Improvements in Trawling-gear.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 25th July, 1890-Accepted, 14th Feb., 1891
Improvements in Trawling-gear.
We, JOHN THURLOW, Fisherman, of 1, Prospect Place, Cleaves Road, Eastham,
Essex, GEORGE BEECHING, Fish Merchant, of 19, St. Georges Road, Hull,
Yorkshire, and JOIN DIER, Fisherman, of 34, Havelock Street, Hessle Road,
Hull, Yorkshire, 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 invention consists of certain appliances to be attached to fishing nets thereby
adapting them for trawling, and fishing at any required distance between the
Fig. 2, shews plan of Fig. 1.
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 shew detailed elevations and plan of plates A attached to the
sides of net.
Figs. 6 and 7 shew plan and elevation of plate C attached to front of net.
At each side of the mouth of the net we attach a metal plate A. with wood or
any suitable material A¹ on the upper part so that when the plates are placed in the
water they retain an upright position. Slings or cords B are attached to the face
of the plates A. The top and bottom part of these slings hold the
plates A in an upright position when being drawn through the water. The
hinder position of the slings gives the plates a sheer or inclination one to the right
and the other to the left immediately they are moved forward in the water.
front part of the slings prevents the plates sheering to the right or left more than
is required, and when necessary to increase the opening of the net to the right and
to the left, we slack out on the front part of the slings, or take in on the hinder
part of the slings, and if there is too much strain on the headline we take in on the
front part of the slings, or slack out on the hinder part of the slings.
The
C is a board of wood or any other suitable material to be secured to the centre
part of the headline on the top part of the net, the board is slung in a similar
manner to the metal plates A, that are on the sides of the net, with the flat part of
the board where the slings B are attached facing to the bottom similar to a kite,
when it is up in the air. We regulate the sheer up or down as is done on the inetal
plates A, on the sides of the net.
D is a line or lines from the board C or headline to the bridles or warp, to
prevent the top net E from falling astern and to give the board C a sheer up or
down as may be required to lift the top net E when being moved forward in the
water.
E is an additional part of net added to the front part of the square, to prevent
the fish darting upward to get clear of the net, and passes from the hinder part of
one metal plate A to the hinder part of the other metal plate A on the other
side.
G are additional weights to be added to, metal plates A, that are on the sides of
the net, when required for trawling, and when the apparatus is not required for
trawling, the weight is taken off the lower part of the plates A, so that the apparatus
just barely sinks when stationary in the water, and when the apparatus is moved
forward it will rise near the surface by means of the inclined plates A and C and
then the weight is made to descend down on the warp, with a messenger attached
to the weight, so that as the warp is sunk the apparatus will descend to the same

page_text: depth as the weight on the warp, and in like manner if the apparatus is required to
risc, the weight that is on the warp with the messenger is hauled up.
H is a board to.be suspended to the metal plate A, with two lines H' to the sides
of the boards at each end of the plates, so that as the plates descend, the flat
surface of the boards has a resistance on the water to keep the plates perpendicular, ·
and by slacking the front part of the lines H on each side of the boards it will
cause the plates A to rise when required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The employment of metal plates A with wood or other suitable material A'
secured on each side of the upper part of such plates as and for the purposes
shown and described.
2. The employment of slings B on the face of the plates A arranged and regulated
as shown and described.
3. The employment of the board C as herein shown and described.
4. The employment of the line or lines D passing from the board C to the
bridles or warp, with or without the additional net E as shown and described.
5. The employment of the net E as shown and described.
6. The employment of the weight G secured to the lower part of metal
plates A when used for trawling, in such a manner that the lower part of the said
plates cut through the surface of the bottom to give more resistance to extend the
net to the right and to the left, as shown and, described.
7. The employment of a board H made of wood or other suitable material
secured to each metal plate A with two lines H' on each end of the board, as shown
and described.
8. The combination of the parts constituting the improved fishing apparatus such
as shown and described.
Dated this 24th day of July 1800