Improvements in or relating to Trawl Nets,
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in or relating to Trawl Nets,
We, THOMAS FREDERICK ADAMSon, Ships' Store Merchant, of Exchange
Buildings, Tyne Dock, and EDWARD CLARKE, Engineer, of 13, Wadham Terrace,
South Shields, both in the County of Durham, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
-
Our invention relates to trawl nets of the kind wherein "otter boards"
like are employed.
"
or the
Hitherto for the purpose of keeping the mouths of these nets open otter
boards" have been employed, consisting of more or less rectangular boards having
weighted keels to keep them in a vertical position, the head and ground lines
being attached to suitable points upon the boards and the towing bridle rope
attached by ropes, chains or other devices to the inner face of each board in such
manner as to always keep the mouth of the net open. These boards are very
liable to catch upon obstructions in their path when in use in which case damage
to the fishing gear and nets and in some cases loss of gear and fish ensues.
It is the object of our invention to overcome these defects and this we do by
substituting for the otter boards a wheel or disc or it may be a combination
of wheels or discs of different sizes, interchangeably and detachably mounted in
a frame of suitable form or shape having in proper position means for securing
the various ropes, chains or the like. These wheels may be of any suitablo
material for instance, they may be of wood having a metal tyre.
"
"
In one arrangement we mount a wheel or disc of suitable material in a frame
provided with bearings for the axle and so arranged that the wheel or wheels or
parts of the frame may be interchangeable and so that the under side and more
or less of the front face of the wheel may have access to the ground so as to run
thereon and mount any obstacle when pulled or under strain of the towing warp.
The said frame may be of shape or of other convenient form, and it may
consist of arms or spokes radiating and passing from a bearing in which the wheel
is mounted to beyond its periphery, and arranged at one side, or it may be at
both sides, in two parts embracing the wheel and joined in a convenient manner
at the outer extremities whereat rings or like means are provided at the proper
points for attachment of the ground, head or other lines of the net and to these
points, for instance, there may be three, or to other points upon the frame, may
be connected the usual ropes, chains or other devices or arrangements to which
the end of the towing warp or bridle is attached and the connections are so
arranged that the wheels shall keep a vertical or approximately vertical position
and at their proper distance apart when the net is towed and so that when the
wheels fall, or lean over on stoppage they will readily rise to running position
again when towing is resumed.
We may in some cases where fishing over hard ground provide in conjunction
with the above described frame and wheel or wheels, two or more auxiliary wheels

page_text: which may be of less diameter than the large wheel or wheels and mounted in a
frame detachably and interchangeably secured to the main frame or frames.
These auxiliary wheels may be arranged at the rear or in other convenient position
and are adapted to run upon the ground in the same manner as the larger wheel
described and they are suitably spaced apart so as to give steadiness and prevent
the larger wheel or wheels from falling over on stoppage, or to assist them to rise
to position on starting, should this occur.
By the use of the above described invention it will be seen that friction is greatly
reduced when fishing over soft ground' and if damaged from any cause a new
wheel or disc may be readily mounted in the frame, or parts of the frame if
broken or damaged may be replaced and fishing resumed, and on the wheel
encountering any obstacle the pull of the towing warp will cause it to mount
and pass over same, whereas with flat boards as ordinarily used an obstacle will
cause it to catch or stop and thus strain or break the ropes and cause loss or other-
wise damage the nets or gear. Also by rendering the wheels interchangeable
they may be changed according to the nature of the ground upon which they are
to be used and for similar purposes the auxiliary wheels when used may be removed
or attached as desired.
Dated this 12th day of November 1897
PRYOR & HARVEY,
Agents.
We, THOMAS FREDERICK ADAMSON, Ships' Store Merchant, of Exchange
Buildings, Tyne Dock, and EDWARD CLARKE, Engineer, of 13, Wadham Terrace,
South Shields, both in the County of Durham, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention relates to trawl nets of the kind wherein " otter boards" or the
like are employed.
"
Hitherto for the purpose of keeping the mouths of these nets open otter
boards" have been employed consisting of more or less rectangular boards having
weighted keels to keep them in a vertical position the head and ground lines
being attached to suitable points upon the boards and the towing bridle rope
attached by ropes, chains or other devices to the inner face of each board in such
manner as to always keep the mouth of the net open. These boards are very
liable to catch upon obstructions in their path when in use in which case damage
to the fishing gear and nets and in some cases loss of gear and fish ensues.
It is the object of our invention to overcome these defects and this we do by
substituting for the " otter boards a wheel or disc or it may be a combination
of wheels or discs of different sizes, interchangeably and detachably mounted in
a frame of suitable form or shape having in proper position means for securing
the various ropes, chains or the like. These wheels may be of any suitable
material, for instance, they may be of wood having a metal tyre.
دو
In further describing our invention we will refer to the accompanying drawings
in which Fig. 1 is an elevation of a wheel and frame. Fig. 2 is a plan of same
and Fig. 3 is a plan of a modified arrangement. Fig. 4 is a part plan of a trawl
net having our invention fitted thereto and Fig. 5 is an elevation of same.
In the arrangement shown we mount a wheel or disc A of suitable material and

page_text: having a metal tyre aº in a frame such as B provided with bearings 6 for the
wheel axle a and so arranged that the wheel A or parts of the frame B may be
interchangeable and so that the underside and more or less of the front face a of
the wheel A may have access to the ground so as to run thereon and mount any
obstacle when pulled or under strain of the towing warp. A trailing wheel k
is or may be provided and mounted in an extended part 6 of the frame B as
shown to secure steadiness in motion.
The frame B is of suitable form and it may be as shown dotted in Fig. 1 and
consist of arms or spokes ccc radiating and passing from the bearing b in which
the wheel A is mounted to beyond its periphery.
In some cases I may form the frame so as to cover the side face of the wheel
and as shown by the hard lines c¹ c¹ in Fig. 1 so as to take the pressure of water
off the wheel A and its bearings and render the same easier in running. The
frame B may be arranged at one side or it may be at both sides as shown in two
parts embracing the wheel A and joined in a convenient manner at the outer
extremities by bolts and nuts such as d d and whereat rings E formed on the
joining parts e of the frame are provided at the proper points for attachment of
the ground line G, head line H wing line W or other lines of the net and to these
points or other points e¹ el e¹ e¹ upon the frame B may be connected the usual ropes,
chains or other devices or arrangements to which the end of the towing warp or
bridle is attached and the connections are so arranged that the wheels shall keep
a vertical or approximately vertical position and at their proper distance apart
when the net towed and so that when the wheel falls or leans over on stoppage
it will readily rise to running position again when towing is resumed; We have
shown one such arrangement in the drawings in which chains such as jjj are
used being attached to the frame at the points el and joined together at their outer
ends to a ring or the like j¹ at a suitable distance from the wheel to which ring
the towing warp L is joined.
We may in some cases where fishing over hard ground provide in conjunction
with the above described frame and wheel or wheels two or more auxiliary
wheels Fig. 3 which are or may be of less diameter than the large wheel A
and mounted in a frame such as detachably and interchangeably secured to
the main frame B.
These auxiliary wheels may be arranged at the rear as shown or in other con- -
venient position and are adapted to run upon the ground in the same manner
as the large wheel A. These wheels are suitably spaced apart so as to give
steadiness and prevent the large wheel A from falling over on stoppage or to assist
them by reason of the broader base to rise on starting should this occur.
It is obvious that we may in some cases arrange more than one large wheel
such as A in a frame side by side or following one another in the same or different
paths.
In Figs. 4 and 5 we have shown a plan and elevation of the wheels as fitted
to a net and in position for use at the junction of the towing warp L and net N,
the head line H and ground and wing lines G and W being attached as shown
to the points E E of the frame B whilst the towing warp L is connected to the
frame by the chains j j j and it will be seen that being arranged as shown, on
the pull of the warp L the wheel tends to move forward with a tendency in an
outward direction thereby keeping the mouth of the net open.
By the use of the above described invention it will be seen that whilst being
efficient in keeping the mouth of the net open friction is greatly reduced when
fishing over soft ground and if damaged from any cause a new wheel or disc may
be readily mounted in the frame, or parts of the frame if broken or damaged
may be replaced and fishing resumed, and on the wheel encountering any obstacle
the pull of the towing warp will cause it to mount and pass over same, whereas
with flat boards as ordinarily used an obstacle will cause it to catch or stop and
thus strain or break the ropes and cause loss or otherwise damage to the nets or
gear. Also by rendering the wheel or wheels interchangeable they may be

page_text: changed according to the nature of the ground upon which they are to be used
and for similar purposes the auxiliary wheels when used may be removed or
attached as desired.
Having now particularly 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-For use with trawl nets at the junction of the net ropes or lines and the
bridle or towing line, a wheel or dise or combination of wheels or discs adapted
to run upon the ground and mounted in a suitable frame to which the said con-
necting lines or ropes are attached.
2-The use with trawl nets and connecting gear of a wheel or disc or combination
of wheels or discs detachably and interchangeably mounted in a suitable frame
embracing the wheel and having connections beyond the wheel's periphery for
the head and ground lines of the net and chains or other suitable devices on its
inner face for attachment to the towing warp substantially in the manner and for
the purposes set forth.
3 The improved connecting and net adjusting device for use with trawl nets
constructed, arranged and adapted for use with the latter substantially in the
manner and for the purposes set forth in reference to Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5 with
the modification shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.