Improvements in or relating to Trawl Nets.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Dec., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 5th Oct., 1900-Accepted, 5th Mar., 1901
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 fitted with otter boards", and it refers
to the boards, and to the ground ropes, with the object of attaining the advan-
tages hereafter mentioned.
According to our invention, we provide at the bottoms or lower edges of the
boards revoluble wheels or rollers which are arranged in appropriate fashion,
so that the boards run thereon. For instance, the wheels or rollers may be
located in spaces or recesses formed in the boards, and mounted upon spindles
supported in brackets fixed in the said spaces or recesses beyond which the wheels
or rollers project. The rollers or wheels are arranged to occupy a suitable angle
or incline transversely to the board in the direction of towing.
As compared with the present arrangements, it will be understood that these
wheels or rollers are very advantageous, since the power required for towing
the boards is materially reduced, because friction is considerably minimised,
while accumulations in front of the boards are avoided, as sand, stones and
so forth are free to escape between the wheels, and the boards are enabled to
mount obstructions easily, whereby the risk of damage and breakage is
materially, if not entirely avoided.
The wheels or rollers on the boards may be wholly of metal, or of wood
with a metal tyre.
Now as regards the ground rope. At present it is either furnished with no
means for saving it from damage or wear, or if it is so provided, the means
are of an inconvenient character. In this connection we propose a simple device
giving the double benefit of efficient protection and reducing the diameter of
the rope as compared with the customary practice. To this end, we loosely
thread on a rope a series of semi-circular or similar shaped blocks that are
This rope, with the
spaced apart by distance pieces, also threaded on the rope.
blocks, is connected by cords or otherwise to the ground rope so that the latter
rests upon the flat part or top of the blocks, which part may be grooved to
receive the rope. Consequently, in trawling, the blocks protect the rope;
being free to oscillate, they are tilted backwards, thereby raising the adjoining
portion of the net and so saving it from damage also.
and
The mode we have described of securing the blocks to the ground rope is
the one we think will be best, but, of course, they may be otherwise attached,
and instead of being indirectly connected, they may be directly fitted, if deemed
desirable.
The blocks and distance pieces may be of any suitable material or materials,
such as wood, the blocks being fitted with a metal shoe or strip on the wearing
or curved face. Generally, the distance pieces will be smaller than the blocks.
Dated this 4th day of December, 1899.

page_text: 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 and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention relates to trawl nets fitted with "otter boards", and it refers
to the boards, and to the ground ropes, with the object of attaining the advan-
tages hereafter mentioned."
In order that our invention may be clearly understood, we will fully explain
it in reference to the accompanying drawings, which show a board, and a portion
of a ground rope, embodying it.
Of these drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation at the inner side of the board, and
Fig. 2 is an underside plan of the same. Fig. 3 is an elevation, and Fig. 4 is a
cross-section, on the line Z-Z in the preceding figure, representing one way of
applying our improvements to the rope.
We have only illustrated one board, but, of course, two are connected to a net,
and as they are furnished with the usual fittings, and constructed (with the
exception hereafter evident) and adapted for use in the well-known manner,
we have not thought it necessary to show a complete view or views illustrating
the net, and the mode of connecting the boards thereto, and the towing means;
nor have we shown these two latter features in the accompanying drawings, for
the same reasons.
We will now refer to Figs. 1 and 2 first, and from them it will be seen that,
according to our invention, we provide, at the bottoms or lower edges of the
boards, revoluble wheels or rollers A-A which are arranged in appropriate
fashion, so that the boards run thereon. For instance, the wheels or rollers A-A
may be located, as illustrated, in spaces or recesses a-a formed in the boards,
and mounted upon spindles a supported in brackets aa² fixed in the
said spaces or recesses beyond which the wheels or rollers A-A project. Con-
veniently, as exemplified, the brackets a²-a² may be obtained by suitably
forming or bending the strengthening members a3a3 of the boards.
We have shown two rollers or wheels A-A fitted to a board, but, of course,
this number may be increased to meet different sizes; and as will be seen, they
are made of a smaller diameter relatively to the height of the board; while they
are arranged to occupy a suitable angle or incline transversely to the board
in the direction of towing. Appropriately this angle may be 35° to 40° or
thereabouts.
The wheels or rollers may be wholly of metal as shown, or of wood with a
metal tyre.
As compared with the present arrangements, it will be understood that
these wheels or rollers A-A are very advantageous, since the power required for
towing the boards is materially reduced, because friction is considerably mini-
mised, while accumulations in front of the boards are avoided, as sand, stones
and so forth are free to escape between the wheels, and the boards are enabled
to mount obstructions easily, whereby the risk of damage and breakage is
materially, if not entirely avoided.
Now as regards the ground rope. At present it is either furnished with no
means for saving it from damage or wear, or if it is so provided, the means are
of an inconvenient character. In this connection we propose a simple device
giving the double benefit of efficient protection and permitting the diameter

page_text: of the rope to be reduced, as compared with the customary practice. To this
end, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, we loosely thread on a rope B a series
of semi-circular or similar shaped blocks that are spaced apart by distance
pieces, also threaded on the rope. This rope B, with the blocks b--b
and distance pieces b', is connected by cords 62 or otherwise to the ground
rope C so that the latter rests upon the flat part or top of the blocks b-b, which
part may be grooved to receive the rope, as shown best in Fig. 4. Conse-
quently, in trawling, the blocks b-b protect the rope C; and being free to
oscillate, they are tilted backwards, thereby raising the adjoining portion of
the net 1) and so saving it from damage also.
.
The mode we have described of securing the blocks b-b to the ground rope C
is the one we think best, but, of course, they may be otherwise attached, and
instead of being indirectly connected, they may be directly fitted, if deemed
desirable, that is to say they may be threaded on the rope C itself.
Thus it will be seen that the rope. C can be made of a lesser diameter than
usual, owing to the protection afforded by the blocks b-b.
The blocks bb and distance pieces may be of any suitable material or
materials, such as wood, the blocks being fitted with a metal shoe or strip 63
on the wearing or curved face. Generally, as indicated, the distance pieces 6-1
will be smaller than the blocks b-b.
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 improvements in or relating to trawl nets, consisting in providing, at
the bottoms or lower edges of the otter boards", revoluble wheels or rollers
upon which the boards run, and in fitting the ground ropes with a series of
semi-circular or similar shaped blocks indirectly or directly connected thereto,
substantially as described, and for the purposes. specified.
otter
2. In trawl nets, providing, at the bottoms or lower edges of the
boards, revoluble wheels or rollers on which the boards run, the wheels or
rollers being arranged to occupy a suitable angle or incline transversely to the
boards in the direction of towing, substantially as described, and for the
purposes specified.
3. In trawl nets, protecting the ground rope by a series of semi-circular or
similar shaped blocks threaded upon a rope connected to the ground rope, or
threaded upon, or directly fitted to, the ground rope, substantially as described.
4. The improved "otter board" for trawl nets, constructed, and arranged or
adapted for use, substantially as described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of
the accompanying drawings.
5. The combination of parts constituting the improved device or means for
protecting the ground ropes in trawl nets, all arranged and adapted for use,
substantially as described in reference to Figs. 3 and 4 of the accompanying
drawings.
6. A trawl net having "otter boards", and a ground rope, all constructed, and
arranged or adapted for use, substantially as herein before described in reference
to the accompanying drawings.