments. As the lever on the back of the reel is advanced, it restricts the movement of the bearings, forcing them against the ramp. Turn the reel in the other direction though, and the bearings are pushed to the other end of their compartment where they can move freely. The mechanism has some similarities to the drag plate used in later models of the popular American made Pflueger Medalist, but I suspect that this patent also influenced a much later development of reel drag mechanisms that appears in our story. You can have a look at the 1906 application here:
The patent itself is indeed ingenious and is the first to allow for the application of drag in only one direction. The core of the mechanism is a disk, machined to hold four ball bearings in ramped compartments. As the lever on the back of the reel is advanced, it restricts the movement of the bearings, forcing them against the ramp. Turn the reel in the other direction though, and the bearings are pushed to the other end of their compartment where they can move freely. The mechanism has some similarities to the drag plate used in later models of the popular American made Pflueger Medalist, but I suspect that this patent also influenced a much later development of reel drag mechanisms that appears in our story. You can have a look at the 1906 application here:
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Robertson's Struan Patent 1906
There really must have been something remarkable in the air in 1906 because there was a veritable snowstorm of patents filed for "Improvements to Fishing Reels". One of these originated with Robertson's, an important and influential Fishing Tackle retailer in Glasgow. Although not mentioned in the patent, this reel came to be known as the "Struan (pronounced Strawn) Patent", Struan being an existing Robertson's brand. The method proposed for braking the reel in this case is not unlike Moscrop's published mechanism in that it uses a threaded rod to compress a spring which in turn acts on a washer pressed against the front face of the reel. This mechanically simple solution also included a number of other innovations evident from the patent text and drawings.
The spool was turned from aluminium and featured a waisted profile set in a simple one-piece cage, not unlike the pattern for wooden , "Nottingham" star back reels. As produced, the cage actually reverted to a more familiar pattern used on platewind reels, with a back plate and a front rim supported by tubular brass struts, although the waisted spool remained. Even so the reel does have quite a stylish air.
There really must have been something remarkable in the air in 1906 because there was a veritable snowstorm of patents filed for "Improvements to Fishing Reels". One of these originated with Robertson's, an important and influential Fishing Tackle retailer in Glasgow. Although not mentioned in the patent, this reel came to be known as the "Struan (pronounced Strawn) Patent", Struan being an existing Robertson's brand. The method proposed for braking the reel in this case is not unlike Moscrop's published mechanism in that it uses a threaded rod to compress a spring which in turn acts on a washer pressed against the front face of the reel. This mechanically simple solution also included a number of other innovations evident from the patent text and drawings.
The spool was turned from aluminium and featured a waisted profile set in a simple one-piece cage, not unlike the pattern for wooden , "Nottingham" star back reels. As produced, the cage actually reverted to a more familiar pattern used on platewind reels, with a back plate and a front rim supported by tubular brass struts, although the waisted spool remained. Even so the reel does have quite a stylish air.
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There are examples of this patent made by both Heaton and Dingley - the Heaton reels follow the pattern described above, but the Dingley reels are all aluminium. The example illustrated is by Heaton, who were probably the earlier of the two makers to provide Robertson's with the reel.
Smith & Wall for Frank Baker - The "Centabrake" Patents, 1906 and 1920
Of all the patents and reels I have come across during this little investigation, the Centabrake has given me the most satisfaction. It has had me poring over old maps, walking the (virtual) streets of Birmingham's legendary Jewelry Quarter and shown me many nostalgic images of how our world used to be.
The original Centabrake Patent , no. 27023, was lodged in 1906 by Frank Baker of 28 & 29 St. Paul's Square, Birmingham. It outlines a braking mechanism that works by having a cone-shaped threaded boss in the centre of the spool that displaces a pair of brake shoes, mounted on a "U" shaped spring, through holes in the hollow spindle and exerting a force on the inside of the spool core. It's a very effective brake, and surprisingly smooth in its operation, but Baker was not a tackle maker, nor even a retailer. In fact he is listed in Kelly's 1908 Trade Directory as an "engraver, die sinker, letter cutter and name plate maker". St. Paul's Square itself was, at that time, a cluster of small workshops, inhabiting four ranges of what had been very fine Georgian Houses built around the church of St. Paul. Baker almost certainly did not have the skills or the facilities to manufacture his patent, so he had to outsource the process. As it happens, less than a mile away on Whitehead Road in Aston, was an established tackle maker. Smith & Wall had been trading from their Aston address since 1884 and were clearly known to Baker as it was to his relative neighbours that he turned to make his "Centabrake" reels.
Of all the patents and reels I have come across during this little investigation, the Centabrake has given me the most satisfaction. It has had me poring over old maps, walking the (virtual) streets of Birmingham's legendary Jewelry Quarter and shown me many nostalgic images of how our world used to be.
The original Centabrake Patent , no. 27023, was lodged in 1906 by Frank Baker of 28 & 29 St. Paul's Square, Birmingham. It outlines a braking mechanism that works by having a cone-shaped threaded boss in the centre of the spool that displaces a pair of brake shoes, mounted on a "U" shaped spring, through holes in the hollow spindle and exerting a force on the inside of the spool core. It's a very effective brake, and surprisingly smooth in its operation, but Baker was not a tackle maker, nor even a retailer. In fact he is listed in Kelly's 1908 Trade Directory as an "engraver, die sinker, letter cutter and name plate maker". St. Paul's Square itself was, at that time, a cluster of small workshops, inhabiting four ranges of what had been very fine Georgian Houses built around the church of St. Paul. Baker almost certainly did not have the skills or the facilities to manufacture his patent, so he had to outsource the process. As it happens, less than a mile away on Whitehead Road in Aston, was an established tackle maker. Smith & Wall had been trading from their Aston address since 1884 and were clearly known to Baker as it was to his relative neighbours that he turned to make his "Centabrake" reels.
The original reel must have proved popular as you still find them readily enough, but the mechanism is quite elaborate and fiddly from the anglers' point of view. For example, should you wish to remove the spool form the reel, you have to dismantle the whole Centabrake mechanism.
This is a copy of the 1906 Baker patent:
This is a copy of the 1906 Baker patent:
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It may be for reasons of simplification of manufacture or service that in 1920 a second patent was filed, this time by Frank Baker and Sons and Martin Baker, Director. The address quoted now includes 27 St. Paul's Square, so they have taken on bigger premises!. The second patent, 22944 operates in much the same way as the 1906 patent, but is a lot simpler. Once again Baker turned to Smith & Wall to build the reels.
The Baker 1920 patent can be seen here:
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All of this seems very neat and definite, but then we know things are never that simple in the real world, and there are still a few puzzles about these reels, not least of which is the way the registered patent numbers have been applied. The smaller reel illustrated above, which has the earlier patented mechanism, carries numbers for both the 1906 and the 1920 patents, whereas the larger reel with the 1920 patent mechanism carries the patent number for the 1906 version.... It also appears that at some tiem Smith & Wall also made a reel with a drag adjustment very like the Robertson Struan patent, though without any acknowledgment, possibly because the reel was marketed after the Robertson Patent had lapsed. Here's an example of that reel:
It uses the standard Smith & Wall "Tryit" casting, and was offered as such in their catalogue as the "Tension Adjust" option. The mechanism is very close to that described in the Robertson "Struan" Patent above, with a compressed spring creating the braking effect, acting on a washer secured agains a "D" shaped centre spindle, just like the Struan.
Smith & Wall continued trading until the mid sixties, latterly making sea fishing equipment. As for Baker and Sons, they made an application in 1938 to use the Royal Arms on souvenirs for the forthcoming coronation of Edward VIII, but I've been unable to find any mention of them after this time in documents available online. Exploring St. Paul's Square using Google Streetview reveals that there is no building at nos 27 to 29 St. Paul's Square - the site is currently a car par on the corner of Cox Street. Nearby buildings are almost all post war, so my only conclusion is that the premises were bombed during the last war. Perhaps if I can make sense of the enormous amount of data on the raids on Birmingham, I may one day be able to confirm this. I did however come across some wonderfully evocative images of the square as it was in the 1950's, which give some idea of what Baker's premises might have been like. You can view them here
Reuben Heaton "Number 38"
The firm of Reuben Heaton have become something of a legend in vintage tackle circles, with a quality and scale of output that is second to none. Heaton's foray into the world of fly reel braking came in the form of the No 38 reel which was in production from the early 1900's right through to the 1930's.
Smith & Wall continued trading until the mid sixties, latterly making sea fishing equipment. As for Baker and Sons, they made an application in 1938 to use the Royal Arms on souvenirs for the forthcoming coronation of Edward VIII, but I've been unable to find any mention of them after this time in documents available online. Exploring St. Paul's Square using Google Streetview reveals that there is no building at nos 27 to 29 St. Paul's Square - the site is currently a car par on the corner of Cox Street. Nearby buildings are almost all post war, so my only conclusion is that the premises were bombed during the last war. Perhaps if I can make sense of the enormous amount of data on the raids on Birmingham, I may one day be able to confirm this. I did however come across some wonderfully evocative images of the square as it was in the 1950's, which give some idea of what Baker's premises might have been like. You can view them here
Reuben Heaton "Number 38"
The firm of Reuben Heaton have become something of a legend in vintage tackle circles, with a quality and scale of output that is second to none. Heaton's foray into the world of fly reel braking came in the form of the No 38 reel which was in production from the early 1900's right through to the 1930's.
The brake mechanism here is very simple, consisting of a washer, made of felt or some composite material, held beneath a brass washer on the front face of the spool. Both washers have a square centre hole which locates on the squared end of the spindle. Adjustment is effected by a simple wing-nut that can be tightened or released relatively easily. Aside from the braking feature, this reel also sported a couple of other interesting innovations, Heaton's patent sliding line guide and a counter-balanced handle on the spool.
Grice & Young Jecta Fly III De Luxe
Gurney Grice was one half of the partnership known as Grice & Young Ltd., of the Agila Works, Christchurch, Hants. Before WW2 Grice had achieved a reputation in the field of aviation with several patents to his name, and the firm made significant contributions to the war effort. After the war the attention turned to the manufacture of fishing reels. Grice and Young were prolific in the range and suitability of their reels. They produced a small number of fly reels, but the bulk of their output was of centrepin and sea reels. You can read a more in-depth analysis of their work here.
One of their more sophisticated fly reels on offer was the Jecta Mk III De Luxe, which included an adjust able brake, operated by a lever on the back of the reel. This engaged a cam which in turn compressed a spring, exerting pressure on a brake pad in contact with a part of the spool shaft.
Gurney Grice was one half of the partnership known as Grice & Young Ltd., of the Agila Works, Christchurch, Hants. Before WW2 Grice had achieved a reputation in the field of aviation with several patents to his name, and the firm made significant contributions to the war effort. After the war the attention turned to the manufacture of fishing reels. Grice and Young were prolific in the range and suitability of their reels. They produced a small number of fly reels, but the bulk of their output was of centrepin and sea reels. You can read a more in-depth analysis of their work here.
One of their more sophisticated fly reels on offer was the Jecta Mk III De Luxe, which included an adjust able brake, operated by a lever on the back of the reel. This engaged a cam which in turn compressed a spring, exerting pressure on a brake pad in contact with a part of the spool shaft.
This flexible and ingenious mechanism, though complex, was extremely well engineered and had been developed as the drag for an earlier sea fishing reel, the Seajecta Mk III for which this is Gurney Grice's Patent application:
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Although the drawings for the Seajecta differ in detail from the design of the fly reel above, if you look closely you can see the basic mechanical elements of the drag as patented in the reel illustrated. The most prominent is the use of a "hairpin" spring to apply pressure to the brake shoe. As fitted to the reel illustrated here, the Jecta Fly III De Luxe, the mechanism also has a clutch which prevents the brake inhibiting the retrieval of line, though this is concealed by the check sprocket and curiously appears not to be included in the patent documents.
K. P. Morritt, The Intrepid "Super Fly"
I have already referred to the many innovations effected by Ken Morritt, and the story of Intrepid reels is told elsewhere on the site, but I am including this reel because of a singular and significant feature - it has a brake that works in ONE DIRECTION ONLY. Although the Gurney Grice patent featured above predates this, as there is no mention of a clutch, I still consider the Super Fly to be the more important reel, not least because it was produced in significantly greater numbers.
Aside from the elusive Alfred Patent mentioned above, all the other mechanisms explored here brake the reel in both directions, inhibiting retrieval as much as any running fish.
Morritt's reel relies on the use of a one-way clutch, a version of which can be found in almost any modern day fly reel.
I have already referred to the many innovations effected by Ken Morritt, and the story of Intrepid reels is told elsewhere on the site, but I am including this reel because of a singular and significant feature - it has a brake that works in ONE DIRECTION ONLY. Although the Gurney Grice patent featured above predates this, as there is no mention of a clutch, I still consider the Super Fly to be the more important reel, not least because it was produced in significantly greater numbers.
Aside from the elusive Alfred Patent mentioned above, all the other mechanisms explored here brake the reel in both directions, inhibiting retrieval as much as any running fish.
Morritt's reel relies on the use of a one-way clutch, a version of which can be found in almost any modern day fly reel.
On the inside view of the reel you can see the drag mechanism. The visible part is the one-way clutch, behind which is the drag, in the form of a compression washer, not unlike that used in modern drag set ups.
Here is the complete patent application:
Here is the complete patent application:
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The one-way clutch works by using ball bearings trapped in ramped compartments. When retrieving line, the bearings move freely at the deeper end of the compartment, but if line is drawn, the bearings are dragged up the ramp and jammed, engaging the drag, but only as line is drawn. Unlike the Alfred patent, which uses this method to effect the drag itself, Morritt uses the clutch to engage the separate drag, assembly. Having said that, I can't help wondering if he was aware of the Alfred Patent, given the similarities to his clutch assembly.
You can read more about Ken Morritt's ingeniously engineered reels in the British Fly Reels section of the site. At one time these were the best-selling fly reels in the UK and deserve a place in the history of fly fishing tackle.
You can read more about Ken Morritt's ingeniously engineered reels in the British Fly Reels section of the site. At one time these were the best-selling fly reels in the UK and deserve a place in the history of fly fishing tackle.
Percy Wadham and The Dreadnought Casting Reel Company
Special mention is due here of a significant absentee from this line up, Percy Wadham. Wadham was born in 1874 into a well-known Isle of Wight family of furniture makers and retailers. Himself a notable local naturalist, he opened a fishing tackle making and retailing business in Newport "Percy Wadham Specialities". Wadham was an expert tournament caster and between 1907 and 1909 filed four patents for improvements to fishing reels. In partnership with Percy Scott, an engineer, he founded The Dreadnought Casting Reel Company and produced reels under the Dreadnought brand and his own retail outlet. These reels are ingenious, beautifully made and very scarce. Hopefully an example of his very elegant "Test" fly reel will one day be part of the WVFFM collection.
Special mention is due here of a significant absentee from this line up, Percy Wadham. Wadham was born in 1874 into a well-known Isle of Wight family of furniture makers and retailers. Himself a notable local naturalist, he opened a fishing tackle making and retailing business in Newport "Percy Wadham Specialities". Wadham was an expert tournament caster and between 1907 and 1909 filed four patents for improvements to fishing reels. In partnership with Percy Scott, an engineer, he founded The Dreadnought Casting Reel Company and produced reels under the Dreadnought brand and his own retail outlet. These reels are ingenious, beautifully made and very scarce. Hopefully an example of his very elegant "Test" fly reel will one day be part of the WVFFM collection.
ADDENDUM September 2018
Percy Wadham "The Test"
This is the reel mentioned above and while it has a number of ingenious features, notably the way the bearings in the spindle both facilitate the reel's action AND secure the drum, it doesn't really add much to the story of Adjustable Drag. The relevant Wadham/Scott patents for drag were actually applied to the "Meteor" casting reel, another product of the "Dreadnought Casting Reel Company".
You can see the relevant patent for the bearing/spool release here:
This is the reel mentioned above and while it has a number of ingenious features, notably the way the bearings in the spindle both facilitate the reel's action AND secure the drum, it doesn't really add much to the story of Adjustable Drag. The relevant Wadham/Scott patents for drag were actually applied to the "Meteor" casting reel, another product of the "Dreadnought Casting Reel Company".
You can see the relevant patent for the bearing/spool release here:
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