Ossles for Fishing Lines or Nets, and Suitable for Driving Bands and such like Purposes.
Year: 1885

page_text: Ossles for Fishing Lines or Nets, and Suitable for Driving
Bands and such like Purposes.
I, WILLIAM IRELAND, of Buckhaven, Fifeshire, Net and Line Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS for
FORMING LOOPS, SNOODS, OR OSSLES FOR 'FISHING LINES OR NETS, AND SUITABLE
FOR DRIVING BANDS AND SUCH LIKE PURPOSES" to be as follows:-
•
My invention consists of a novel organisation of parts forming a machine for
looping and twisting the loops, "snoods or "ossles," which are attached to fishing.
lines as means for connecting the hooks, and to fishing nets for securing the nets
to the net-carrying ropes, and which in the larger sizes are used for driving bands
and for other purposes.
In the ordinary method of preparing such loops, snoods, or ossles, short lengths
of cord or twine are knotted at the ends, and the free ends are secured in hooks
placed close alongside each other, while to the mid length of the cord is hung a
weight which serves to double the cord into a long U loop. The hook spindles are
then caused to revolve by means of gearing and a hand crank until a twist is put
upon the cords and the two lengths of the loop are twisted together to form a
single strand with a loop or nooze at the doubled end.
.
The object of my invention is to dispense with a large amount of the hand
labour involved in this mode of producing the twisted loops and to effect by means.
of machinery, in great part automatic, the formation simultaneously of a large
number of the loops from continuous lengths of cord or twine or yarn.
The improved apparatus comprises a framing consisting of two side standards
supporting an upper horizontal hook frame and a lower horizontal hook frame, in
each of which a series of vertical hooks are carried and rotated to form the loops,
snoods, or ossles from strands or cords of twine. In the upper hook frame the
hooks are arranged in pairs, one hook or catch being provided for each end of the
cord, as in the usual hand apparatus, while in the lower hook frame a single hook
is fitted vertically under each upper pair to engage the loop which is formed at the

page_text: mid length of each cord. The hooks are carried in transverse bars forming part of
the hook frames, a row of 10, 20, or other number of pairs of hooks being fitted in
each upper transverse bar, and 5, 10, or other number of such bars fitted with
hooks being arranged in a row from front to back of the machine, and a corre-
sponding number of single hooks being fitted in the lower frame. The upper end
of each of the upper set of hooks and the lower end of each of the lower set of
hooks are fitted with toothed wheels by which they are driven simultaneously.
The upper pairs of hooks are fitted the one behind the other and they are each
provided with spring clips which grip the cord or twine or yarn; and the cord or
twine is supplied to them and laid over and into such clips by means of leaders or
guides fitted, one for each longitudinal row of hooks, on a transverse bar, to which
a forward and backward motion is imparted in guides in the side frames by means
of a hand lever. The free end of a ball or bobbin of twine is gripped by a spring
clip on each leader or guide and is brought forward to the front of the machine by
the forward movement of the transverse guide bar. At the front of the machine
the guide bar drops into an incline in the guide ways, and in doing so presses the
twine into the clip in each front hook of the first transverse row of upper hooks.
The spring gripper or clip on each twine guide is immediately thereafter retracted
or released by the compression of the lower ends of the springs by a movable bar
on the guide bar and the twine is released from the guide after having been
transferred to the clips of the front hooks. In its backward movement the guide
bar rises and the spring guides come under the twine and lead it over the back
hook of each pair of hooks in the first transverse row, so that the twine lies
horizontally across the hooks. A transverse tube or bar fitted between the pairs
of hooks and resting upon catches in the side frames is now freed and allowed to
fall upon the lines of twine, and a depressing lever operated by a hand lever is
employed to press down the tube on the twine to form an open loop, the twine
from a ball or bobbin behind the machine being drawn through the guides or
grippers which are placed successively over the clips of the rear hook of each pair
until the requisite length of loop is formed; In the lower side of the depressing
tube a notch is cut for each loop of twine, (which is drawn over the notch), and as
the tube descends to its lowest position the notches pass over the lower hooks
corresponding to the upper pairs from which the twine is drawn, and in passing
over the hooks the tube delivers the looped ends of the twine to the books which
now retain them. The same cycle of operations is followed in delivering the twine
or cord to each row in succession of upper hooks and in depressing the twine,
forming the loops and delivering them to the lower rows of hooks. When a series
of loops equal in number to the pairs of upper books is thus stretched vertically
between the upper and lower series of books, horizontal knife bars are brought
down on the twine between the double rows of hooks and simultaneously sever
the whole loops from the main length of twine, leaving the new end in the clip or
gripper of each twine guide through which it has been drawn by the action of the
depressing tube or bar. Rotatory motion is then imparted to the upper hooks by
hand or by power through suitable gearing connected to the toothed gearing on
the hook ends. The upper hooks in their rotation impart a twist to the strands
forming the loops and in so doing their length is shortened, and the strain being
considerable, the lower hook frame, which is fitted to alide vertically in guides in
the side standards, or guided by parallel motion, is raised some distance until a
pulley, friction clutch, or other gearing on a shaft, which drives the lower hooks,
is brought into gear with a corresponding pulley or clutch on a shaft driven from
the upper driving shaft, and the lower hooks are thereby rotated. The rotation of
the lower hooks serves to put a twist upon the doubled loops and in doing so the
transerve tube, which served to depress the twine to form the loops is gradually
raised within the doubled part of the loops by the action of the lower hooks in
twisting the loops into single strands or cords. As an additional means for raising
and guiding the depressing tubes, cords or chains are attached to bars which are

page_text: under their ends and passed round shafts fitted near the top of the machine, and
these shafts are brought into action to wind up the cords and raise the tubes when
the lower hook frame is being raised into its highest position by the twisting and
shortening of the loops, a lever on the hook frame being employed to throw the
cord shafts in gear with a rotating shaft of the machine. The transverse notched
tubes which are brought vertically over the hooks by the depressing lever are
fitted in suitable guides, and guide rails are also provided for each row of hooks to
guide the hand lever as it is brought down to act on the tube at each transverse
row of hooks.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Forming Loops; Snoods, or
Ossels for Fishing Lines or Nets; and Suitable for Driving
Bands and such like Purposes.
I WILLIAM IRELAND of Buckhaven Fifeshire Net and Line Manufacturer do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
FORMING LOOPS, SNOODS OR OSSELS FOR FISHING NETS OR LINES OR DRIVING BANDS
"
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention consists of a novel organization of parts, forming a machine for
looping and twisting the loops snoods or ossels which are attached to fishing lines
as a means of connecting the hooks, and to fishing nets as a means of securing the
nets to the net carrying ropes.
In the ordinary method of preparing such loops snoods or ossels short lengths or
cord or twine are cut from "chains or bobbins and the free ends which are
generally knotted are secured in hooks placed close alongside each other, while to
the mid length of the cord or twine is hung a weight (in some cases with a swivel)
which serves to double the twine into a long U loop or nooze at the doubled end.
The object of my invention is to dispense with a large amount of the hand
labour involved in this mode of producing the twisted loops, and to effect by
means of machinery partly automatic the formation simultaneously of a large
number of the loops from continuous lengths of cords, twine or yarn.
The improved apparatus consists of two side standards A supporting an upper
horizontal hook frame B, and a lower horizontal hook frame C. In the upper
horizontal hook frame are carried a series of vertical hooks D with spring clips,
and in the lower horizontal hook frame C are carried a series of vertical hooks E.
In the upper hook frame B the hooks are arranged in pairs, one hook being pro-
vided for each end of the twine, as in the usual hand apparatus, while in the lower
hook frame C a single hook E is fitted vertically under each upper pair of hooks
(as shown in Figure 2) to engage the loops which are formed at the mid length of
each piece of twine.
The hooks are carried in transverse bars forming part of the hook frames, a row
of 10, 20 or other number of pairs of hooks, being fitted in each upper transverse
bar (10 being the number of pairs shown in the drawings). The number of trans-
verse bars as shown in Figure 1 is 5, but one or any other convenient number may
- be adopted.
These bars fitted with hooks are arranged in a row from front to back of the
machine, and a corresponding number of single hooks are fitted in the transverse
bars G of the lower frame.
The upper end of each of the upper set of hooks and the lower end of each of
the lower set of hooks are fitted with toothed mitre wheels which gear into corre-
sponding wheels on shafts (as shown in the drawings) there being 10 shafts in the
upper frame and 5 in the lower.
The upper shafts are all geared by means of mitre wheels with the cross shaft H
(which forms the driving shaft) by means of which all the hooks in the upper set

page_text: are rotated simultaneously. The lower shafts are similarly geared with the cross
shaft I by which the hooks in the lower set are also rotated simultaneously. The
upper pairs of hooks are fitted the one behind the other, and they are each pro-
vided with spring clips (one of which is shown full size at D Figure 3) which grip
the twine. The twine is supplied to them and laid over and into such clips by
means of the grippers, or leaders J (one of which is shown full size at J Figure 3)
fitted one for each longitudinal row of hooks on the transverse bar K, to which a
backward and forward motion is imparted in guides in the side frames at L, by
means of the hand lever M, which actuates two upright levers m on the rocking
shaft n; the upright levers being connected with two rods to the transverse bar K.
The free ends of balls, or bobbins of twine are gripped by the grippers J, the
moveable legs of which are actuated simultaneously by the sliding bar N fitted
under the bar K. The sliding bar N is drawn to the left (Figure 2) by a spring,
which keeps the jaws of the grippers open. When the twine is to be gripped this
bar is drawn to the right and falls into a catch which holds it by a pin. This
catch and pin are marked by p Figure 3.
These ends of twine are gripped when the guide bar K is at the back end of its
traverse and are brought forward to the front by the forward movement of this
transverse guide bar.
At the front of the machine the guide bar K drops into an incline in the guide
ways (which is shown by the dotted lines at O Figure 1) and in doing so presses
the twine into the clip of each front hook of the first transverse row of upper
hooks. The grippers in falling are made to relax their hold of the twine by the
catch which holds the sliding bar coming into contact with a projecting pin at P¹,
thereby allowing the sliding bar N to spring on end and simultaneously open the
grippers.
The twine is thus released after having been transferred to the clips of the
front books.
In its backward movement the gripper bar K rises in the incline at O Figure 1,
and the jaws of the grippers come under the twine and lead it over the clip of the
back hook of each pair of hooks in the first transverse double row, so that the
twine lies horizontally accross the hooks. A transverse tube or bar Q fitted
between the pairs of hooks, and resting upon the catches R is now freed by the
ends of the depressing lever being elevated and coming into contact with the
catches and pressing them back. This tube falling upon the lines of twine,
the depressing lever operated by the hand lever T, is employed to press down the
tube which draws with it the twine from the bobbin U through the open grippers
or leaders until the requisite length of loops is formed. In the lower side of the
depressing tube a notch or opening is formed for each loop which crosses the notch,
and, as the tube descends to its lowest position, the notches or openings pass over
the lower hooks, corresponding to the upper hooks from which the twine is drawn,
and in passing over the hooks the tube delivers the looped ends of the twine to the
hooks which now retain them. The same cycle of operations is followed in
delivering the twine to each row of upper hooks in succession, and in depressing
the twine forming the loops, and delivering them to the lower rows of hooks.
The grippers which are now moved to their extreme back position past the
hooks, are now again compressed by the sliding bar N, and made to grip the twine.
When a series of loops, equal in number to the pairs of upper hooks, is thus
stretched vertically between the upper and lower series of hooks, horizontal knife
bars V, connected by levers to the shafts W, and fitted between each double pair of
upper hooks, are brought down, by moving the connecting rod Y, on the twine
between the double rows of hooks, and simultaneously sever the whole into separate
loops, leaving the new ends of twine in the grippers or guides.
Rotary motion is then imparted to the upper books by the driving shaft H and
the gearing and shafts which connect the driving shaft to the hooks. The upper
hooks in their rotation impart a twist to the strands forming the loops, and in so
doing their length is shortened, and a strain caused, sufficient to elevate the lower
.

page_text: hook frame which is fitted to move vertically by guides in the frames at r or by a
parallel motion. In the upward motion of the lower hook frame, the pulley a
which is fixed on the cross shaft, which is geared with and drives all the lower
hooks, is brought into contact with the pulley b which is driven from the upper
driving shaft, and the lower hooks are thereby rotated; the proper time for the
commencement of their rotation being regulated by the distance of the pulley a
from the pulley 6, and the degree of twist being regulated by the size of the
pulley a. The rotation of the lower serves to put a twist upon the doubled loops,
and in doing so the transverse tubes or bars which served to depress the twine
upon the lower hooks, are gradually raised within the doubled part of the loops by
the action of the lower hooks in twisting the loops into single cords, or strands.
As an additional means of guiding the upward motion of the depressing tubes,
cords or chains are attached to two bars under the ends of the tubes and passed
over the pulleys c round the shaft d. This shaft is brought into action to wind up
the cord and raise the tubes, when the lower hook frame is being raised (by the
twisting and shortening of the loops) by the pine coming against the lever f
and thus pressing the friction pulley g against the driving shaft H, or a small
pulley thereon; the proper time for the commencement of this action being
regulated by the distance of the pin e from the lever f, and the upward speed of
the depressing tube being regulated by the size of the friction pulley g.
The transverse notched tubes Q which are brought vertically over the lower hooks
by the depressing lever S, are fitted in guides in the side frames of the machine.
Guide grooves h Figure 1, are also provided one for each double row of upper
hooks, to guide the hand lever T and with it the depressing levers S, as they are
brought down to act on the tubes. A circular guide i is also fitted to the frame of
the machine, having notches for holding the hand lever M and with it the gripper
bar connected thereto, in the proper positions in the various stages of the back ward
and forward motion of the bar.
The drawings show the depressing tube in process of descent with the loops of
twine, the grippers or leaders being at the same time placed over the back row of
the first double row of hooks, as shown by the dotted lines at D¹ Fig. 1.
Having now described the nature of my said invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed (although I do not bind myself to the exact details
herein described) I declare what I claim is
1. The arrangement of machinery or apparatus for forming loops, snoods or
ossels as hereinbefore described.
2. The apparatus by which a number of ends of twine are simultaneously drawn
from continuous lengths and placed over one or more double rows of hooks or
spring clips as hereinbefore described.
3. The apparatus for depressing the loops from between the upper double row or
rows of hooks and placing them on the lower hooks as hereinbefore described.
4. The apparatus by which a rotative motion is imparted automatically to the
lower set of hooks when the strands have been sufficiently twisted as herein before
described.
5. The apparatus by which the upward motion of the notched tubes or bars
between the single strands is regulated as herein before described.
In witness whereof I the said William Ireland have hereto set my hand and
seal this seventeenth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and night i