US3658034A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Growing tank for crustaceans
Assignee: Ocean Protein Corp
•
Filing: 1969-12-24
•
Granted: 1972-04-25
•
Expires: 1989-12-24
Abstract
Abstract A tank apparatus and method for providing optimum conditions for the growth and maturation of crustaceans during the post-larval period. A series of interconnecting tanks is provided. Habitats are positioned in each growing tank to promote the growth of the post-larval crustaceans. The water environment in each tank is continuously changed to remove waste materials from the tank, thereby promoting growth of the crustaceans. The temperature of the water environment is also maintained at an optimum level to further such growth. A method for optimizing the growth of crustaceans during the post-larval stage to adult life.
Inventors
- 👤 John J Day
- 👤 Paul S Hirschman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 11:50
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01K; A01K61/00; A01K61/50; A01K61/59; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A40/00; Y02A40/80; Y02A40/81
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim
111 words
Apparatus to provide a suitable environment for the maturation of crustaceans during the post larval period comprising at least one fluid containing tank, and means within said tank for providing respective individual habitat enclosures for at least one of said crustaceans, said habitat means including means having a multiplicity of members which extend into the fluid of said tank from a common support and into and upon which the individual crustacean can crawl to seek a respective territory to establish an individual habitat, said members of said habitat means being spaced and aligned for defining a means permitting the fluid in the tank to flow through and around said habitat means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
111 words
Apparatus to provide a suitable environment for the maturation of crustaceans during the post larval period comprising at least one fluid containing tank, and means within said tank for providing respective individual habitat enclosures for at least one of said crustaceans, said habitat means including means having a multiplicity of members which extend into the fluid of said tank from a common support and into and upon which the individual crustacean can crawl to seek a respective territory to establish an individual habitat, said members of said habitat means being spaced and aligned for defining a means permitting the fluid in the tank to flow through and around said habitat means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of said habitat means in said tank.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
65 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said members of said means for providing said habitat enclosures comprise means forming a plurality of compartments which are open at both ends thereof and which provide an unobstrucTed passage from one end of the other, each compartment forming a said habitat enclosure, said compartment forming means arranged to permit a crustacean to crawl from one compartment to another.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 1 including means for continuously circulating a water environment in said tank.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 3, including means for maintaining the water environment in said tank at a substantially constant temperature.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said circulating means comprises standpipe and drainpipe means for maintaining a predetermined level of liquid in said tank.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said members of said means for providing said habitat enclosures comprises means forming a plurality of compartments which are open at both ends thereof, each compartment forming a said habitat enclosure, said compartment means arranged to permit a crustacean to crawl from one compartment to another.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said compartment forming means includes a plurality of members secured together to form a unit in which said compartments are substantially vertically slanted, and including means for mounting said unit in said tank.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 7 including means for continuously circulating water maintained at a substantially constant temperature within said tank and wherein the longitudinal axes of said compartments are aligned with the direction of flow of said water.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said compartment forming means includes a plurality of members in said tank which are secured together to form a unit in which said compartments are substantially vertically slanted, and including means for mounting said unit in said tank.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 3 including means for continuously circulating water maintained at a substantially constant temperature within said tank and wherein the longitudinal axes of said compartments are aligned with the direction of flow of said water.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
137 words
Apparatus to provide a suitable environment for the maturation of crustaceans during the post-larval period comprising a plurality of tanks, means for successively interconnecting adjacent tanks, habitat means in each of said tanks to provide a plurality of respective territories in which at least one crustacean can mature, said habitat means in the first tank comprising a plurality of vertically disposed screens for providing the respective territories for at least one crustacean to mature during the initial post-larval period in each of the successive tanks, and said habitat means in each of said remaining tanks comprises a plurality of substantially horizontal pipe segments aligned in vertically slanted units of pipe segments rigidly secured together, each of said pipe segments providing a sheltered territory for one or more crustaceans to mature to adulthood after said initial post-larval period.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
137 words
Apparatus to provide a suitable environment for the maturation of crustaceans during the post-larval period comprising a plurality of tanks, means for successively interconnecting adjacent tanks, habitat means in each of said tanks to provide a plurality of respective territories in which at least one crustacean can mature, said habitat means in the first tank comprising a plurality of vertically disposed screens for providing the respective territories for at least one crustacean to mature during the initial post-larval period in each of the successive tanks, and said habitat means in each of said remaining tanks comprises a plurality of substantially horizontal pipe segments aligned in vertically slanted units of pipe segments rigidly secured together, each of said pipe segments providing a sheltered territory for one or more crustaceans to mature to adulthood after said initial post-larval period.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein adjacent tanks are successively disposed at lower levels and including means for selectively emptying the contents of each tank into the next adjacent tank disposed at a lower level.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 12 including means for continuously circulating water at a substantially constant temperature in each of said tanks.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
168 words
A method of maturing crustaceans from the post larval period comprising the steps of: a. introducing post larval crustaceans into a fluid environment of a first growing tank, b. providing a plurality of habitats of territorial area in said first growing tank to permit individual crustacea to occupy a habitat, c. maturing said crustacea in said first tank for a given time period, d. moving said crustacea from said first growing tank into a fluid environment of a second growing tank, after a predetermined period of maturation, e. providing in said second growing tank a plurality of open ended habitat enclosures of larger territorial area than the habitats of said first growing tanks to permit individual crUstacea to occupy a habitat enclosure, the size of the territories of the respective habitats of said second growing tank being greater than the size of the territories of the habitats of said first growing tank, and f. maturing said crustacea in said second growing tank for a further period of time.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
168 words
A method of maturing crustaceans from the post larval period comprising the steps of: a. introducing post larval crustaceans into a fluid environment of a first growing tank, b. providing a plurality of habitats of territorial area in said first growing tank to permit individual crustacea to occupy a habitat, c. maturing said crustacea in said first tank for a given time period, d. moving said crustacea from said first growing tank into a fluid environment of a second growing tank, after a predetermined period of maturation, e. providing in said second growing tank a plurality of open ended habitat enclosures of larger territorial area than the habitats of said first growing tanks to permit individual crUstacea to occupy a habitat enclosure, the size of the territories of the respective habitats of said second growing tank being greater than the size of the territories of the habitats of said first growing tank, and f. maturing said crustacea in said second growing tank for a further period of time.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 15 including the step of continuously circulating the fluid environment in said growing tanks and maintaining the fluids in each of said tanks at a substantially constant temperature.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 15 in which said step of providing habitats comprises providing at least one mesh screen within said first growing tank, said screens providing the habitats for crustaceans to mature.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 15 in which said step of providing habitat enclosures comprises providing a unit having a plurality of compartments in said second growing tank, each of said compartments providing an individual habitat for at least one crustacean during maturation.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
60 words
Apparatus to provide a suitable environment for the maturation of crustaceans during the post larval period comprising at least one fluid containing tank, means in said tank forming a unit having a plurality of habitat compartments having means to permit access of the crustaceans thereto, which are arranged in rows, with a plurality of rows being stacked one above another.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
60 words
Apparatus to provide a suitable environment for the maturation of crustaceans during the post larval period comprising at least one fluid containing tank, means in said tank forming a unit having a plurality of habitat compartments having means to permit access of the crustaceans thereto, which are arranged in rows, with a plurality of rows being stacked one above another.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as in claim 19 wherein adjacent rows of habitat compartments are offset one from another to permit the crustaceans to crawl to different parts of said unit.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus as in claim 20 wherein each said habitat compartments is of a size to hold substantially only one crustacean.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
68 words
Apparatus as in claim 19 further comprising a second fluid containing tank, means in said second tank forming a unit having a plurality of habitat compartments which are arranged in rows with a plurality of rows being stacked one above the other, the habitat compartments of the unit in said second tank being of a larger size than the habitat compartments of said unit in said one tank.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as in claim 22 wherein adjacent rows of habitat compartments in each said unit are offset one from another to permit the crustaceans to crawl to different parts of each said unit.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
50 words
Apparatus as in claim 19 wherein each of said habitat compartments is open at both ends thereof, means for circulating water within said tank, said unit being located within said tank so that the longitudinal axis of each respective compartment is aligned substantially in the direction of the water circulation.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as in claim 19 wherein said habitat compartments are open at both ends thereof and are aligned to have all of the longitudinal axes thereof generally parallel.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as in claim 20 wherein said habitat compartments are open at both ends thereof and are aligned to have all of the longitudinal axes thereof generally parallel.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
105 words
Apparatus to provide a suitable environment for the maturation of crustaceans during the post-larval period comprising a plurality of fluid containing tanks, means for providing fluid interconnection between successive tanks, means in each said tank to provide an integral unit having a plurality of respective habitat enclosures in the form of compartments each defining a respective territory for at least one crustacean to mature, each of said compartments having means to permit access of the crustaceans thereto, the habitat means of each successive tank providing larger compartments and thereby larger territories than that of the preceding tank to provide for the maturation of larger crustaceans.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
105 words
Apparatus to provide a suitable environment for the maturation of crustaceans during the post-larval period comprising a plurality of fluid containing tanks, means for providing fluid interconnection between successive tanks, means in each said tank to provide an integral unit having a plurality of respective habitat enclosures in the form of compartments each defining a respective territory for at least one crustacean to mature, each of said compartments having means to permit access of the crustaceans thereto, the habitat means of each successive tank providing larger compartments and thereby larger territories than that of the preceding tank to provide for the maturation of larger crustaceans.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus as in claim 27 wherein said compartments are arranged in a plurality of rows stacked one atop another.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus as in claim 28 wherein adjacent rows of said compartments are offset one from another.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as in claim 28 wherein said habitat compartments are open at both ends thereof and are aligned to have all of the longitudinal axes thereof generally parallel.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2804045A
Cited
US2984207A
Cited
US2981228A
Cited
US3196833A
Cited
US3086497A
Cited
US3122126A
Cited
US3216395A
Cited
US3255731A
Cited
US3294061A
Cited
US3477406A
Cited
US3540414A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-04-25 | 1975-10-25 | 1976-04-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-04-25 | 1979-10-25 | 1980-04-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-04-25 | 1983-10-25 | 1984-04-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |