GB1562702A

GB1562702A - Device for winching trawl fishing gear

Info

Publication number: GB1562702A
Application number: GB34656/76A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: HAMURO C; Furuno Electric Co Ltd
Current assignee: HAMURO C; Furuno Electric Co Ltd
Priority date: 1975-09-22
Filing date: 1976-08-19
Publication date: 1980-03-12
Also published as: NO149336C; DE2642212A1; NO149336B; FR2324231B1; ES451719A1; DE2642212C2; NO763178L; FR2324231A1

Description

(54) DEVICE FOR WINCHING TRAWL FISHING GEAR (71) We, FURUNO ELECTRIC COMPANY LIMITED, a Body Corporation organized under the laws of Japan, of Tei-4160, Kuchinotzumachi, Minamitakakigun, Nagasaki, Japan, and CHIKAMASA HAMURO, a Japanese citizen, of 4--15, Tokiwadaira, Matzudoshi, Chiba, Japan, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- The present invention relates to a device for winching trawl fishing gears.

In trawl fishing operations in which the entry port of the trawl fishing net is kept open by an Otter board during the fishing operation, it is usual to winch in the fishing net after the fishing operation has finished.

However, a tremendously large trawl winching force is needed to winch or wind up the Otter board and the trawl fishing net which have been expanded during fishing giving rise to an increase in drag which offsets the effect of facilities that are provided to reduce weight; adversely affecting the stability of the fishing boat, and further requiring extended periods of time to wind up the fishing net. Such tendencies are more conspicuous with the modern large-scale fishing gears and large fishing nets trawled deeper in the sea.

A first object of the present invention is to automatically control from the boat the expanded state of the Otter board and/or for the trawl fishing net at the time of winding up the trawl fishing gear, in order that the drag in the sea water is reduced, and to enable the quick and smooth winding up of the trawl fishing gear to heighten the operational efficiency.

A second object of the present invention is to reduce the resistance to the trawl fishing gear due to the sea water, in order to reduce the increased forces that a powerful trawl winch would cause to act on the boat, and to prevent the boat from becoming unstable.

A third object of the present invention is to enable the quick and simple wind-up of the trawl fishing gears, to thereby ease the trawl fishing operation.

The present invention provides apparatus for winching trawl fishing gear comprising a fishing gear towing warp, a linking device fastened to an end of the warp and including a releasable catch member arranged to be closed when the fishing net is being trawled, an Otter board towing line fastened to the releasable catch member of said linking device so that the Otter board is towed in an inclined condition while the catch member is closed, pendant tow lines fastened to the front upper and lower parts of the Otter board and to said linking device in such a manner that the pendant tow lines are slack when the fishing net is being trawled and the catch member closed, and release means operable to open the said catch member, thereby disengaging the Otter board towing line from the catch member and causing the pendant tow lines to be put under tension when the fishing gear is to be winched in.

The present invention also provides apparatus for winching trawl fishing gear, comprising a net tow line, a linking device fastened to the net tow line for pulling a trawl fishing net, said linking device including a releasable catch member arranged to be closed when the fishing net is being trawled, pendant net lines for towing the trawl fishing net, the said pendant net lines having gathered ends fastened to the releasable catch member so that the net is towed in an open condition while the catch member is closed, a net-tightening warp for the trawl fishing net connected to said linking device in such a manner that the nettightening warp is slack when the fishing net is being trawled, and release means operable to open the releasable catch member thereby disengaging the pendant net lines from the catch member and causing the net-tightening warp to be put under tension to close the net when the fishing gear is to be winched in.

Other features and details of the present invention will become apparent from the embodiments of the invention illustrated below by way of example, in which: Figure 1 is a diagram showing the general arrangement of the fishing gear of the invention during trawling; Figure 2 is a side view of the Otter board of the invention when the fishing net is being trawled; Figure 3 is a plan view of the Otter board of the invention when the fishing net is being trawled; Figure 4 is a side view of the Otter board of the invention when the fishing gear is being winched; Figure 5 is a plan view of the Otter board of the present invention when the fishing gear is being winched; Figure 6 is a side view of the trawl fishing net of the invention when the fishing net is being trawled; Figure 7 is a side view of the trawl fishing net of the invention when the fishing gear is being winched; Figure 8 is a cross-section view of the linking means of the invention Figure 9 is a plan view of the openingclosing hook of the invention; Figure 10 is a diagram to illustrate an ultrasonic signal generator for use with the invention; Figure 11 is a diagram to illustrate an ultrasonic signal receiver for use with the invention; Figure 12 is a diagram to illustrate the waveforms of the ultrasonic signals; Figure 13 is a diagram illustrating the general arrangement of the fishing gear according to another embodiment of the invention, during trawling; Figure 14 is a side view of the Otter board according to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 13 when the fishing net is being trawled; Figure 15 is a plan view of the Otter board according to this embodiment of the invention when the fishing net is being trawled; Figure 16 is a side view of the Otter board according to this embodiment of the invention when the fishing gear is being winched; Figure 17 is a plan view of the Otter board according to this embodiment of the invention when the fishing gear is being winched; Figure 18 is a side view of the trawl fishing net according to this embodiment of the invention when the fishing net is being trawled: Figure 19 is a side view of the trawl fishing net according to this embodiment of the invention when the fishing gear is being winched.

Figure 20 is a cross-sectional view of the linking means according to this embodiment of the invention; Figure 21 is a cross-sectional diagram of the messenger according to this embodiment of the invention Figure 22 is a cross-sectional view cut along the line 21-21 of Figure 21.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 12 of the accompanying drawings, a linking means 5 having releasable catch member 3 and a mounting ring 4 is fastened at the tip of a warp 2 which pulls a trawl fishing net 1. A towing line, in the form of a chain 7, of an Otter board 6 is fastened to said catch member 3, and to said mounting ring 4 is connected the gathered end of front pendant wires 8 fastened to the upper and lower front surface portions of the Otter board 6 in a loosened state when the net is being trawled.

The catch member 3 has an operation rod 9 and is turned with a rotary shaft 10 as a centre to be opened and closed. An end of a magnetic rod 13 adapted to be energized and controlled by a solenoid 12 is detachably engaged in an engaging recess 11 that is formed at the rear part of the operation rod 9. When the solenoid 12 is not activated, the magnetic rod 13 engages with the engaging recess 11 to close the catch member 3, and when the solenoid 12 is actuated, the magnetic rod 13 is disengaged from the engaging recess 11, so that the catch member 3 is freed.

In the linking means 5 is also installed an ultrasonic signal receiver 16 which receives ultrasonic command signals from an ultrasonic signal transmitter 15 installed on the trawler 14, to activate the aforesaid solenoid 12.

The ultrasonic signal transmitter 15, as shown in Figure 10, consists of a frequency divider circuit 18 which divides the output frequency of a reference oscillator 17, a code signal generator circuit 19 to generate a series of coded signals based on the frequency-divided output, a frequency modulator 20 which frequency-modulates a carrier generated herein with the code signal output from the code signal generator 19, a gate circuit 21 which upon receipt of a gate pulse from said frequency-divider circuit for every determined period of time, produces a frequency-modulated signal during the said determined period of time, and a wave transmitter 23 which converts said frequency-modulated signals through a transmitter 22 into acoustic energy and radiates it into the water.

The ultrasonic signal receiver 16 consists, as shown in Figure 11, of a wave receiver 24 which receives ultrasonic signals from the wave transmitter 23, a receiver 25 which amplifies the signals received by the wave receiver, a detector 26 which detects the received signals, a shaping circuit 27 which shapes the form of signals detected by the detector, a memory by which a shift register 29 memorizes the outputs of the shaping circuit based on the pulses produced by a shift pulse generator circuit 28, an inversion amplifier 30 which inverses determined outputs of the shift register 29, and an AND circuit 31 to receive such outputs by which a solenoid actuator circuit 32 is actuated.

In addition the rear pendant wires 33 fastened to the rear upper and lower parts of the Otter board 6 are fastened to a hand rope 34. At the tip of said hand rope 34 is connected a second linking means 105 of the same structure as the aforementioned linking means 5. To the releasable catch member 103 is detachably attached the pendant 35 of the trawl fishing net 1 via a mounting ring 36. Also, to the mounting ring 104 is fitted the front end of the nettightening warp 37 which is circulated in a ring form around the opening port of the net; the front end of the net-tightening warp 37 passes through the guide rings 38, 38 and the mounting ring 36. When the fishing net is being trawled, the net-tightening warp 37 assumes a loosened state so as not to interrupt the opened state of the fishing net.

At a mid-point along the net-tightening warp 37, there is provided a stop device 39 which restricts the movement of the mounting ring 36.

An embodiment of the present invention is constructed as mentioned in the foregoing. Now in trawling the fishing net, the trawl fishing net 1 is pulled, as shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3, by the trawler 14 via hand rope 34, rear pendant wires 33, Otter board 6, towing chain 7 and warp 2, whereby the Otter board 6 is inclined to the direction of towing and works to expand and trawl the fishing net in a similar manner to a conventional Otter board. After the net-trawling operation has been finished, the output frequency of the reference oscillator 17 is divided in the ultrasonic signal transmitter 15 on the boat 14, the coded waveforms, for example, shown in Figure 12aha) are produced by the code signal generator circuit 19 depending upon the divided output frequencies, and the frequency is modulated by the frequency modulator 20 depending upon the aforesaid coded waveforms to thereby obtain an output shown in Figure 12-(B); another output (Figure 12at)) of the frequencydivider circuit 18 and the frequency modulated continuous signals are applied to the gate circuit 21 to produce a frequencymodulated pulse (Figure 12-(D)) which will be sent to the wave receiver 24 of the ultrasonic signal receivers 16, 116 in the linking means 5, 105 from the wave transmitter 23 via the transmitter 22.

The pulses which reach the Otter board 6 are received by the receiver 24 of the ultrasonic signal receiver 16, amplified through the receiver 25, detected by the FM detector 26, shaped by the shaping circuit 27 to the form shown in Figure 12 < A), and fed to the shift register 29.

The signals applied to the shift register 29 are further transferred, and the output of each bit is fed to the AND circuit 31.

An inversion amplifier 30 is connected to the first, third and fourth output terminals among the first to seventh output terminals (291) (292) (293) --- (297) of the shift register 29. Hence, if the waveform shown in Figure 12hA) is stored in the shift register 29, the portions A1, A3, A4 in the wave are inverted, so that the inputs to the AND circuit 31 are all of the same polarity.

The AND circuit 28 then produces an output at the output terminal, by which the solenoid circuit 32 is powered to energize the solenoid 12.

In this way, the ultrasonic command signals are emitted from the ultrasonic signal generator 15 on the trawler 14, and the solenoid 12 is energized and the magnetic rod 13 is released from the engaging recess 11 of the catch member 3.

The catch member 3 is then turned about the rotary shaft 10 to an open position as a result of the pull of the towing chain 7; the towing chain 7 is thus freed.

As the towing chain 7 is released, the Otter board 6 is pulled by the front pendant wires 8, which had been in a loosened state, as shown in Figure 4 and Figure 5, whereby the elevation angle is decreased and the resistance due to the sea water is reduced.

Also, at the same time, the ultrasonic signal receiver 116 of the second linking means 105 functions in the same way as that mentioned in the foregoing so that the magnetic rod 113 energized by the solenoid 112 is disengaged from the engaging recess 111 of the operation rod 109. Hence, the releasable catch member 103 is opened, and the mounting ring 36 of the pendant 35 of the fishing net 1 is disengaged from the catch member 103; the trawl fishing net I is pulled by the net-tightening warp 37. The mounting ring 36 moves rearwards along the net-tightening warp 37 until it is stopped by the stop device 39. The net-tightening warp 37 is then tightened due to the resistance by the trawl fishing net 1, and the opening port of the net is reduced.

In this way, the elevation angle of the Otter board 6 is decreased, and the opening port of the net is reduced to enable the warp 2 to be taken up by the trawl winch.

In the foregoing embodiment, the releasable catch member of the linking means linked to the warp and hand rope is opened by a remote control utilizing ultrasonic signals. Figures 13 to 22 show another embodiment in which the openingclosing hook is mechanically operated.

In this embodiment, the linking means 5 attached to the tip of the warp 2 has a catch member 3 which can open at the end part thereof, and a mounting ring 4 at the lower part thereof in the same manner as the foregoing embodiment. However, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 20, an operation frame 42 is provided mounted on a shaft to support the rollers 40, 41 at the upper and lower parts, and the operation frame 42 is urged by a spring 43 such that the lower roller 41 protrudes towards the rear of the linking means.

In addition, at the front part of the linking means 5 is supported a rotary cam 45 on a shaft, said rotary cam 45 having engaging parts 44, 44 on both the front and rear sides.

To the engaging part 44 at the front side is engaged the tip of said catch member 3, and to the engaging part 44 at the rear side is engaged an engaging part 47 which is formed near the shaft of the rotary rod 46 which is held by the linking means 5 by way of a shaft. Further, the end of the rotary rod 46 is engaged with the upper roller 40 of the operation frame 42 to maintain the rotary cam 45 in a neutral position, so that the catch member 3 is held closed.

To the rear end of the warp 2 from the trawler 14 is fastened to a register plate 48, and at the front end thereof is removably and slidably inserted a messenger 50 having a conical operation part 49 by way of a mounting frame 51. During a winching operation, the messenger 50 is fitted to the warp 2 on the trawler 14 and Jettisoned mto the sea, so that the messenger 50 slides down the warp 2 due to the function of the resistor plate 48 and its own weight. As the conical operation part 49 at the end part thereof hits the lower roller 41 protruding rearwardly of the linking means 5, the operation frame 42 is turned against the force of the spring 43 due to the impact. The tip of the rotary rod 46 is disengaged from the upper roller 40, and the tip of the catch member 3 causes the rotary cam 45 to be turned by the pulling force of the towing chain 7 which is fastened to the catch member 3; the catch member 3 is then opened.

The second linking means 105 connected at the tip of the hand rope 34 is also of the same construction as the linking means 5. A second messenger 150 of the same construction as the messenger 50 is fitted to the hand rope 34 at a part connecting the rear pendant wires 33 of the Otter board 6 to the hand rope 34, and the messenger fastening warp 52 is fastened to the opening closing hook 3 of the linking means together with the towing chain 7. The second messenger 150 is held on the hand rope 34 at a part near the rear pendant 33 of the Otter board 6.

As the messenger 50 opens the catch member 3 of the linking means 5, the engagement of the messenger-fastening warp 52 is released, so that the second messenger 150 slides on the hand rope 34to hit the second linking means 105; the catch member 103 is opened in the same manner as the linking means 5, and the pendant 35 of the trawl fishing net is opened.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 53 is used for a bracket of the Otter board 6, and the reference numeral 54 is used for a fly rope of the bridle chain 55.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. Apparatus for winching trawl fishing gear comprising a fishing gear towing warp, a linking device fastened to an end of the warp and including a releasable catch member arranged to be closed when the fishing net is being trawled, an Otter board towing line fastened to the releasable catch member of said linking device so that the Otter board is towed in an inclined condition while the catch member is closed, pendant tow lines fastened to the front upper and lower parts of the Otter board and to said linking device in such a manner that the pendant tow lines are slack when the fishing net is being trawled and the catch member closed, and release means operable to open the said catch member, thereby disengaging the Otter board towing line from the catch member and causing the pendant tow lines to be put under tension when the fishing gear is to be winched in.

2. Apparatus for winching trawl fishing gear, comprising a net tow line, a linking device fastened to the net tow line for pulling a trawl fishing net, said linking device including a releasable catch member arranged to be closed when the fishing net is being trawled, pendant net lines for towing the trawl fishing net, the said pendant net lines having gathered ends fastened to the releasable catch member so that the net is towed in an open condition while the catch member is closed, a net tightening warp for the trawl fishing net connected to said linking device in such a manner that the nettightening warp is slack when the fishing net is being trawled, and release means operable to open tile releasable catch member thereby disengaging the pendant net lines from the catch member and causing the net-tightening warp to be put

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

2 to be taken up by the trawl winch.

In the foregoing embodiment, the releasable catch member of the linking means linked to the warp and hand rope is opened by a remote control utilizing ultrasonic signals. Figures 13 to 22 show another embodiment in which the openingclosing hook is mechanically operated.

In this embodiment, the linking means 5 attached to the tip of the warp 2 has a catch member 3 which can open at the end part thereof, and a mounting ring 4 at the lower part thereof in the same manner as the foregoing embodiment. However, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 20, an operation frame 42 is provided mounted on a shaft to support the rollers 40, 41 at the upper and lower parts, and the operation frame 42 is urged by a spring 43 such that the lower roller 41 protrudes towards the rear of the linking means.

In addition, at the front part of the linking means 5 is supported a rotary cam 45 on a shaft, said rotary cam 45 having engaging parts 44, 44 on both the front and rear sides.

To the engaging part 44 at the front side is engaged the tip of said catch member 3, and to the engaging part 44 at the rear side is engaged an engaging part 47 which is formed near the shaft of the rotary rod 46 which is held by the linking means 5 by way of a shaft. Further, the end of the rotary rod 46 is engaged with the upper roller 40 of the operation frame 42 to maintain the rotary cam 45 in a neutral position, so that the catch member 3 is held closed.

To the rear end of the warp 2 from the trawler 14 is fastened to a register plate 48, and at the front end thereof is removably and slidably inserted a messenger 50 having a conical operation part 49 by way of a mounting frame 51. During a winching operation, the messenger 50 is fitted to the warp 2 on the trawler 14 and Jettisoned mto the sea, so that the messenger 50 slides down the warp 2 due to the function of the resistor plate 48 and its own weight. As the conical operation part 49 at the end part thereof hits the lower roller 41 protruding rearwardly of the linking means 5, the operation frame 42 is turned against the force of the spring 43 due to the impact. The tip of the rotary rod 46 is disengaged from the upper roller 40, and the tip of the catch member 3 causes the rotary cam 45 to be turned by the pulling force of the towing chain 7 which is fastened to the catch member 3; the catch member 3 is then opened.

The second linking means 105 connected at the tip of the hand rope 34 is also of the same construction as the linking means 5. A second messenger 150 of the same construction as the messenger 50 is fitted to the hand rope 34 at a part connecting the rear pendant wires 33 of the Otter board 6 to the hand rope 34, and the messenger fastening warp 52 is fastened to the opening closing hook 3 of the linking means together with the towing chain 7. The second messenger 150 is held on the hand rope 34 at a part near the rear pendant 33 of the Otter board 6.

As the messenger 50 opens the catch member 3 of the linking means 5, the engagement of the messenger-fastening warp 52 is released, so that the second messenger 150 slides on the hand rope 34to hit the second linking means 105; the catch member 103 is opened in the same manner as the linking means 5, and the pendant 35 of the trawl fishing net is opened.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 53 is used for a bracket of the Otter board 6, and the reference numeral 54 is used for a fly rope of the bridle chain 55.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. Apparatus for winching trawl fishing gear comprising a fishing gear towing warp, a linking device fastened to an end of the warp and including a releasable catch member arranged to be closed when the fishing net is being trawled, an Otter board towing line fastened to the releasable catch member of said linking device so that the Otter board is towed in an inclined condition while the catch member is closed, pendant tow lines fastened to the front upper and lower parts of the Otter board and to said linking device in such a manner that the pendant tow lines are slack when the fishing net is being trawled and the catch member closed, and release means operable to open the said catch member, thereby disengaging the Otter board towing line from the catch member and causing the pendant tow lines to be put under tension when the fishing gear is to be winched in.
2. Apparatus for winching trawl fishing gear, comprising a net tow line, a linking device fastened to the net tow line for pulling a trawl fishing net, said linking device including a releasable catch member arranged to be closed when the fishing net is being trawled, pendant net lines for towing the trawl fishing net, the said pendant net lines having gathered ends fastened to the releasable catch member so that the net is towed in an open condition while the catch member is closed, a net tightening warp for the trawl fishing net connected to said linking device in such a manner that the nettightening warp is slack when the fishing net is being trawled, and release means operable to open tile releasable catch member thereby disengaging the pendant net lines from the catch member and causing the net-tightening warp to be put

under tension to close the net when the fishing gear is to be winched in.
3. Apparatus for winching trawl fishing gear comprising apparatus as claimed in claims I and 2 in which the Otter board is connected to a first linking device and the trawl fishing net is connected to a second linking device, the second linking device being attached to the Otter board so as to be trailed behind the Otter board.
4. Apparatus for winching trawl fishing gear as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the release means for opening the releasable catch member comprising an ultrasonic signal generator adapted for installation on a trawler vessel, an ultrasonic signal receiver installed in the linking device, and means responsive to the operation of said ultrasonic signal receiver to release the catch member.
5. Apparatus for winching fishing gear as claimed in claim 1, wherein the release means for opening the catch member comprises a messenger which is detachably fitted to the said towing warp and which is operable to slide down along the warp, and means which is movable upon impact by said messenger to open the catch member.
6. Apparatus for winching trawl fishing gear as claimed in claim 2, wherein the release means for opening the catch member comprises a messenger which is detachably fitted to the net tow line and which is operable to slide down along the net tow line, and means which is movable upon impact by said messenger to open the catch member.
7. Apparatus for winching fishing gear, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.