Improvements in Trawl Fishing
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Trawl Fishing.
CORNELIUS WILLSON, Chemist and Dentist, 452, Victoria Street, Great Grimsby,
and THOMAS CHARLES ROBINSON, Fishing Engineer, Victor Street, Great Grimsby,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our improvements in trawl fishing are that in addition to the ground rope or
and chain and the head line in common use now we place another line or lines
or rope of any material and attach it or them to the otter or side boards of any
kind where practicable or to side way extenders of any kind that are or may be
devised that the line or lines we now describe may be the tight lines upon which
extension is made from board to board or from extenders instead of upon the
head line. This will relieve the tightness upon the head line and enable it to be
lengthened to any practicable pitch and to be raised higher in the water by any
means of flotation or lifting or by Willson & Robinsons patented head line boards
which may be used either end first or by any other means: and for the purposes
of preventing this greater elevated flow being carried too far back we may attach
it by line or lines to the middle rope described or to any part or parts of the otter
boards or extenders projectious there from or connections therewith or to any part
or parts of the trawl warp or attachments or bridles so that although the net may
be raised much higher it is still prevented being carried far backward.
And for the purpose of disposing of the rocks stones and rubbish coming into
trawl nets and ripping out the net or the cod end: we make a division in the net
that is we make two or more cod ends instead of one though we are aware we can
claim no protection upon the divided net that has already been patented and
worked but our improvement is that we make a sac or space or spaces preferably
shallow or nearly flat in the middle between the openings of cod ends big
enough to contain stones or rubbish but shallow enough to compel fish to pass
sideways into either or both of the two cod ends. The stones or rock or rubbish
might grind out & rip out the middle part into which they would so frequently
travel in the ordinary natural course or general or frequent course of trawling
and would leave the greater part of the fish in the side cod ends to be hauled up
instead of escaping through the rip that the stones rock or rubbish so often cuts
or tears. We may strengthen the the net around the middle cavity or sac between
the cod ends by rope made secure & extended or by other means and arrange for
guiding as well as possible stones or rough stuff or rubbish to the middle & fish
to the sides: We may make extension lines from the middle sac or pouch or from
its strengtheners and attach them to any part of the otter boards or side extenders
or to any of the forward gear so as to keep or assist in keeping an extension open
between the cod end bellies or openings or we may provide other means for
keeping the middle pouch open : Another way we use to attempt to get rid of
the stones without letting all the fish go is to fix in any lower part of the net,
preferably the part behind the ground rope & near the middle, a festoon or festoons
D

page_text: of convenient sizes that may or may not be of weaker net with or without a raised
fringe of lines or large mesh net held up by attaching lines to head line, or other
Iines middle for instance floats or other manner the lines or meshes to be large
enough apart as not to obstruct the passage of fish but to impede the passage of
stones rock or rubbish & try to compel such passing through the festooned cavities
without tearing the rest of the net. Another way is to fix behind these festoons a
comb or pole or rod arrangement as described (or similar) later on, that may be
used for carrying ground rope over rocks boulders & wreckage. These festoons
are to be surrounded with strengthening lines that may aid in preventing the
ripping of the net behind them, and may be arranged with attachments for
helping ground rope or other connections to lift the near or far side of the festoon
over the rock or boulder to clear it. These festoons may be horse shoe shape or
longer backward, or square, oval, oblong or any convenient shape to try to prevent
stones or such passing them & ripping out the whole or large part of the belly of
the net or instead of making these festoons weak to drop such stones when stopped
they may be strengthened-pouches flat as the net or pouched to hold retain &
carry on the captured stones instead of letting them pass down the net.
These festoons or spaces may be in any desired part of the net & with or without
any guard or obstructive arrangement.
They may run the whole breadth of the net or only in suitable positions.
The pouch between the two cod ends may even be flat or scarcely cupped at
all as the dragging of stones or rubbish into it would possibly form cavity
enough and if desired it or any part may be guarded as is often done now with
canvas, old rope netting leather or other material that shall prevent or try to
prevent the cutting or ripping of the net itself. The central cod end pouch may
have a hoop or similar or distenders or and rope strengtheners & may have a line
or lines passing from sides to otter boards or to any forward or side gear to aid
in keeping the middle pouch open, strengtheners may also run back into cod ends
or wherever necessary.
We also use for the purpose of keeping the loose net off the sea bottom and as
clear of rocks and jags as possible, behind the ground rope or chain and preferably
inside the net numerous india rubber tube or ball floats or floats of any size shape
or material these may be hollow or in some cases solid cylindrical or otherwise
varnished or not and attached by any means to the floor of the net in many &
suitable places or we may raise this loose net a little with a succession of small
boards of suitable sizes similar in principle to our head line board or continued in
breadths across any part of the net or we may apply these or floats or lifting
boards to the head line or other parts of the upper side of the net & lift the lower
into a slight flotation or raising clear of bottom by line or other attachments.
thereto & protect with canvas leather old net or anything the probable touching-
ground parts of cod end net or cod ends.
And further for lifting the ground rope or chain or wire cable or rope forming
ground rope we attach in one two or several parts of the ground rope or chain and
preferably near the middle underneath or threaded or laced through or attached
to above or below the ground rope but better below with the ground rope resting
in a plate or cavity in shoulder of it if so desired, a comb or combs or pole or
poles preferably turned upward in front sledge fashion or bending backward at
top and if preferred coming right round to the shank or flat of the pole forming
a form not unlike a crotchet or quaver in musical copy the long shank going back
into or under net as described and the rounded front with mounting angle to
ascend over rough ground or boulders rocks or obstacles and carry over the
ground rope.
These may be of metal or wood or both or of any suitable material & might
even answer a useful purpose if flat and attached with the further additions we
now name that is they may be solid or hollow flat or rounded & be attached at
or near end of them or in any suitable position by any means to rope or ropes
made fast to bridle when bridle is used or to any part of forward gear or to ship,

page_text: so that when one of these combs or poles or boards strikes a rock that it cannot
ascend, the tightening rope from bridle or forward gear may haul upon the pieces
or poles inside the net & pull them over the obstacle liberating the ground rope
in many cases & the sea pressure putting back the comb, poles or boards in
position again for trawling. They will liberate themselves better if each pole has
a hump on its top side that would act as a lever upon the face of the rock or
rather as a fulcrum & the long arm of the pole as the lever. The combs or poles
may be attached at suitable distances from & to each other and in suitable
positions to keep their sledge points or fronts in position for mounting when
possible and may be made of any sizes required, possibly 3 to 4 feet high by 6 to 9
or 10 feet long might be the useful size & shod or strengthened as desired. It
may be well to flatten or make the ends of the poles going back into the net a
bit broader & spoon shaped beneath that is turned backward at the ends so as not
to plough up the sea bottom if they come right over clear of rock and also to offer
some resistance that the sea may put them back in position for trawling again.
The ends or any parts of these combs or poles may have lines attached to bridle
or forward gear that when the boards that is the otter boards come together by
the force of hauling against an obstruction, the line attached forward of them
either to bridle, hauling lines or warns attachments or to ship in any part shall
tighten upon poles and assist in lifting or turning them over or across the obstacle.
The poles or combs may have wheels runners thimbles or any revolving things
attached to faces or suitable parts as also to the wires lines chains or connections
to allow or enable them to pass surfaces of rock or stuff with less friction & clear
easier, a system of cross or other lines and attachments in any positions or other
device must be used to help in turning or clearing the poles in cases where the
trawl bridle is not in use & such attachments may be fastened to any part of the
ground rope, otter boards or hauling gear or warp or to the ship itself to all or
any of them.
It may be necessary to put chains or attachments a little further back on otter
boards to balance pull of middle rope and net-lifting bladders or head line boards
or the like and ensure otter boards keeping proper sheer-angle.
And further with a view to securing the cod ends of fishing nets or pouch
pouches or festoons in any part of the net or nets so that after rock or stones or
rubbish has got into & is cutting or has cut or torn a road out we attempt to
secure or do secure the torn net particularly the cod ends or central cavity or
sac in this manner. We fasten a second portion of strong net outside the first
one and connect it by a weaker or other piece of net gathered up and by cords or
attachments and to this outer net we connect and thread through the meshes or
special runners or thimbles suitable & suitably fixed cords or attachments to &
surrounding the net further in than the rip is expected to take place these cords
to have affixed to them in suitable manner & positions expanding & contractin<
feather or feathers or crossway buttons of wood or other material that may null
through & stop themselves from pulling back. This device may be repeated or
duplicated as required. The feathers may be of steel spring temper and covered
or buried or protected with rubber leather or suitable material, they may be
segmented toadstool shape or cross pieces of steel or any suitable shape or material.
And these feathers shall be so arranged that as the outer net receives the weight
or pull from the stone rock or rubbish escaping through the torn part liberating
the gathered up net & pulling upon arranged cords with feathers or other device
affixed shall by the elongation of the outer net & the pull be drawn through
fixed turrets or thimbles of suitable size shape & rosition tightening their cords
ibat are wound round or laced through the meshes or portion of net to be closed
& drawn close as possible the feathers being in such positions upon the cords
and firmly attached thereto that they shall expand over the thimbles or similar
or other device and secure the closed part of the net. Thus whether the outer
piece of net breaks away with the stone or does not the inner net is secured & fish
no longer will escape through the tear. We may secure and thread our cords

page_text: feathers and thimbles or other all to pull one way or opposite ways as seems
desirable and we may attach a piece of loose net inside cod end like a blind with
attachments or not to pull or fall over closed orifice & make safer.
Any device may be used that shall tighten around or beyond or through & draw
up and close or secure the orifice by pull of the rubbish or rock or stone or even
by glut of fish and seal up for catching more.
The same turret thimble and expanding feather or cross bar principle may be
applied the reverse way by a cord being attached to a point inside cod end or
to ground rope or chain or forward nearer mouth of net that shall at or near cod
end surround or thread through meshes as suitable to effect & that shall by
elongation of cod end or net from strain or pull of rock or stone pull feather or
cross bar through thimble or turret and so secure that even should the stone
tear through eventually the net shall be secured behind it and the fish not escape.
Ropes eyeletted & knotted might he used but not so well. The effect of twitching
& securing the closing of cod end inside rock or boulder may also be produced
without outside net by gathering up a sufficient length of net near to cod end
and tying with cord weak enough to break on great strain letting the pull come
upon turret & feather line surrounding or threading and securing as described
by expansion of feather the pull coming upon cord fastened inside cod end by
elongation of unfolding net by breaking gathering cord or this system may be
reversed as described. And as a means of providing for the elongation of net or
cod ends that shall bring into play the tightening cord & feather & thimble or
cross bar principle rubber springs or cord or band attachments may be used to
contract the length of net instead of gathering up & tying portion of the net with
cord as previously described. All or any of these together or separately. These
improvements throughout are intended to apply to trawl nets of all kinds with
or without wings or pockets.
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CORNELIUS WILLSON,
Agent for Willson & Robinson, Grimsby.
Improvements in Trawl Fishing.
CORNELIUS WILLSON, Chemist and Dentist, 452, Victoria Street, Grimsby (Great),
and THOMAS CHARLES ROBINSON, Fishing Engineer, Victor Street, Great Grimsby,
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 improvements are these and we illustrate them by the following list of
drawings and accompanying drawings.
REFERRING TO DRAWINGS.
Sheet 1. Figure 1 is a fishing net and otter boards showing ground rope B,
attached to line A, to thimble C, and cross bar D as described also showing a
method of gathering up or shortening net.
Sheet 1. Figure 2 is a cross bar with line attachments. Figure 2, D5, D6,
are parts of cross bar also tie of loop.
Sheet Figure 3 is a fishing net showing position of cross bar D after breaking
away of net folds or gathers the net here shown being divided into two chambers.
Sheet 1. Figure 4 is a cross bar showing loop in spoon D 6. Fig. 2 ready for
returning through thimble and meshes without obstructing for untying.

page_text: Sheet 1. Figure 5 is a fishing net with festoons.
Sheet 1. Figure 6 is a fishing net with second ground rope and festoons.
Sheet 2. Figure 7 is a fishing net showing middle line M, M, and expanded
head line N, N, and lifts floats and kite lines, also ground rope.
Sheet 2. Figure 8 shows a double net with central pouch and attachments.
Sheet 2. Figure 9 shows comb with teeth looped or not and facing the sea for
lifting ground rope over obstacles, it also shows rivets or fasteners and lashings
and lugs for attaching.
Sheet 2. Figs. 9, 10, is a pole or rod looped and showing cross piece for
fastening above or below ground rope.
Sheet 2. Fig. 11, shows these poles or rods attached to net and to each other
and line for overlifting.
,
Sheet 2. Figure 12 shows a rock opposing one of these combs with line and
ground rope attachments for overlifting.
Sheet 2. Figures 13, 14, 15, 16, are thimbles with groves for wiring or attaching
or lashing.
Sheet 2. Fig. 12, R is the rock or obstacle to be mounted.
We attach a cord A to the ground rope B of the net or to any convenient part
or attachment preferably in the middle and extend it downward into the net
threaded or not and passing it on until it reaches and passes through a thimble C
or ring of any kind of metal wood fibre or suitable material or combination with
or without bearings of any kind firmly attached to or in or on the net or its
lacings or any attachments.
We place the thimble on 'or by the side of the lacing as shown Sheet 1
Figure 1 and the cord A, after passing through the thimble or ring continues
through meshes made of suitable size to pass & return cross bar or through rings
of metal suitably placed in lieu of meshes and or lugs to a cross bar D and attach
it firmly at D1 Figure 2. We attach another cord at D2, Fig. 2, and continue
it to side of thimble C, and secure it by lashings E, Fig. 1, or by other means.
We gather up the net all round as shown D3, and tie it into folds with cords of
suitable strength to break away under tension when stones or rubbish or great
weight of fish gets into cod end XX Fig. 1, and the breaking away of these
lashings D3 if the line from thimble to middle of ground rope is tight will cause
the net to lengthen pulling the cord A and the cross bar D through the thimble C
and securing the net in two chambers by locking as shown in Figure 3, by the
bar crossing over the thimble the cross bar and ropes to be well greased to assist
the passing and locking. This will divide the cod end into two parts and enable
a big haul to be brought on board more safely when the cod end is chafed or will
enable fish to be caught in the inside chamber when the cod end is torn out
entirely.
It may be used on single or double nets we may use expanding springs or
arrangements of various kinds for opening or blocking after being pulled through
the thimble but the simplest form is the crossbar Fig. 2, DD.
The spoon part of the cross bar D6 is arranged to carry the bar back through
the meshes or lugs by being protected and guided by the rope laid as in J 1, Fig. 4.
The splicing of the rope D4, Fig. 2, for cross bar should be so as to leave a loop
long enough for the spoon to drop through for convenience in passing it back
through lugs and or meshes and before starting to fish this loop might be tied
as in D5, Figure 2, that it would not interfere with crossing action of cross bar
at locking over thimble or a rubber band would be sufficient for this purpose.
We make behind the ground rope K K K. Fig. 5, preferably near the middle
of it or in any part of the belly of the net a festoon or festoons K1, K2, K 3, K 4,
of weaker net surrounded by stronger rope or chain secured that the weaker net
will allow stones to drop through without ripping down the whole of the net the
rope er chain behind the festoon or festoons will remain on the bottom and keep
the net down behind the rip that the net will go on fishing. The festoons may be
left a bit loose if desired to enable the stones to remain and cut out instead of

page_text: passing down and ripping the belly out. The festoons may be arranged in
separate ones or as part of or a second ground rope or chain KK KK KK
Fig. 6, behind and a fair distance say three feet more or less inside ground rone
or chain by attaching in sections the second ground rope or chain, and the
festoons can be formed to the first one by rope or chain. The net forming this
one festoon or by division into sections these several festoons may be stouter or
thinner or the same as described in others to drop or arrest or carry on stones
arrested as considered desirable this arrangement is shown Figure 6 in which
KK KK KK is the second ground rope. And for the purpose of lifting the
head line higher we make it much longer and give it more liberty and less tension
from the otter or trawl boards by attaching in addition to the ground rope
Figure 7, KG KG and head line N, N. now in use but shown in drawing longer
than common a third rope or line M, M. from the otter hoards M 1, M 1. to take
the place of the present head line and from the line M. M, we may attach a line
or lines 0, 0, kite lines or controlling lines from line M, M, or from otter boards
or any suitable part to prevent month of net being carried too far back and may
float or raise head line N, N. by Willson and Robinson's patented boards 0.7ª
either end first or bladders or floats of any kind as shown 01. 01, 02 or by any
means and further for the purpose of preventing the ripping out of the whole
length of the helly of the net we make a net in the general shape shown in
Figure 8, in which a central pouch of a shallow kind is made between two cod
ends the pouch P. in Figure 8, may or may not be surrounded with rope or any
strengthening material and attached at the lower sides or convenient positions
by lines P1, P 1. running on to otter boards ground rope or any forward or lateral
parts to keep the pouch extended for the recention of rock stone or rubbish that
may get into the net whilst if desired the upper portion of the net above the nouch
may be attached at one central point P2. to the head line or the otter boards
by line P 2.2. or to any forward part to divide the net more easily for the fish
not to remain in the central pouch but to get down into the cod ends P3. It will
be seen that the attaching of the line to centre of pouch at the top forms the
rouch into a kind of triangle with the base at the bottom wider at bottom to retain
the stones and rubbish narrower at ton to pass the fish into the sides down to cod
ends. A bar of wood or metal or wood and metal a piece of rope or chain or a
frame of suitable shape attached for retention and extension might answer here
with lines P1, P1, as described suitably attached and secured. These systems
of central pouch and attachments may be used with wings or pockets floppers or
any schemes for preventing fish returning should the central pouch be torn
through by the stones or accumulated rubbish or other means the fish will not
escane but will be brought up in the two cod ends P3. P3, Figure 8.
The central pouch may be a bag placed into ordinary one-cod-end net and
secured to belly or and upper part of net and attached at sides to retain stones
and rubbish and let fish pass down to cod end.
Somewhere near the middle of the ground rone or chain or in suitable positions
thereon therein or thereunder or in other desired parts as behind festoons we place
and secure a comb or combs Figure 9, or a pole or poles Figures 9, 10. 11.
Sheet 2, of wood or metal or wood and metal or suitable material and combination
turned up sledge fashion in front to any desirable height & turned back and
better widened at top and at suitable angle to enable the poles or combs to slant
upward on striking an obstacle on bottom and carry ground rope to which they
are attached over the obstacle instead of bringing it into the net. The poles may
be threaded backward through the net & attached to each other at sides at & with
lugs for securing suitable distances and may also have lugs placed 10 a, Fig. 9
10 10 for securing them upright at suitable distances apart to the ground rone
Fig. 11. Figures 9 and 10 show cross pieces for securing by lashing to ground
rone so keeping the poles or rods if of iron upright and 12 shows strengtheners.
The widened part at the top of these poles or rods prevents entanglement with the

page_text: net particularly if they are lashed as shown Figure 11, Sheet 2.
The poles may
be linked or jointed on the inner arms Fig. 12 B Sheet 2 to enable them to come
over the side easily. The unjointed poles or bars may be attached from far end
by a lug or loop ring or other suitable method to any forward part that if an
obstruction met with is too big to be mounted sledge fashion it may help
the bars to turn over and come clear as shown in Sheet 2 Figure 12 if attached
from lugs 10 to forward part of ground rope or other part KGG, the turn over
is shown dotted line 10, L.
Referring to the adjusting of the cross bar and thimble system herein described
the easiest way of ensuring its successful action is to start with line lashed to
thimble already secured in position then the line passed tightly round and through
large meshes described and lugs for security and through the thimble with the
cross bar with line at D2, Fig. 2 arranged over top of thimble the net being
twitched up in the line and secured by cross bar or other fastener of any kind
that may be used in place of it then when all is suitably tight the line from D 1,
of the cross bar must be secured and made tight to the centre or suitable part of
the ground rope or any attachment thereto and a portion of the net between the
cross bar and thimble and the ground rope must be gathered up and secured in
suitable folds or manner and with suitably breakable string until the cross bar
on liberation by the loops passing by the spoon of the bar backward through the
meshes and lugs allows the full expansion of the surrounding line and the net
to their full width. In protecting the surrounding line from chafing or catching
on sea bottom care must be taken not to foul it and interfere with its passing
through meshes and thimble.
The poles or bars may be looped or not but if not looped the prevention of
entanglement might be ensured by connecting the combs or bars at top or near
top with bamboo, iron rods, or rod rope or other suitable means with suitable lugs
or attachments.
Note, for tying up the cod end by the lacing & breaking away & the thimble &
cross bar as described the cod end part of the net should be about six feet longer
than usual D3, Sheet 1, Fig. 1.
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 shortening and lengthening the net or cod end portion of it by any
means for the purpose of twitching it up to form a second or other chamber or
cod end.
2. The surrounding of the net by a cord or cords either through the meshes or
through lugs or rings of metal or enlarged meshes or in any way for the purpose
of closing the cod end or any part of it, to form a second or other chamber or
cod end.
3. The use of any turret or thimble noose of rope or metal or of any arrange-
ment of any kind through which a cross bar feather expanding spring rope or
anything else may pass to fasten up and form a second or other chamber or
cod end.
4. The cross bar in any form.
5. The spoon cross bar.
6. The formation of festoon or festoons of any size or shape inside of ground
rope and the surrounding them with rope or chain.
7. The second ground rope or chain.
8. The formation of a central pouch and division of the net into cod ends with
pouch or pouches or space between them.
9. The placing of any pole or poles or comb or combs of any hard material with
or without raised front like a plain board under or over or through or behind
ground rope or chain for the purpose of lifting the rope or chain over an obstacle
either by the sledge action or by reversing as shown on Figure 11, 12.

page_text: 10. The use of a line from otter board to otter board in place of the present
head line to control and hold in suitable position the otter boards whilst the head
line is free to be raised higher by any means.
11. The use of a connecting line as a kite line or lines from middle head line
to raised head line or from any other position to prevent raised head line from
going too far back.
12. The use of india-rubber cords or bands for shortening and expanding the
length of net in place of tying it up in folds.
These or any of them working for the purposes named herein together or
separately.
Dated this 7th dox of October 1900
CORNELIUS WILLSON.