IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN CATCHING CRABS, LOBSTERS, AND OTHER SHELL-FISH.”
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John William de Caux, of Great Yarmouth, in the County
of Norfolk, Gentleman, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
EMPLOYED IN CATCHING CRABS, LOBSTERS, AND OTHER SHELL-FISH.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John William de Caux at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th April 1880.
JOHN WILLIAM DE CAUX, of Great Yarmouth, in the County of Norfolk,
Gentleman, "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN CATCHING CRABS,
LOBSTERS, AND OTHER SHELL-FISH."
The trap now in use, commonly called a "crab-pot," is generally made of wood
and netting or other materials, the bottom being of or weighted with iron in order
to sink it. The entrances to the "pot" are on each side, and the shell-fish have
just about as much difficulty in getting in as they have in getting out.
The objects desired to be attained by my Invention are,—
Firstly. That the trap may stand more firmly at the bottom of the sea.
Secondly. That little or no obstacle may be offered to the entrance of the shell-
fish into the trap.
Thirdly. That when once inside no shell-fish may escape from the trap, except
those that are undersized, and therefore illegal or undesirable to catch.
"
With these objects in view as well as other incidental advantages I proceed as
follows:-
My trap may be made of wood, metal, wickerwork, or other suitable material, or
a combination thereof, and may be of a square, round, oblong, or other suitable
shape, provided that its base is larger than its top, so that its sides slope. I form
the trap of bars so as to be open in every part. These bars may be of any suitable
shape, but I prefer those placed horizontally to be shaped somewhat like angle-iron
so as to form a kind of step and riser to facilitate the climbing of the shell-fish.
These bars may be placed at any desired distance apart from each other; in the
sides I form entrances of any desired height and width. These entrances I protect
by sloping bars of any suitable shape which will readily give to slight pressure from
without, but not from within; or a kind of turnstile may be fixed horizontally
:

page_text: across the entrances so as to be capable of turning for passage only one way. Bait
of course is placed inside the trap to allure the shell-fish. The top part of the trap
may be closed with bars, or it may be left entirely open. If left open it should be
protected by bars made of such material that they will readily float, and so
arranged that when immersed in the sea they float and fill up the greater part of 5
the open space. Bait is placed over the top of these floating bars, and in the
centre thereof, and when the shell-fish are tempted by it to get upon the bars the
bars sink down, and having shot the shell-fish into the interior of the trap float up
to their original positions. This marine pitfall should be protected from weeds
and other things at the bottom of the sea by cross-bars, which should be placed 1
above it sufficiently high to allow of the shell-fish getting beneath them. Traps
according to my improvements may be made of any desired size with side entrances
only, with the pitfall only, or in any desired combination thereof.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John William de Caux in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th October 1880.
JOHN WILLIAM DE CAUX, of Great Yarmouth, in the County of Norfolk,
Gentleman. IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN CATCHING CRABS,
LOBSTERS, AND OTHER SHELL FISH."
The trap now in use, commonly called a 'crab-pot," is generally made of wood
and netting or other materials, the bottom being of or weighted with iron or other
heavy material in order to sink it. The entrances to the "pot" are on each side,
and the shell-fish have just about as much difficulty in getting in as they have in
getting out.
The objects desired to be attained by my Invention are, firstly, that the trap
may stand more firmly at the bottom of the sea.
Secondly. That little or no obstacle may be offered to the entrance of the shell-
fish into tho trap.
Thirdly. That when once inside no shell-fish may escape from the trap, except
those that are undersized, and therefore illegal or undesirable to catch.
With these objects in view as well as other incidental advantages I proceed as
follows:-
.
My trap may be made of wood, metal, wickerwork, wire or other netting, or
other suitable material, or a combination thereof, and may be of a square, round,
oblong, or other suitable shape, provided that its base is larger than its top so that
its sides slope. I form the trap of bars so as to be open in every part. These bars
may be of any suitable shape, but I prefer those placed horizontally to be shaped
somewhat like angle-iron so as to form a kind of step and riser to facilitate the
climbing of the shell-fish. These bars may be placed at any desired distance apart
from each other; in the sides I form entrances of any desired height and width.

page_text: These entrances I protect by sloping bars of any suitable shape, which will readily
give to slight pressure from without, but not from within; or a kind of turnstile
may be fixed horizontally across the entrances so as to be capable of turning for
passage only one way. Bait of course is placed inside the trap to allure the shell
fish. The top part of the trap may be closed with bars or netting, or it may be
left entirely open. If left open it should be protected by bars made of such
material that they will readily float, and so arranged that when immersed in the
sea they float and fill up the greater part of the open space. Bait is placed over
the top of these floating bars, and in the centre thereof, and when the shell-fish are
tempted by it to get upon the bars the bars sink down, and having shot the shell-
fish into the interior of the trap float up to their original positions. This marine
pitfall should be protected from weeds and other things at the bottom of the sea
by cross-bars, which should be placed above it sufficiently high to allow of the
shell-fish getting beneath them. Traps according to my improvements may be
made of any desired size with side entrances only, with the pitfall only, or in any
desired combination thereof.
But that the Invention may be the better understood I will, by the aid of the
accompanying Drawings, proceed more fully to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a side view, Figure 2 a top view, and Figure 3 an underside view
of an arrangement of apparatus according to my Invention; Figure 4 is a section
in the direction of the lines (1), (1), of Figure 2; and Figure 5 is a transverse
section in the direction of the lines (2), (2), of Figure 2. In each of the views the
same letters are employed to indicate corresponding parts. This apparatus or trap
is formed by a bottom frame a, a, a, from which rise at the four corners the main
upright bars b, b, which incline inwards to another frame c, c, forming the outline
of the trap proper; d, d, are horizontal bars, each of which is by preference formed,.
as indicated by the separate section of one of them at Figure 6, as a step and riser
to facilitate the action of the fish in climbing up the outside of the trap. These
horizontal bars d, d, are connected at their ends to the inclined angle pieces or
main upright bars b, and they are further held in correct relative positions by means
of other bars e, c, also inclining upwards from the bottom frame a to the top
frame c.
In each side of this open work trap is formed an opening for the admission of
the fish to the interior of the trap.
These openings or entrances f are guarded by stopping bars g, g, which are
affixed to a rod g' as an axis, and which is capable of turning in beurings provided
for the purpose so as to admit of the lower ends of those bars g turning inwards to
admit of the free passage of the shell-fish therein, but which otherwise at their
lower ends rest against the stop h to prevent the return and escape of the fish once
they have obtained admission to the interior of the trap. One of these series of
bars with its axis is shown separately by the edge view and side view, Figure 7.
The form of the stops to the entrances may however be varied, and at one of these
openings I have shown a sort of turnstile formed by a series of rods or arms i
projecting from a drum or cylinder i', which by its axis is supported in parts
a', a', of the framing so as to freely revolve for the admission of shell-fish, and at
the same time effectually to prevent their exit. On this drum is applied a ratchet
wheel 3, into the teeth of which is borne by spring or other pressure or by its own
weight the end of the click or stop to prevent the cylinder i' with its bars i from
turning other than in one direction. This cylinder with its parts is shown by
section and side view separately by Figure 8.
Just within the top frame c I have shown a series of light bars of wood, tin, or
other suitable material k, each of which is formed to turn on an axis k¹ at one end,
whilst the other or inner end, if made of some metal or non-floating material, is on

page_text: its underside provided with a piece of cork /² or other suitable material adapted to
give that end of each of these bars a tendency to float upwards, and by bearing
against tho bars a³, a², to close the outlet from the trap, whilst in the event of any
shell-fish getting on to the inner ends of these bars those ends of those bars will by
the weight of the fish let the fish down into the trap, and when that has been
effected the cork or such like floating material will act to bring them back again
into a horizontal position to close the top of the trap. One of these bars is shown
separately by plan and side view at Figure 9. L, L, aro bars projecting downwards
inside the trap from the bars a² and through bars a³, with a tendency to prevent
the escape of fish from the interior of the trap; l' are other bars at intervals for the
same purpose; m, m, are flaps turning on hinges m³, m³, and covering receptacles m³,
if desired, formed by tho upper parts of the bars, the sides of the outer frame,
and by the bars for bait. Bait may also be applied on the inner ends of tho
bars and otherwise, as may be desired. These flaps are secured in position by
meaus of hooks and eyes m² or other suitable fastenings.
Within the bottom frame a is applied the frame n, which is connected to the
frame a by hinges n' on which it may turn so that it may open downwards for the
discharge of the contents of the trap, and it is held in position by buttons n³, n³, or
by other suitable means.
o, o, arc bars over the upper part of the trap for the purpose of preventing weeds
and other things interfering with the correct action of the bars . Bait can bo
fixed inside at any part by means of string or wire, and can be suspended over tho
middle of the pitfall by string or wire attached to the bars o, which are for protection
against weeds.
Having thus described my Invention I would have it undorstood that I do not
confine myself to the shape or relative proportions of the parts shown, or the size
of the openings f, and generally to the particular details shown and described, as
the same may be varied without departing from the peculiar character of my
Invention; but what I do claim is, the arranging or combining parts forming
apparatus to facilitate the catching of crubs, lobsters, and other shell-fish, substan-
tially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John William de Caux, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.