IMPROVEMENTS IN NET-HAULING WINCHES AND MACHINES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Robertson Mitchell, of the City & County of
Aberdeen, North Britain, Ironfounder & Engineer, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN NET-HAULING WINCHES AND MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Robertson Mitchell
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd December 1881.
CHARLES ROBERTSON MITCHELL, of the City and County of Aberdeen, North-
Britain, Ironfounder and Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN NET-HAULING WINCHES
AND MACHINES."
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of net-
hauling or fishing gear winches or machines, designed to render such machines
more compact and easily handled and more generally useful than as hitherto
constructed.
The improved machine comprises a strong standard or framing carrying the
driving gear, and mounted so as to be capable of swivelling, over a sole-plate on a
vertical centre formed by a strong bolt or spindle by which it is secured to a
cross beam or other convenient part of the fishing boat or vessel. This standard or
framing is formed with strong bosses or long eyes forming bearings for the spindles
on which the driving wheel gearing and hoisting or hauling pulleys are fixed, such
gearing consisting of a spur wheel near each upper side of the framing in gear
with an intermediate central spur wheel at a lower level, and driven by cranks
fitted on square ends of the outer spindles, or for the slow speeds by one or two
spur pinions in gear with the upper wheel, into the teeth of which a double
holding ratchet pawl is made to engage. The whole of this gearing is protected
and covered by a web or feather cast all round the framing, partly also to
strengthen it, so that the nets or ropes may not come into contact with the
gearing. On the ends of the wheel spindles at the other side of the vertical
framing, grooved pulleys are fixed, the cords or ropes of the nets being made to

page_text: travel, when the machine is set in motion, first over one of the outer pulleys, under
the intermediate pulley, and over the other outer pulley, as is usual in such
machines. As a further guide to the net ropes and nets when they are hauled in
or paid out, long vertical or inclined rollers are fitted in bearings formed for them
at the extreme ends of the framing such rollers preventing the friction and wear
of the ropes in passing from the outer pulleys over the boat's edge.
The bolt or spindle by which the machine is secured to the boat's beam is
screwed and secured by a screw nut with a lever handle below the beam, and the
securing bolt is fitted in a transverse slot in the beam, to enable the machine to be
moved and fixed to work at either side of the boat, or at an intermediate position
between the sides:

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Robertson Mitchell in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 20th June 1882.
CHARLES ROBERTSON MITCHELL, of the City and County of Aberdeen, North-
Britain, Ironfounder and Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN NET-HAULING WINCHES
AND MACHINES."
My said Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of net-
hauling or fishing gear winches or machines, designed to render such machines
more compact and easily handled and more generally useful than as hitherto
constructed.
In order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same may
be properly understood, I have hereunto appended a Sheet of explanatory Drawings
representing a modification of my improved net hauling winch. In these Drawings,
Figure 1 is an elevation of the machine showing the driving gear, Figure 2 is a
plan, and Figure 3 is an elevation of the opposite side of the machine showing
the hauling pulleys.
The improved machine comprises a strong standard or framing A carrying the
driving gear B, B1, B2, and hauling pulleys C, C¹, C, and is mounted so as to be
capable of swivelling over a sole-plate D on a vertical centre formed by a strong
bolt or spindle D' connected to the framing A, and secured by a pin d entering a
grooved formed in the bolt D', or in a ring fitted to it. By means of this bolt D',
the framing A is secured to a cross beam E or other convenient part of the fishing
boat or vessel, the usual jointed catch a and notches a', a', being provided to
secure the winch framing in position. The standard or framing A is formed with
strong bosses or eyes forming bearings for the spindles b, 61, 62, on which the
driving wheel gearing B, B1, B2, and hoisting or hauling pulleys C, C¹, C², are
fixed, such gearing consisting of a spur wheel B, B', near each upper side of the
framing, in gear with an intermediate central spur wheel B at a lower level, and
either driven by cranks fitted on square outer ends b* of their spindles, or for the
slow speeds by one or two spur pinions B3, B4, in gear with the upper wheels B, B'.
A heavy fly-wheel F having handles F is fitted on the spindle of one of the
driving pinions B³ to maintain a steady motion of the hauling gear, and a double
holding ratchet pawl G is jointed to the frame A, and made to engage into either of
the pinions B³, or B*, to prevent the handles being drawn back by any sudden strain
on the net ropes. The whole of the wheel gearing B, B1, B2, B3, B4, is protected and
covered by a web or feather A¹ cast all round the framing, partly also to strengthen
it, and so that the nets or robes may not come into contact with the gearing. On
the ends of the wheel spindles b, b', 6', at the other side of the vertical framing A,
grooved pulleys C, C, C2, are fixed, over which the ropes or cords H₁ of the nets H
are made to travel, when the machine is set in motion, first passing over one of
the outer pulleys C under the intermediate pulley C and over the other outer
pulley C¹, as is usual in such machines. As a further guide to the net ropes and
nets when they are hauled in or paid out, long vertical or inclined rollers I, I, are
fitted in bearings i, i, formed for them at the extreme ends of the framing A,
such rollers I, serving the purpose of reducing the friction and wear of the
ropes H', in passing from the outer pulleys over the side of the boat.
A strong
guard rod or bar J, fixed at the ends of the framing A, is carried in front of
the hauling pulleys C, C¹, C³, to prevent the net coming in contact with these
pulleys.
The bolt or spindle D¹ by which the machine is secured to the boat's beam E, is
screwed and secured by a screw nut D' with a lever handle & below the beam E,

page_text: and the securing bolt D' is fitted in a transverse slot in the beam, or instead of the
slot a number of holes are provided, to enable the machine to be moved and fixed
to work at either side of the boat, or at an intermediate position between the sides
of the boat.
Having thus described my said Invention, and the manner of performing the
same, I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise details of the
machine herein described or delineated, but what I believe to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein before
in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The arranging and combining together of the parts of net-hauling winches
or machines substantially as herein described and delineated.
Second. The fitting of net-hauling winches or machines with a screwed central
bolt or spindle (D') and movable securing nut (D2) so that the machine may be
shifted and fixed at different positions in the boat, substantially as herein
described and delineated.
In witness whereof, I the said Charles Robertson Mitchell, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty-two.