Improvements in Double Knot Netting for Fishing and other Purposes, and in Machinery employed for Making the same.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Dec., 1894-Accepted, 6th Apr., 1895
Improvements in Double Knot Netting for Fishing and other
Purposes, and in Machinery employed for Making the same.
I, WILLIAM STUART, of the Firm of J. & W. Stuart Net Manufacturers, Esk
Mills, Musselburgh, in the County of Midlothian, North Britain, 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 :-
-
This invention relates to improvements in double knot netting for fishing and
other purposes, and in machinery employed for making the same.
In the formation of tlie knot ou the double kuot net machines, the method has
hitherto been to put only one leg of the last formed half mesh into the groove
called the "wicker" which is on the one side of the "needle" and to keep out the
other leg of the half mesh. The wickers being on the right or left hand side of
the needles.
In the formation of my improved knot the same parts and movements of the
machine are employed, but I provide or form the needle with two wickers, one on
either side or I may form the needle with a widened or enlarged wicker, and both
legs of the last formed half mesh are moved into the wickers or enlarged wicker
and by this means a double knot is made of a different formation from the double
knot made hitherto, the advantage being that this new knot cannot be caused to
slip, whereas the usual double knot may be canted or overturned and thus is liable
to slip.
•
This invention is applicable to the machines at present in use, but more partien-
larly to the class of machines as are described in the Specification of J. & W. Stuarts
Patent of 27th April 1859 No. 1056, as arranged for double knot nets, that is to
say, provided with a row of pushers mounted in a moveable bar above the needles,
and a row of back hooks mounted in another moveable bar underneath the needles,
in addition to the ordinary rows of front hooks, needles and fallers, and chapping
bar, the needles according to my present invention being formed with two wickers
or with a widened or enlarged wicker so as to enable both legs of the mesh being
chapped in by the chapping bar in lieu of one as hitherto.
But in order that my said invention may be more readily understood and easily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which much of the general mechanism and construction
of the machine beyond what is necessary to illustrate the construction and operation
of my improvements is not herein set forth; but reference is made to the before
mentioned Patent for such description.
Figure 1 is a cross section of a part of a net making machine having my improve-
ments attached thereto.
Figure 2 is an elevation, Figure 3 an end elevation and Figure 4 a plan, showing
needles with two wickers.
Figures 24, 34, and 4ª are similar views showing needles with one enlarged or
widened wicker.
Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 inclusive are diagram views showing the various positions
Poiss & I

page_text: of parts while the knot is being formed; said parts being slightly exaggerated for
the sake of clearness.
Figure 9 is an open view of an improved double knot before it is tightened up.
And Figure 10 is a view of the same knot after it has been tightened up.
Referring to the said drawings, A represents the net which is wound on the
drum B, as it is made, all in the usual manner. The looped ends of the net are
shown as being held in the front hooks C, which are of the usual type, but
preferably having their points twisted or inclined towards the left hand, the said
hooks (being carried by the front hook bar C', which is carried by the shaft C,
and cradle or rocking frame C³, all as hitherto, the said hooks C being operated
by means of the ordinary hand lever, fairleader and incliners. The said fairleader
as applied to my present invention being so formed with the necessary grooves so
as to give the desired movements to the front hooks and bar. The needles D, which
are preferably formed or provided with two wickers d, d, shown in Figures 2,
3 and 4, or with an enlarged or widened wicker d', shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4,
are carried in the needle bar D', which is supported by brackets D, attached to
the cross beam E, which is carried by the main cheeks or framing of the machine
all as hitherto. The said needle bar D¹ has attached to its back a number of slide
brackets F, which carry the pusher bar G, which in order to allow of its being
moved in a backwards and forwards direction has a number of grooves or slides f,
formed on or attached to its underside which engage with and slide on the sli le
brackets F, also each end of the said bar G, is so formed as to work in suitable
grooves or recesses formed on or attached to the main checks of the machine, the
said movement of the pusher bar G, being obtained through the medium of a
number of connecting links y, the one end of which is. bolted or otherwise secured to
the said bar, and their other ends to the slotted ends of a number of bent levers ',
keyed on the cross shaft H, which is carried by a number of brackets H₁,
supported on the main beam E of the machine, the said shaft H, being operated
by an ordinary foot lever or treadle through the medium of the rod H, and lever
or crank H. Along the top of this said pusher bar G, I mount a row of pushers G¹,
preferably in the same manner as the hooks C and needles D, are mounted to
their bars C', and D', that is by grooving out the bar and forming the pushers G',
with suitably shaped lead or other metal shanks G³, having dovetailed inden-
tations G, which fit into a corresponding dovetail in the bar G, the said shanks
being securely held in position on the bar by means of the leather packing G*, and
binding plates and pins G, which have also connected to them a spring pusher
guard G. The said pushers are preferably made of sheet brass having lead or
other metal shanks G cast thereon, and the points shaped as shewn, though if
desired i may make them of any convenient sectional shape.
To the underside of the hereinbefore mentioned needle bar D¹ I also secure a
number of curved slide brackets F', which carry the movable back hook bar J, the
ends of which slide in grooves or recesses in or on the main framing, and having a
row of back hooks Ji, mounted in a similar manner to that as described with
reference to the pushers G¹, the bar J and back hooks J' being capable of an up
and down movement, through an arc of a circle, this motion being obtained from
the shaft K, which is carried in the herein before mentioned brackets H', and which
has two or more slotted cranks K' keyed on it, and into which the hook bar pin K'
works, the said shaft K obtaining its motion from an ordinary foot lever or treadle
through the medium of the rod L, pivotted spur quadrant L, and spur pinion L,
on said shaft K. The said back hooks J¹ are preferably made of brass or iron with
lead or metal shanks J, and having their bent ends preferably formed with two
acute bends j, and of a triangular shape in section with a slightly curved out
point.
The main beam E, also carries a number of brackets M which support the rocking
shaft M, having the brackets or bent arms M², keyed on it, the ends of the said
brackets or bent arms M², being bolted or otherwise secured to the steel or other

page_text: metal chapping bar N, the said rocking shaft M', being actuated as hitherto, by
means of a foot lever or treadle through the medium of the rod N', lever or
crank N, and weights N³. In front of the main beam E, are mounted in the usual
inanner the row of faller hooks P, which are operated in the usual way, except
that I prefer to employ a faller spring having a double coil instead of the single
springs employed heretofore, the said springs giving a much more effectual fall to
tlie said fallers when disengaged by the slur.
The arrangement and action of the machine thus constructed is as follows:-
Supposing the machine is set to make double knots as shewn in Figures 9 and 10
and the parts in the position as shewn in Figure 1 of the drawings, which is after
the hooks C have been brought up from the fallers P, with the plain loops (having
no crossed legs) from the said fallers P, by the operator through the medium of the
hand lever and fair leader as hitherto, he then causes his row of pushers G₁ to come
forward and take up the position shown in Figure 1 and so open out the loop as to
enable the row of back hooks to be brought up and engaged with the loops, in
such a manner, as shown in Figure 5, after which the front hooks C are manipulated
so as to take the cross or twisted loop Figure 6, after which the pushers G' are
drawn back, and the back hooks J' are lowered down through the wickers of the
needles D to a position as shewn in Figure 7, and at the same time the front
books C are manipulated so as to take the cross down between the needles D and
then out in front of the wickers d of the said needles D, and retain them in the
position shewn in Figure 7, so as to enable the legs of the loops to be chapped into
the said wickers of the needles as shewn in Fig. 7, by means of the chapping bar N,
being forced down, after which the front hooks C are lifted up and also the back
hooks J are moved into the position shewn in Figure 8, the fallers P are then
raised, the row formed and the shuttle having the next cord attached is passed
through and the fallers knocked down by the slur as hitherto, after which the
front hooks C are moved down in front of the needles D, and along with the back
hooks J', and needles D are then disengaged from the double knots by means of the
chapping bar N, and the said knots closed or tightened (as shewn in Figure 10) by
the action of the beam as hitherto, and so on repeating the foregoing operations
for each row of knots made; the necessary lateral movements to the front hooks
being obtained by the incliners and hand lever as hitherto,
It will be seen from the drawings, that the pushers G₁ play the important parts
of holding the meshes or loops open in the open position, while the back hooks J',
come up and catch the said loops underneath the pushers G¹, after which the front
hooks Care inclined, released and so caused to take the cross or twist from under-
neath the pushers G₁ which are then caused to go back out of the way. It will
also be seen that the back hooks J' play the important parts of coming up between
the needles D and taking the bight or lower part of the loops from the front
hooks C, after which the said back hooks J' hold this bight or spare cord of the
loops in the various positions until after the shuttle has been passed through and
the knots formed, when the said back hooks J' are raised and released from the
loops by the descent of the chapping bar.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is.-
1st. The improveinents in machinery for making double knot netting for
fishing and other purposes, as hereinbefore described and shewn in the accompanying
drawings.
2nd. In machinery for making double knot netting, forming or providing the
needles D with two wickers d or with an enlarged or widened wicker d¹ whereby
both legs of the mesh may be chapped in, substantially as hereinbefore described
and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
3rd. Forming the knots of double knot fishing and other nets, substantially in

page_text: the manner as hereinbefore described and shewn more particularly in Figures 9 and 10
of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 14th day of December 1894.
JOHNSONS,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.