﻿990 
  REPORT 
  OF 
  COMMISSIONER 
  OF 
  FISH 
  AND 
  FISHERIES. 
  [16] 
  

  

  is 
  hung 
  a 
  spool 
  to 
  hold 
  the 
  fish 
  -line. 
  The 
  lower 
  end 
  of 
  this 
  spool 
  bears 
  

   on 
  a 
  stop, 
  the 
  upper 
  end 
  being 
  kept 
  in 
  place 
  by 
  an 
  elastic 
  clasp, 
  which 
  

   can 
  be 
  moved 
  up 
  and 
  down 
  on 
  the 
  tube, 
  permitting 
  the 
  removal 
  of 
  the 
  

   spool, 
  and 
  can 
  be 
  set 
  to 
  bear 
  against 
  the 
  end 
  of 
  the 
  spool 
  with 
  sufficient 
  

   friction 
  to 
  prevent 
  the 
  spool 
  from 
  turning 
  too 
  rapidly. 
  In 
  the 
  tube 
  is 
  a 
  

   piston, 
  to 
  the 
  upper 
  end 
  of 
  which 
  is 
  attached 
  a 
  poinpon, 
  or 
  flag, 
  as 
  a 
  

   signal, 
  the 
  pompon 
  or 
  flag 
  being 
  drawn 
  into 
  the 
  tube 
  when- 
  the 
  trap 
  is 
  

   set, 
  but 
  shooting 
  up 
  into 
  sight 
  when 
  the 
  trap 
  is 
  sprung. 
  The 
  piston 
  is 
  

   impelled 
  upward 
  by 
  a 
  coiled 
  spring, 
  one 
  end 
  of 
  which 
  is 
  attached 
  to 
  the 
  

   tube 
  and 
  the 
  other 
  to 
  the 
  piston. 
  The 
  piston 
  is 
  a 
  rod 
  bent 
  out 
  laterally 
  

   at 
  its 
  lower 
  end, 
  which 
  projects 
  through 
  a 
  vertical 
  slot 
  in 
  the 
  side 
  of 
  the 
  

   tube 
  and 
  forms 
  a 
  tappet 
  for 
  co-operation 
  with 
  the 
  tripping-lever, 
  which 
  

   is 
  pivoted 
  to 
  the 
  outside 
  of 
  the 
  tube 
  and 
  has 
  its 
  inner 
  end 
  hooked 
  

   to 
  catch 
  upon 
  the 
  lateral 
  projection 
  of 
  the 
  piston, 
  with 
  the 
  other 
  end 
  

   (when 
  the 
  trap 
  is 
  set) 
  projecting 
  laterally 
  for 
  connection 
  with 
  the 
  fish- 
  

   line. 
  A 
  loop 
  at 
  a 
  convenient 
  point 
  is 
  tied 
  in 
  the 
  line 
  and 
  hung 
  upon 
  

   the 
  out 
  end 
  of 
  the 
  tripping-lever. 
  Thence 
  it 
  drops 
  into 
  the 
  water 
  with 
  

   a 
  hook 
  depending 
  therefrom. 
  When 
  a 
  fish 
  is 
  caught 
  its 
  pull 
  upon 
  the 
  

   line 
  detaches 
  the 
  hook 
  of 
  the 
  tripping-lever 
  from 
  the 
  lateral 
  projection 
  

   of 
  the 
  piston, 
  which 
  being 
  freed 
  flies 
  up 
  and 
  displays 
  the 
  signal 
  at 
  the 
  

   top. 
  

  

  CLAIMS. 
  

  

  " 
  1. 
  The 
  combination 
  of 
  the 
  tubular 
  body, 
  the 
  spring-piston 
  with 
  its 
  

   signal-top, 
  the 
  tripping- 
  lever, 
  and 
  the 
  fish-line, 
  all 
  substantially 
  as 
  de- 
  

   scribed, 
  and 
  for 
  purposes 
  specified. 
  

  

  "2. 
  The 
  combination 
  of 
  the 
  tubular 
  body, 
  the 
  spool 
  thereon, 
  the 
  

   spring-piston, 
  the 
  tripping-lever, 
  and 
  the 
  fish-line, 
  all 
  substantially 
  as 
  

   described, 
  and 
  for 
  purposes 
  specified." 
  

  

  No. 
  263638. 
  

  

  (Richmond 
  A. 
  Wentworth, 
  Appleton, 
  Me.; 
  patented 
  August 
  29, 
  1882; 
  fish-trap. 
  See 
  

  

  Plate 
  XV.) 
  

  

  This 
  invention 
  relates 
  to 
  that 
  class 
  of 
  attachments 
  for 
  fishing-lines 
  in 
  

   which 
  the 
  bait-hook 
  and 
  line, 
  when 
  pulled 
  by 
  the 
  fish, 
  operate 
  a 
  trigger, 
  

   releasing 
  a 
  spring 
  to 
  jerk 
  the 
  hook 
  suddenly 
  into 
  the 
  mouth. 
  A 
  metal 
  

   rod 
  has 
  an 
  eye 
  in 
  its 
  upper 
  end 
  for 
  the 
  attachment 
  of 
  the 
  line. 
  Encir- 
  

   cling 
  the 
  upper 
  end 
  of 
  the 
  rod, 
  and 
  fastened 
  with 
  one 
  end 
  near 
  its 
  top, 
  

   is 
  a 
  coiled 
  spring, 
  the 
  lower 
  end 
  of 
  which 
  is 
  fastened 
  to 
  a 
  cross 
  piece, 
  

   which 
  slides 
  upon 
  the 
  rod, 
  and 
  is 
  enlarged 
  where 
  the 
  rod 
  passes 
  through 
  

   it. 
  To 
  this 
  cross-piece 
  is 
  fastened 
  the 
  lower 
  part 
  of 
  the 
  fish-line, 
  to 
  

   which 
  the 
  bait-hook 
  is 
  attached. 
  This 
  part 
  of 
  the 
  line 
  passes 
  down 
  

   along 
  the 
  rod 
  and 
  over 
  a 
  small 
  sheave 
  at 
  its 
  bifurcated 
  lower 
  end. 
  

   Thence 
  it 
  passes 
  through 
  the 
  forked 
  lower 
  end 
  of 
  the 
  trigger 
  and 
  over 
  a 
  

   little 
  sheave 
  or 
  roller 
  inserted 
  therein. 
  Upon 
  the 
  lower 
  end 
  of 
  the 
  

   trigger 
  is 
  a 
  spring, 
  the 
  free 
  end 
  of 
  which 
  bears 
  against 
  the 
  lower 
  part 
  

  

  