Improvements in Materials and Processes for the Manufacture of Artificial Flies and Baits for Angling and Fishery Purposes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Mar., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 20th Dec., 1892-Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Materials and Processes for the Manufacture of
Artificial Flies and Baits for Angling and Fishery Purposes.
I KENNETH HENRY CORNISH of 47 Grosvenor Road S. W., in the County of
London, Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
I employ in the manufacture of artificial flies and baits for angling and the
fisheries tough animal membranes which I procure in the form of fish-scales taken
from large-scaled fishes, whether freshwater or maritime; or as skins, crusts, shells,
or membranes of crabs lobsters, prawns, shrimps, and the like crustaceans, and of
certain molluscs, and especially the legs, claws, and back shells of the common
shore-crabs, and of lobsters, crabs, and cray-fish. I deprive such scales, skins,
crusts, shells, or membranes of earthy salts by immersion in diluted hydrochloric,
acetic, or other suitable acid, and when necessary bleach the now softened
membranes, after which they are fit to take dyes and mordants.
Heat must not be applied to the raw membranes as it weakens and damages the
animal fibres. Fish scales thus treated are lustrous and translucent, and have
extraordinary toughness and strength, and in these respects resemble the silkworm
gut used by anglers. Like this animal product they possess great elasticity, with
the quality of not absorbing more than enough water to render them soft and
pliable with increase of elasticity and strength. They are therefore admirably
adapted for making the upright wings of artificial flies and the construction of the
bodies and wings of small flies in one piece. They are so tough, especially when
damp, that a hook may be passed through their substance without injury to it, and
are exceedingly difficult to tear or split, even when great force is used. Scales
of fish and serpents have long been used for wings, but only in the hard and brittle
state. After softening I clean away any animal muscular fibre they contain, or are
attached to. With flat membranes the process is simple, but where the meat fills
hollow tubes, as in the legs and claws of crabs, lobsters, and the like, I dry them
till the muscle shrinks, when it can easily be pulled away. This leaves the tube
clean and hollow. Like the scales these animal membranes only take up enough
water to render them soft and pliable, and like the silk worm gut they do not curl
up and shrivel when dry, as nearly all animal membranes do. Though not so tough
and strong as the scales they are sufficiently so, quite as much so as most feathers.
All these membranes float in water when deprived of their earthy salts. The legs
of these crustaceans being tubular, I construct from the tough membranous tubes the
whole or part of many baits; e.g. the bodies of flies, creepers, grubs, caterpillars,
salmon flies; the bodies of spinning baits, ranging in size from small minnows to
pike and cod baits; and baits for the long and hand lines of the professional sea-
fishermen.
As these tubes can be closed at one or both ends I construct with them air-
inflated and unsinkable flies and other baits; others also adapted for the reception
of flavouring matters and taints, or stuffing, and such baits too as maggots, grubs,
artificial fish, and the like. I so construct my baits of these tubes that they
contain and conceal, partially or entirely, the hook or hooks employed. I also use
these tubes for the wings of flies, as when split longitudinally they are as available
as other membranes of like quality and structure. The transparency of these
membranes renders them superior to feathers. I employ suitable thread or fibre
for the legs, horns, and tails of my flies, and sew, stitch, or tie, or otherwise suitably
fasten the materials together. I either hook these flies on after the fashion in

page_text: which natural flies are impaled by anglers, or fasten them at the head by suitable
slip-knots to eyed-hooks. The membranes or flies should always be wetted before
being attached to the hooks, or used, and should be manufactured while damp.
For spinning baits I preferably combine these baits with my flanged-screw-
swivels as described in my Specification of October 14, 1889, No. 16135. Whether
they be flies, grubs, caterpillars, minnows, fish, or such artificial baits as are suitable
for sea-fishing, whether for sport, or on a commercial scale.
Dated this Twenty-second day of March 1892.
KENNETH HENRY CORNISH.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Materials and Processes for the Manufacture of
Artificial Flies and Baits for Angling and Fishery Purposes..
I KENNETH HENRY CORNISH of 47 Grosvenor Road, S.W. in the County of
London Civil Engineer, 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:-
I employ in the manufacture of artificial flies and baits for angling and the
fisheries tough animal membranes which 1 procure in the form of fish scales taken
from large-scaled fishes, either fresh-water or maritime; or as skins, crusts, shells,
or membranes, of crabs, lobsters, prawns, shrimps, and the like crustaceans and of
certain molluscs, and especially the legs, claws, and back shells of the common
shore-crabs, and of lobsters, crabs, and cray-fish. I deprive such scales, skins,
crusts, shells, or membranes of earthy salts, and toughen them, by immersion in
water acidulated by hydrochloric, acetic, or other suitable acid, and when necessary
bleach the membranes, after which they are fit to take dyes and mordants.
Heat must be avoided in treating scales and membranes, as it damages the fibres
and other animal constituents. Fish scales thus treated are white, lustrous, and
translucent, and have extraordinary toughness and strength without brittleness,
like the silk-worm gut used by anglers, even when dry, and do not absorb more
water when soaked than suffices to render them soft and pliable with increase of
strength.
They are consequently peculiarly suitable as a material for making artificial
flies and baits, for even with the comparatively small scales obtainable from
British waters, most trout flies can be cut and constructed in one piece, each from
a single scale. For large flies or baits, such as are used for sea trout and salmon,
I prefer to use such great scales as can be obtained from abroad, although very
large flies and baits can be made by sewing the larger of our own scales together.
Fish scales softened and toughened by my process are so strong, especially when
damp, that hooks may be passed through them, and caunot be made to split or tear
them unless great force is used, and they do not get more brittle than silkworm gut
even when dept dry for long periods, while soaking restores them to their pristine
strength & toughness.
After softening my scales or membranes I clean them. With scales and other
flat membranes the process is very simple, they are scraped, but where hollow tubes
are filled with fibre, as are the legs and claws of crabs, lobsters, and the like, after
soaking in the acidulated water I dry them till the muscle shrinks, and then remove
.the contents of the tubes with ease. These animal membranes, like the fish scales,
only take up enough water to render them tough and pliable. Though not so tough
and strong as the scales, and more brittle, they are sufficiently strong to be suitable
for many wingless baits. All these membranes float in water when deprived of
their animal salts. The legs of these crustaceans being tubular I construct from
their toughened membranous tubes the whole or part of many baits, especially such
as are useable for bottom fishing. As these tubes can be closed at one or both

page_text: ends, I construct with them air-inflated and unsinkable flies and other baits; others
also adapted for the reception of flavouring matters and taints, or stuffing, and so
make maggots, grubs, artificial fish, and the like.
I so construct these baits that they contain and wholly or partially conceal the
hook or hooks employed.
I employ suitable thread, or vegetable or animal fibre, esparto, flax, raw silk and
the like, for the legs, horns, and tails of my flies, shrimps, insects, and the like, and
sew, stitch, and tie, or otherwise suitably fasten my materials together.
I dye, colour, or gild the bodies, wings, legs, fins, and other parts of my flies and
baits as circumstances require, imitating nature as closely as possible. When
ready for use, I either hook my flies and baits on after the fashion in which natural
flies and baits are commonly impaled by anglers, or fasten them at the head,
preferably to eyed hooks, by suitable slip knots or hitches made in the gut or other
material employed. These membranous flies and baits should always be wetted
before they are attached to the hooks, or used, and where silk worm gut is used,
that should also be previously well soaked in cold water.
For spinning baits I preferably combine these baits with my flanged screw
swivels as described in my Specification of October 14, 1889, No. 16135, whether
they be flies, grubs, prawns, caterpillars, minnows, fish, or such other artificial baits
as are suitable for river, lake, or sea fishing, whether for sport, or on a commercial
scale.
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 :-
I claim in the manufacture of artificial flies and baits for angling and fishery
purposes.
1. The employment of fish scales and the other animal membranes specified in
water sufficiently acidulated by acetic, hydrochloric, or other suitable acid, until
they have been deprived of their earthy salts and rendered tough and translucent,
substantially as described.
2. The employment of scales and membranes thus treated, either dyed, or undyed,
coloured, or gilt, in the manufacture of artificial flies, insects, and other baits for
angling and use in the fisheries, alone, or in combination with thread, or other
suitable vegetable or animal fibres, substantially as and for the purposes described.
3. The employment of threads and suitable vegetable or animal fibres, such as
those of esparto, flax, raw silk, and the like, to make the horns, tails, legs, and the
like, of flies insects, and crustacea, the other portion of which I make of toughened
fish scales or other suitable animal membranes, substantially as described.
4. The mode of attaching my artificial flies and baits to hooks, especially eyed
hooks, substantially as described.
5. The combination of my artificial flies and baits for spinning with my flanged-
screw-swivel, Patent No. 16135, October 14, 1892.
Dated this Twentieth day of December 1892.
KENNETH HENRY CORNISH.