A Two-BRANCHED OR DOUBLE-HOOKED FISH-HOOK
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of the Firm of John
Gedge and Son, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "A Two-BRANCHED OR
DOUBLE-HOOKED FISH-HOOK."-A communication from abroad by François
Angilard, junior, of 39, Faubourg St. Martin, Paris, France.
Sealed the 19th July 1867, and dated the 21st January 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedige
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 21st January 1867.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son, of
No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A Two-
OR DOUBLE-HOOKED FISH-HOOK," (a communication to me from
abroad by François Angilard, junior, of 89, Faubourg St. Martin, Paris,
France,) to be as follows:-
The double fish-hook, the subject of this Invention, is composed of two
parts or branches as shewn on the accompanying Sheet of Drawing forming
part of this Provisional Specification. The first branch a is bent at right
angles at its upper part where it is pierced with a hole e, the edges of which
are rounded for the better passage of the line ; at its lower part it has a book

page_text: collar or nipping piece c, pass
then in the hole o and attach it
then bait the hook on the first
on which the bait is placed, and it is pierced with a hole o near its centre.
The second branch f is attached to the first at b, and is held in a fixed
position by a piece c, the sides or cheeks of which form springs, nipping and
sufficiently retaining this branch, which is further provided with a ring G
and with a hook. To use this fish-hook open the branch fand fix it in the
the line through the hole e of the first branch,
securely to the ring G of the second branch,
branch a and throw the fish-hook into the
When the fish, attracted by the bait, is taken by the first branch a it
makes efforts to disengage itself, causing a traction on the line which tightens
and brings down the second branch f, so that its hook pierces the body of
the fish and more firmly secures it; the fish thus wounded rapidly loses its
strength and may be at once withdrawn from the water.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Gedge in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 19th July 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son, of No. 11, Wellington
Street, Strand, in the. County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Edward Gedge, Her special licence that I, the said William
Edward Gedge, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Edward Gedge, 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 A Two-BRANCHED OR DOUBLE-HOOKED FISH-HOOK," a communication to
me from abroad by François Angilard, of 39, Faubourg St. Martin, Paris,
France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Edward Gedge, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner

page_text: 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 William Edward Gedge, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 Sheet of Drawing hereunto
annexed, and forming part of this Specification, and to the figures and letters
of reference placed thereon:-
The double fish-hook, the subject of this Invention, is composed of two
parts or branches. The first branch a (Figs. 1, 2, and 3) is bent at right
angles at its upper part, where it is pierced with a hole at e (Figs. 1 and 2),
the edges of which are rounded for the better passage of the line 7; this branch
is formed into a barbed hook at its lower part, and is pierced with a hole o
about its centre (see Figs. 1 and 2). The second branch f is attached to the
first at b, and when raised is held in a fixed position by the piece c, the sides
or cheeks of which form springs nipping and sufficiently retaining this branch,
which is further provided with a ring G (Figs. 1 and 2), and terminates in a
book. To use this fish-hook open the branch f and fix it in the collar or
nipping piece c (as at Figs. 1 and 3), pass the line through the hole e of the
branch a, then through the hole o (see Figs. 1 and 2), and fasten it securely
to the ring G of the branch f, then bait the hook on branch a and throw it
into the water. When the fish, attracted by the bait, is taken by the first
branch a it makes efforts to disengage itself and causes a traction on the
line, which tightens and brings down the second branch f (as shewn Fig. 2),
so that the hook on this branch pierces the body of the fish, more firmly
securing it, and the fish thus wounded rapidly loses its strength, and is easily
withdrawn from the water.
Instead of attaching the moveable branch to the fixed one by means
of a ring a simple rivet A may be used for joining these two pieces,
and the end of the line may be fixed in the thickness of the metal of the
moveable branch, or preferably in the copper plate G forming collar and
pierced with a hole for attaching the line.
In the modified arrangement shewn, Fig. 3, it will be seen that the piece G
is entirely dispensed with, and that the fixed branch a is not weakened by
being pierced with the hole o for the passage of the line; also that the hole e
is formed by bending the metal; and further that the moveable branch f
(which does not come down without offering a somewhat considerable
resistance) is bere extended beyond the point of its attachment to the branch a,

page_text: so that the part A, B, forms a powerful lever arm to bring down the moveable
branch.
Having now described the nature of this said Invention, and means by
which it is carried into practical effect, 1 desire it to be understood that I do
not confine myself to the use of any particular metal or material in the manu-
facture of this improved fish-hook, nor to any particular form or dimensions
of its parts, as such may be varied without any departure from the principle
of this Invention; but I claim the exclusive use of a fish-hook composed of a
fixed hook to which is attached a moveable hook set in motion by the line
when the fish causes a traction upon this latter.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
W. E. GEDGE.
(L.S.)