Improvements applicable to "Otter" or like Boards of Trawl Nets.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Jan., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 1st Apr., 1898-Accepted, 11th June, 1898
Improvements applicable to "Otter" or like Boards of Trawl Nets.
We, REUBEN RAY, of No. 42, Fildes Street, Great Grimsby, in the County of
Lincoln, Engineer, and WILLIAM HENRY JOHNSON, of No. 52, Hainton Street,
Great Grimsby aforesaid, Auctioneer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
In otter or like boards of trawl nets in the place of the present board with
its unbroken surface we have a framework in which is fixed one or more vertical
boards plates or slats setting back from the face at a gradually increasing angle
thus presenting an open surface and offering less resistence to the water when in
operation.
REUBEN RAY.
W. H. JOHNSON.
Improvements applicable to "Otter" or like Boards of Trawl Nets.
We, REUBEN RAY. and WILLIAM HENRY JOHNSON, of 52, Hainton Street, Great
Grimsby, 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:
-
وو
otter or other like boards
According to this invention instead of making the "
of trawl-nets with unbroken or plain surfaces we make them of framework in which
are fixed boards, plates or slats standing at an angle with the faces of the boards
so as to offer less resistance to motion in the water when in operation.
And in order that the said invention may be fully understood we will now pro-
ceed to describe the same with the aid of the accompanying sheet of drawings in
which Figure 1 is an elevation of an
board constructed in accordance
with our invention, Figure 2 a sectional plan taken on the line X-X of Figures 1
and 3, and Figure 3 a vertical section taken on the line Z-Z of Figures 1
and 2.
"
otter
"
A is a frame of timber or other suitable material preferably strengthened with
iron bands B, and having on its lower edge straps C of iron or other suitable
material. D D are plates, boards or slats of metal, wood or other suitable material
secured in the opening of the frame A, and set obliquely or at an angle to the
general plane of the latter, as shown clearly in Figure 2. The plates, boards or

page_text: slats D D are preferably, but not necessarily, made with gusset-shaped end
pieces E which serve to strengthen and support the plates, boards or slats D,
afford convenient means for securing the latter in place by screws or bolts passing
through them into the material of the frame A, and to a certain extent assist in
guiding the water into the spaces between the plates, boards or slats D). The front
edges of the plates, boards or slats D may also be supported by means of stay
pieces F rivetted, screwed, or otherwise secured at one end to them and at the
other end to the rear part of the plate, board or slat next in front.
The usual well known bridle chains are attached to the eyes G, and the tow-
warp to the ring connecting these bridle chains together just in the same way as
in an ordinary "otter" board; the trawl-net is also connected to the " otter"
boards in the usual way.
66
33
66
"
It will now be understood that when the "otter." board is lowered into the water
it comes to rest on the ground in a vertical position as usual with the weights C
lowermost, and that when drawn along the ground more or less longitudinally in
the direction of the arrow in Figure 2 the otter board moves obliquely away
from the " otter" board at the other side of the net, tending to keep the mouth
of the latter open in the manner now well understood in connection with "otter"
board trawl-nets. It will be seen, however, that the movement of the otter
board through the water is greatly facilitated by the fact that instead of the board
offering a comparatively large plain surface moved obliquely against the resistance
of the water, it offers only the comparatively small surface of the thickness of
the frame to the resisting action of the water, the latter being free to pass obliquely
through the opening in the frame, the plates boards or slats D exerting a directing
and guiding effect upon the entire board by the currents of water passing between
the said plates, boards or slats D tending to maintain the " otter" board at the
proper angle to keep the mouth of the net open without the great resistance due
to the large plain surface of the ordinary "otter" board..
Experience has shown us that with "otter" boards constructed as above described
the power required to trawl is very much reduced, the trawling can be done at
greater speed, with a reduced consumption of fuel, the footrope of the net for its
entire length is maintained upon the bottom, and more fish can be caught in a
given time than with trawl nets provided with the ordinary "otter" boards.
The number of obliquely placed plates, boards or slats 1 in each frame may be
varied according to circumstances, and in some cases even one such plate, board
or slat may be found sufficient.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we desire to have it under-
stood that we are aware that it is not novel to construct an otter" board with
upper and lower horizontal boards connected together by vertical obliquely placed
louvre boards, the "otter" boards so constructed being placed transversely to the
direction of the draught in trawling, and that we make no claim to such arrange-
ment; but that what we do claim is:-
ور
First. The improved "otter or like board for a trawl-net which consists of an
open frame A with one or more plates, boards, or slats 1 secured in the opening
of the said frame and set at an angle to the general plane of such frame, substan-
tially as described.
Second. An "otter" or like board for a trawl-net consisting of an open frame A,
and one or more plates, boards or slats 1 secured obliquely in the opening of the
said frame, combined and operating substantially as described.
"
Third. An otter or like board for a trawl-net constructed substantially as
herein described and adapted to be drawn through the water more or less longi-
tudinally, or only slightly inclined to the direction of the draught in trawling.
Fourth. In an otter or like board of the kind herein described constructing
the obliquely placed plates, boards, or slats with gusset-shaped end pieces E, sub-
stantially as described.

page_text: Fifth. An
described.
66
otter
or like board for a trawl-net constructed and operated as
1
1000
R. RAY.
W. H. JOHNSON.
Per W. H. Beck,
Agent, 115, Cannon Street, London, E.C.