Self-cleaning aquarium

Claim 2

A self-cleaning aquarium comprising in combination: a water-containing tank, said tank having a lower wall with a plurality of upwardly divergent conical surfaces of polygonal transverse crosssection arranged in side-by-side relation to one another, each surface having a drain positioned at its apex to receive sedimentary material moving downwardly across the associated conical surface, a suction tube connected to the drain to withdraw water and sedimentary material from the tank, and means for supplying clarified water to the tank to replace the water removed by the suction tube.

Claim 3

The aquarium of claim 1 wherein each of said drains are operably connected in fluid communication with the same suction tube.

Claim 4

The aquarium of claim 1 further including a perforated substantially horizontal partition immediately above the conical surfaces whereby rocks of a predetermined size can be supported on the partition but sedimentary material of a smaller size can pass through the partition onto the conical surfaces.

Claim 5

The aquarium of claim 1 further including a secondary suction tube connected in fluid communication with the first-mentioned suction tube at a location near the liquid level in said tank, said secondary suction tube having a smaller cross-sectional area than the first-mentioned suction tube and extending into the liquid in a position to attract solid particles that are suspended in the liquid in the tank so that they can be removed from the tank along with the sedimentary material through said first-mentioned suction tube.

Claim 6

A self-cleaning aquarium comprising in combination a liquid containing tank having side walls and a bottom wall, a plurality of juxtaposed, upwardly divergent conical surfaces of polygonal transverse cross-section on a lower wall disposed in the tank adjacent the bottom wall, a downwardly opening drain at the apex of each conical surface, a suction tube extending from beneath the lower wall through the top of the tank, connecting tubes attached to a lower portion of the suction tube and to each of said drains whereby each of said drains is in fluid communication with the suction tube so that liquid and sedimentary material on the conical surfaces can be drawn through the drain and expelled from the tank through the suction tube, replenishing means for filling the tank with a volume of liquid equivalent to the volume of liquid withdrawn by the suction tube, and a perforated partition disposed in the tank immediately above the conical surfaces, the perforations in the partition being of a size such that rocks of a predetermined size will be supported on the partition and sedimentary material of a smaller size will pass through the partition and will be deposited on the conical surfaces for removal from the tank.

Claim 7

A self-cleaning aquarium comprising in combination a liquid containing tank having side walls and a bottom wall, a plurality of juxtaposed, upwardly divergent conical surfaces of polygonal transverse cross-section on a lower wall disposed in the tank adjacent the bottom wall, a downwardly opening drain at the apex of each conical surface, a suction tube extending from beneath the lower wall through the top of the tank, connecting tubes attached to a lower portion of the suction tube and to each of said drains whereby each of said drains is in fluid communication with the suction tube so that liquid and sedimentary material on the conical surfaces can be drawn through the drain and expelled from the tank through the suction tube, replenishing means for filling the tank with a volume of liquid equivalent to the volume of liquid withdrawn by the suction tube, and a perforated partition disposed in the tank immediately above the conical surfaces, the perforations in the partition being of a size such that rocks of a predetermined size will be supported on the partition and sedimentary material of a smaller size will pass through the partition and will be deposited on the conical surfaces for removal from the tank.

Claim 8

A self-cleaning aquarium comprising in combination a liquid-containing tank, said tank having a lower wall having at least one inclined surface, a drain positioned near the lower end of the inclined surface to receive sedimentary material moving downwardly across the inclined surface, a suction tube connected to one end of the drain and passing upwardly through the lower wall to a location exteriorly of the tank to draw liquid and sedimentary material from the inclined surface, a filter device exteriorly of the tank disposed to receive liquid passing through said suction tube, a return tube operatively connected to the filter to direct the liquid passing through the filter back into the tank, and pumping means operatively arranged to effect movement of the liquid through the return tube whereby liquid in the tank is recycled and sedimentary material in the tank is removed therefrom and captured in the filter.

Claim 9

A self-cleaning aquarium comprising in combination a liquid-containing tank, said tank having a lower wall having at least one inclined surface, a drain positioned near the lower end of the inclined surface to receive sedimentary material moving downwardly across the inclined surface, a suction tube connected to one end of the drain and passing upwardly through the lower wall to a location exteriorly of the tank to draw liquid and sedimentary material from the inclined surface, a filter device exteriorly of the tank disposed to receive liquid passing through said suction tube, a return tube operatively connected to the filter to direct the liquid passing through the filter back into the tank, and pumping means operatively arranged to effect movement of the liquid through the return tube whereby liquid in the tank is recycled and sedimentary material in the tank is removed therefrom and captured in the filter.

Claim 10

The aquarium of claim 6 wherein said pump is a liquid pump and is operatively connected to the outlet from said filter device so as to receive liquid from the filter and force it through the return tube back to the tank.

Claim 11

The aquarium of claim 6 wherein said filter device includes an enclosed chamber having an inlet and an outlet, a filtering material confined in the chamber which will block the passage of solid particles but will admit the passage of the liquid, and a removable cap which when removed permits removal and replacement of the filtering material whereby the filter device can be easily cleaned.

Claim 12

The aquarium of claim 8 wherein said inlet has connector means for fluid-tight attachment to the suction tube and said outlet has connector means for fluid-tight attachment to said pumping means.

Claim 13

The aquarium of claim 9 further including a baffle within said enclosed chamber of the filter device adjacent the inlet thereto to disperse liquid passing into the chamber.

Claim 14

The aquarium of claim 10 wherein said enclosed chamber of the filter device is enlongated with the inlet at one end and the outlet at the other, said removable cap being at the inlet end of said chamber, and said filter device further including a removable retainer for said filter material whereby the filter material can be removed from the chamber by removing the cap and the retainer.

Claim 15

The aquarium of claim 11 wherein said inlet of the filter device is in the removable cap and wherein said baffle comprises a planar plate with a plurality of openings therethrough and is affixed to the cap in alignment with said inlet.

Claim 16

A self-cleaning aquarium comprising in combination: a water-containing tank having a bottom wall, a lower wall with an inclined surface, the lowermost extent of the inclined surface being closely adjacent to said bottom wall, a drainage opening in the lower wall adjacent the lowermost extent of the incline surface adapted to receive sedimentary material moving downwardly across the inclined surface, a suction tube communicating with said drainage opening, said suction tube passing between said lower wall and the bottom wall of the tank then extending upwardly through the lower wall to a location exteriorly of the tank to carry water and sedimentary material from the tank, and means for supplying clarified water to the tank to replace the water removed by the suction tube.

Claim 17

A self-cleaning aquarium comprising in combination: a water-containing tank having a bottom wall, a lower wall with an inclined surface, the lowermost extent of the inclined surface being closely adjacent to said bottom wall, a drainage opening in the lower wall adjacent the lowermost extent of the incline surface adapted to receive sedimentary material moving downwardly across the inclined surface, a suction tube communicating with said drainage opening, said suction tube passing between said lower wall and the bottom wall of the tank then extending upwardly through the lower wall to a location exteriorly of the tank to carry water and sedimentary material from the tank, and means for supplying clarified water to the tank to replace the water removed by the suction tube.