Improvements in or relating to Floats for Fishing and other purposes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Floats for Fishing and other
purposes.
I, HORACE HENRY HOLT, of Clifton Villa, Matlock Bank, in the County of
Derby, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to floats for fishing and other purposes and I will first
described it as applied for angling.
The float may be made of any desired shape or material and is made preferably
of indiarubber in order that by inflation its size and flotation capacity may be
varied.
The float may be secured to the line in any desired manner and the line may
either pass through the centre down a suitable tube or upon the outside, the line
and float being connected together in any suitable manner, as by clips or
separate rings or if a tube be employed the ends of it may be formed like valves
which would grip the line. Or again the tube may fit the line sufficiently closely
to hold these in the proper position, or a peg fitted in the tube may secure the
line therein.
Convenient means may be provided for inflating the float which may be done
by the breath of the person using it or by a pump or other suitable means, a
non-return valve of any suitable construction and capable of deflation being
fitted as required.
Removable shot or other weighting device may be placed inside or attached
to the float to keep it right end up and more or less immersed, or the lower end
may be weighted in the manufacture.
By this means it will be understood that the necessity which anglers are at
present under of carrying floats of different sizes to suit different conditions of
use may be avoided, the angler merely inflating his float according to the neces
sities of the application and using it larger or smaller according to requirement.
Very small and light floats according to this invention can be secured to a
fishing line at intervals so as to cause it to float on the surface of the water and
at the same time allow of the line and floats passing freely through the rings
upon the rod, the floats easily compressing as they pass through the rings.
In the case of artificial floating flies and the like the body may be formed of
one of these small floats or the float may be secured to the body.
So far I have described the invention as applied to ordinary hook and line
floats such as are used by anglers in streams, lakes etc. but the invention may
be applied for other purposes and upon a much larger scale. For example it
may be used for supporting herring and other nets instead of the cork floats at
present employed and the different floats may if desired be connected together
by a tube or equivalent so that they can all be inflated at once.

page_text: This invention may be applied to life belts and the like which can thus be
made of varying buoyancy according to the person using it so that the same
belt may serve conveniently for a small light person or for a heavy one, the latter
one inflating and stretching it so as to increase the capacity and consequently
the flotation power. In the case of life rafts and belts of various kinds, also
some forms of boats the same principle may be called into play as a raft which
may be sufficient to support say two persons might easily be inflated to equally
well support say half-a-dozen and the same with regard to boats of the like sort.
In the case of collision mats and the like, and in many other instances the
indiarubber or expansible material would require to be made sufficiently strong
or to be suitably covered or protected to prevent puncture; where the circum-
stances permit of it the mat or equivalent might be placed in a rent in a
vessel's side and inflated there so as to close it.
The proposed float particularly those for angling may be simply a thin india-
rubber bag, as it were, closed all over, except at some suitable spot, where a
short indiarubber tube or mouth piece is left for the purpose of applying it to
the lips (or otherwise) in order to inflate the float, or the short indiarubber tube
may be fitted with a short hollow tube of quill, celluloid, thin metal (prefer-
ably rustless) or other suitable material, to facilitate the inflation and in either
case the tube (indiarubber or indiarubber with other tube fitted) may contain
the valve previously referred to or the indiarubber tube may by a suitable
appliance be compressed, after inflation, to prevent the escape of air, the pressure
being removed when deflation is required.
Or again the whole axis of the float may be made up of, or occupied by, a
tube of suitable diameter and material, and projecting, if necessary beyond
either or both ends of the more elastic part of the float (general body). The
lower part of this tube could be used to contain shot or other removeable
weights, suitably introduced and retained therein as required, to cause the float
to assume an upright position in the water; the upper part of the tube could
be utilised as the mouth-piece and could contain the valve; an air-tight plug
could divide the tube into upper and lower portions; the upper or mouth-piece
end, would of course, at some suitable part communicate with the hollow interior
of the body of the float so as to admit air to it for inflating it and permit of its
deflation.
The invention may be applied for raising sunken vessels and for diving
purposes.
Dated thin 10th love of Walo 1808
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Floats for Fishing and other
purposes.
I, HORACE HENRY HOLT, of Clifton Villa, Matlock Bank, in the County of
Derby, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:―
This invention relates to floats for fishing and other purposes and I will first
describe it as applied for angling.
The float may be made of any desired shape or material and is made preferably

page_text: of indiarubber in order that by inflation its size and flotation capacity may be
varied.
The float may be secured to the line in some simple manner such as tying by
means of thread and the line may either pass through the centre down a suit-
able tube or upon the outside, being connected to the float in any suitable manner,
as by clips or separate rings or if a tube be employed the ends of it may be
formed like valves which would grip the line. Or again the tube may fit the
line sufficiently closely to hold these in the proper position, or a plug fitted in
the tube may secure the line therein.
Convenient means may be provided for inflating the float which may be done
by the breath of the person using it or by a pump or other suitable means, a
non-return valve of any suitable construction and capable of deflation being
fitted as required.
Removable shot or other weighting device may be placed inside or attached
to the float to keep it right end up and more or less immersed, or the lower end
may be weighted in the manufacture.
By this means it will be understood that the necessity which anglers are at
present under of carrying floats of different sizes to suit different conditions of
use may be avoided, the angler merely inflating his float according to the neces-
sities of the application and using it larger or smaller according to requirement.
Very small and light floats according to this invention can be secured to a
fishing line at intervals so as to cause it to float on the surface of the water and
at the same time allow of the line and floats passing freely through the rings
upon the rod, the floats easily compressing as they pass through the rings.
In the case of artificial floating flies and the like the body may be formed of
one of these small floats or the float may be secured to the body.
So far I have described the invention as applied to ordinary hook and line
floats such as are used by anglers in streams, lakes etc., but the invention may
be applied for other purposes and upon a much larger scale. For example it
may be used for supporting herring and other nets instead of the cork floats at
present employed and the different floats may if desired be connected together
by a tube or equivalent so that they can all be inflated at once.
In the case of collision mats and the like, and in many other instances the
indiarubber or expansible material would require to be made sufficiently strong
or to be suitably covered or protected to prevent puncture: where the circum-
stances permit of it the mat or equivalent might be placed in a rent in a
vessel's side and inflated there so as to close the rent.
The invention may be
further applied to raising sunken vessels and for diving purposes.
The proposed float, particularly those for angling, may be simply a thin india-
rubber bag, as it were, closed all over, except at some suitable spot, where a
short indiarubber tube or mouth-piece is left for the purpose of applying it to
the lips (or otherwise) in order to inflate the float, or the short indiarubber tube
may be fitted with a short hollow tube of quill, celluloid, thin metal (prefer-
ably rustless) or other suitable material, to facilitate the inflation and in either
case the tube (indiarubber or indiarubber with other tube fitted) may contain
the valve previously referred to-or the indiarubber tube may by a suitable
appliance, such as a clip, be compressed, after inflation, to prevent the escape of
air, the pressure being removed when deflation is required.
Or again the whole axis of the float may be made up of, or occupied by, a
tube of suitable diameter and material, and projecting, if necessary beyond
either or both ends of the more elastic part of the float (general body). The
lower part of this tube could be used to contain shot or other removable
weights, suitably introduced and retained therein as required, to cause the float
to assume an upright position in the water; the upper part of the tube could
be utilised as the mouth-piece and could contain the valve; an air-tight plug
could divide the tube into upper and lower portions; the upper or mouth-piece

page_text: end, would of course, at some suitable part communicate with the hollow interior
of the body of the float so as to admit air to it for inflating it and permit of its
deflation.
The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings in which:-
-
Fig. 1 is a central vertical section of oue form of float,
Fig. 2 is a plan of the same,
Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of a modified form of float,
Fig. 4 is a similar view of a second modification,
Fig. 5 is a similar view of a third modification,
Fig. 6 is a similar view of a fourth modification, and,
Fig. 7 is a central vertical section of a modified form of valve end.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the accompanying drawings.
The float as illustrated in Figs. 1 & 2 may be made entirely of rubber and
comprises a body or air chamber A having projecting ends B and C respec-
tively. The ends B and C are made of thicker material than the air chamber A
and the end B which is the upper end of the float is provided with an orifice B¹
to permit the passage of air into or from the air chamber A.
The passage B is controlled by a spherical valve B2 provided with a wire
stem B3 firmly secured within it. The wire stem fits loosely within the pass-
age B and is provided with a cross piece b, which prevents the spherical valve B
from falling lower than a given point. The chamber A may be inflated by
the breath of the person using the float, or by means of any suitable form of
pump. The pressure of the air forced into the chamber A. through the passage B',
will raise the spherical valve B2 and force it against the inner end of the
orifice 13, thus preventing the return of the air through the passage B.
The lower end C of the float is shut off from communication with the air
chamber A by a diaphragm C1, and forms a separate chamber having within its
wall a slot or aperture C². This chamber within the end C may be filled or
partially filled with shot C or other weighting material in order that the float
may be kept in an upright position when in the water. The shot C+ is introduced
to or withdrawn from the chamber by means of the slot or aperture C².
Owing to the flexibility of the material of which the end C is formed, the slot
after the introduction of the shot C+ through it, will contract sufficiently to pre-
vent any escape of the shot; but as a further precaution it may be covered by
a flat flexible band C, which may surround the end C of the float.
It is obvious that the chamber A may be so inflated as to distend the float to
any desired extent within reasonable limits as indicated by a a¹ a².
To deflate the air chamber A it is only necessary to put a slight pressure upon
the projecting stem B3, of the valve B2 which will cause the valve B2 to become
unseated and permit the escape of air through the passage or orifice B¹.
Figure 3 shows a modification of this float, the ends B and C being continued
within the air chamber A until they meet and form one continuous tubular core
for the float. The diaphragm C in this form, is removed from its original
position, and may be placed at any convenient point within the tubular core.
The tubular core which contains the valve B2 within its upper end B, is provided
with an aperture B which maintains communication between the valve B2 and
the air chamber A. It will be understood that as in the float described with
reference to Figure 1, the whole of this modified form of float may be constructed
of indiarubber or other flexible material.
In order to give rigidity to the float, the core may if preferred be formed of
some firm or rigid material, such core being inserted within the flexible ends B
and C of the float (Figure 4). This core may he secured within the ends of
the float by means of a thread tied round the external circumference of the ends B
and C as at band c. The thread at e must be tied sufficiently tightly to avoid
any leakage of air from the chamber A into the chamber formed within the end C,
and thus by means of the aperture C² to the atmosphere or water,

page_text: As a further modification the float may be provided with a valve B2 at each
of the ends B and C (Figure 5) in which case the diaphragm C¹ may be dis-
pensed with. The chamber A could thus be inflated from either end, and the
line D, to which the float is to be attached, could be passed through the hollow
.central core, so that when the chamber A is inflated and the valves 132 forced
against the inner ends of the apertures B₁ B', the line D will be gripped between
the valves B and their seatings.
To ensure that the line will be forced into the flexible seatings of the valves B²
so that the valves may come down in place and properly close the passages B¹
the stems B3 may be thickened in order that they may be screw threaded and
provided with nuts which, bearing against the outer ends of the float, will when
screwed up draw the valves down upon their seatings.
To deflate the chamber A when provided with valves secured by a nut as above
described it is only necessary to unscrew the nut of one of the valves and operate
the valve as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2..
As a further alternative the end B of the float containing the non-return valve
may be placed at the side of the air chamber A, and a small tube E (Figure 6)
of any suitable material may be passed through the centre of the chamber. The
object of the tube E is to provide a convenient means of securing the float to
the line D, if required by threading the line through the tube E and securing
it at one or both ends of the tube E by a small removable plug or peg E¹, or
the float may travel freely on the line if preferred.
A convenient method of forming the valve seating for the valve B2 is shown in
Figure 7. In this case the flexible end B is contracted by a clip or ring B³ of
resilient or rigid material. The clip or ring B is prevented from slipping over
the top of the end B by a collar 62, which may be formed by thickening the edge
of the end B. It will be understood that this form of-end and valve may be
applied to any of the other constructions of floats described, being simply a con-
venient method of forming a seating for the valve B
The construction of float described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 may
be attached to the line by any convenient means, the line being either attached
at each end by tying with thread as mentioned above or by means of a clip or
rubber band such as C³.
It will be understood that though the forms of floats described above are con-
venient, the invention is not limited to these constructions. In the case, for
instance, in which one or more floats are attached to the line in order that the
line may float upon the surface of the water the floats may be in the form of
small bladders of elastic material each provided with a mouth piece or small tube
by which they may be inflated, the mouth piece or tube being afterwards tied to
prevent the escape of the air or the whole series may be connected by small tubes
and provided with a common mouth piece with or without a valve.
The arrangement of the parts of the float relatively to one another may also
be varied and the non-return valve may be of the ordinary mushroom. type or
of any other convenient form and in all cases may
provided with a nut to draw it against its seating as described with reference
if preferred be
to Figure 5. The valve should always be of such a size that the air may pass
round it during inflation but should sufficiently fill the passage in which it is
placed to cause it to close (unless held down for the purpose of deflation) when
the air attempts to return from the chamber A.
The cross piece b may be of any convenient form or may be dispensed with and
one or more cross wires placed within the end B beneath the valve to prevent
its falling below a given point or the same end may be effected by one or more pro-
jections formed within the end B.
The slot or aperture C may if preferred be dispensed with and the shot or other
weighting material be introduced through a valve in the chamber or end C or the
chamber could be dispensed with and the weighting material introduced through
the upper valve into the air-chamber A of the float,

page_text: In place of weighting the floats by the introduction of weighting material as
described, they may be weighted by lead wire or strip wrapped round the end C.
This would particularly apply to the construction of float illustrated in Figure 6
in which case the lead might be twisted round or attached to the lower end of
the tube E.
In applying this invention to raising sunken ships the floats may be made of
any convenient size and lowered with a weight attached and placed in the hold
of the ship to be raised. One end of each of the floats is attached by a tube io
any suitable form of air pump or compressor and when a sufficient number of
floats have been introduced into the hold the pumps are set in motion and the
floats inflated. The inflation of the floats drives the water from the hold of the
ship and brings the ship to the surface.
The invention could be applied in a similar manner to collision mats. The
mat may be of elongated form and is introduced in a deflated condition into the
damaged portion of the vessel. When in place the mat is inflated by a pump or
compressor which communicates with it by means of a tube. As the mat is
inflated it increases in size until it completely fills the rent in the vessel and
stops the leak.
For supporting nets such as herring nets or marking the position of lobster
pots, the flosts may be of any convenient form and the nets or lobster pots con-
nected to them in any convenient manner.
The advantage of these floats over the ordinary floats used is that their flotative
capacity may be so regulated as to permit of their being carried down by the
attached nets until relieved by part of the nets resting upon the sea floor, when
the remainder of the nets will be held suspended. In this manner the nets or
lobster pots may be set to the best advantage and the floats may be kept entirely
submerged or arranged to appear above water only at low tide.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
:-
1. An inflatable fishing float for rod and line angling made wholly or partly of
elastic material.
2. An inflatable fishing float which may be made to assume various proportions
substantially as described.
3. An inflatable float constructed partly or entirely of flexible or elastic material
and having an end chamber provided with a slot such as C² substantially as and
for the purpose described.
4. The combination with an inflatable float of a valve B2 B3 substantially as
and for the purpose described.
5. An inflatable float having a stiffening piece of firm or rigid material sub-
stantially as described.
6. The combination with an inflatable float of lower chamber for carrying
weighting material substantially as and for the purpose described.
7. The combination with an inflatable float of an upper chamber communicating
with the air chamber and valve substantially as and for the purpose described.
8. An inflatable float having a flexible end carrying a collar and contracted to
form a valve seat substantially as described.
9. The combination with a fishing line of a series of bladder-like floats cap-
able of contraction to allow of their being passed through the rings of a fishing
rod substantially as and for the purpose described.
10. The combination with a fishing net or lobster pot of one or more inflatable
elastic floats the buoyancy of which may be varied substantially as and for the
purpose described.
11. An inflatable float capable of being inserted in a deflated condition in the
side of a ship and afterwards inflated substantially as and for the purpose
described.

page_text: 12. The complete float constructed substantially as described and illustrated in
Figures 1 and 2 or Figure 3 or Figure 4 or Figure 5 or Figure 6 of the accom-
panying drawings.
Dated this 10t1
Dagambar 1808
H. H. HOLT.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.