US3044206A - Trawl net codend release and lock - Google Patents

Description

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 31, 1960 INVENTOR. FleA/YK J Auk-H BY M! I g A r/ olemfm" E AND LOCK 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 17, 1962 F. J. LUKETA TRAWL NET CODEND RELEAS Filed May 31, 1960 July 17, 1962 F. J. LUKETA TRAWL NET CODEND RELEASE AND LOCK 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 51, 1960 INVENTOR. FRANK r]. zm ir/i A r rams 5y! tartar Patented July 17, 1962 3,944,206 TRAWL NET QGDEND RELEASE AND LGCK Frank J. Luketa, 5567 Greenwood, Seattle, Wash. Filed May 31, 196i), Ser. No. 32,960 14 Claims. (Cl. 43-9} The codend of a trawl net is held closed during trawling by a rope purse line, knotted in a special manner. When the filled cod'end is hauled aboard the trawler the purse line must be released. Even with trawl nets of a size which presently is normal aboard United States trawlers this is not an easy job, and if United States trawlers are to be or" increased size, comparable with presently operating foreign trawlers of much greater power, the nets will be larger and the release of the purse line will be an even more difficult job.

The present invention provides a codend purse line and lock for the same which will hold securely under all operating conditions, yet which can be released in a comparatively simple manner. In particular it provides a purse line having a terminal member attached to its one end, butwith a transverse passage through which its other end runs, together with a bolt carried by the terminal member and securely engageable with the purse line within the passage when such line is drawn tight, and in addition a retaining means to hold the bolt securely in locking position, yet readily manipulatable in a special manner to enable disengagement of the bolt from the purse line.

The special manner of manipulation just referred to preferably includes an arrangement whereby the retaining means, for example a pin reciprocative in the bolt, is movable in the sense for its own reelase which is opposite the sense of movement of the bolt for disengagement of the purse line. In addition, and preferably, a rotative type of movement is required to enable release of the retaining means, whereby three rather opposed types of movement are required for unlocking, making it impossible to effect release of the purse line accidentally.

More generally, the present invention provides a novel form of purse line and of codend which it closes, a form which is strong, compact and rugged under all probable conditions of use, yet not excessively expensive, particularly considering its long useful life. It also is adapted for incorporation in larger nets, for which present purse lines would be unsuitable.

In the accompanying drawings this invention is disclosed in a representative form, as presently preferred b me.

FIGURE l is a rear elevational view of the codend and its purse line, drawn tight and locked; the locking mechanism is shown in section.

FIGURE 2 is an axial sectional view along the bolt, in a plane at right angles to the plane of section in FIG- URE 1, showing parts in the locked position.

FIGURE 3 is a section through the locking mechanism, similar to FIGURE 1, showing the initial step in releasing the lock.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 2, showing an intermediate step in releasing the lock.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 3, showing the position of parts at release of the lock.

FIGURE 6 is an isometric view, partly in section, showing parts in positions generally corresponding to FIG- URE 5 FIGURE 7 is a reduced-scale isometric view of the pursed and locked codend.

FIGURE 7 illustrates the filled and pursed after end of the codend at 9 FIGURE 1 shows in somewhat greater detail the netting terminating in loops 9G, several loops engaging a sinuous and generally radial closure 91 encircling the open end, and the individual eyes 92 through which the purse line extends to contractthe open end or to allow its release. least that portion of it which draws the eyes 92 closely together, is preferably in the form of a chain 3. To insure against escape of fish between the elements of the closure 91, or through the opening at the center of the chain, a sheet of rubber or the like, indicated at 8, is supported within the codend, in position. to close all gaps at the closed, pursed end thereof.

A terminal member 2 is secured to one end of the chain 3, at 28. From that point of anchorage the chain extends through the successive eyes 92 and finally extends through a passage 20 in the member 2 which is oriented transversely of the initial extent of the chain from the anchorage at 28. At this point a slide 30 is incorporated in the chain, guided within the passage 20, and shouldered at 31. The end of the chain opposite the anchorage 28 is anchored, at 32, to the slide 30. A flexible buoyant polyethylene rope 33 or similar tough element is secured to the slide 39, and extends any suitable distance, constituting part of the purse line.

A locking bolt 1 is'guided in a passage 21 in the terminal member 2, which passage 21 is generally transverse to and intersects the passage 20, and may extend towards the anchorage at 28. The end' of the bolt can engage the shoulder 31 of the slide, when the slide is in position corresponding to greatest constriction of the net opening (as in FIGURE 1), and when so engaged holds the purse line chain 3 tight, and prevent relaxation thereof. An extension 19 of the bolt, preferably of flexible nylon extends to any desired length. i

It is clear that while such engagement will hold the chain tight, the engagement alone might easily be broken; the extension 19 conceivably might snag and pull on the bolt, so that the bolt 1 might become withdrawn from the shoulder 31, and so release the pursed codend, allowing all fish to escape. To avoid this it is highly desirable to provide latching means for the bolt. Since the bolt reciprocates within the passage 21, to the extent permitted by the set key 22 and slot 10, the bolt and the terminal element 2 may be provided with small holes 11 and 23 that come into registry when the bolt 1 is in looking position. Balls 12 span the contacting surfaces of bolt 1 and terminal element 2, lying partly within the holes 11 and partly within the holes 23, and if retained thus as in FIGURE 2 will prevent movement of the bolt 1 from locking position, or if withdrawn wholly within one such set of holes, as the holes 11 in FIGURE 4, will permit such unlocking movement.

The retaining means or latch element cooperating with the balls 12, to retain them in the latching position of FIGURE 2, may be such as a flexible stainless steel cable 4 herein termed a pin, with the inner head 40, reciprocably guided for movement lengthwise of the bolt 1. The head 40 has a circumferential groove 41 which when in registry with the balls '12 will permit their withdrawal wholly within the holes 11 of the bolt, as in FIGURE 4. So withdrawn the bolt may move lengthwise of its passage 21. On the other'hand, if the full thickness of the head 4% lies opposite the balls 12, as in FIGURE 2, the bolt is' prevented from moving lengthwise of its passage 21.

Reference has been made above to reciprocable movement of the latch element or retaining pin 4 Without speci fying the sense of its movement relative to the bolt 1 wherein it is guided. Its reciprocation in either sense from the retaining position .to the releasing position will elfect release, but it is preferred that its movement for release be in the sense opposite the sense of Withdrawing or unlocking movement of the bolt 1. Since unlocking movement of the bolt is in the outward sense indicated in FIGURE 5 by the arrow A1, releasing movement of the The purse line, at

' 3 pin 4 is in the inward sense indicated by the arrow A2. Thisinsures that a force unintentionally applied to bolt 1 or to pin 4 in the releasing sense will'not move the other also in the releasing sense, but intentionally opposed movements must be imposed substantially simultaneously on each thereof to effect unlocking.

It will be noted that pin 4 has an outer head 42 formed with an axially projecting lug 43 that can be received in an axially directed notch 14 of the bolt 1, or in the flexible extension 19 of the latter. A spring 44 urges the pin 4 towards its projected retaining position. Theouter head 42 may rotate, with the pin 4, to displace the lug 43 from registry with the notch 14. The inner head 40 of the pin 4 is made non-rotative in relation to bolt 1 by the key 45. The flexible stainless steel cable referred to as pin 4 has the outer head 42 setscrewed to it with the lug 43 and the notch 14 considerably out of alignment, hence the head 42 must be twisted against orwith the preformed springlike lay of the cable pin 4 to permit alignment. Except as they are in registry the pin 4 may not move in the releasing sense of arrow A2. Accordingly, this relationship requires a rotative movement of head 42 at initiation of release, a subsequent inward movement thereof as arrow A2 indicates, and finally an outward movement of bolt 1 as 'arrow A1 indicates, to effect release of the purse line lock. It is certain that such a sequence of different movements could not occur accidentally. Upon release of the lock, the/purse line runs through the passage 20 and the rings 92, and full opening of the codend occurs immediately. 7

The circular rubber sheet 8 closes the gaps at the pursed codend. It is conveniently mounted upon the terminal member 2, as by bolts 81 penetrating the member 2, the sheet 8, and a clamping disk 82 (see FIGURES 1, 2 and 4) at the surface of the sheet 8 opposite the terminal member 2 Four bolts 81 orient it to close the central portion of the pursed opening. When the c'odend is fully open the sheet 8 constitutes no appreciable obstruction to outflow of the catch.

The flexible nylon extension 19 of the bolt may be of any desired length (see FIGURE 7). It can trail. the codend over the bottom with no likelihood it will catch, and the buoyant flexible polyethylene extension 33 of the purse line also trails.

I claim as my invention:

1: In combination with a codend encircling purse line or the like, to be drawn tight or alternatively to be relaxed,

aosaaoe at able with the bolt and a complemental latching device carried by the terminal element, and engageable by said retaining member to maintain the bolt in its locking position, said complemental latching elements being located relatively to one another, in the direction of the bolts movement, and with respect to the sense of movement of the bolt from its locking position, to be disengageable by relative movement of the retaining member in the sense opposite to the sense of movement of the bolt from its locking position; a t

5. The combination of a purse line, terminal member, slide, and bolt as set forth in claim 1, and complemental latching elements including a retaining member guided within the terminal for movement into and from retaining position, and a complemental latching device carried by the element other than the one which guides the retaining member, and engageable by the latter to maintain the bolt in locking position, said complemental latching elements being located relatively to one another, and with respect to the sense of movement of the bolt from its locking position, to be disengageable by their relative movement in the sense opposite to the sense of movement of the bolt from its locking position. i 6. The combination of a purse line, terminal member, slide, and bolt as set forth in claim 1, wherein the bolt is movable inwardly of the terminal member and towards the slide for locking, the bolt and the terminal member having transverse holes movable into registry by movement of the bolt intoits locking position, and balls rea terminal member attached to a first end of said purse lineand formed with a passage disposed transversely to the direction of pull of such first end, through which the second end of the purse line extends when the purse line is not relaxed, a shouldered slide incorporated in the purse line in position to extend within said passage when the purse line is drawn tight, and a bolt guided in the terminal member for movement towards and from the slide, and by its movement in a locking sense towards the slide engaging the shoulder of the latter to lock the purse line in its tight condition,

' 2. The combination of a purse line, terminal member, slide, and bolt as set forth inclaim 1, a latch element guided within the terminal member, and interengageable between the bolt and the terminal member to secure the bolt in its locking position, and retaining means carried by and movable relative to the bolt between two limit positions and operatively engaged with said latch element in one of its limit positions to prevent movement of the latter from its bolt-securing position.

' 3. The combination of claim 2, whereinthe bolt is axially bored, and the latch element is slidably received in the bolts bore, for movement in the axial direction into and from movement-preventing position relative to the bolt and the retaining means;

' elements including 'a retaining member guided in and movceivable in said holes and projecting partially into each of the holes in the bolt and those in the terminal member for retaining the bolt in its locking position, a pin reciprocable lengthwise of the bolt, and grooved to register with said holes and balls for movement of the latter from retaining position and wholly into the holes of one such element by lengthwise movement of the pin into registering position, and conversely for movement of the balls into retaining position and for retaining the same therein, by lengthwise movement of the pin from registering position.

7. The combination of claim 6, wherein the pin is guided for reciprocation within the bolt, and the balls when in registry with the groove of the pin are withdrawn wholly within the bolt, and wherein the pin is arranged for movement lengthwise of the bolt from retaining position in the sense opposite to the sense of unlocking movement of the bolt.

8. The combination of claim 7, including spring means urging the pin in the retaining sense, and means interengageable between the pin and the bolt to prevent movement of the pin in the releasing sense, but cooperating by their relative movement into a given position to enable such releasing movement of the pin..

9. In combination of claim 8, wherein the pin is formed with a head having an axially directed lug, and the bolt is formed with an axially facing notch to receive said lug,

/ the pin being rotatable relative to the bolt to move the lug and notch from and into registry, said lug and notch constituting the means to prevent movement of the pin in the releasing sense.

10. A trawl net including a codend having a plurality of eyes distributed about its open rear end, a purse line extending through the several eyes, a terminal member secured to one end of said purse line, and formed with a passage through which the opposite end of the purse line runs, and locking means carried by said terminal member and engageable with the purse line in its run through said passage, to secure the purse line when tight, and a flexible sheet secured to and oriented by said terminal member, of a shape and in a position to close the hole within the pursed end of the net.

11. In combination with a codend encircling purse line or the like, to be drawn tight or alternatively to be relaxed, a terminal member attached to a first end of said purse line and formed with a passage disposed transaoegaoe versely of the direction of pull of such first end, through which the second end of the purse line extends when the purse line is drawn tight, a shouldered slide incorporated in the purse line in position to extend within said passage when the purse line is drawn tight, a bolt guided in the terminal member for movement towards the slide to engage the shoulder of the latter to lock the slide, or away from the slide to release it, the bolt having an axial bore closed at its end nearer the shoulder-engaging end, a latch element guided in said bore for movement between a released position bottomed at the closed end thereof and a latching position more distant from the bores closed end, whereby the latch element is moved to its released position by movement in the sense opposite to movement of said bolt for release.

12. The combination of claim 11, including complemental means on the latch element and the bolt formed interengageable to register when the latch element is in its released position, but by relative rotational movement to retain the latch element in its latching position, and spring means urging the latch element into its released position when said complemental means are in registry.

13. A trawl net including a codend of mesh, a plurality of eyes distributed about the rear-end opening of the radially directed, and locking means carried by said terminal member and engageable with the purse line in its run through said passage, to secure the purse line when tight.

14. A trawl net as in claim 13, and a flexible sheet secured to said terminal element, within the rear end of the codend, of a size to close any escape gap inside the rearmost meshes fo the codend.

References Cited in the file of this'patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Lewis Nov. 25, 1952 OTHER REFERENCES IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 2, No. 1, published June 1959, page 3.

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