WO1999003338A1

WO1999003338A1 - Method for baiting hooks on long line, method for hauling up long line with hooks, and apparatus for use by each of the methods

Info

Publication number: WO1999003338A1
Application number: PCT/DK1998/000331
Authority: WO
Inventors: Poul Bachmann Rasmussen
Original assignee: Poul Bachmann Rasmussen
Priority date: 1997-07-14
Filing date: 1998-07-14
Publication date: 1999-01-28
Also published as: AU8334598A

Abstract

The invention relates to methods and apparatuses for rendering fishing with long line provided with snoods and hooks more effective. Thus the invention relates to a method and an apparatus for baiting hooks on snoods on a long line and a method and an apparatus for hauling up long line with hooks on snoods. The invention makes it possible for one man alone to both bait the hooks on long line led out into the water and to subsequently haul up long line with hooks from the water. This means that fishing with long line is profitable as opposed to fishing with nets.

Description

METHOD FOR BAITING HOOKS ON LONG LINE, METHOD FOR HAULING UP LONG LINE WITH HOOKS, AND APPARATUS FOR USE BY EACH OF THE METHODS.

Background of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method for baiting hooks that are secured to snoods on a long line, which long line with snoods and hooks is pulled forwards through a station for baiting.

The invention furthermore relates to a method for hauling up a long line with snoods and hooks, which long line with snoods and hooks by means of a driving wheel is pulled forward through a hook turning arrangement and towards a hook storage.

The invention furthermore relates to apparatuses for use by each of the methods.

Fishing with long line with snoods and hooks experiences increased attendance instead of fishing with nets. This is because fishing with long line improves the quality of the catch, reduces the amount of secondary catches and results in that a higher price may be obtained for the catch. Fishing with long line is, however, very work demanding. A long line typically consists of about 1200 meters of line provided with snoods for each two meters and with hooks on each snood. It is possible to tie more such long lines together. Methods and apparatuses are known for baiting hooks on a long line and for pulling of a long line. Known methods and apparatuses posses the disadvan- tage that it is very work demanding to undertake baiting as well as hauling up. Hauling up demands that the hooks on the hook storages are conveyed manually forwards in a groove in the hook storage to make space for all the hooks on the long line. Baiting takes place by the hooks being conveyed trough a vessel with bait. The bait is often pieces of herring if the long line is to be used for catching cod. Here there is a risk that the pieces of herring is not properly baited. Another method disclosed in GB 2

067 801 is to convey whole herrings forwards between two conveyor bands and to let the hooks be conveyed in a rail so that the hooks grab around the back bone of a whole herring.

It is the object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatuses so that fishing with long line is becoming economical compared to fishing with nets by the demand for work force on a fishing vessel for fishing with long line is minimised. This demands that not only baiting or hauling up, but both baiting and hauling up, is being made more efficient, as increasing the efficiency of these work processes leads to that the other work process will become a bottle neck for the other and more effi- cient process.

This is obtained by methods for baiting hooks on a long line and for hauling up the long line and with apparatuses to be used by the methods as put forward in the claims.

Baiting of hooks by means of the method according to claim 7 means that it is possible to obtain a known automation of baiting hooks, but also that baiting takes place sufficiently precise and controlled so that each hook is being baited and so that the bait is being hooked around the back bone of the fish or the piece of fish which is used as bait. Hereby a complete assurance is established that all the hooks is provided with bait, and that the bait is secured without risk that the bait is pulled loose by subsequent influence either from the passage of the hooks through the water or from predators trying to grab the bait from the hooks.

It is furthermore a great advantage that the hooks may be conveyed directly from a hook storage and to baiting, because then it is not necessary to handle the long line with snoods and hooks furthermore after the long line have been hauled up from the water, for example by use of the method of hauling up according to the present invention.

Hauling up of long line with snoods, hooks and caught fish by means of the method according to claim 1 , means that the long line is being hauled at the same time as the long line with snoods and hooks is cleaned of seaweed and the like and of possible remains of bait, and that the long line is conveyed to a vessel for the line and the hooks are conveyed to a hook storage.

In a preferred embodiment of an apparatus to be used by the method, the apparatus is provided with a driving arrangement which is characterised in that the driving arrangement consists of a first band conveyor and a second band conveyor, that a band of the first band conveyor is in abutment with a band of the second band conveyor, that the long line is intended for extending between the bands and that the means for introducing the long line into the driving arrangement comprises longitudinal grooves in at least one of the bands.

Provision of a driving arrangement for hauling up the long line after the long line by means of a driving wheel has been hauled up of the water, leads to that a possibility is established for the hooks to be conveyed into the hook storage so that the hooks are being filled from a rearmost end of the hook storage instead of being filled from a foremost end in which the hooks are conveyed into the hook storage. If the hooks are being filled from the foremost end in which the hooks are conveyed into the hook storage, it is necessary manually to convey the hooks from the foremost end to the rearmost end of the hook storage. Thus is avoided by the preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention.

Description of the Drawing

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing in which

Fig. 1 is a first plane view seen from above of an embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention for baiting of hooks on snoods on a long line, Fig. 2 is a second plane view seen from the side of the apparatus according to the invention for baiting of hooks on snoods on a long line, Fig. 3 is a first plane view seen from above of an embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention for hauling up long line, Fig. 4 is a second plane view seen from the side of the embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention for hauling up long line,

Fig. 5 is a view of a possible embodiment of a part of the apparatus according to the invention for hauling up long line,

Fig. 6 is a view of an alternative and preferred embodiment of a part of the apparatus according to the invention for hauling up long line,

Fig. 7 is a view of an alternative and preferred embodiment of a hook storage for the apparatuses according to the invention, and

Fig. 8 shows a possible use of two storages.

Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 will be described at the same time. Fig. 1 is a view seen from above of an apparatus according to the invention for baiting hooks on snoods on a long line, and Fig. 2 is a view seen from the side. A long line 1 is situated in a vessel 4 and snoods 2 with hooks 3 extend from the long line 1. A hook storage 5 is provided with a groove 6 in which the hooks 3 are situated. In the shown view, two hook storages 5 are placed in the apparatus so that it is possible fast and easy to change from one hook storage to another when all hooks 3 in the one hook storage 5 is provided with bait. The hook storage 5 is placed in holders 7,8 suited therefore. The apparatus is provided with a guiding plate 9 which leads the long line 1 with snoods 2 and the hooks 3 past a station 10 for baiting of the hooks 3 and further on over the gunwale 11 of a fishing vessel and out into the water around the fishing vessel.

The long line 1 is hauled out of the water in that the long line 1 in an outermost end

(not shown) is moored to a buoy and the fishing vessel during sailing forwards in- creases the distance to the buoy. When the long line 1 is hauled out over the gunwale, the long line 1, snoods 2 and hooks 3 are pulled past the station 10 for baiting hooks 3.

The station 10 for baiting comprises an introduction hopper 12 for bait 13, for example whole herrings. The hopper 12 has a lower orifice 14 which leads to a space 15 between the orifice 14 and an abutment 16 for the bait 13. The abutment 16 is situated under the orifice 14. The rotating knife 17 extends in a substantially horizontal plane P just under the orifice 14. In the embodiment shown the rotating knife 17 is oval so that at each half rotation of the knife 17 at which the longitudinal section L of the oval extends into the space 15 and past the orifice 14, the knife 17 is covering the orifice 14 and such that at each further half rotation at which the long section L of the oval does not extend into the space 15 (as shown), the knife 17 creates access from the orifice 14 to the space 15.

Bait 13 from the hopper 12 will successively be led through the orifice 14 out into the space 15 between the orifice 14 and the abutment 16. When the long section L of the oval rotating knife 17 creates access from the orifice to the space 15, the bait 13 will by means of the gravitational force be transferred downwards through the hopper 12 and out through the orifice 14 and into the space 15. When the long section L of the oval rotating knife 17 covers the orifice 14 the bait 13 which initially was led out through the orifice 14 will be cut over by the knife 17. A single 18 of the bait 13 which is situated in the space 15 between the orifice 14 and the abutment 16 will then be cut loose of the remaining part of the bait which still is situated in the hopper 12.

In the embodiment shown, the hook storage 5 is provided with rigid brushes 7 which extend into the groove 6 perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the groove 6. The brushes 7 ensure that the hooks 3 do not pop out of the groove 6 when the hooks 3 are conveyed into the groove 6.

Baiting takes place in the following manner. The hooks 3 are conveyed from the hook storage 5 over to a guiding hoop 20. The guiding hoop 20 extend from the groove 6 in the hook storage 5 to position just in front of the space 15 between the orifice 14 and the abutment 16 at the station 10 for baiting. The guiding hoop 20 is in an outermost end 21 provided with a stop. In the embodiment shown the stop is a spring hoop 22 which extends downwardly towards an upper side of the guiding hoop 20 and which is in abutment with the upper side of the guiding hoop 20. Hooks 3 which are led from the groove 6 in the hook storage 5 out onto the guiding hoop 20 in that the long line 1 and the snoods 2 are pulled through the station 10 for baiting will temporarily be stopped by the stop 22, and the snood 2 between the long line 1 and the hook 3 will be tightened. When the force from the snood 2 via the long line 1 becomes greater and the force by which the stop 22 retains the hook 3, the hook 3 will with great speed be conveyed from the outermost end 21 of the guiding hoop 20 past the stop 22 through the space 15 and further outwardly over the gunwale 11 of the fishing vessel. As the hook 3 passes the space 15 the piece 18 of bait which is situated in the space 15 and which by means of the rotating knife 17 has been cut loose from the remaining part of the bait 13 in the hopper 12 will be hooked.

The bait 13 in the hopper 12 is directed so that the back bone 23 of for example the herring which is used as bait 13 always is directed in the same direction. In the hopper

12 is provided nozzles 24 through for example water 25 is flushed around the bait 13 such as a herring in the hopper 12. The fish which is used as bait 13 has a cross section

(as shown) perpendicular to the back bone 23 with a substantially drop-shaped shape with the back bone 23 situated in the "blunt" end 26 of the drop-shaped cross section. When the fish is flushed, the flushing will lead to that the fish always will turn with the "pointed" end of the drop-shaped cross section against the flush water and the

"blunt " end 26 of the drop-shaped cross section away from the flush water 25. As the flush water is led through the nozzles 24 into the hopper 12 substantially in only one direction, the fish and thereby the back bone 23 of the fish will always be directed in the same direction.

The back bone 23 of the fish will preferably be directed so that the back bone 23 is situated in substantially the same position in the space 15 when the bait 13 is being led through the orifice 14 in the hopper 12. Thereby a possibility is established that the hooks 3 when theses are conveyed through the space 15 always will hook the piece 18 of bait around the back bone 23. This gives a very secure hooking of the piece 18 of bait with very little risk that the piece 18 of bait drops of the hook 3 due to the passage through the water of the hook 3 or due to for example predators' attempt to snap the piece 18 of bait from the hook 3.

Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 will also be described at the same time. Fig. 3 is a view seen from above of an apparatus according to the invention for hauling up long line, and Fig. 4 is a view seen from the side. The long line 1 with snoods 2 and hooks 3 extends from the water around a fishing vessel over the gunwale 11 on the fishing vessel and through the apparatus according to the invention. The apparatus is provided with guides 30 for leading the long line 1 with snoods 2, hooks 3 and fish 31 in towards a line roll 32. After the long line 1 with snoods 2, hooks 3 and fish 31 is led into and over the line roll 32, the long line 1, snoods 2 and hooks 3 is led through a line guide 33 which is placed with individual space A so that the fish 31 cannot be led through the line guides 33. The fish 31 will therefore be knocked off the hooks 3 and led sideways of a chute 34 to a fish box (not shown) when the long line 1 , the snoods 2 and the hooks 3 are led. through the line guidance 33.

After the fish 31 has been knocked off the hooks 3, the long line 1, snoods 2 and hooks 3 are conveyed through a brush arrangement for cleaning long line, snood and hooks of seaweed and the like, and for possible remains of bait. In the embodiment shown, the brush arrangement comprises four rotating brushes 35. The brushes 35 are being rotated by a hydraulic motor (not shown), alternatively an electric motor. Rotating brushes 35 posses the advantage instead of solid brushes that seaweed and the like together with remains of bait which gather in the brushes 35, at a higher rate will be hurled off the brushes 35 and in less rate will be kept in the brushes 35. Furthermore, the brush arrangement leads to that snoods and hooks are directed rearwards in relation to a direction R in which the long line 1 is being pulled.

The long line 1, snoods 2 and hooks 3 are thereafter led around a roll 36 and further to a driving wheel 37. The driving wheel 37 is placed substantially horizontally and is provided with a groove (not shown) in which at least the long line 1 is intended for extending and intended for being driven around. The driving wheel 37 is being driven by a hydraulic motor (not shown), alternatively an electric motor, and the rotational speed of the driving wheel 37 may be regulated. After being led around the driving wheel 37, the long line 1, snoods 2 and hooks 3 are being led around a further roll 38 and further on to a so-called hook turning arrangement where long line 1, snoods 2 and hooks 3 are intended for being led to each their position. The hook turning arrangement comprises a catching hoop 40 and a guiding hoop 41 which both extend between the further roll 38 and the hook storage 5 forwards towards the hook storage 5 and forwards in relation to the direction R in which long line 1 is being pulled. The hook turning arrangement furthermore comprises a storage hoop 42 which extends from the hook storage 5 and rearwards towards the guiding hoop 41 and rearwards in relation to the direction R in which long line 1 is being pulled. The catching hoop 40, the guiding hoop 41 and the storage hoop 42 are all open in outer ends 43,44,45 of the hoops 40,41,42. The outer end 44 of the guiding hoop 41 extends past the outer end 45 of the storage hoop 42. A space M is established between the guiding hoop 41 and the storage hoop 42. The long line 1. snoods 2 and hooks 3 are intended for extending under the catching hoop 40 under the guiding hoop 41 further on into the space M between the guiding hoop 41 and the storage hoop 42 and over the storage hoop 42.

When long line 1 , snoods 2 and hooks 3 are led under the catching hoop 40 under the guiding hoop 41 further into the space M and over the storage hoop 42, the hooks 3 are being caught by the catching hoop 40 when long line 1 , snoods 2 and hooks 3 are led under the catching hoop 40. The hooks 3 are conveyed from the outer end 43 of the catching hoop 40 over onto the guiding hoop 41 and is being conveyed further from the outer end 44 of the guiding hoop 41 over onto the storage hoop 42. The hooks 3 may also be caught by the storage hoop 42, the long line 1, snoods 2 and hooks are conveyed over the storage hoop 42. In alternative embodiments, it will be possible to provide the hook turning arrangement with more catching and guiding hoops. The hook turning arrangement ensures that the hooks 3 always are similar di- rected before the hooks 3 are being conveyed into the groove 6 in the hook storage 5.

Whether the hooks 3 are being caught by the catching hoop 40 or the storage hoop 42 depends on whether a certain hook 3 is being slung into the air by the passage of the long line 1 past the catching hoop 40, and the hook 3 therefore is being caught by the catching hoop 40 when the hook 3 is led under the catching hoop 40 and further to the guiding hoop 41 and the storage hoop 42 or whether a certain hook 3 is being slung downwards by the passage of the long line 1 past the catching hoop 40 and the hook 3 therefore is only caught by the storage hook 42 when the hook 3 is being conveyed over the storage hoop 42. If a certain hook 3 is being caught by the catching hoop 40 afterwards the hoop always will be conveyed from the outer end 43 of the catching hoop 40 under the guiding hoop 41 further over on the storage hoop 41 and further to the groove 6 in the hook storage 5.

Fig. 5 shows a section of the apparatus according to the invention for hauling up long line. The section shows a preferred embodiment of a hook turning arrangement according to the invention. The hook turning arrangement with catching hoop 40, guid- ing hoop 41 and storage hoop 42 is in the preferred embodiment provided with a rigid brush 50. Brush hair 51 on a first extend B of the first brush 50 extend downwardly towards an upper side 52 (shown with dotted line) of the catching hoop 40 and abut on the upper side 52 of the catching hoop 40. Brush hair 51 on a second extend C of the rigid brush 50 extend upwardly against a lower side 53 of the guiding hoop 41 and abut on the lower side 53 of the guiding hoop 41. Brush hair 51 on a third extend D of the first brush 50 extends downwardly towards another side 54 (shown with dotted line) of the guiding hoop 41 and abut on the upper side 54 of the guiding hoop 41 and extends upwardly towards the lower side 55 of the storage hoop 42, respectively. Brush hair 51 on a fourth extend E of the first brush 50 extends upwardly towards a lower side 55 of the storage hoop 42 and abut on the lower side of the storage hoop

42. The rigid brush 50 has the effect that hooks 3 which are being caught at the catching hoop 40 and are conveyed over onto the guiding hoop 42 and further on onto the storage hoop 42 over hooks 3 which are being caught at the storage hoop 42 will be kept in abutment with the lower side 53 and the upper side 55, respectively, of the guiding hoop 41 and the storage hoop 42.

Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 furthermore show that the hook storage 5 consists of a hollow rail which is provided with the groove 6 which extends along the hook storage 5 from a foremost end 46 of the hook storage 5 to a rearmost end 47 of the hook storage 5. In the view, the groove 6 is shown turning forwards, but in a specific embodiment the groove will turn inwardly. The storage hoop 42 extends from the groove 6 in the hook storage 5 so that hooks 3 on the storage hoop 42 are conveyed from the outer end 45 of the storage hoop 42 inwardly towards the foremost end 46 of the hoop storage 5 and into the groove 6.

The hook storage 5 is, as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, in the embodiment shown pro- vided with the rigid brushes 7 which extend into the groove 6 perpendicularly to a longitudinal direction of the groove 6. As mentioned, the brushes 7 ensure that the hooks 3 do not pop out of the groove 6 when the hooks 3 are conveyed into the groove 6.

The long line 1 , the snoods 2 and hooks 3 are conveyed from the guiding hoop 40 and the storage hoop 41. The long line 1 is led to a driving arrangement which pulls the long line 1 substantially parallel to the hook storage 5 and past the rearmost end 47 of the hook storage 5. This leads to that the hooks 3 by means of the snoods 2 both are conveyed from the storage hoop 42 and into the groove 6 in the foremost end 46 of the hook storage 5 and also are conveyed further on into the groove 6 to the rearmost end

47 of the hook storage 5. Thus the hooks 3 are being filled in the hook storage 5 from the rearmost end 47 of the hook storage 5 and forwards towards the foremost end 46 of the hook storage 5 by the first hook 3 and subsequent hooks 3 all being conveyed as far as possible back into the groove 6 towards the rearmost end 47 of the hook storage 5.

In the embodiment shown, the long line 1 is pulled past the rearmost end of the hook storage 5 by means of a driving arrangement which comprises an upper band conveyor with a band 48 and a lower band conveyor with a band 49. The bands 48,49 consist of driving belts made of a plastic material. The long line 1 extends between the bands

48,49 in grooves (not shown) which are formed along the bands 48,49.

It will be necessary to establish possibility of the extension which the long line 1 is pulled past the hook storage 5 to be varied dependent on whether the groove 6 in the hook storage 5 is emptied of hooks 3, partly filled with hooks 3, or completely filled with hooks 3. Dependent on how filled the hook storage 5 is, it will be necessary that the long line 1 is conveyed more or less past the hook storage 5. The long line 1 must be conveyed farthest past the hook storage 5 if the groove 6 in the hook storage 5 is empty, and the long line 1 must be conveyed more and more shortly past the hook storage 5 as the groove in the hook storage 5 gradually is being filled with hooks.

The long line 1 may in the embodiment shown with driving belts 48,49 be displaced sideways upwardly between the driving belts 48,49 at any distance from the foremost end 46 of the hook storage 5. Therefore it will not be necessary to establish possibility of adjusting the position of the driving belts 48, 49 in relation to the foremost end 46 of the hook storage 5. Initially, when the groove 6 in the hook storage 5 is empty, the long line 1 as shown will be conveyed substantially all the way between the driving belts 48,49. As the groove 6 in the hook storage 5 gradually is being filled with hooks 3 and which are being filled into the grooves 6 from the rearmost end 47 and forwards towards the foremost end 46 of the hook storage 5, the long line 1 will be displaced sideways outwardly between the driving belts 48,49 in a more and more short distance from the foremost end of the hook storage 5.

In an alternative embodiment (not shown) the long line 1 is pulled past the rearmost end 46 of the hook storage 5 by means of a driving arrangement which comprises a driving wheel (not shown). In the alternative embodiment with driving wheel it will be necessary to establish possibility of adjusting the position of the driving wheel in relation to the hook storage 5 by means of providing for example a resilient mechanism at the driving wheel so that the driving wheel may be displaced in parallel to the hook storage 5. Hereby the long line 1 may be conveyed from the driving wheel in a position of the driving wheel which is longer or shorter as the groove 6 gradually is being filled with hooks 3.

Fig. 6 shows an alternative and preferred embodiment of a hook turning arrangement according to the invention. The hook turning arrangement comprises a tube 60 which is cut obliquely so that at least in a foremost end, 61 and alternatively also in a rear- most end 63 of the tube, a pointed tongue 63 is being formed. The tongue 63 is preferably being formed in an uppermost part of the tube 60. A rearmost part of the tube is provided with a slot 64 which extends along the tube 60 parallel with a longitudinal axis F of the tube 60. The long line 1 and snoods 2 are, as shown, intended for being conveyed through the tube 60.

The hooks 3 are intended for being caught by the an edge 65 of the tube 60 by the edge 65 on the tube extending into the gap of the hooks 3. The tube 60 has an inner diameter which is less than the gap of the hooks. When the hooks 3 have been caught by the edge 65 of the tube 60, the hooks 3 are conveyed downwards towards the slot 64 in the bottom of the tube 60 and conveyed further on along the tube 60 with the shaft of the hook extending inside the tube 60 with the gap of the hooks extending in the slot 64 and with the point of the hooks 3 situated outside the tube 60.

In front of the foremost end 61 of the tube 60, a guiding plate which is resilient is placed. The guiding plate 66 maintains the long line 1 in the middle of the tube 60 in order to minimise wear of the long line 1 when it is being conveyed through the tube 60. In the embodiment shown the guiding plate 66 is shown in a downwards resilient position as a rearmost edge 67 of the guiding plate in a neutral position is intended for being in a plane substantially the same as the center of the tube to hold exactly the long line sliding along the guiding plate 66 in the middle of the tube 60.

The guiding plate 66 is resilient so that when a swivel 68 having a greater diameter than the long line 1 is being led past the guiding plate 66. then the guiding plate 66 shortly will bounce downwards as shown in order to allow the swivel 68 to pass the guiding plate 66 at the same time as the long line 1 is being maintained in the middle of the tube. Behind a rearmost end 62 of the tube 60 a guiding bead 69 is furthermore provided which together with the guiding plate 66 are contributing to maintaining the long line 1 in the middle of the tube 60. In alternative embodiments, the guiding plate 66 and/or the guiding bead 69 can be excluded.

Behind the rearmost end 62 of the tube 60 and under the middle of the tube 60, a stor- age hoop 42 is placed. The storage hoop 42 extends from an inner side of the tube 60 in immediate vicinity of the slot 64 in the tube 60 and backwards and upwards in relation to the tube 60. The storage hoop 64 leads further on to a hook storage (not shown). When the hooks 3 which are being conveyed along the slot 64 in the tube as described above, leave the tube 60 the point of the hook and the gap of the hook will be caught by the storage hoop 42 and be conveyed along the storage hoop at the same time as the long line 1 and snoods 2 are being conveyed further on towards a driving arrangement as shown and described in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4. Along with and parallel with the storage hoop 42, brushes 51 are being provided which abut on the storage hoop 42 and which contribute to maintaining the hooks 3 in abutment with the storage hoop 42.

Fig. 7 shows an alternative and preferred embodiment of a hook storage 70 according to the invention. The hook storage 70 comprises a mounting bushing 71 which is intended for being mounted on a corresponding mounting in a pin (not shown) on the actual apparatus for hauling up long line. The catching hoop 72 extends outwardly from the mounting bushing 71. The catching hoop 42 surrounds a hook rail 73 which extends from a rearmost end 74 also outwards from the mounting bushing 71. In a foremost end 75, the hook rail 73 is provided with a guiding hoop 76 which is intended for extending in extension of the storage hoop 42 of the hook turning arrangement (see Fig. 6). The hook rail 73 is along its extension secured to the catching hoop 72 by means of further hoops 77. In the embodiment shown the hook rail 73 is shown a piece of oblong plate which extends upwardly from the mounting bushing 71. Alter- natively, the hook rail 73 can be made of an oblong hoop or a number of oblong hoops which are made of a rod material instead of a plate material.

An uppermost gap 78 is formed between an upper side 79 of the hook rail 73 and an upper part 80 of the catching hoop 72 so that a distance a between the upper side 79 of the hook rail 73 and the upper part 80 of the catching hoop 72 is being formed. In the upper gap 78 the hooks 3 are intended to extend as shown. Furthermore, a lowest gap 81 is formed between a lower side 82 of the hook rail 73 and a lower part 83 of the catching hoop 72. Furthermore, a lowest part of the hook rail 73 is bent so that the lowest gap 81 provides a distance b between the lower side 82 of the hook rail 73 and the lower part 83 of the catching hoop 72, but also provides a distance c between a side 84 of the hook rail 73 and the lower part 83 of the catching hoop 72. In the lowest gap 81, the snoods 2 are intended for extending as shown between the hooks 3 on the upper side 7<J of the hook rail 73 and the long line (not shown) extending outside the hook storage.

As shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 the long line, the snoods and hooks will be conveyed from the guiding tube in the hook turning arrangement and further on. The long line is being conveyed to the driving arrangement (see Fig. 3 and Fig. 4) which pulls the long line substantially parallel with the hook storage and past the rearmost end of the hook storage. This leads to that the hooks by means of the snoods will be conveyed from the storage hoop and into the groove in the foremost end of the hook storage and also will be conveyed further on into the groove to the rearmost end of the hook storage. Thus, the hooks are being filled in the hook storage from the rearmost end of the hook storage and forwards towards the foremost end of the hook storage by the first hook and subsequent hooks all being conveyed as far as possible back into the groove against the rearmost end of the hook storage.

Fig. 8 shows a possible use of two hook storages according to the invention. The rearmost of a first hook storage is shown and a foremost end of another hook storage is shown. The hook rail in the first hook storage is provided with a rearmost guiding hoop 85 which extends backwards in relation to the hook storage. The rearmost guid- ing hoop 85 is extending to the foremost guiding hoop 76 on the other hook storage so that the hook rail 73 in the first hook storage is connected with the hook rail 73 in the other hook storage. In this way it will be possible partly to store hooks in two phases. This may be an advantage if there are hooks which are defective and which are to be substituted, because such a substitution then can take place at the same time as the hooks constantly are being conveyed into the storage.

The first hook storage constitutes an initial storage for constant storing hooks and the other hook storage constitutes a terminating storage for storing hooks. Visual control of the hooks takes place at the same time as the hooks are being conveyed to the first hook storage. If the visual control detects a defective hook, all hooks which are situated before the defective hook is being conveyed to the other hook storage and the defective hook is being kept on the rearmost guiding hook. It is then possible to make a substitute of the defective hook at the same time as subsequent hooks constantly are being conveyed into the hook rail in the first hook storage. When the defective hook has been substituted, new visual control can be made of the hooks which in the intermediate period in which the defective hook has been substituted, have been filled on the hook rail in the first hook storage.

Such a use of two hook storages demands that the driving arrangement comprises a primary driving arrangement which conveys the hooks all way to a rearmost end (not shown) of the other hook storage, and a secondary driving arrangement only convey- ing the hooks to the rearmost end of the first hook storage. The primary driving arrangement is preferably a driving arrangement as shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, and the secondary driving arrangement may be a similar driving arrangement or just one or more driving wheels which are provided on the actual apparatus for hauling up long line. The secondary driving arrangement is provided in a position between the hook turning arrangement (see Fig. 3 and Fig. 4) and the primary driving arrangement outside the position where the rearmost guiding hoop 85 in the first hook storage extends rearwardly and is connected with the foremost guiding hoop 76 in the other hook storage.

Above the invention is described with reference to specific embodiments of apparatuses according to the invention. The apparatuses are both, but not each, capable of substantially reducing the demand for work force on a fishing vessel. It will be possible to provide apparatuses for hauling up long line with other means for driving the long line, for cleaning the long line, for guiding the hooks in the hook storage and for pulling the long line past the hook storage. Furthermore it will be possible to provide apparatuses for baiting with other means for guiding the hooks from the hook storage to the station for baiting and other means for guiding the bait to the space and for cutting free pieces of the bait.

Claims

1. Method for pulling a long line (1) with snoods (2) and hooks (3) which long line (1) with snoods (2) and hooks (3) by means of a driving wheel (37) is pulled forward through a hook turning arrangement and with a hook storage (5), c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the hooks (3) successively by means of long line (1) and snoods (2) in a first step is pulled forwards towards a guiding member (41,60) so that long line (1) and snoods (2) are conveyed past the guiding member (41,60), that the long line (1) and snoods (2) in a second step is pulled forwards between the guiding member (41,60) and a storage hoop (42) so that long line (1) and snoods (2) are conveyed over the storage hoop (42), and that the hooks (3) are conveyed from the storage hoop (42) and into a groove (6) in a hook storage (5).

2. Apparatus to be used by the method according to claim 1, said apparatus comprising a driving wheel (37) that is intended for pulling the long line (1) and said apparatus being intended for receiving a hook storage (5) with a groove (6) and furthermore comprising a hook turning arrangement c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the hook turning arrangement comprises at least one guiding hoop (41) and a storage hoop (42), that the guiding hoop (41) extends from a position in front of the storage hoop (42) and for- wards towards the storage hoop (42) and crosses the storage hoop (42) in distance from the storage hoop (42) so that a space (M) is formed between the guiding hoop (41) and the storage hoop (42), and that the storage hoop (42) extends from a position outside a hook groove (6), alternatively a hook rail (73), in a hook storage (5) when the hook storage (5) is placed in the apparatus and that the storage hoop extends rear- wards towards the guiding hoop (41) and crosses the guiding hoop (41) in distance from the guiding hoop (41).

3. Apparatus for use by the method according to claim 1, said apparatus comprising a driving wheel (37) that is intended for pulling the long line (1) and said apparatus be- ing intended for receiving a hook storage (5) with a groove (6) and furthermore comprising a hook turning arrangement, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that hook turning ar- rangement comprises a guiding tube (60) and a storage hoop (42), that the guiding tube (60) is provided with a slot (64), that the slot extends from a foremost part (61) of the guiding tube (60) to a rearmost part (62) of the guiding tube (60), that the guiding tube (60) extends from a position in front of the storage hoop (42) and forwards towards the storage hoop (42) and ends in a position just outside the storage hoop (42), and that the storage hoop extends from a position outside a hook groove (6), alternatively a hook rail (73), in a hook storage (5) when the hook storage (5) is placed in the apparatus, and that the storage hoop (42) extends rearwards towards the guiding tube (60) and towards the slot (64) outside the rearmost part of the guiding tube (60).

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 or claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the apparatus is provided with a driving arrangement for pulling up the long line (1) and with means for introducing the long line into the driving arrangement, that the driving arrangement is provided substantially parallel to the hook storage (5) when the hook storage (5) is placed in the apparatus, that the driving arrangement is placed in a position after a foremost end (46) of the hook storage (5) when the hook storage (5) is placed in the apparatus, and that the long line (1) is capable of leaving the driving arrangement in different positions in relation to the foremost end (46) of the hook storage (5) when the hook storage (5) is placed in the apparatus.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the driving arrangement comprises at least one driving roller along which the long line is intended for extending, that the driving roller is translationally displaceable in relation to the hook storage when the hook storage is placed in the apparatus in a direction substantially parallel to the hook storage, that a resilient member is provided between a solid abutment and the driving roller, and that the need for introducing the long line into the driving arrangement comprises a groove in the driving roller.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the driving arrange- ment comprises a first band conveyor and a second band conveyor, that a band (48) of the first band conveyor is in abutment with a band (49) of the second band conveyor, that the long line (1) is intended for extending between the bands (48,49) and that the means for introducing the long line (1) into the driving arrangement comprises longitudinal grooves in at least one of the bands (48,49).

7. Method for baiting hooks (3) secured to snoods (2) on a long line (1), which long line (1) with snoods (2) and hooks (3) is pulled (4,5) forwards through a station (10) for baiting, said station (10) comprising a bait hopper (12) for bait (13) and said bait hopper (12) compriseing a orifice (14), which open on to an abutment (16) for the bait, and between said orifice (14) and said abutment (16) a space (15) is made, and at said station (10) a knife (17) may be introduced into the space (15) between the orifice (14) and the abutment (16), c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the hooks (3) successively by means of the long line (1) and the snood (2) in a first step is pulled forwards along a guiding hoop (20) so that curved part of the hook (3) extends around the guiding hoop (20), that bait (13) from the bait hopper (12) is conveyed from the orifice (14) upwards in the space (15) and is put into abutment with the abutment (16), that the bait (13) by means of the knife (17) is cut so that a piece (18) of the bait is situated in the space between the orifice (14) and the abutment (16), that the hooks (3) successively in a second step is conveyed from the guiding hoop (20) and past the space (15) so that the piece (18) of the bait (13) in the space (15) is hooked when the hook (13) is conveyed past the space (15).

8. Apparatus to be used by the method according to claim 7, which apparatus is provided with a tub (4) for a long line (1) and holders (8) for a hook storage (5) for hooks (3), said hook storage (5) being provided with a groove (6) for receiving a curved part of the hooks (3), and said apparatus furthermore being provided with a station (10) for baiting, said station (10) comprising a bait hopper (12) for bait (13) with an orifice, in relation to the orifice (14) an opposite abutment (16) for bait, a space between the orifice (14) and the abutment (16), and a knife (17) for cutting pieces (18) of bait which extends in the space (15) outside the orifice (14) of the bait hopper (12), c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the apparatus furthermore comprises a guiding hoop (20) leading from the hook storage (5) and forwards towards the space (15) between the orifice (14) and the abutment (16), that the guiding hoop (20) is secured just in the vicinity of the groove (8) in the hook storage (5) when the hook storage (5) is placed in the apparatus, and that the guiding hoop (20) has an outermost end (21) which ends just in front of the space (15).

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, characterised in that bait hopper (12) is provided with nozzles (24) for flush water (25), that the nozzles (24) extend into the bait hopper (12), that the nozzles (24) are placed in positions along a longitudinal axis of the bait hopper (12), and that the nozzles (24) are directed substantially in the same direction.

10. Apparatus according to claim 8 and claim 9, characterised in that the apparatus is provided with a knife (17), preferably a rotating knife, which is provided in a plane (P) just under the orifice (14) of the bait hopper (12), that the knife (17) has a first position in which the knife edge and knife blade is pulled away from a position under the orifice (14), and that the knife (17) has a second position in which the knife edge and the knife blade are conveyed forwards to a position under the orifice (14).