US3614167A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for conveying and handling articles
Assignee: INDUSTRIAL ESTATES Ltd A CROWN CORP
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Filing: 1969-09-29
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Granted: 1971-10-19
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Expires: 1989-09-29
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for conveying and handling somewhat delicate objects, such as fish, which includes an elongated generally horizontally disposed chamber the interior of which is connected to the intake of a suction fan. An elongated intake pipe is connected to one end of the elongated chamber and an exit chute is connected to the opposite end of the chamber. The exit chute includes a water trap therein to permit passage of articles therethrough while preventing entry of air into the chamber. The subatmospheric pressure created within the chamber by the suction fan arrangement causes air to flow rapidly through the intake pipe to carry the articles therethrough into the interior of the chamber where they are decelerated prior to passing into the exit chute. The device is provided to flow a stream of water longitudinally of the chamber from the end connected to the intake pipe to the other end which is connected to the exit chute thereby to assist in decelerating the articles while assisting in preventing damage thereto.
Inventors
- 👤 William C Patterson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 03:22
CPC Classifications
B; B63; B63B; B63B35/00; B63B35/14; B63B35/24; B63B27/00; B63B27/22; B65; B65G; B65G51/00; B65G51/01; B65G2201/00; B65G2201/02; B65G2201/0202; B65G2201/0211
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
170 words
A device for handling articles, particularly fish, comprising: a. an elongated enclosed chamber including a floor portion, b. an inlet passageway means associated with one end of said chamber and having a portion arranged to direct articles generally longitudinally of said chamber, c. an exit chute means connected to the opposite end of said chamber and adapted to contain a bath of liquid therein, said exit chute means being adapted to permit passage of articles through said liquid bath while preventing entry of air therethrough into said chamber, d. means for applying a subatmospheric pressure to the interior of the chamber to provide airflow through said inlet passageway means of velocity sufficient to carry said articles through the latter and into said chamber, e. and means for flowing a stream of liquid over the floor portion of said chamber and longitudinally of the latter whereby said articles enter the stream of liquid after passing through the inlet passageway means and prior to entering the liquid bath in the exit chute.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
170 words
A device for handling articles, particularly fish, comprising: a. an elongated enclosed chamber including a floor portion, b. an inlet passageway means associated with one end of said chamber and having a portion arranged to direct articles generally longitudinally of said chamber, c. an exit chute means connected to the opposite end of said chamber and adapted to contain a bath of liquid therein, said exit chute means being adapted to permit passage of articles through said liquid bath while preventing entry of air therethrough into said chamber, d. means for applying a subatmospheric pressure to the interior of the chamber to provide airflow through said inlet passageway means of velocity sufficient to carry said articles through the latter and into said chamber, e. and means for flowing a stream of liquid over the floor portion of said chamber and longitudinally of the latter whereby said articles enter the stream of liquid after passing through the inlet passageway means and prior to entering the liquid bath in the exit chute.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
The device according to claim 1 wherein the inlet passageway means are arranged such that articles passing therethrough enter said chamber in relatively closely spaced relation to the floor of the latter with such article thereafter being gently decelerated by entering said stream of liquid passing over the floor portion of the chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
The device according to claim 1 wherein said means for flowing the stream of liquid is arranged to direct the latter over the floor portion of said chamber from its one end adjacent the inlet passageway means to the other end and outwardly through said exit chute means and into the liquid bath contained within the latter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
An article handling device according to claim 3 wherein said exit chute means is constructed such that articles passing thereinto meet the surface of the liquid bath contained therein at an acute angle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
A device according to claim 4 wherein said exit chute means includes means for adjusting the level of said liquid bath.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein the floor portion of said chamber slopes downwardly from said one end of the chamber to said opposite end of the chamber at a shallow angle with respect to the horizontal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
A device according to claim 3 wherein the floor portion of said chamber slopes downwardly from said one end of the chamber to said opposite end of the chamber at a shallow angle with respect to the horizontal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The device according to claim 1 wherein said elongated chamber is generally horizontally disposed.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
242 words
A device for handling articles, particularly fish, comprising an elongated, generally horizontally disposed chamber including a floor portion; means defining an elongated inlet passageway having one end open to atmosphere and the opposite end connected to and leading into one end of said chamber and arranged to direct articles passing through the elongated inlet passageway lengthwise of said chamber from said one end towards the opposite end thereof, a suction device connected to apply a subatmospheric pressure to the interior of the chamber to cause air to rush through the inlet passageway means with sufficient velocity as to carry said articles therethrough and into said chamber, an exit chute means connected to the opposite end of said chamber and adApted to contain a bath of liquid therein, said exit chute means being adapted to permit passage of articles through said liquid bath while preventing entry of air therethrough from the atmosphere into said chamber, the elongated chamber being of a length sufficient as to permit any articles which are airborne at the time of entry into said chamber to settle by gravity substantially onto the floor of said chamber prior to entering the exit chute means, and means for providing a cushion of liquid over the floor portion of said chamber extending longitudinally of the latter whereby said articles enter the liquid cushion after passing through the inlet passageway means and prior to entering the liquid bath in the exit chute means.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
242 words
A device for handling articles, particularly fish, comprising an elongated, generally horizontally disposed chamber including a floor portion; means defining an elongated inlet passageway having one end open to atmosphere and the opposite end connected to and leading into one end of said chamber and arranged to direct articles passing through the elongated inlet passageway lengthwise of said chamber from said one end towards the opposite end thereof, a suction device connected to apply a subatmospheric pressure to the interior of the chamber to cause air to rush through the inlet passageway means with sufficient velocity as to carry said articles therethrough and into said chamber, an exit chute means connected to the opposite end of said chamber and adApted to contain a bath of liquid therein, said exit chute means being adapted to permit passage of articles through said liquid bath while preventing entry of air therethrough from the atmosphere into said chamber, the elongated chamber being of a length sufficient as to permit any articles which are airborne at the time of entry into said chamber to settle by gravity substantially onto the floor of said chamber prior to entering the exit chute means, and means for providing a cushion of liquid over the floor portion of said chamber extending longitudinally of the latter whereby said articles enter the liquid cushion after passing through the inlet passageway means and prior to entering the liquid bath in the exit chute means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
A device for handling articles according to claim 9 wherein the means for providing said liquid cushion comprise means for flowing a stream of liquid longitudinally of said chamber over the floor portion thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
A device according to claim 9 wherein the floor portion of said chamber slopes downwardly from said one end of the chamber to said opposite end of the chamber at a shallow angle with respect to the horizontal.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
257 words
A device for handling relatively delicate articles, particularly fish, comprising: an elongated, generally horizontally disposed enclosed chamber including a floor portion, an inlet passageway means adapted to extend to an article-receiving region such as the hold of a ship associated with one end of said chamber and in communication with the interior of the latter, said passageway means having a portion arranged to direct articles to pass through said passageway generally longitudinally of said chamber from said one end to the opposite end of said chamber, an exit chute means connected to said opposite end of said chamber and adapted to contain a bath of liquid therein, said exit chute means adapted to receive said articles which have passed longitudinally through said chamber and to permit passage of said articles through said liquid bath and outwardly of said exit chute means while preventing entry of air therethrough into said chamber, means for applying a subatmospheric pressure to the interior of the chamber to provide airflow through said inlet passageway means of velocity sufficient to carry said articles at a relatively high rate of speed through the latter and into said chamber, and means for flowing a stream of liquid over the floor portion of said chamber and longitudinally of the latter whereby said articles enter the stream of liquid after passing through the inlet passageway means and prior to entering the liquid bath in the exit chute, said liquid serving to cushion the floor of said chamber and assisting in preventing shock and damage to said articles.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
257 words
A device for handling relatively delicate articles, particularly fish, comprising: an elongated, generally horizontally disposed enclosed chamber including a floor portion, an inlet passageway means adapted to extend to an article-receiving region such as the hold of a ship associated with one end of said chamber and in communication with the interior of the latter, said passageway means having a portion arranged to direct articles to pass through said passageway generally longitudinally of said chamber from said one end to the opposite end of said chamber, an exit chute means connected to said opposite end of said chamber and adapted to contain a bath of liquid therein, said exit chute means adapted to receive said articles which have passed longitudinally through said chamber and to permit passage of said articles through said liquid bath and outwardly of said exit chute means while preventing entry of air therethrough into said chamber, means for applying a subatmospheric pressure to the interior of the chamber to provide airflow through said inlet passageway means of velocity sufficient to carry said articles at a relatively high rate of speed through the latter and into said chamber, and means for flowing a stream of liquid over the floor portion of said chamber and longitudinally of the latter whereby said articles enter the stream of liquid after passing through the inlet passageway means and prior to entering the liquid bath in the exit chute, said liquid serving to cushion the floor of said chamber and assisting in preventing shock and damage to said articles.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
133 words
The device according to claim 12 wherein the inlet passageway means are arranged such that articles passing therethrough enter said chamber in relatively close relation to the floor of the latter at a shallow angle relative thereto with such articles thereafter being gently decelerated by entering said stream of liquid passing over the floor portion of the chamber, said elongated chamber being of a length sufficient as to permit any articles which are airborne at the time of entry into said chamber to settle by gravity substantially onto the floor of said chamber prior to entering the exit chute means, said exit chute means being arranged such that all of the articles leaving from said chamber approach and enter the bath of liquid at an acute angle to the surface of the latter.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
80 words
The device according to claim 13 wherein said means for flowing the stream of liquid is arranged to direct the latter over the floor portion of said chamber from its one end adjacent the inlet passageway means to the other end and outwardly through said exit chute means and into the liquid bath contained within the latter, with the flow of liquid thus created in said exit chute means assisting in carrying said articles through and outwardly of the latter.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
An articLe handling device according to claim 12 wherein said exit chute means is constructed such that articles passing thereinto meet the surface of the liquid bath contained therein at an acute angle.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
A device according to claim 13 wherein said exit chute means includes means for adjusting the level of said liquid bath.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
38 words
A device according to claim 13 wherein the floor portion of said chamber slopes downwardly from said one end of the chamber to said opposite end of the chamber at a shallow angle with respect to the horizontal.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
38 words
A device according to claim 14 wherein the floor portion of said chamber slopes downwardly from said one end of the chamber to said opposite end of the chamber at a shallow angle with respect to the horizontal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-10-18 | 1975-04-19 | 1975-10-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-10-18 | 1979-04-19 | 1979-10-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-10-18 | 1983-04-19 | 1983-10-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |