Improvements in or connected with Trawl Nets for Fishing.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
.Improvements in or connected with Trawl Nets for Fishing.
I, SAMUEL KNAPMAN, of Victoria Avenue, Harris Street, Fleetwood, in the
County of Lancaster, Master Mariner, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:
This invention relates to trawl nets for fishing and has for its object to improve
the trawl nets by dispensing with the usual otter boards and providing as a sub-
stitute heavy wheels or circular rollers in such a manner that the mouth of the
net when pulled through the water will be kept spread out or extended and the
capture of a large quantity of fish thereby insured, and which tend to preserve
the net and reduce friction on rough ground, or these wheels or rollers can be
applied to otter nets.
În carrying my invention into effect, the wheels or rollers are made by prefer-
ence of timber with a heavy metal tyre or rim, the treads of which are bevelled.
and which constitute runners which roll on the sea bottom and so reduce friction.
They are mounted on axles carrying a two armed frame to one arm of which the
head lines of the net are attached, and to the other arms the ground ropes thereof,
the angle of the two arms being such as to keep the mouth of the net open trans-
versely. The ends of the towing bridle or warp are coupled to the axles in any
suitable manner. One of the rollers with its two armed frame is located at one
side of the net, and another at the other side, and the respective head lines and
ground ropes of the net attached to these arms, so that as the net is towed through
the water the wheels seek to run apart, partly owing to the bevelling of the tread,
and this keeps the mouth of the net spread out or extended. Holes are provided
in the wheels to enable a hook at the end of a line to be inserted therein, and so
enable the apparatus to be hauled into the trawl boat by the winch when the
trawl is finished. I wish it to be understood however that I do not confine the
invention to the use of two wheels, as if desired they may be arranged in pairs
on each side of the trawl net or otherwise as found desirable.

page_text: tion 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 trawl nets for fishing and has for its object to improve
the trawl nets by dispensing with the usual otter boards and providing as a sub-
stitute heavy wheels or circular rollers in such a manner that the mouth of the
net when pulled through the water will be kept spread out or extended and the
capture of a large quantity of fish thereby insured, and which tend to preserve
the net and reduce friction on rough ground, or. these wheels or rollers can be
applied to otter nets.
The invention will be understood from the following description, reference being
had to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is an end view of the invention, applied to the trawl met,, one, part
thereof being in section;
Figure 2, an elevation.
Referring to these figures, A are the wheels or rollers made of metal, or of
timber with a heavy metal tyre or rim B, the treads of which are bevelled and
which constitute runners which roll on the sea bottom and so reduce friction.
They are mounted on an axle C carrying the two armed frames D, to one arm of
these frames the headlines E of the net G are attached, and to the other arm the
ground ropes F thereof, the angles of the two arms being such as to keep the
mouth of the net open transversely. The ends of the towing bridle or warp H
are coupled to the axles C in any suitable manner, preferably by providing
boards I mounted on the axle C and weighted at J.. To these boards the towing
bridle or warp is coupled at h h. One of the rollers A with its two armed
frames D is located. at one side of the net G, and the other at the other side, and
the respective headlines E and ground ropes F of the net attached to these arms
so that as the net is towed through the water the wheels seek to run apart, partly
owing to the bevelling of the tread and thus keep the mouth of the net spread
out or extended. Furthermore the pull of the net behind and of the towing
bridle in front keep the rollers from falling down, and thus they act as runners
which roll on the sea bottom, and require much less expenditure of power to draw
them through the water than the ordinary otter boards. Furthermore they will
not be liable to dig into the ground and so bring the net to a stand as is the case
with the otter boards aforesaid. Holes K are provided in the wheels A to enable
the hook at the ends to be inserted therein, and so enable the apparatus to be
hauled into the trawl boat by the winch when the trawl is finished. I wish it
to be understood however that I do not confine the invention to the use of two
wheels as if desired they may be arranged in pairs on each side of the trawl net
or otherwise as found desirable.
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:-
1. The improvement in or connected with trawl nets for fishing which consists
in dispensing with the usual otter boards and providing in place thereof a roller
or pair of rollers at each side of the mouth of the net, the connection with the
headlines and ground ropes of the net being effected by arms mounted on the
axles of the rollers, and that for the towing ropes by weighted boards mounted
also on the said axles, substantially as described.
2. In trawl nets, locating at the mouth of the net at each side wheels or rollers
constituting runners which roll on the sea bottom and so reduce friction, in com-
bination with two armed frames mounted on the axis of the rollers to which the
net is attached, the said two armed frames being so arranged as to hold the mouth
of the net open, substantially as described.
3. In ground trawl nets having rollers at each side of the mouth of the net for
facilitating the motion along the sea bottom, forming the treads of said rollers

page_text: bevelled for the purpose of imparting to the rollers a tendency to diverge as
they roll on the ground and thus keep the net open substantially as described.
4. The general combined arrangement and construction of parts forming my
trawl net apparatus, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 15th day of Nov 1800
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Patent Agents of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London.