IMPROVED FISHING TRAWL
Year: 1886

page_text: JOHN THURLOW 41 Kelland Road Barking Road Plaistow Fisherman I do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for THE IMPROVED FISHING TRAWL and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Two Trawl carriages with Drum Wheels or other wheels, Two rudder one on top
of each carriage, Two wire hawsers ropes or lines one to each carriage, Weights
to sink carriages to be worked up and down the wire hawser with small line or to
be fixed on carriages before lowering the Trawl down. Two small metal cones on
lower part of lines to be made fast to bottom part of floatage.
Two weights with a spring inside to pass over small metal cones to shut the net,
Floatage in various forms. Tubing or cylinder to keep lower part of net to the
ground. 1. Trawl carriages with wheels to be easily drawn along. 2. Rudders to
force the front of Trawl open-3. Hawsers to work Trawl up and down. 4. Small
metal cones for weights to pass over to shut nets. 5. Tubing or cylinder for to
keep lower part of net to the bottom. 6. Floatage to keep net open from the
ground upwards. 7. Two weights to pass over small cones to shut the net
8. Weights to sink carriages.
The different parts used in the construction of the Improved Trawl and the
advantages it has over the Trawl in present are as follows.
1st. Two Trawl carriages with Drum Wheels or other wheels which will enable
the Trawl to be drawn over soft ground without pressing into it as the Trawl head
do which are used on the Trawl in present use.
2nd. Two Rudders one to be on top of each carriage to force front part of net
open. The rudders may be a portion of the carriages or so constructed as to be
taken off when required; the rudders will allow the Trawl to be used without a
heavy beam, the carriages and rudders can be made of galvanized iron or other
metals.
3rd. Two Wire Hawsers ropes or lines to work the Trawl up and down one
fastened on each carriage one rope to be used on each side of the vessel in such a
position that the vessel will alway be under control to be brought before the wind
or head to wind immediately. When the vessel is brought up suddenly with
obstruction on the ground the two ropes will prevent losing the Trawl by being
twice as strong as the one rope used on the present Trawl. Easily cleared of

page_text: wreck by buoying the end of one rope and sailing round wreck with the other
горе.
4th. Two small Metal Cones to be fixed on wire ropes or lines to be made fast
to lower part of floatage for weights with springs inside to pass over when required
to close the net.
°
5th. Tubing or Cylinder to keep the lower part of net to the ground will be
easily drawn along and quickly fixed to the net then ground chain used in Trawl
in present use.
6th. Floatage to keep the net open from the ground upwards which will allow
the net to be open two three or four fathoms from the ground upwards, the afore-
said small metal cones fasten on wire ropes will be made fast to lower part of
floatage, there will be lines to connect floatage to the top part of rudders on front
part of carriages to keep the front part of carriages off the ground and open top
part of net-the Improved Trawl cannot turn over Trawl in present use often turns
over and no fish is caught while it remain so, it only opens five or six feet from
the ground upward. My claim for floatage does not interfere with any other kind
of Trawl as peices of cork are distributed along the head line of the net in one
other kind of Trawl. The Improved Trawl floatage will be in two seperate bodies
one on each side of the top part of the net or a hollow air tight beam along the
headline.
7th. Two Weights with a spring inside of each and when required to close the
net, the weights are made to descend down wire ropes which the small metal cones
are fixed to fastened on lower part of floatage, as weights pass over small metal
cones it closes the spring inside of weights when past the cones spring opens and
large part of small cone meet open spring, which stops it from returning from
lower part part of floatage, lines are let loose from the vessel which takes the top
net with floatage in front of lower net, by which means the net is shut up
completely while being hauled up. Trawl in present use is always open while
being hauled up.
8th. Weights with wheels to sink carriages to the ground to be worked up and
down wire hawsers or to be fixed on carriages before lowering the Trawl down, by
which means am able to work the Improved Trawl in very deep water,
by applying weights after the Trawl leaves the vessel side and hauling them up
before hauling the Trawl, The Trawl without weights can be used for fine
weather and weights sent down wire hawser on to each carriages if the wind
increases Trawl in present use is alway the same weight. The word ground made
use of in my claims is a phrase used among fishermen to denote the bottom of
Sea, Bay, Gulf, River, or Lake they may be fishing in. I do not bind myself to
shapes shewn in the drawing of Rudders, Floatage and Weights.
The novelty of my invention is as follow
1. Two Trawl carriages with drum wheels with rudders attached as letter A. by
using drum wheels every revolution the wheels make when being drawn over soft
ground the soil falls off the ends of the drums, and it is all clear to revolve again,
by using the carriages I am able to attach the rudders thereon.
2. Two Rudders attached to carriages as letter A by using these rudders, the
vessels way through the water forces one carriages right and one carriage left by
which means the front part of net is kept open and am able to use the trawl
without a beam,
3. Two Wire Hawsers to connect carriages A to the vessel one hawser will be
made fast to each carriage from thence one hawser to each side of the vessel; the
hawser from starboard carriage will be on starboard side of vessel and hawser from
port carriage to port side of the vessel, by which means I shall have vessel under
control, these hawsers will be used for lowering the trawl into the water and
heaving it up again into the vessel.
4. Two small metal cones which are fixed on wire ropes fastened on lower part
of floatage C, for weights E to descend and pass over metal cones D when it is
requisite to close the net.

page_text: 5. Tubing or Cylinder F to be secured at each end with hawsers one hawser
will be fastened to hinder part of each carriage A and lower part of net will be
made fast to tubing F.
6. Floatage C and G to be used to keep the net open from the ground upwards
floatage C will be two seperate bodies one on each side of the top part of the net,
floatage G will be a hollow air tight beam along the headline of the net, either to
be used at discretion, there will be a line from floatage G to top part of rudder A to
keep the front part of carriages off the ground, and keep the trawl always upright
so that it cannot turn over.
7. Two weights with a spring inside of each as letter E to descend down wire
ropes to pass over metal cones D, springs inside of weights E prevents it returning
from lower part of floatage O. When lines are let loose from the vessel the weights E
descend with floatage G and top part of net to the ground which falls in front of
tubing F. which is attached to hinder part of carriages A by which means the net
is closed completely.
8. Weights B no limited number with a small line attached to the first one that
is lower down on each side, to descend down wire hawsers to sink the carriages A
to the ground when required, when more then one weight B is required to sink
carriages all the weights B will be hauled up with weight B where the line is
attached to, I am able to apply weights B. after the Trawl leaves the vessel side or
weights can be fixed to carriages A before lowering the trawl into the water.
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 as follows,
1st. I claim Two trawl carriages with drum wheels or wheels of a similar kind
as shown in the drawing with rudder attached as letter A.
2nd. I claim Two rudders one to be attached to each carriage as shown in the
drawing as letter A.
3rd. I claim Two wire hawsers or other kind of ropes or lines one to be secured
to each carriage A as shown in the drawing leading from carriage A to vessel,
with B weight ascending thereon.
4th. I claim Two small metal cones to be fixed on two wire ropes or lines, as
shown in the drawing passing from the top part of the net to the vessel as
letter D.
5th. I claim Tubing or Cylinder as shown in the drawing as letter F.
6th. I claim Floatage which can be used in various forms, two forms.shown in
the drawing as C and G.
7th. I claim Two weights with a spring inside of each as shown in the drawing
as letter E
8th. I claim Weights no limited number as shown in the drawing as letter B.
Dated this 11th day of September 1886.