IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF FISHING AND OTHER NETS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Bellamy Payne, of Chard, in the County of
Somerset, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF FISHING AND OTHER NETS."
Sealed the 22nd May 1861, and dated the 4th December 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Bellamy Payne
at the. Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 4th December 1860.
J, JOHN BELLAMY PAYNE, of Chard, in the County of Somerset, Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF FISHING AND OTHER NETS,"
to be as follows:-
My improvements in machinery for the manufacture of fishing and other
nets are as follows:-The yarn or twine is drawn by one shuttle with metal
pulley attached to one iron shuttle box with one treadle and cam motion.
The loop is formed by a series of double hooked. faller heads, and the knot is
made with a series of hooks fixed on a bar acting on the faller heads; the loop
fallers are lifted by a regulating lever and cam motion. Three or more slurs
drawn by a band or chain attached to one catch and pulley, with wheel and
pinion, also one loose pulley make any given number of loops from 2 to 1000
at a time in one machine. One treadle or cam and lever motion regulates
the mesh, and puts the parts in working motion; the slurs are drawn on
longitudinal rails with circular ends. For drawing or closing the knot, I

page_text: employ one lever and cam motion for putting the same in working action.
For winding up the net and regulating the net roller, I employ two levers
and one weight, with one treadle and cam motion for working the same.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Bellamy Payne in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 4th June 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BELLAMY PAYNE, of Chard, in the County of Somerset, Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Bellamy Payne, Her special license that I, the said John
Bellamy Payne, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said John Bellamy Payne, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF FISHING AND OTHER
NETS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Bellamy
Payne, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Bellamy Payne, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
:-
My Invention of "Improvements in Machinery for the Manufacture of
Fishing and other Nets," has for its object the manufacture of nets with a fast
tie or knot by means of a machine capable of being driven by power.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 represents an elevation of one end

page_text: at a, a, a.
of one of my improved machines; Fig. 2 is a similar view of the opposite end
of the machine; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the machine; and Fig. 4 is a.
sectional diagram, shewing the principal working parts. The framing is seen
On the main driving shaft 6 are mounted three cams or excentric
wheels c, c', and c², which as the axle rotates, act on the bowles or antifriction
wheels at the ends of the levers d, e, f. The cam c acts on the lever d, which
rocks on the centre d', and by means of a link d' vibrates the lever d³. A
series of hooks 9 are fixed in leads, or are otherwise secured to a long rod g',
the ends of which are held in slots made in the upper end of the vibrating
lever d. These hooks 9 are consequently made to move to and fro as the
lever d³ vibrates. An up-and-down motion is also communicated to these
hooks by causing the projections of the cams c¹, c', to act against the hori
zontal lever e, which as it rises lifts the rod e¹. On the upper end of the rod
is a plate or table e², on which rest adjusting or set screws e³, which are screwed
into the hook bar g; therefore as the lever e is lifted the hooks g are lifted with
it in the arc of a circle, of which the centre of motion is at g'. A shogging
or lateral motion is also communicated to the hooks g by means of a vibrating
lever h, which rocks on its centre h', and is actuated by the side cam h². In
combination with the hooks g are employed a series of sinkers or fallers i, i, of
peculiar construction, one of which drawn full size is shewn detached in side and
edge views at Figures 6 and 7. It will be seen that these sinkers or fallers are
made with divided heads, and are provided with upper, lower, and middle.
notches for the purpose of assisting in the formation of the knots, as will be-
hereafter more particularly described. These fallers are raised and lowered at
the proper times by the sinker or faller bar , (Fig. 3) which is lifted by
means of cams, excentrics, or tappets 2 on the main shaft, being made to act
on antifriction bowls 3 on the under side of the faller bar. The thread of
which the net or fabric is to be composed is wound upon a bobbin j placed at
one end of the machine, and is drawn into the machine by means of a hooked
rod or shuttle k, which is contained in a box k¹, and is secured to a cord k*,.
which works over a pulley k². This latter is rocked or rotated on its axis by
means of another cord attached at one end to a treadle or lever k', and at
the opposite end to another treadle or lever . These two treadles are
operated by cams k and k on the driving shaft, and as the latter rotates the
shuttle will be projected across the machine, and made by means of the hook
at its end to catch hold of and draw in the thread on its return motion. The
hooked end of this shuttle is projected through the middle notches of the
sinkers or fallers, and when it is drawn back, it of course leaves the thread in
this middle notch. Every alternate one of these sinkers or fallers is made to

page_text: descend (as seen at A, Fig. 3) in order to form the loop, and the length of
the mesh of the net will of course depend upon the distance to which these
fallers or sinkers are made or allowed to descend, and this distance may be
regulated by the form of the cams 2³.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-The rotation of the driving
shaft will cause the cam k to act on its treadle k', and by depressing the
same, to pull round the pulley in the direction of the arrow, and by means
of the cord the hooked end of the shuttle k will be projected into the
machine through the centre notches of all those fallers or sinkers i which have
been lifted up by the faller bar into the proper position. When the hooked
end of the shuttle arrives at the opposite side of the machine, the attendant
will lay into its hook the end of the thread from the bobbin j, and then, by
the continued rotation of the main driving shaft, the cam k² of the counter
motion will depress its corresponding treadle k, and the pulley k² with the
cord will be moved round in the contrary direction to the arrow, and the
shuttle will thereby be pulled back again into its box, and in so doing will
leave a thread from the bobbin j in the middle notch of the sinkers or fallers i.
As the end of the shuttle passes out of their notches the sinkers are forced
down in succession by means of a slur hereafter described, assisted by the
springs, Fig. 4, and in so doing the sinkers will draw in the thread, and
form loops for the meshes of the net. The hook bar with its hooks g is then
brought forward by the link d³ and lever d, and the hooks g are passed under
the thread. The lever e is then raised slightly by means of the rod e' and
table e, so as to enable the hooks to lift up the thread out of the middle notch
of the fallers or sinkers i. The hook bar then rises, and at the same time is
moved slightly forward so as to lay the thread under the lowest notch of the
sinkers. The hooks then are moved forward a second time, and seize the
right or left hand thread as may be required of the crossed part of the loop,
which it draws down opposite to the middle notch of the sinker. The shuttle k
then enters a second time, and passes through this loop, and on its return it
lays a thread therein. The first loop is then thrown off the sinkers by means
of the gate bar 1, shewn detached in plan, and drawn upon an enlarged scale
at Fig. 5, and the knot being completed, the work roller m is rotated suffi-
ciently to draw the knot tight. The sinker bar ¹ then rises and lifts the
sinkers, and all the operations are repeated in succession, and as the work is
completed it is wound on the work roller m.
One of the principal features of my Invention is the arrangement and mode
of operating the slur, whereby the sinkers or fallers are depressed, and which I
will now preceed to describe. Heretofore the slur for operating the sinkers or

page_text: fallers has been moved backwards and forwards through the machine, and has
been made to act on the sinkers or fallers in both directions.
This arrangement and mode of operation has necessitated the use of two
shuttles and bobbins, which are worked alternately, and the width of the
machine has been thereby materially and inconveniently increased.
In place
of working the slur to and fro, I attach one, two, or more slurs to an endless
chain or band, as seen at n, n, in Fig. 3. This band or chain is passed round
pullies n', n, at each end of the machine, and one of the pullies is actuated by
means of a band wheel on the driving shaft, which, by means of a band, drives
a bevil pinion on the end of the shaft of the pulley n', or the pulley may be
pulled round by means of a. weighted lever and cord, as shewn in Sheet II.
I prefer to construct this slur with hinge joints in the form of a chain band, as
shewn in plan and edge views drawn upon an enlarged scale at Figures 8 and 9,
and this jointed slur is attached to an endless band or chain, and is provided with
a projecting nipple n³, which, as the slur moves forward, rubs against the back
of the fallers or sinkers and pushes them forward. The jointed slur is provided
with grooved pullies or wheels 1, which run on guides or rails on the guide
bar n', on the edge of which the fallers or sinkers are supported by means of
a notch cut in their backs, as seen in the sectional view, Fig. 4, and the
detached views, Figures 4 and 5.
Figures 8, 8, 8, 8d, are end, side, front, and back views of another form of
slur, which is somewhat different in construction to that shewn in Figures 8
and 9, but acts in precisely the same manner on the fallers. In Figures 8º, 8b, 8,
and 8, the slur is made of one solid piece of metal provided with a projecting
nipple n³, for acting on the back of the fallers as in the former instance, but
the grooved pullies or guide rollers 1, instead of being vertical are placed
horizontally and run on edge rails n', fastened on the framing. The grooved
pullies 1 turn on pins affixed to a rocking shaft 2, which is mounted on
plummer blocks secured to the bed plate of the slur, so that they may with
their studs rock on the shaft 2, and move the said shaft on its axis as they
pass round the large pullies n', n', of the slur motion. The slur is attached by
its ends to an endless belt, as in the former instance.
the back of the slur and a pin 4 passes through the slur, and bears against this
spring, when the slur passes round the pulley, and thereby equalizes the length
of the belt or endless band. It will be evident that various means may be de-
vised for actuating my improved slur; I do not therefore wish to confine myself
to any peculiar arrangement, and, if desired, the slur may be arranged to travel
to and fro. This may be conveniently effected by means of a traversing screw,
to which a constant rotary motion may be given from the driving shaft.
A spring 3 is placed at
:

page_text: In order to form the knot the operating slur must only act upon every alternate
sinker or faller, for which purpose a notch is cut in the back edge of certain of
the fallers (that is, every alternate one), to allow the nipple n³ of the operating
slur to pass without acting on such alternate faller. A second slur is employed
to act upon these alternate fallers in their turn, the nipple of this second slur
being arranged to come against the full part of the second set of sinkers or
fallers, so that it may push them forward; but notches are made in the back
of the first set of fallers to allow the nipple of the second slur to pass without
acting on them. It will be understood therefore that there are two slurs with
projecting nipples which act alternately upon their proper sinkers or fallers,
leaving the other sinkers or fallers unacted upon. It will, however, be neces-
sary during some part of the operation to push forward all the sinkers, in order
to bring them all into the same plane or level. To effect this object, a knock-
in-off or pusher bar o is jointed to the lever d, Fig. 4, and moves forward
with the lower part of the same, and by this knocking-off or pusher bar o
coming against the back of the fallers or sinkers, they will be pushed forward
off the edge of the bar n', and will be forced down by the action of the springs
*, Fig. 4. It will be obvious that this mode of constructing, arranging, and
working the slur may be adopted with advantage in the ordinary machinery
for making nets, as I am thereby enabled to dispense with one of the shuttles
and its accessories. This arrangement is shewn in elevation at Fig. 10. In
this instance the machine is intended to be worked by manual labour as usual
the only material difference being the substitution of my improved slur motion
instead of that usually employed. In this arrangement the slur is made to
act upon all the fallers in succession instead of upon every alternate faller. As,
however, one of the shuttle motions is dispensed with, it becomes necessary to
employ a contrivance for bringing back the hook bar to its normal position.
This is effected by the treadle p, which, by means of a pawl at the upper end
of the rod p', pull rounds a ratchet p², shewn detached upon an enlarged scale
at Fig. 11. On the axle of this ratchet is a cam p', (Figures 10 and 11,)
which acts against a bowl p³, attached to a lever p³, which is jointed to one
end of the hook bar g', and therefore shogs it laterally at the
proper time.
The counter motion is produced by connecting the lever p³ (Fig. 10) by means
of a link p to the upright lever p¹.
My improved slur motions may also be applied to an ordinary netting
machine provided with a double-shuttle motion. This arrangement is shewn at
Fig. 12, Sheet II.
Another improvement also shewn in Fig. 12, consists in adapting to
machinery for making nets, spur or spiked wheels, or rollers, for keeping the

page_text: fabric distended and delivering it in this state to the work rollers. This
improvement is shewn at q, q, in Figures 10 and 12, Sheet II., and one of the
spiked wheels or rollers q is shewn detached and drawn upon an enlarged scale
at Fig. 13. In the ordinary machines for making nets the ends of the thread
are tied up into knots by hand as the work proceeds.
My next improvement relates to a means for effecting this object by the
action of the machine itself. The instrument whereby this is effected is simply
a spring clip, for holding the end of the thread while the machine is making
and tightening the knot. This contrivance is shewn detached in side and edge,
views at Figures 14 and 15. A short bar of iron r is provided at its lower
end with a spring clip q', into which the thread is laid by the hooks g, and is
held tightly while the machine is making the knot, and when the motions for
this operation have been completed, the work roller or beam m will draw the
knot tight, while the spring clip q' is holding the thread. The bar is con-
nected by means of a long link with the outermost faller or sinker i, and the
upper end of the bar of iron r works in an eye in a bracket piece fixed on
the faller bar. A short link ² connects the link r with a short bar, which
is held up by an india-rubber spring rt, secured by one end to any convenient.
part of the frame. When the hook bar comes down and lays the thread in the
spring clip q', the latter will be drawn down by the tension of the thread, which,
it will hold until the knot is tightened, and the end is cut off by the knife
shewn detached at Figures 16 and 17. When the clip is released by cutting the
thread, the piece r will be drawn up again by the tension of the spring r
This simple contrivance for holding the thread while the knot is being.
tightened may be adapted to machines of the ordinary construction, as shewn
at Fig. 12, as well as to my improved machines.
Some of my other improvements may be applied with some slight modifica-
tion to machines of the ordinary construction, and by such an arrangement I
am enabled to make much wider widths of netting than can be done in the
ordinary manner, owing to the great labour required for actuating some of the
working parts by the hands or feet of the workman. For instance, I so,
arrange and construct the working parts that I am enabled to apply mechanical
power for working them, while other parts which require less power may be.
actuated by the hand or feet of the workman.
:
In Figures 18 and 19 the fallers for forming the knot are raised by
mechanical power, as is also the mechanism for winding up the work on the
beam and drawing the knot tight. The hook bar may be actuated by hand,
and some of the other parts by means of treadles worked by the feet of the
workman, as shewn in Fig. 10. Single or double shuttles may be thrown,

page_text: in by means of treadles and other suitable contrivances, as in the other
machines already described.
The slur in Figures 18 and 19 is driven through the machine by means of a
weight w, as in some of the arrangements already described and shewn in the
Drawings, and the weight is raised by means of a treadle acted on by the foot
of the workman.
Fig. 18 is a front elevation, and Fig. 19 an end view, of the principal
working parts of a machine arranged to work in the manner above set forth.
a is the framing of the machine; b. the driving shaft; c, the driving pulleys.
A tappet wheel 2, shewn detached in side elevation, and edge view at
Figures 20 and 21, is mounted on the driving shaft, but may be slidden
laterally thereon. This wheel carries a tappet which acts on the lever i³,
shewn detached in side elevation at Fig. 26, whereby the faller bar (not
shewn in the Drawing at Fig. 18) is lifted. It will be seen, on referring to
Fig. 26, that the lever is is composed of several parts, consisting of the lever
proper 1, which vibrates on its centre 2. A link or rod 3 is jointed to one
end of this lever, the other end of the rod 3 being connected with or made to
act on the faller bar, so that the latter may be raised or lowered as the lever 1
vibrates on its centre. It will be seen that the lever 1 is provided with two
or three holes to connect the rod 3 at varying distances from its centre of
motion, so that the action of the faller bar may be modified as may be required.
Instead of acting directly on the faller bar, the tail of the lever may be made
to depress a treadle, and in order to regulate the length of the mesh I adapt
to the other end of the lever 1 an adjustable arm 4, against which the tappet
of the wheel i works. This adjustable arm turns on a centre 5, and is pro-
vided at its opposite end with a sector rack, in which works a tangent screw 6,
by turning which the outer end of the arm 4 may be raised or lowered, and
the extent of motion of the lever 1 will be thereby regulated, as required.
In order to bring this tappet motion into action, a hand lever d, mounted on a
rock shaft d' is pushed forward, and by means of a link d² the lever d³ is
drawn forward so as to bring the clutch d' into
tappet wheel i², so that as it rotates its tappet
arm 4 of the lever is, and raise the faller bar.
gear, and move forward the
may act on the adjustable
When the tappet has done its
work, an arm with a bowle on its end comes against a fixed plate i³, and
moves the tappet wheel laterally on the shaft b, so that it shall not act on
the lever is until again pushed forward by means of the hand wheel d. It
will of course be understood that cams or excentrics may be used instead of
the tappet wheel shewn, the object being to cause mechanical power to act
on the faller bar, and raise it and its fallers without any further aid from the

page_text: workman than merely putting the parts into such relative position that the
mechanical power may be allowed to act.
In order to tighten the knots when made, and rotate the work roller m,
a lever t is mounted on a stud in the framing, and is acted on by a pin t',
which is fixed in an arm on a sleeve shaft t2 that is mounted on the driving
shaft 6, and is shewn detached at Figures 22 and 23. This pin passes through
Figures 24 and 25, and
when the pin t' is pushed
a radial slot made in the wheel u, shewn detached at
which is keyed fast on the driving shaft b,. and
through the wheel u it will when it comes round knock against the lever t,
and by that means will depress the outer end of the lever t³, and by drawing
down the link t will also draw down the lever t' and ratchet arm to, the click
at the upper end of which will draw round the work roller m, and by that
means tighten the knot, and at the same time wind the work on the roller m.
In order to take the pin t' out of the way of the lever t when it is not required
to act thereon, the sleeve shaft t2 is drawn back by the lever v, which is
mounted on a stud or shaft v³, and is actuated by the foot of the workman
depressing a treadle v³, shewn by dots in Fig. 18.
In making wide widths of fabric the slur will of course be required to
travel a greater distance than when making narrow widths, and the space or
distance which the weighted lever or treadle, whereby this part of the machine
is worked, can be allowed to travel, not being sufficient if the treadle or lever
be made to act direct on the slur pullies, I have devised an intermediate
gearing, whereby the required length of traverse of the slur may be obtained.
This contrivance is shewn in side elevation, at Fig. 27, Sheet II. n is the
large slur pulley round which the endless band which carries the slur passes.
On the axle of this pulley n is fixed a toothed pinion x, into which gears a
toothed wheel a¹, on the shaft of which is a barrel a² to receive a weighted
cord. This barrel turns freely on the axle of the toothed wheel x', and
carries on its end a ratchet wheel x. A pall or click is attached to one
side of the wheel a¹, and takes into the teeth of the ratchet wheel. It will be
understood, therefore, that the weighted cord a³ will pull round the barrel a²
and its ratchet wheel, and as the click or palla is made fast to the toothed
wheel, the latter will be drawn round, and will actuate the toothed pinion
and the slur pulley n. By this means a sufficient length of traverse may be
obtained, and as at every passage of the slur the weight attached to the
cord a will have descended to near the ground, it must be raised again ready
for the next operation. This is effected by means of a treadle worked by the
foot of the workman, which is made to pull down another cord a attached to
the opposite side of the barrel . By depressing this treadle the barrel will

page_text: be pulled round, the ratchet teeth passing under the click a", and the weighted
cord will be wound up again ready for the next operation.
Having now described my Invention of "improvements in machinery for
the manufacture of fishing and other nets, and having explained the manner
of carrying the same into effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by
Letters Patent as aforesaid,-
First, the mode herein set forth of forming the knots or tie in the manu-
facture of fishing and other nets; I claim particularly the use, for the purposes
herein set forth, of double-headed fallers or sinkers.
Second, I claim the improved slur motions above shewn and described,
whether employed in combination with my other improvements, or applied to
other machinery for the manufacture of fishing nets.
Third, I claim the general arrangement of parts, or any mere modification
thereof, whereby I ani enabled to dispense with the use of one of the shuttles
usually employed in the manufacture of fishing and other nets.
Fourth, I claim the use of a clip or holder for holding the thread while the
selvage knot is being tightened.
Fifth, I claim the use of spurs or spiked rollers for keeping the work
distended while being wound on the work roller.
Sixth, I claim actuating the mechanism for raising the fallers or sinkers,
and also for tightening the knots, and rotating the work roller by mechanical
power, leaving the other and less laborious operations to be performed by the
foot or hand of the workman.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Bellamy Payne, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Fourth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
J. B. PAYNE. (LS.)