US3760767A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tank, filter and deproteinator for marine life
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-07-15
•
Granted: 1973-09-25
•
Expires: 1991-07-15
Abstract
Abstract A circular tank having a generally flat bottom with a sediment well positioned at one side thereof. Feces and other sediment are brought into the well by inducing a circular movement to the water within the tank to move the sediment around the tank and into the well. The tank preferably includes a standpipe arrangement within the well which continually removes the sediment from the well. The tank is preferably situated with the bottom sloping toward the sediment well. In large tanks, jets of water are positioned adjacent the bottom to jet the sediment up the slope of the tank where the circulation of the water then moves the sediment downwardly to the sediment well. Charged air bubbles are used to produce a froath of the dissolved protein surrounding the standpipe so that waste water also removes the protein. The tank is preferably made out of fiberglass so that it has very smooth internal surfaces which do not retain the sediment. The tank is inexpensively constructed using a fiberglass coated plywood bottom that is supported on a polygonal frame located centrally of the tank with the sediment well positioned between the frame and the sidewall of the tank. Outriggers from the frame extend under the sidewalls of the tank on opposite sides of the sediment well so that the sidewalls are utilized to carry verticle load and decrease the stresses in the bottom of the tank.
Inventors
- 👤 W Hickey
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 14:43
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01K; A01K63/00; A01K63/10; A01K63/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
167 words
A tank and filter system for marine life comprising: a tank having circular sidewalls and a flat bottom, a sediment well adjacent the sidewalls, a filter tank having a perforated partition therein, a siphon means having an elongated inlet that is positioned adjacent said bottom of said tank and to one side of said sediment well, said inlet being constructed and arranged to take suction in one direction from the layer of water which lies on the bottom and which contains the tank''s sediment and to produce a circulatory flow of said layer in said tank over the top of said sediment well, said siphon means discharging into said filter tank on one side of said perforated partition, and pump means taking suction on the other side of said perforated partition and discharging into said tank on the opposite side of said inlet from said sediment well and directing the water in the same circulatory direction of flow as caused by said inlet of said siphon means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
167 words
A tank and filter system for marine life comprising: a tank having circular sidewalls and a flat bottom, a sediment well adjacent the sidewalls, a filter tank having a perforated partition therein, a siphon means having an elongated inlet that is positioned adjacent said bottom of said tank and to one side of said sediment well, said inlet being constructed and arranged to take suction in one direction from the layer of water which lies on the bottom and which contains the tank''s sediment and to produce a circulatory flow of said layer in said tank over the top of said sediment well, said siphon means discharging into said filter tank on one side of said perforated partition, and pump means taking suction on the other side of said perforated partition and discharging into said tank on the opposite side of said inlet from said sediment well and directing the water in the same circulatory direction of flow as caused by said inlet of said siphon means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The combination of claim 1 in which said discharge of said pump means is directed at said sediment containing layer of water on said bottom.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
The combination of claim 2 in which said discharge of said pump means produces a flat layer of water that is directed at the tank bottom and which moves at a faster rate of speed than said layer of water containing the sediment.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination of claim 2 comprising a generally flat plate positioned generally parallel to the bottom of said tank and over which the discharge of said pump means is distributed.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The combination of claim 4 in which said flat plate converges toward said bottom in the direction of flow of said bottom layer of sediment containing water.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
77 words
The combination of claim 1 inn which said siphon means has a discharge end terminating downwardly into said filter, said combination including: an inlet pipe to said pump means generally paralleling said discharge end of said siphon means, said inlet pipe beginning well above the bottom of said tank to permit said filter to be removed from said siphon means and inlet pipe while they are intact by lowering movement of said filter relative to said tank.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
188 words
A tank and filter system for marine life comprising: a tank having circular sidewalls and a generally flat bottom, a sediment well adjacent the sidewalls, a filter outside of said tank and positioned above the bottom of said tank, said filter having a wall of filter material therein, a siphon having an elongated inlet that is positioned adjacent the bottom of said tank and arranged to take suction in one direction from the layer of water which lies on the bottom and which contains the tank''s sediment, said siphon having a discharge end terminating downwardly into said filter, and pump means taking suction through an inlet pipe positioned on the other side of said filter material and discharging into said tank in such manner as to help move said bottom layer of water containing said sediment to said siphon, said inlet pipe to said pump means generally paralleling said discharge end of said siphon, said inlet pipe beginning well above the bottom of said tank to permit said filter to be removed from said siphon and inlet pipe while they are intact by lowering movement of said filter.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
188 words
A tank and filter system for marine life comprising: a tank having circular sidewalls and a generally flat bottom, a sediment well adjacent the sidewalls, a filter outside of said tank and positioned above the bottom of said tank, said filter having a wall of filter material therein, a siphon having an elongated inlet that is positioned adjacent the bottom of said tank and arranged to take suction in one direction from the layer of water which lies on the bottom and which contains the tank''s sediment, said siphon having a discharge end terminating downwardly into said filter, and pump means taking suction through an inlet pipe positioned on the other side of said filter material and discharging into said tank in such manner as to help move said bottom layer of water containing said sediment to said siphon, said inlet pipe to said pump means generally paralleling said discharge end of said siphon, said inlet pipe beginning well above the bottom of said tank to permit said filter to be removed from said siphon and inlet pipe while they are intact by lowering movement of said filter.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
FR453843A
Cited
US1528179A
Cited
US2672845A
Cited
US3116712A
Cited
US3321081A
Cited
US3374771A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-09-24 | 1977-03-26 | 1977-09-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-09-24 | 1981-03-26 | 1981-09-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-09-24 | 1985-03-26 | 1985-09-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |