Improved Net Spreaders for Trawl Fishing.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application 21st Nov., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Aug., 1897-Accepted. 13th Nov. 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Net Spreaders for Trawl Fishing.
ALEXANDER KAY, 17 Restalrig Terruce, Leith, Trawl Owner and JAMES
CUNNINGHAM 39 Pitt Street, Bonnington, Leith, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
To produce Net Spreaders, in lieu of the ordinary beam, made of wood or other
material, Steel or other metal plates or a combination of either with double bow,
fore&aft, rounded at bottom corners having Shear-Arms, reversable &
adjustable, attached to screw Steeples or Connectors placed equidistant from the
corners, to regulate the Spreaders. Shear-Arms to be made of Chain, wire or
other rope, hinged Iron or other metal rods, Steel or other Metal Springs or
Ratchet. Keels for wooden Spreaders to be made of Cast Iron or othor heavy
Metal bars fitted into Straps fixed along the bottom, with screw bolts & Nuts for
the purpose of renewal or increasing weight. Metal Plate Spreaders to be buoyed
vertically by Sealed tube or tubes running longitudinally. Combination Spreaders
to be made with the lower portion, less or more, of Metal Plate to take the place
of the usual Keel. Shackle holes are placed equal distances apart from top to
bottom of both ends of the Spreaders."
Dated this 20th day of November 1906
ALEX. KAY.
JAMES CUNNINGHAM.
We, ALEXANDER KAY, 17, Restalrig Terrace, Leith Trawl Owner and JAMES
CUNNINGHAM, 39, Pitt Street, Bonnington, Leith, 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: --
This invention relates to improvements in net spreaders or otter boards to be
used by steam and sailing fishing vessels and has for its object to provide more
efficient means for sea fishing or trawling.
Hitherto otter boards have been made one to fish port and the other starboard
only, but in accordance with our improvements we make the boards of ample
buoyancy to ensure their standing upright at the bottom of the sea aud provide
then with a bow at both ends; and with staples, to which the shear arms are
adjustably connected, placed equidistant from the four corners of the board and
so secured to the board that they can be reversed; this enables the boards to be
sot to fish with either face as well as port or starboard at will, thus greatly
[Price 8d1

page_text: Kay and Canningham & Improved et spreaders
lengthening the life of the boards and consequently reducing the cost of their
upkeep.
A great amount of steam power is at present wasted through the heavy and
unwieldy nature of the boards used as well as the excessive shear angle at which
they are fixed to fish. This is overcome by a simple and easy method of adjust-
ment of the shear arms consisting in employing extra sized chain links connected
to a shuckle in place of a ring as formerly so that one or more links can be
expeditiously "taken in " or "let out" as desired to regulate and give and hoards
no more shear angle than what is absolutely necessary to spread the mouth of the
net. Smaller and less powerful steamers are thereby enabled to work this gear
more successfully and can make headway and fish in weather that was previously
found impossible.
But in order that our said invention may be more readily understood and easily
carried into effect we will proceed to describe the same with reference to the
accompanying drawings in which:-
Fig. 1 is an elevation and
Fig. 2 an end view of a not spreader or otter board constructed in accordance
with our said invention
Fig. 3 is an elevation of the same with the front plate removed.
Fig. 4 is a modification of the board shewn in Figs. 1 and 2.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the said drawings we construct the spreader or
board of two plates or sheets of metal A kept apart by a rim a of wood, iron or
other material or metal and rivetted or otherwise secured together the said rim
extending along the top, down the sides and across the board at or near the centre
thereof so as to form an air tight chamber or chambers. The lower portion of the
board is formed with two hows as shewn and provided with a keel B the centre
length of which is removably secured so that a heavier or lighter sention can be
inserted. Openings or apertures & aro left at either side of the board and along
the bottom to permit of the lower portion being filled with water to further
aid in sinking the board and at the same time to allow the water to run out and
lighten it when being hauled on deck.
The staples C are placed equidistant from the four corners and are held in
position by a nut or nuts e, so that the staples can be reversed when either end
or face of the board becomes damaged or for any other reason. To the said
staples C are connected the shear arms D which are preferably composed of chain
having large links d connected to the shackle D so that the shear angle of the
hoards can be easily altered by "taking in" or "letting out" a link or links.
As a modification we may construct the board, as shown in Fig. 4 of wood or
other buoyant material, batten boards E arranged in an upright position at one
side with similar hattens E at the other arranged longitudinally. The drawing
shews a portion of the boards E broken away to illustrate the method of arranging
the boards . The lower portion of this heard for any desired distance may be
covered on both sides with a sheet or plate of metal e a water space and keel being
left at the foot thereof similar to thai first described. The buoyancy in this caso
would be stayed or strengthened at the ends and other convenient positions with
metal straps or plates Frivetted or otherwise attached.
The buoyancy of the boards may also be obtained by a sealed tube or tubes
running longitudinally in the upper part of the board or by filling the air tight
chamber or chambers before mentioned with cork or other buoyant material, in
which case the upper parts of the metal plates may be perforated or have pieces
cut out to lighten and assist the buoyancy used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. The goneral arrangement, construction and combination of parts constituting

page_text: our improved net spreader or otter board substantially as herein before described
and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
2. A net spreador or otter board for trawl fishing having a double bow and
reversible shear arms and connections, arranged in the manner as and for the
purpose hereinbefore described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
3. In net spreaders or otter boards for trawl fishing making the shear arms
adjustable whereby the angle of the board or spreaders can be lessened or increased,
substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
4. In net spreaders or otter boards for trawl fishing,, buoying the upper portion
of the spreader or board by a chamber or chambers or tube or tubes containing
air, cork or other light material whilst the lower part is weighted by a keel or
water chamber or chambers or both, substantially as herein before described and
shewn in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 911
100%
JOHNSONS,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicants' Agents.