AN IMPROVED GAFF OR APPARATUS FOR LANDING FISH
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Whitmore Baker, of Totnes, in the County of Devon,
for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED GAFF OR APPARATUS FOR LANDING
FISH."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Whitmore Baker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd January 1879.
WHITMORE BAKER, of Totnes, in the County of Devon. "AN IMPROVED
GAFF OR APPARATUS FOR LANDING FISH."
This Invention relates to the construction of an improved gaff or apparatus for
landing fish after having exhausted them.
The only means hitherto in use for this purpose are the ordinary gaff in the shape
of a fish hook and the landing net, the former being uncertain, difficult, and oven
dangerous in carrying, while the latter is cumbersome to carry, and in many places
inconvenient to use.
Now my improved gaff obviates these inconveniences, and is constructed as
follows:-
I provide a pair of metal jaws, either curved or straight, and fixed or jointed
together hingewise at their inner end; each jaw is provided at this end with a suit-
able strong spring (or itself forms a spring) the said springs always tending to bring
and hold the jaws together, and about midway the jaws are provided with a
stretcher, preferably consisting of two levers or rods jointed together at their inner
ends so as to form a stop joint, their outer ends being jointed one to each jaw, so
that when the said levers are pulled out into the straight position the jaws are held
asunder.
The jaws of the gaff are provided with suitable teeth or points, and the inner end
of the gaff is suitably formed to allow of it being easily fitted or fixed to a staff or
rod when required for use, and when detached from the rod it can be conveniently
carried, or the gaff may fit into a hollow handle for convenience of carriage and
appearance.
To land a fish with a gaff of this construction it is merely necessary to open the
jaws of the gaff, as herein before described, and to pass them over the fish to be
landed, and immediately the jointed stretcher touches the fish the jaws are brought
together by their springs and clasp the fish, which can then be easily landed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Whitmore Baker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd
July 1879.
WHITMORE BAKER, of Totnes, in the County of Devon.
GAFF OR APPARATUS FOR LANDING FISH."
AN IMPROVED
This Invention relates to the construction of an improved gaff or apparatus for
landing fish after having exhausted them.
The only means hitherto in use for this purpose are the ordinary gaff in the shape
of a fish hook and the landing net, the former being uncertain, difficult, and even
dangerous in use, while the latter is cumbersome to carry and in many places incon-
venient to use.
Now my improved gaff obviates these inconveniences, and is constructed as
follows:-
I provide a pair of metal jaws, either curved or straight, and fixed or jointed
together hingewise at their inner end; each jaw is provided at this end with a
suitable strong spring (or itself forms a spring), the said springs always tending to
bring and hold the jaws together, and about midway the jaws are provided with a
stretcher, preferably consisting of two levers or rods jointed together at their inner
ends so as to form a stop joint, their outer ends being jointed one to each jaw, so
that when the said levers are pulled out into the straight position the jaws are held
asunder.
The jaws of the gaff are provided with suitable teeth or points, and the inner end
of the gaff is suite ly formed to allow of it being easily fitted or fixed to a staff or
rod when required for use, and when detached from the rod it can be conveniently
carried, or the gaff may fit into a hollow handle for convenience of carriage and
appearance.
But to make my Invention better understood I will proceed to describe the same
by reference to the accompanying Drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side view and
Figure 2 a plan of my improved gaff when closed; Figure 3, side view shewing the
gaff open ready for use. Similar letters in all the Figures represent similar parts.
a, a, are the curved metal jaws, the two inner ends being rivetted to the stock b,
the end of which is screwed or otherwise formed so that the gaff may be easily fitted
or fixed to any suitable staff or rod c; the jaws a thus fixed form springs, which
always tend to bring and hold the jaws together, or the jaws may be jointed together
hingewise at their inner ends, and separate springs provided for bringing them
together; d, e, aro the two levers or rods forming the stretcher jointed together at f,
the ends being formed with a stop g and a notch / respectively, so as to form a stop
joint when opened out as shewn in Figure 3; the other ends of the levers or rods
are jointed to the jaws at k, k; i, i, are the teeth of the jaws, and j is a spring for
assisting the opening of the stretcher, but this spring may be dispensed with. The
handle of the staff or rod c may be made hollow for receiving the gaff when out of
use, if required; 1, 1, are rings (or their equivalents) on the jaws a for opening the
gaff; f, pin or stud at the joint for loosening the jaws when required.
To land a fish with a gaff of this construction it is merely necessary to open the
jaws a, a, of the gaff by straightening the stretchers d, e, as herein before described,
and represented in Figure 3. In this position if the jaws be passed over the fish to
be landed, immediately the jointed stretcher comes in contact with the fish the jaws
are brought together by their springs and will clasp the fish, which can then be
casily landed, a locking joint (not shewn in the Drawing) preventing the gaff from
opening.
Having thus described my said Invention and the best means I am acquainted
with for carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not
confine myself to the precise details herein laid down, and shewn in the Drawing, as

page_text: the same may be varied without departing from the peculiar character of my
Invention, but what I do claim is,—
The general arrangement and construction of the improved gaff or apparatus for
landing fish, operating substantially in the manner hereinbefore described, and
represented in the accompanying Drawing, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Whitmore Baker, have hereto set my hand
and seal, this Nineteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy nine.
WHITMORE BAKER. (L.S.)