Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 15th Jan., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 16th Mar., 1889
I MICHAEL HOLROYD SMITH Royal Insurance Buildings Crossley Street Halifax
Yorks Consulting Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to improve the form of Landing nets used by Anglers so
that they can be conveniently packed with the rods or other articles when travelling,
remain closed and folded whilst the angler is fishing and yet be immediately extended
for landing a fish when required.
For the purpose aforesaid the net is constructed as follows; when open it has the
appearance of the letter Y but instead of the forks of the Y being rigidly fixed
relative to each other they are separately hinged upon an angle shaped frame, the angle
of the frame being half the angle of limbs of the net when open. The base of the
limbs (which may be of wood, whalebone, steel, or other suitable material) terminate
in a fixing preferably of brass so bent as to correspond with the angle of incident
between the limb and the frame. The angle is such that when the net is open the
limbs are spread when folded they close and lie parallel with the stem of the Y or
handle of the net. Stops are placed upon the frame to hold the net when open and
connecting pieces attached to the ends of the limbs draw the points together when
open causing them to act as springs retaining the net in its extended position. To
the side limbs and cross pieces the net is attached. The whole is so balanced that the
net can be thrown open with one hand.
In a modification thereof the limbs may be made to close together by twisting them
on pivots placed at an angle with the axis of the limbs & engaging in holes in the
base frame the said holes subtending to each other an angle of half the angle of the
limbs when open. In this case the limbs only close together and a separate hinge is
employed for folding the net down upon the staff or handle.
JAGA

page_text: Figs. 8. 9. 10 & 11 illustrate various methods of connecting the cross pieces to the
limbs and to each other. In fig. 8 a hinge 9 is employed. In fig. 9 a piece of india-
rubber 10. 10 the cross piece 6 being a metal tube in fig. 10. 11 is a flat steel spring
and in fig. 11. is shown a spiral spring 12 covered with leather or an india rubber tube.
The drawings sufficiently indicate the details of construction.
The triangular base forms a convenient means of hanging the net to a hat peg or
other hook when in the house or to a hook on the creel strap when fishing. Should
the angler not care to have a hook attached for this purpose but wish to carry the
net by causing the handle and frame to straddle across the creel strap the modification
illustrated in figs. 12 & 13 can be employed. Figs. 14. 15 & 16 illustrate another
method of accomplishing this. A pin 13 having an eye 14 at each end is passed
through the lug 15 on the metal base 16 to these eyes the side limbs of the net are
hinged and it will be evident that they are free to turn in any direction and may lie
parallel with the stick as shown in fig. 15, whon turned outwards the position is
controlled by the cam shaped fixing 17 and they will be spread as shown in fig. 14.
Fig. 16 is a side elevation of the same.
The limbs may be made to close together by twisting them on pivots placed at an
angle with the axles of the limbs and engaging in holes in the base frame the said
holes subtending to each other an angle of half the angle of the limbs when open Fig. 5.
In this case the limbs only close together a separate hinge may be placed at cd for
folding the net down upon the staff or handle.
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 :-
Landing nets constructed as and for the purpose herein illustrated and described.