IMPROVEMENTS IN HARPOONS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, JOHN EVANS, of Wellgate, Dundee, North Britain do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HARPOONS" to be as follows:-
This invention relates to harpoons of the kind ordinarily used in whale fishing,
and it has for its object an improved method of constructing such harpoons so that
the batb is more certain and effective in its operation, and also so that the flexible
line to which the harpoon is attached when fired from a gun in the usual way shall
be carried gently and without jerk, the harpoon being thus less liable to be
diverted from its proper course than in harpoons as ordinarily made.
The barb of an ordinary harpoon consists of two side blades or "parallels"
formed upon the shank and meeting together at a proper angle to form the point.
In such harpoons, however, it is frequently found that when fired the barbed point
after striking instead of sticking fast in the body of the whale, simply glides off at
a tangent.
$
The first part of my invention consists in the addition to the barbed point of the
harpoon of a sharp projection or point attached to or formed upon the existing
point formed by the junction of the two “parallels,” but projecting forward for a
sufficient distance beyond.it.
The form of this projecting point may be varied more or less, and when the
harpoon is fired, it instantly fixes itself in and enters the body of the whale,
preparing the way for the remainder of the barb which follows.
In an ordinary harpoon to be fired from a gun, the shank or part. which is
inserted into the gun is made double forming a long loop round one side of which
fits a sliding ring or noose to which the line which the harpoon carries is connected,
the ring lying outside the mouth of the gun..
When therefore the latter is fired, the ring slides down the side of the loop so
quickly and is brought up so suddenly by the back end of the harpoon that the
tendency is to divert the latter from its proper course, and to snap. the connecting
line.
"
The second part of my invention consists in connecting the back ends of the two
sides of the loop forming the shank of the harpoon by a strong transverse pin round
which fits the ring or noose to which the line is connected. When therefore the
gun is ready to be fired the line lies in the loop its front end coming out from it at
the mouth of the gun, and when the latter is fired the line is taken without shock
by the harpoon, and at the same speed as the latter from the first, and any
tendency to jerk the line and to divert the harpoon from its proper course is thus
prevented.
J.
"
$
J
EDWARDS & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: "1
I, JOHN EVANS, of Wellgate, Dundee, North Britain do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN HARPOONS" and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement and accompanying Drawing:—
My invention relates to harpoons of the kind ordinarily used in whale fishing,
and it has for its object an improved method of constructing such harpoons so that
the barb is more certain and effective in its operation, and also so that the flexible
line to which the harpoon is attached when fired from a gun in the usual way
shall be carried gently and without jerk, the harpoon being thus less liable to be
diverted from its proper course than is the case in harpoons as ordinarily made and
used.
'
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of my invention.
Figure 1 represents the barb of an ordinary harpoon having my invention
applied to it. Figure 2 is the improved harpoon in a loaded harpoon gun ready to
be fired. Figure 3 is the same harpoon when discharged from the gun. Figure 4
shows an ordinary harpoon in a loaded gun. The same letters of reference indicate
the same parts in the several figures.
The barb of an ordinary harpoon (as shewn in figure 1) consists of two side
blades or parallels AC, and B C, formed upon the shank d and meeting together
at C at a proper angle to form the point. In such harpoons, however, it is.
frequently found that when fired the barbed point after striking instead of sticking
fast in the body of the whale, simply glides off at a tangent. The first part of my
invention consists in the addition to the barbed point of the harpoon of a sharp
projection or point e attached to or formed upon the existing point formed by the
junction of the two "parallels" at C but projecting forward for a sufficient distance
beyond it as shewn at F.
The form of this projecting point may be varied more or less, and when the
harpoon is fired, it instantly fixes itself in and enters the body of the whale,
preparing the way for the remainder of the barb which follows.
The projecting piece described may be of any suitable shape, and may be either
made in one piece with the rest of the harpoon or a separate piece afterwards fixed
to the barb as shown.
In an ordinary harpoon to be fired from a gun as shewn in figure 4, the shank
or part which is inserted into the gun g is made double as shewn at f, f¹, forming
a long loop round one side of which fits a sliding ring or noose h to which the
line which the harpoon carries is connected, the ring lying outside the mouth of
the gun g.
When therefore the gun is fired, the ring halides down the side f of
the loop so quickly and is brought up so suddenly by the back end of the harpoon
at k that the tendency is to divert the latter from its proper course, and to snap
the connecting line i
The second part of my invention as shewn in figures 2 and 3 consists in
connecting the back ends of the two sides f,f', of the loop forming the shank of the
harpoon by a strong transverse pin at round which fits the ring or noose h to
which the line is connected. When therefore the gun g is ready to be fired the
line lies in the loop its front end coming out from it at the mouth of the gun
as shewn in figure 2, and when the latter is fired the line is taken without shock
by the harpoon, and at the same speed as the latter from the first, and any
tendency to jerk the line and to divert the harpoon from its proper course is thus
prevented,

page_text: The method of attaching the line and of firing may be used for harpoons or their
equivalents used for other purposes, as for instance for throwing lines to ships.
I do not confine myself to the exact form and proportions of the harpoon as
shewn, which may be varied to suit varying circumstances, but having now
described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The point projecting from the barb of a harpoon, substantially as and for
the purpose described and shewn..
2. In a harpoon or its equivalent, the combination of the double shank f, f¹,
with the crosspin and ring or noose h to which the line i is connected,
substantially as and for the purpose described and shewn.
•