US831200A - Oyster-bed. - Google Patents

Description

-No .'83l,200; H PATENTED SEPT. 18, 190-6.

' A. M. WILLIS.

OYSTER'BED.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 6, 1906.

A TTOR/VEKS Wlmuis'szis;

THE NORRIS PETERS 5a., wasmncrcm n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT orricu.

AOHILLE M.

ONE-THIRD VVILLISJOF BEAVER, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY, ASSIGNOR OF TO WILLIAM H. BROWNELL AND ONE-THIRD TO WILLIAM MCK. EVANS, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

OYSTER-BED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 18, 1906.

A fi fi fil d August 6, 1906- Serial No. 329,412.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AoHiLLE M. WILLIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beaver city, in the county of Beaver and Territory of Oklahoma, have invented a new and useful Oyster-Bed, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to, oyster-beds of that general class shown and described in -United States Letters Patent issued to me on ,and operatively connected with'the matand the removal of the oysters.

pivoted sections, respectively, whereby an initial upward movement exertedv on the main cable will close or assemble thepivoted sections and a further movementof the cableelevate the spawn-supporting mat to permit A still further object of the invention is to generally improve this class of devices, so as to increase their utility, durability,'- and efficiency.

With these andother objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, the accompanying drawings, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions, and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of an oyster-bed constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the same resting on the bed of a stream. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the pivoted auxiliary mats moved to operative or assembled position preparatory to elevating the mat.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corand illustrated in responding parts in both of the figures of the drawings.

The improved device consists of a spawnsupporting mat comprising a substantially rectangular frame 5, the side and end walls of which are connected by a plurality of longitudinal and transverse wires or bars 6 and 7. Interwoven between the wires 6 are pine branches, brush, underwood, or other fibrous material 8, which forms a bed for the spawn, thereby preventing the same from being washed away by the action of the water.

Pivotally associated with the frame 5 are a plurality of movable sections or auxiliary spawn-supporting mats 9, also preferably covered with pinebranches, as indicated at 10, the latter being interwoven between the longitudinal and transverse connectingwires 11, as shown. The pivoted sections 9, four of which are preferably provided, are each pivotally connected to the main supporting-frame 5 by means of suitable rings or loops 12, which embrace the adjacent bars of the frame, and thus serve to secure the same together. As a means for raising and lowering the mat there is provided a cable 13, one

end of which is connected to a suitable float frame 5, there being similar chains 17 carried by the ring 15 and operative ly oonnected with the pivoted sections 9, as shown.

It will thus be seen that an initial upward movement exerted on the cable 13 will move the pivoted sections 9 to vertical or operative position and that a further movement of said cable will elevate the main frame 5 with the sections .9 in assembled position, thus preventing accidental displacement of the oyster during the elevating operation.

In use the spawn or seed-oysters are placed on the bed proper and the latter 10W- ered to the bottom of the stream and in which position the pivoted sections 9 will move laterally to open position, as best shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, so that the main and auxiliary spawn-supporting mats will be disposed in horizontal alinement- IOO be struck by a passing boat said chain" will give, and thus leave the bed undisturbed; Whenthe mat is elevated, the upward-meta ment on the cable will flnst move-the pivoted sections to closed position, as shown iniFig; 2 of the drawings, after which the mat is brought to the surface of the stream and: the oysters culled therefrom and the rest left undisturbed on the mat, which may then be lowered'to the bottom of the stream. It will thus be seen that the improved bed may be used in depths too great for tongingor dredgingand in fact, may beused at any depth: where the pressure is not too great fbr'the oyster.

Having thus described the invention; what is-claiined is 1. A device of'the prising a spawn supporting mat having a: plurality of 'a'uxiliary mats pivotally connected thereto and movable to closed' position when=themat is elevated.

2. A device of the class: described; comprising a: spawn supportingrnat, a' plurality of 'auxiliary mats pivotally connected thereto:

andmovable toclosed position when thema't is elevated, and flbrousmater-ial forming: a part ofthe'main and auxiliary mats.

3*. A device of the class described; com-' prising a spawn supporting mat having a plurality of auxiliary mat-sections pivotall'y connected thereto, asupporting-cable, and flexibleconnections between thesupportingcable and the main and auxiliary mats.

4 A device of the class deseribed', comprising a spawn-supporting mat. having a plurality of auxiliary mat-sections-pivotally connected: thereto, a main supporting cable, aflexibl'e connection=between the main cable and the corners of the mainsupporting-mat, and a flexible connection between the auxiliar-y mat-sections and said cable;

5: A device oftheprising a spawn supporting mat, a plurality of 'auxiliary matsections-pivotally connected thereto and normally disposed in horizontal themain-mat-section, a sup- 1 alinement with class described; com

class' described; com- 1 porting-cable, and aflexible connection be' tween the supporting-cable and the main and auxiliary mats, respectively, whereby when the cable iseleva-ted the auxiliary'mat-section willrbe moved to vertical positionzn 6. A device of the class described, comprising a spawn-supporting mat consisting of a rectangular frame connected by longitudi- ,naland transverse stay-wires, auxiliary mats pivotally connected to the main'mat and also consisting of" the rectangular frames provided with longitudinal and transverse staywires, fibrous material interwovens between the stay wires ofthe'mainlandi auxiliary matsections, a supporting-cable, andflexibleconnections extending between: the supportingcable and themain: and auxi1iary mats-.'-

7 A deviceof" Uhe'class descnibedQ comprising a spawn-supporting mat, a\ plurality of aux-iliarymats-pivotally connect-'edtliereto, 'asupporting-cable having. a float secured to one end thereof and its": opposite end provided with a terminal ring; and! flexibleccnnections extending between the ring" andi the 1 main and auxiliary mats-L.

Si A device of the classdescribedt com"- prising a spawn-supporting 'mat'. consistingof a rectangular frame prcvided witl'r transverse and longitudinal stay w'ire's, auxiliar mats pivotally connected thereto and! also provided with longitudinal: and transverse stay-wires, fibrous material interwoven: between the stay wiresof the main and auxiliary mats rings forming; theipivotal connec- 3 tioir between: saidi Ina-ts,- a suppontingecable, andl a1 flexible-connection= extending between the corners of: the main andf'a'uxiliary mats and operativel'y' connectedz wit-lr the support ing-cable; i In testimony that I claim the fbregoing as my own I have-hereto in the presence 1 of two: witnesses.

AGHILLEl M. v WIiELISI. Witnesses:

Di MEERE, GEO: HEALY.v

aflixedi my signature

Images