This invention relates to handwear examples of which are gloves, mittens, and finger stalls.

The background to the invention will be described in relation to a particular application. Other fields to which the invention may be applied may well occur to the reader.

In one form of angling, a fishing line is tied to the tip of a multi-section pole which is often referred to as a "roach pole". No reel is used and in order to place the hook in a desired position the pole is shipped by adding sections of pole to extend the pole until the tip of the pole is suitably placed. To retrieve the line and hook, with or without a fish, the pole is unshipped by removing sections of the pole so that the tip is brought in. The action necessary to ship and unship the pole involves feeding the pole from hand to hand as it is extended or shortened. The action involves a considerable amount of work, which is tiring, and it is difficult to perform the action smoothly. Jerky action is magnified at the tip of the pole which can lead to the loss of fish.

Against this background, in accordance with the invention, there is provided handwear on which a roller is mounted for rotation about an axis approximately parallel with the length of a finger when in use.

In use, the roach pole can be pushed or drawn smoothly across the roller simplifying the action, so reducing the effort involved, and reducing the skill required to prevent the tip from wobbling.

In order to guide the pole, the roller preferably has a waist between its ends.

The most preferable position for the roller, in use, is at the base of a finger adjacent the palm of the hand.

More preferably, two rollers are located, in use, one at the base of the index finger and the other at the base of the middle finger, both adjacent the palm.

In an alternative preferred form, the roller is located between index and middle fingers and adjacent the palm.

In that form, one or two additional rollers are preferably located one on the index finger and/or one on the middle finger adjacent the palm.

The or each roller is preferably mounted in a rigid support by means of a spindle and is preferably tapered at its ends in order better to allow the fingers to be curved round the pole.

The most preferable form is a glove, but alternatives are possible, e.g. a mitten or a finger stall.

One or more pads of low friction material may be placed to engage an elongate article when gripped so as to lie transverse to the axis of rotation of the roller.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is shows the palm side of a first glove embodying the invention;

Figure 2 shows an enlarged cross section of a roller and its support from the glove of Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows the palm side of a second glove embodying the invention;

Figure 4 shows the palm side of an optional opposite hand which forms a pair of gloves with the glove of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 shows cross sections through rollers and their mountings in the glove of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings, the glove 2, which may be made from any suitable material, e.g. leather, has a boxlike, or channel section support 4 made of a relatively rigid plastics material e.g. nylon. The support 4 has a base 6 from opposite ends of which extend two members 8. The inner face 10 of each member 8 is formed with a conical hole 12.

A spring loaded roller 14 has ends 16 formed to match the conicity of the holes 12 so as to engage rotatably therein. The ends 16 and/or the members 8 may be formed from low friction material e.g. PTFE. The roller 14 is formed in two generally oval sections 18 and 20 which may be slidably mounted on an internal shaft, not shown, and which are urged apart, and thus towards the holes 16, by a spring 22. The adjacent ends 14 and 26 of the sections 18 and 20 are slidable inside a sleeve 28 s.o proportioned that the overall shape of the roller 14 has a waist at the sleeve.

The support 6 is secured to the middle finger 30 of the glove 2 adjacent the palm thereof.

In use, a roach pole can be grasped in the hand wearing the glove and can be pushed or pulled by the other hand smoothly across the roller 14. The tapered ends of the

roller 14 allow the base 6 of the support 4 to be curved, as illustrated, thus allowing the rod to be gripped more easily than if the support is plane. The waist produced at the sleeve 28 assists to guide the pole so that it does not slide off the end of the roller.

An additional support 4a and roller 14a may be provided on the index finger of the glove 2. The support 4a and roller 14a may be similar to the support 4 and roller 14, but in the case illustrated the roller 14a is cylindrical. The roller 14a has stub axles 32 extending therefrom and supported in journals in the support 4a. In another embodiment, not illustrated, both rollers are of the form of the roller 14a.

Although other parts of the glove are generally subject to less friction as the pole is shipped or unshipped, it may be desirable to place other rollers on the glove or, more preferably as illustrated, pads 34 of low friction material, e.g. PTFE.

A pair of gloves is illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. The left hand glove, as illustrated, is provided with a roller set 14, 14a, 14b mounted in a common support 14 as shown in more detail in Figure 5. The right hand glove is provided with pads 34 of low friction material, e.g. PTFE, and a thumb pad 36 of high friction material e.g. rubber.

The support 4 is mounted on the glove so that the waisted roller 14 is between the index and middle fingers of the glove. The two rollers 14a are tapered at their ends as is the waisted roller 14, again so that the base 6 of the support 14 can be curved, as illustrated, thus allowing the

rod to be gripped more easily than if the support is plane. The rollers 14, 14a are mounted in the support 4 by means of respective spindles 40, 40a.

Another arrangement, not illustrated, has the roller 14 mounted so as to encircle, and rotate round, the finger 30 of the glove.