Larvae collection system
First Claim
1. A small, aquatic animal-collecting apparatus which comprisesa container suitable for retaining water being open at the upper end and closed at the other;
- a fluid inlet means to said container;
a fluid conduit positioned within and extending about the vertical length of said container and passing through a lower portion of said container;
a fluid outlet means positioned in the upper portion of said conduit; and
a screening means positioned between the side walls of the container and said fluid outlet means so that said small aquatic animals are retained in said container in a life sustaining amount of water, while excess water is allowed to pass through said screening device and out said outlet means, said screening means comprisinga first plate;
a second plate parallel to, spaced from, and about the same size as said first plate;
said conduit passing through an apperture centrally located in said first plate, the end of said conduit being attached to a face of said second plate, the corresponding edges of said plates being the same distance from the outer wall of said conduit; and
a fluid permeable material extending between the edges of said plates and enclosing a portion of said conduit and said fluid outlet means positioned on the upper portion of said conduit by being snugly fitted at least around the periphery of said first plate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention is a small, aquatic animal-collecting device which comprises a container for water being open at one end and closed at the other; a fluid inlet means to said container; a fluid conduit means positioned within and extending about the vertical length of the container and passing through the bottom of the container; a fluid outlet means positioned in the upper portion of the conduit; and a screening means positioned between the side walls of the container and the fluid outlet means so that the animals are retained in the container in sufficient water, while excess water passes through the screen and out the outlet means. This apparatus is particularly well suited for the process of collecting prawn larvae from a closed-loop aquaculture system.
13 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A small, aquatic animal-collecting apparatus which comprises
a container suitable for retaining water being open at the upper end and closed at the other; -
a fluid inlet means to said container; a fluid conduit positioned within and extending about the vertical length of said container and passing through a lower portion of said container; a fluid outlet means positioned in the upper portion of said conduit; and a screening means positioned between the side walls of the container and said fluid outlet means so that said small aquatic animals are retained in said container in a life sustaining amount of water, while excess water is allowed to pass through said screening device and out said outlet means, said screening means comprising a first plate; a second plate parallel to, spaced from, and about the same size as said first plate; said conduit passing through an apperture centrally located in said first plate, the end of said conduit being attached to a face of said second plate, the corresponding edges of said plates being the same distance from the outer wall of said conduit; and a fluid permeable material extending between the edges of said plates and enclosing a portion of said conduit and said fluid outlet means positioned on the upper portion of said conduit by being snugly fitted at least around the periphery of said first plate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A process for collecting newly hatched, small aquatic animals from a hatching tank containing a parental female without removing said female from said hatching tank, which process comprises
passing a life sustaining amount of water along with said newly hatched, small, aquatic animals from said hatching tank into a container suitable for retaining water being open at one end and closed at the other, said container having (i) a fluid conduit positioned within and extending about the length of said container and passing through a lower portion of said container, (ii) a fluid outlet means positioned in the upper portion of said conduit, and (iii) a screening means positioned between side walls of the container and said fluid outlet means and allowing excess water to pass through said screening device and out said outlet means while retaining said small aquatic animals in said container in a life sustaining amount of water while retaining said parental female in said hatching tank.
Specification