Patent GB-718441-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to trawl nets
IPC: A01K73/02
Filed: 1951-11-20
Abstract: 718,441. Fishing-trawls. SLATER, A. Nov. 20, 1951 [Dec. 28, 1950; July 23, 1951; Sept. 3, 1951], No. 27178/51. Class 48 A trawl net comprises a pair of net sections 5a, 5b disposed side by side and connected together by releasable couplings 6 for trawling by a pair of trawlers, the couplings being operable at will to disconnect the sections so that each section can be raised on to one of the trawlers respectively. Each section comprises bottom, top and side bunts 14, 15, 16 forming a square from which extend a number of alternately long and short tubes 9, and bags 10 at the aft ends of the tubes. A scoop is formed in advance of the mouth of the assembled net by wings 17 extending forwardly from the outer side bunt of each section and by base sections 23 co-extensive with the bottom bunts of each section. The releasable couplings 6 interconnect the head lines 12, the foot ropes 11 and reinforcing cables seized to the frame ropes 24 at the front edge of the scoop. Each releasable coupling comprises a shank 30 having an integral eye 31 freely engaged with a ring on the net section 5a, a hook 33 pivoted to the shank and engageable with the corresponding ring on the other net section 5b, a locking link 34 slidable on the shank and retaining the hook in locked engagement with the ring and a releasing link 42 movable to release the locking link. A bridle 36 detachably connected to the wing board 21 of the section 5a by a line 37 has extensions 38, 39, 40 looped through the three releasing links 42 of the couplings and connected at their free ends to cringles 43a, 43, 44 on the section 5a; to prevent accidental release of the hooks the extensions 38, 39, 40 are seized by light cord to the net sections. The other section 5b has a bridle 46 detachably connected to its own wing board 21 by a line 47, the bridle extensions 48, 49, 50 being connected to corresponding cringles 51, 52, 53 on the same net section 5b. On completion of a sweep the net is hauled in until it reaches the aft gallows of both trawlers and the bridle lines 37, 47 are then transferred to winches which, by drawing the lines in opposite directions, disconnect the couplings. For raising each section on to the corresponding trawler two further bridles 54, 55 are provided on each section. The extensions of the bridle 54 are connected to the foot rope 11 and to the rope 24 at the forward edge of the base section 23. The extensions of the bridle 55 are connected to the headline. Each bridle is detachably connected by a line to the wing board of its section. Triangular pieces of netting may be inserted between the front edge of the side bunts and the wings to alter the disposition of the base section of the scoop from horizontal to downwardly inclined. When not in use the triangular inserts are laced to the side bunts. In the net shown in Fig, 12 the scoop can be raised and lowered but the base section of the scoop is horizontal in both positions; the bottom bunt is horizontal in the raised position but inclined in the lowered position. In the raised position spaced cringles 91, 92 on the border rope 18 of the wings are connected together by one end of a separate rope 95 the opposite end of which connects cringles 93, 94 on the vertical border rope 89 of the wings and on the bottom ropes 90 of the side bunts. Specification 673,762 is referred to.