IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED FOR FISHING
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Wilhelm Hendrik Klerck Mack, of Tromso, in
Norway, now residing at the Grosvenor Hotel, Pimlico, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE
USED FOR FISHING."-A communication from abroad by Johan Kildal,
residing Quadil
Horstodborn in Sanion NarwVOR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Wilhelm Hendrik Klerck
Mack at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 3rd August 1866.
I, WILHELM HENDRIK KLERCK MACK, of Tromso, in Norway, now residing
at the Grosvenor Hotel, Pimlico, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
TO BE USED FOR FISHING," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object an improved method of constructing a
fishing net and tackle intended especially for catching cod in deep water.
The net is of a square form, and measures, say, 300 fathoms on each side, and
it is suitably strengthened with ropes. The net is intended to lie on the
bottom except at its edges all round, which are held up to a height of about
six fathoms from the bottom. In setting the net four anchors are first put
down at the corners of a square of about 400 fathoms, and from each anchor
a cable passes with as little slack as may be to one of four large buoys, which

page_text: are thus moored at the surface of the water. From each anchor also two
other ropes pass to the corresponding buoy on the surface, these serve as
guide lines for the net, and on each of them there is a loose block or runner.
The net is now extended on the surface of the water between four large boats,
one of which is then laid alongside of each of the buoys; the net has eight
ropes attached to it, four at its extreme corners, the other four are also at the
corners, but at a distance of six fathoms in from the edges of the net. Each
of these ropes is passed over a sheave on the runner on one of the guide lines,
and then by slacking away these ropes, two out of each boat, the net is
lowered. The ropes are marked so that an equal length may be run out
from each boat to allow the net to sink level. The ropes at the four extreme
corners of the net are stopped when the edges of the net are about six
fathoms from the bottom, the other four ropes are allowed to run out until
the net reaches the bottom. There are also two other lines to each boat to
steady the net as it sinks and prevent it drifting with a tide, these are
attached to the net at one end, they pass through blocks fixed to the anchor
cables and thence to the boats at the surface. By means of the guide lines
'the net is strained tight as it sinks, and is so held whilst it remains down.
When the net has been thus set the ropes in each boat are secured to a spar
or iron bar which by a short chain is connected with the buoy, and the spar
or bar is then passed overboard; in this manner the tackle is secured from
thieves and wilfull damage. To attract fish to the net bait is enclosed in net
bags, these are floated by means of glass balls and anchored inside the net by
weights, so that the bait is kept floating some fathoms above the net. Herrings
also may be tipped out of bags into the net. Light may also be used to
'attract fish to the net, an electric lamp being lowered over the net to within,
say, 20 fathoms from the bottom. In getting up the net the operation is so
conducted that the middle of the net does not leave the bottom until the
edges are about 100 fathoms above it, so that no fish may escape.
SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 3
and of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, by the said Wilhelm Hendrik
Klerck Mack in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th February
1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILHELM
SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 3
and of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, by the said Wilhelm Hendrik
Klerck Mack in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th February
1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILHELM
HENDRIK KLERCK MACK, of Tromso, in Norway, now residing at the 3
Grosvenor Hotel, Pimlico, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Wilhelm Hendrik Klerck Mack, Her special licence that I, the
said Wilhelm Hendrik Klerck Mack, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Wilhelm Hendrik Klerck Mack, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED FOR
FISHING," a communication to me from abroad by Johan Kildal, a person
resident at Bredvik, near Harstadhavn, in Senjen, Norway, upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Wilhelm Hendrik Klerck Mack, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
• NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Wilhelm Hendrik Klerck Mack, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object an improved method of constructing a
fishing net and tackle intended especially for catching cod in deep water.
The net is of a square form, and measures, say, 300 fathoms on each side,
and it is suitably strengthened with ropes. The net is intended to lie on the
bottom, except at its edges all round, which are held up to a height of about
six fathoms from the bottom. In setting the net four anchors are first put
down at the corners of a square of about 400 fathoms, and from each anchor a
cable passes with as little slack as may be to one of four large buoys, which
are thus moored at the surface of the water. From each anchor also two
other ropes pass to the corresponding buoy on the surface; these serve as
guide lines for the net, and on each of them there is a loose block or runner.
The net is now extended on the surface of the water between four large
boats, one of which is then laid alongside of each of the buoys; the net has
eight ropes attached to it, four at its extreme corners, the other four are also

page_text: at the corners, but at a distance of six fathoms in from the edges of the net.
Each of these ropes is passed over a sheave on the runner on one of the guide
lines, and then by slacking away these ropes, two out of each boat, the net is
lowered. The ropes are marked so that an equal length may be run out from
each boat to allow the net to sink level. The ropes at the four extreme
corners of the net are stopped when the edges of the net are about six
fathoms from the bottom, the other four ropes are allowed to run out until
the net reaches the bottom. There are also two other lines to each boat to
steady the net as it sinks and prevent it drifting with a tide; these are
.attached to the net at one end; they pass through blocks fixed to the anchor
cables, and thence to the boats at the surface. By means of the guide lines
the net is strained tight as it sinks, and is so held whilst it remains down.
When the net has been thus set the ropes in each boat are secured to a spar
or iron bar which by a short chain is connected with the buoy, and the spar
or bar is then passed overboard, in this manner the tackle is secured from
thieves and wilful damage. To attract fish to the net bait is enclosed in net
bags, these are floated by means of glass balls and anchored inside the net.
by weights, so that the bait is kept floating some fathoms above the net.
Herrings also may be tipped out of bags into the net. Light may also be
used to attract fish to the net, an electric lamp being lowered over the net to
within, say, 20 fathoms from the bottom. In getting up the net the operation
is so conducted that the middle of the net does not leave the bottom until the
edges are about 100 fathoms above it, so that no fish may escape.
And in order that my said Invention may be more fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto
a, an anchor weighing 2 cwt., of which four are required, one at each
main corner of the net at the bottom of the sea. The net is lowered after
measurement upon the surface of the water. If the net is 600 ells square
the anchors must stand at 800 ells square. On lowering the anchors all the
tackle lines are to accompany them, with exception of the ends thereof,
which are then to be made fast to the net which is to be set afterwards.
6, the bottom of the sea; c, the main line to the great buoys above water;
d, the stretching tackle for the bottom of the net, both for sinking it and
drawing it up again; e, the stretching tackle for the upper part of the net,
both for sinking it and drawing it up again; f and 9, the stream stopper
tackle, both for siuking and raising; h, the stretching tackles to the surface

page_text: of the water; i, the main tackles for raising the net, all according to corre-
sponding fathoms and numbers; k, the net as lying still at the bottom of the
sea, the upper portion being 6 fathoms from the bottom. This net, as the
Drawing shews, is to be 600 ells square and 100 ells deep; it is to be set in
the evening, and only to be raised on the following day if the weather does
not prevent. The net is to be made of fine 9-twist yarn. land m, the bait
sunk in the net, the + of which is intended to represent a bound net filled
with tempting bait and as many glass balls as may be requisite to keep it
floating after the necessary line with a stone at the lower end rests at the
bottom of the net in such a manner that the floating bait, which cannot however
be swallowed out of the net, stands about 4 fathoms above the net; n, an
electric light, which is to be hauled down to about 15 fathoms above the net,
and supported by a small buoy on the surface of the water over the middle of
the net; o and p, bags filled with herrings, which after the net is set are to
be repeatedly hauled down sufficiently low in the sea the same evening, and
upset by stopping the line, so that the herrings tumble out and fall into the
net; 9, r, s, and t, is a piece of iron with 6 holes, each of which holes has its
number corresponding to the number of the ropes, which are to be brought
into their right position by means of hooks; u, 5 ells of chain from the iron
fastened to the main buoys; v, the main buoys, made of oak, and bound with
iron; the sustaining power of each must be at least 23 cwt. When the net
is to be drawn up a large boat must lie fast by each buoy, so that all may
take place without changing anything from what is shown in the Drawing.
Concerning the mode of procedure and use of the said cod fishing net.-The.
net is 600 ells square, as stated, and its meshes about 5 inches in size, the
bottom of fine cleanly hatchelied 9-twist yarn. It is to be set with the aid of
8 large boats and a crew of 29 men, and with the help of the stretching tackle
lines, shewn in the Drawing, so that it is only raised to the extent of 6 fathoms
from the bottom. When it is to be drawn up the upper side of the net, to
which a 3-inch rope is to be attached, must be raised, and the bottom of the
upper side is 100 ells above
net left lying at the bottom of the sea until the
the bottom. The fish which bas then collected under the bait in the 600
square ells of the net's breadth are securely caught, and the net has only to
be hauled up in such a manner that all the boats haul a corresponding
number on each rope. f and g in the Drawing serve to steer the net while
being set and drawn up, and also against currents and storms, and to prevent
the fish when they are in from bringing the net out of its centre.
matter of course all the ropes belonging to the net must be marked with
their respective length in fathoms and number, and likewise have their
As a

page_text: numbered place in each of the boats. There are 5 ells of chain placed under
each of the main buoys, at the lower ends of which the iron in question and
all the ropes with their hooks are placed in their proper position, this is partly
for the sake of strength in resisting storm, and partly, nay chiefly, that it may
be difficult wilfully to damage or tangle any portion of the tackle.
In witness whereof, I, the said Wilhelm Hendrik Klerck Mack, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of January, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
W. H. K. MACK. (L.B.)