Improvements in or connected with "Otter Boards" for Fish Trawling or the like purposes.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with "Otter Boards" for Fish
Trawling or the like purposes.
We, WILLIAM COOPER, of 4, Fredericks Terrace, Nornabell Street, Engineer, and
THOMAS HALLER, of 55, Lowgate, Bootmaker, both in Hull, in the County of
Yorkshire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
"
The object of our invention is to construct what are commonly known as otter
boards" for trawling purposes, so that they keep at a certain angle in the water,
and do not tilt over or spread out to be broadside on; this keeping the mouth of
the net open to its greatest extent or width, and allowing the vessel to go at a less
speed than hitherto thereby effecting a saving in the quantity of fuel consumed by
steam trawlers, and making such " otter boards " more applicable to sailing vessels.
Hitherto the head and foot ropes of trawl nets have been attached to shackles
fitted to the extreme end of the otter board nearest the mouths of such nets,
this allows the boards to tilt over, or to spread out, or close in
too much, often being over on their faces, that is, the inside being flat
in the water, thus allowing the mouth of the net to close, in other cases
the boards being drawn through the water broadside on, this requiring extra power
to be exerted by the engines, thus increasing not only wear and tear, but also the
consumption of fuel.
..
"
For the purpose of our invention we dispense with the shackles at the end of the
board and place eyebolts shackles or the like at a suitable distance away from the
end of the board, preferably on the inside, that being the side to which the tow rope
or warp which runs to the vessel is fastened, if found desirable such eyebolts or the
like may be attached to the outside of the board, in either case strengthening pieces
may be used for preventing the tearing or straining of the board where such eye-
bolts or the like are placed. By placing the attachments for the head and foot
ropes at some distance on the board instead of at the ends as hitherto, the board is
kept at a suitable and regular angle, and is not liable to tilt over, or to spread out
and be drawn flat sided through the water, therefore there is not the irregular
strain on the engines, which can therefore work at a less speed thus saving wear and
tear and lessening the consumption of fuel.
The end part of the board beyond the eyebolts or the like, acts as a rudder, the
water pressing on it there, tending, in addition to the angle of pull formed by
such eyebolts or the like, to keep the angle of the board regular, but if desired a
projection or projections may be placed on the end of the board to more effectually
sustain such angle.
Dated this Triftranth dove of Anvil 1807
JOHN E. WALSH,
Savile Street, Hull, and Crossley Street, Halifax,
Patent Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: Improvements in or connected with "Otter Boards" for Fish
Trawling or the like purposes.
We, WILLIAM COOPER, of 4, Fredericks Terrace, Nornabell Street, Engineer, and
THOMAS HALLER, of 55, Lowgate, Bootmaker, both in Hull, in the County of
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:-
The object of our invention is to construct what are commonly known as otter
boards" for trawling purposes so that they keep at a certain angle in the water
and do not tilt over or spread out to be broadside on as heretofore, thus keeping the
mouth of the net open to its greatest extent or width and allowing the vessel to
go at less speed than hitherto, thereby effecting a saving in the quantity of fuel
consumed by steam trawlers and making such otter boards more applicable to
sailing vessels.
Hitherto the head and foot ropes of trawl nets have been attached to shackles
or the like fitted to the extreme end of the otter board nearest the mouths of such
nets, this allowed the boards to tilt over, or to spread out or close in too much,
such boards often being over en their faces, that is, the inside being flat in the
water, thus allowing the mouth of the net to close and causing the entanglement of
the warp; and in other cases allowing of the boards being drawn through the
water broadside on, this requiring extra power to be exerted by the engines, thus
increasing not only wear and tear, but also the consumption of fuel.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1, shows an inside elevation of an otter" or trawl board having the eye-
bolts, shackles or the like, placed at some distance on the board according to our
invention instead of at the end as hitherto.
Fig. 2 shows an inside elevation of an otter or trawl board with pieces cut
away at the top and bottom of the back end to allow of the head rope passing over,
and the foot rope passing under, the projecting part or rudder, for the purpose of
allowing the board to spread out, and preventing the head and footropes from catch-
ing; and also showing bars for taking the head line and foot rope.
Fig. 3 is an isometric view of an otter board with the rudder fixed at an angle.
Fig. 1, is a plan view of Fig. 3.
Fig. 5, is a plan view of a pair of boards with rudders in use, drawn to a smaller
scale, and showing the position they take up in the water.
For the purpose, of our invention we dispense with the shackles (which take the
head line and foot rope) at the end of the board A., and place eyebolts, shackles or
the like B, at a suitable distance away from the end of the board, preferably on the
inside, that being the side to which the tow rope or warp C which runs to the vessel
is fastened, the part of the board from such eyebolts to the end of the board forming
a tail piece or rudder A¹; if found desirable such eyebolts or the like B may be
attached to the outside of the board, in either case strengthening pieces I may be
used for preventing the tearing or straining of the boards where such eyebolts or
the like B are placed.
By placing the attachments B for the head line E, and foot rope F, at some
distance on the boards, instead of at the ends as hitherto, the board is kept at a
suitable and regular angle, and is not liable to tilt over or to spread out and be
. drawn flat sided through the water, by this means there is not the irregular strain on
the engines, which can therefore work at a less speed, thus saving wear and tear
and lessening the consumption of fuel.
If desired we may cut away pieces of the board at the top and bottom of its

page_text: back end as shown at Fig. 2, for any required distance, leaving an upwardly pro-
jecting and a downwardly projecting piece G, G¹ one at the top and the other at the
bottom, the part left, forming a tail piece or rudder, A', the eyebolts, shackles or the
like B for taking the head line E, and foot rope F, may be fixed at the ends of
the upwardly and downwardly projecting parts as shown at Fig. 2.
This prevents the headline E, and footrope F, from catching the projecting
part A of the board, and allows of the board turning and spreading at any suitable
angle, the projecting part or rudder A' passing between the two ropes or the like E
and F without touching, it also allows of the dirt, stones and the like ploughed up on
the sea bottom passing away to a great extent under the bottom reduced part,
without entering the mouth of the net.
If desired we may cut away a piece of the board at the top of the back end only,
or at the bottom of the back end only.
The tail piece or rudder A' may be fitted to the board at an angle of 45% or any
other suitable angle see Figs. 3 and 4, and may be a fixture in that position, or it
may be movable, and may be held at any suitable angle by means of a chain, rope,
bar or the like, or any number of chains, ropes, bars or the like as desired.
Instead of the tail piece being set at an angle, the front part of the board may be
so fixed, and the tail piece may be straight.
To more effectually prevent the head line E and foot rope F, from catching on
the tail piece or rudder A¹, we may employ rods, bars or the like H, of about the
same length as the rudder, or longer or shorter if desired, and connected to the
eyebolts or the like B, or swivelled to the board; the headline E, and foot rope F
being connected to such rods or the like cannot sink or rise to catch the aforesaid
tail piece.
By the employment of our improvements the end part of the board beyond the
eyebolts or the like acts as a rudder owing to the headline and footrope being fixed
at a distance from the back end of the board, the back water from the forward end
of the board strikes the tailpiece or rudder, and keeps the board fore-end on to
the water at the most suitable angle for towing, and prevents them from being
pulled through the water either straight or broadside on.
Our improvements are applicable to most if not all existing trawl boards.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. Constructing otter or trawl boards with a tail piece or rudder such as A¹ in
the manner and for the purposes substantially as shown and described.
2. Attaching the ground rope and head line at each corner of a trawl net to an
otter or trawl board at a suitable distance from the back end of such board, to allow
of the part which runs from the point or points at which such ropes are connected
to the back end of the board forming a rudder A' either fixed or loose in the manner
and for the purposes substantially as shown and described.
3. In connection with otter trawl boards the employment of a rod or rods, bar or
bars, or the like such as H in the manner and for the purposes substantially as
shown and described.
4. Constructing otter or trawl boards with a tail piece such as A¹ set at an angle
on such board, or the forward end of the board set at an angle and the rudder
straight in the manner and for the purposes substantially as shown and described.
Dated this Fiftheenth day of January 1898
JOHN E. WALSH,
Savile Street, Hull, and Crossley Street, Halifax,
Patent Agent for the Applicants.
JOHN E. WALSH,
Savile Street, Hull, and Crossley Street, Halifax,
Patent Agent for the Applicants.