Patent US3726251A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3726251A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fish rearing tank
Assignee: Marine Protein Corp
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Filing: 1970-10-23
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Granted: 1973-04-10
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Expires: 1990-10-23
Abstract
Abstract A large silo-like tank with a closed top and an interior overflow arrangement in which fish are grown at very high densities in an environment of substanially continuously flowing water and with a continuous input of additional oxygen. A series of portholes are disposed in the wall of the tank and vertically or diagonally spaced from one another. These portholes are normally covered with porthole covers. When harvesting the fish, the porthole covers are successively removed and the water in the respective portions of the tank flows out carrying the fish therewith to the level of the bottom of the porthole. Successive porthole covers are removed until all or a desired portion of the fish in the tank are harvested. In this fashion, the rate of flow of water during harvesting is minimized and consequently damage to the fish is minimized.
Inventors
- 👤 H Fremont
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 04:45
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01K; A01K61/00; A01K61/90; A01K61/95; A01K61/80; A01K61/85; A01K63/00; A01K79/00; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A40/00; Y02A40/80; Y02A40/81
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
136 words
A fish rearing tank having side walls and a bottom and forming a vessel of a size for containing water and a plurality of fish in the water, said side walls having therethrough a plurality of vertically displaced discharge openings, a plurality of said openings being of a size to permit passage of the fish therethrough, and means to selectively close each of said openings, whereby, when the level of the water is above a plurality of said discharge openings, the fish within said tank may be harvested from said tank by sequentially opening a plurality of said openings in a sequence from top to bottom to remove the fish from the tank under only a moderate head of pressure generated by the presence of the water in said tank, to avoid damage to the fish.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
136 words
A fish rearing tank having side walls and a bottom and forming a vessel of a size for containing water and a plurality of fish in the water, said side walls having therethrough a plurality of vertically displaced discharge openings, a plurality of said openings being of a size to permit passage of the fish therethrough, and means to selectively close each of said openings, whereby, when the level of the water is above a plurality of said discharge openings, the fish within said tank may be harvested from said tank by sequentially opening a plurality of said openings in a sequence from top to bottom to remove the fish from the tank under only a moderate head of pressure generated by the presence of the water in said tank, to avoid damage to the fish.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The tank of claim 1 further comprising: a water circulation system including bottom inlet means and top exit means for bottom-to-top flow of water through said tank.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The tank of claim 2, further comprising: an annular overflow gutter dispOsed inside said tank in the upper region thereof and communicating with said exit means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising: screen means at said exit means to filter the effluent from said tank.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The tank of claim 4, in which the vertical dimension of said tank is greater than the horizontal dimension thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The tank of claim 1, in which the vertical dimension of said tank is greater than the horizontal dimension thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The tank of claim 1, in which the vertical spacing between adjacent ones of said discharge openings is less than three feet.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
The tank of claim 1, further comprising: an inclinable trough adapted for mounting one end thereof adjacent the outside of one of said openings whereby the contents of the tank in the region of said opening may exit through said opening and along said trough.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
The tank of claim 1, further comprising: an inclinable chute adapted for mounting one end thereof adjacent the outside of one of said openings whereby the contents of the tank in the region of said openings may exit through said opening and along said chute.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
The tank of claim 1, further comprising: a. a top member mountable on top of said tank for rendering the tank opaque when said top member is in place, and b. a light source within said tank for controlling the color and intensity of the light within said tank.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The tank of claim 1, further comprising: a fish food hopper mounted in the top region of said tank for dispensing fish food in a controlled manner into said tank.
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) | 1976-04-09 | 1976-10-09 | 1977-04-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-04-09 | 1980-10-09 | 1981-04-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-04-09 | 1984-10-09 | 1985-04-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |