Apparatus and process for raising lobsters

Claim 2

A lobster raising apparatus comprising at least one covered sectioned tray, each tray having a single hollow aeration and feeding tube passing therethrough, which hollow tube passes through the center of each tray; the sections of each tray being divided by walls which prevent growing lobsters from migrating from one section to another; there being a plurality of holes in said hollow tube and said divider walls and the floors of each tray of a size too small to permit post-larval and larger lobsters to pass therethrough, there being present in said tube a pressure device for introducing air and finely divided particles of lobster diet through said holes in said hollow tube and into said sections of each tray.

Claim 3

The lobster raising apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein a plurality of trays are stacked one upon another.

Claim 4

The lobster raising apparatus claimed in claim 2 wherein two to about twenty trays are present in said stack.

Claim 5

The lobster raising apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said trays is divided into two to about eight sections.

Claim 6

The lobster raising apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said trays is circular.

Claim 7

The lobster raising apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said trays is square.

Claim 8

The lobster raising apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein ridges are present on the inside of said hollow tube.

Claim 9

The lobster raising apparatus claimed in claim 7 wherein the holes in said hollow tube are in said ridges and are slightly larger than the holes in the walls and the floors of each tray.

Claim 10

A process for maintaining and raising lobsters comprising placing a plurality of post-larval lobsters underwater in a sectioned tray in a lobster raising apparatus, no more than one lobster in a section, said apparatus comprising at least one sectioned tray, each tray having a single hollow tube passing therethrough, which hollow tube passes through the center of each tray; the sections of each tray being divided by walls which prevent growing lobsters from migrating from one section to another; placing a feeding and aeration pressure device in said hollow tube withdrawing said pressure device from said hollow tube as pressure is applied to expel air; and passing bubbles of said air through holes in said hollow tube and in said divider walls and the floors of said trays which holes are too small to permit passage therethrough of said post-larval and larger lobsters thereby permitting the water enveloping each of said lobsters to be suitably aerated.

Claim 11

A process for maintaining and raising lobsters comprising placing a plurality of post-larval lobsters underwater in a sectioned tray in a lobster raising apparatus, no more than one lobster in a section, said apparatus comprising at least one sectioned tray, each tray having a single hollow tube passing therethrough, which hollow tube passes through the center of each tray; the sections of each tray being divided by walls which prevent growing lobsters from migrating from one section to another; placing a feeding and aeration pressure device in said hollow tube withdrawing said pressure device from said hollow tube as pressure is applied to expel air; and passing bubbles of said air through holes in said hollow tube and in said divider walls and the floors of said trays which holes are too small to permit passage therethrough of said post-larval and larger lobsters thereby permitting the water enveloping each of said lobsters to be suitably aerated.

Claim 12

The process for maintaining and raising lobsters claimed in claim 9 wherein said pressure device contains finely divided particles of lobster diet and as the pressure is applied, said particles are expelled from said pressure device and pass with the air through the holes in said hollow tube into each section of each of the sectioned trays to thereby feed all of said lobsters with substantially the same diet.

Claim 13

The process for maintaining and raising lobsters claimed in claim 9 wherein said pressure device is guided in said hollow tube on ridges and is gradually withdrawn from said hollow tube as the pressure is applied.

Claim 14

The process for maintaining and raising lobsters claimed in claim 9 wherein a plurality of trays are stacked one upon another.

Claim 15

The process for maintaining and raising lobsters claimed in claim 9 wherein each of said trays is divided into two to about eight sections.

Claim 16

The process for maintaining and raising lobsters claimed in claim 11 wherein said ridges are positioned near the side arcs of the holes which enter into each section of each tray and said pressure device has a multiplicity of discharge ends, comprising positioning a discharge end in each set of ridges and discharging the contents of the pressure device through each ridge hole between the ridges as the discharge end passes each ridge hole while the pressure device is withdrawn from said hollow tube as pressure is applied.

Claim 17

The process for maintaining and raising lobsters claimed in claim 14 wherein said contents of the pressure device include food paste granules.