Improvements in and connected with Fishing-nets.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Oct., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 5th July. 1894-Accepted, 18th Aug., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Fishing-nets.
1 GUSTAVE TROUVÉ, of 14 Rue Vivienne, Paris, France, Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to fishing-nets and has for object to effect the lifting of
the net, or a part thereof, automatically and from a distance and with this object
an inflatable tube is applied to the edge of the net and means are provided
whereby it may be inflated at will, in order to act as a float to raise the net when
required.
The invention also relates to a luminous buoy forming a reservoir of compressed
air and provided with electric lighting and generating appliances serving also
to automatically control the admission of the compressed air to the inflatable float
of the net.
It further relates to a balance applied to the net and connected electrically with
an audible signal at a distance to notify the entry of fish in the net.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification, wherein
Figure 1 shews a circular net laid flat on the bottom and Figure 2 shews the same
net when raised automatically.
Figure 3 shews what may be designated a corridor or gangway net whose ends
may be raised automatically.
Figure 4 illustrates the invention applied to a scine net.
Figure 5 illustrates the balance of the signalling device.
Figures 6 and 7 are cross-sections of the pneumatic tube in its normal and
inflated conditions.
Figure 8 is a vertical section of a luminous buoy containing compressed air and
an electric battery.
The same letters of reference denote like parts in all the figures.
As shewn in Figure 1, the foot-rope a of the sweep net or trammel b is weighted
and the head rope is constituted by an india-rubber tube c.which is normally
collapsed, as shewn in Figure 6, and is connected by a tube d with a compressed
air reservoir, or with a pump, the reservoir being placed either on board a boat
or on shore or contained in a buoy as at e Figure 8.
When it is required. to raise a part or the whole of the net, compressed air is
admitted to the tube c which when inflated acts as a float to raise the net.
In applying the invention to a seine such as shewn in Figure 4, the buoy
connected to it contains a compressed air reservoir e and a primary or secondary
battery and mechanism actuated electrically under the control of a commutator
at a distance either on board the boat or on shore, for opening the cock controlling
the supply of the compressed air to the inflatable tube c. The buoy may carry
an electric lamp surmounted by a reflector h in order to indicate the location of
the net, and at the point of connection of tube d with the net there may be
placed another lamp for the purpose of attracting the fish into the pocket of
the net.
Figure 5 shews a balance whose beam k is pivoted on a stake 1 from one end
of which is suspended a square net m and at the other end a counterweight n

page_text: For
By means of an electrical contact on the stake land in connection with a distant
electric bell the person on the watch may be notified automatically of the presence
of fish in the balance net m which is located in proximity to the fishing net.
this purpose the balance is oscillated periodically, say every few minutes, by means
of suitable clockwork. As the net m is normally overbalanced by the counter-
weight n to the extent of, say, a couple of pounds the beam will swing quickly to
the dotted position k¹ when freed from the clockwork and as the electric contact
occurs as the beam passes the horizontal position the signal will be sounded for
a very short period which will denote the absence of fish, but if a certain weight
of fish be captured in the net m the counterweight n will be insufficient to raise it
out of the water and hence the electric contact will be prolonged and will remain
uninterrupted so long as this position of the balance remains unchanged. The
fisherman by then adding weights to the scale n may then ascertain the weight of
fish contained in the net m of known area from which may be roughly deduced
the amount of the catch in the fishing net whose area is also known..
It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the arrangements
illustrated which may be varied in form, arrangement, materials, and accessories,
and be applied generally to all kinds of fishing nets.
Dated this 9th day of October 1893.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Fishing-nets.
I, GUSTAVE TROUVÉ, of 14, Rue Vivienne, Paris, France, Engineer, 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 :-
My invention relates to fishing nets and has for object to effect the lifting of the
net, or a part thereof, automatically and from a distance, and with this object an
inflatable tube is applied to the edge of the net and means are provided whereby
it may be inflated at will in order to act as a float to raise the net when required.
The invention also relates to a luminous buoy forming a reservoir of compressed
air and provided with electric lighting and generating appliances serving also
to automatically control the admission of the compressed air to the inflatable float
of the net.
It further relates to a balance applied to the net and connected electrically with
an audible signal at a distance, to notify the entry of fish in the net.
Reference is to be had to the drawings accompanying my Provisional
Specification, wherein
Figure 1 shews a circular net laid flat on the bottom, and Figure 2 shews the
same net when raised automatically.
Figure 3 shews what may be designated a corridor or gangway net, whose ends
may be raised automatically.
Figure 4 illustrates the invention applied to a seine net.
Figure 5 illustrates the balance of the signalling device.
Figures 6 and 7 are cross sections of the pneumatic tube in its normal and
inflated conditions.
Figure 8 is a vertical section of a luminous buoy containing compressed air
and an electric battery.
The same letters of reference denote like parts in all the figures.

page_text: As shewn in Figure 1, the foot-rope a of the sweep net or trammel b is weighted,
and the head-rope is constituted by an india-rubber tube c which is normally
collapsed, as shewn in Figure 6, and is connected by a tube d with a compressed
air reservoir, or with a pump, the reservoir being placed either on board a boat,
or on shore, or contained in a buoy, as at e Figure 8.
When it is required to raise a part, or the whole, of the net, compressed air
is admitted to the tube c which when inflated acts as a float to raise the net.
In applying the invention to a seine, such as shewn in Figure 4, the buoy
connected to it contains a compressed air reservoir e and a primary or secondary
battery and clockwork actuated electrically under the control of a commutator
at a distance, either on board the boat or on shore, for opening the cock controlling
the supply of the compressed air to the inflatable tube c. The buoy may carry
an electric lamp g surmounted by a reflector h in order to indicate the location of
the net and at the point of connection of tube d with the net there may be placed
another lamp for the purpose of attracting the fish into the pocket of the net.
Figure 5 shews a balance whose beam k is pivoted on a stake I, from one end
of which beam is suspended a square net m and at the other end a counterweight n.
By means of an electrical contact on the stake and in connection with a distant
electric bell, the person on the watch may be notified automatically of the presence
of fish in the balance net n which is preferably located in proximity to the fishing
net. For this purpose the balance is oscillated periodically, say every few minutes,
by means of suitable clockwork. As the net m is normally overbalanced by the
counterweight n to the extent of, say, a couple of pounds, the beam will swing
quickly to the dotted position k' when freed from the clockwork and as the electric
contact occurs as the beam passes the horizontal position the signal will be sounded
for a very short period which will denote the absence of fish, but if a certain weight
of fish be captured in the net m the counterweight n will be insufficient to raise it
out of the water and hence the electric contact will be prolonged and will remain
uninterrupted so long as the balance remains in the horizontal position.
fisherman by then adding weights to the scale n may ascertain the weight of fish
contained in the net m of known area from which may be roughly deduced the
amount of the catch in the fishing net whose area is also known.
The
It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the arrangements
illustrated, which may be varied in form, arrangement, materials, and accessories,
and be applied generally to all kinds of fishing nets.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination, with a fishing net, of a pneumatic tube applied along the
edge of the net and adapted when inflated to serve as a float therefor, and of a
tube connecting the said inflatable tubular float with a supply of air under pressure
whereby to enable the pneumatic float to be inflated at will and from a distance,
as specified.
2. The combination, with a fishing net having an inflatable tubular float applied
thereto, as described, of a buoy containing compressed air connected with the
inflatable tube by a tube controlled by an electrically-operated valve for the
purpose of inflating the pneumatic float at will and from a distance, as specified.
3. In combination with a fishing net provided with an inflatable tubular float,
the herein described buoy containing a reservoir of compressed air for supplying
the pneumatic float, and electric generators of the current setting in motion the
mechanism for operating the valve which controls the air supply to the float and
for supplying an electric lamp by which the location of the buoy may be
ascertained at night, substantially as specified.
4. The combination, with a fishing net having a pneumatic float, connected with
means for inflating the same from a distance at will, of an over-balanced net
dipping into the water in proximity to the fishing net oscillated in one direction

page_text: -mechanically and in the other by gravity, and of electrical contact and signalling
mechanism operated at each oscillation of the balance, all substantially in the
manner and for the purpose specified.
Dated July 5th 1894
G. TROUVÉ,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.