Apparatus for aquaculture

• US 5,715,773 A
• Filed: 11/16/1995
• Issued: 02/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Andreas Martelius
• Original Assignee: Andreas Martelius
• Inventors: Martelius, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Swiatek, Robert P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAW, ELIZABETH ANNE
• Application Number:
  US08/553,353
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 119/208, 119/223, 119/239, 119/240, 43/6.5
• US Class Current: 119/223
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 61/00 Culture of aquatic animals receptacles for live fish, e.g. aquaria, A01K63/00
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 61/10 of fish
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 61/17 Hatching, e.g. incubators
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 61/54 of bivalves, e.g. oysters or mussels
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 61/60 Floating cultivation devices, e.g. rafts or floating fish-farms
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 63/00 Receptacles for live fish, e.g. aquaria keepnets or other containers for keeping captured fish A01K97/20; Terraria
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/81 Aquaculture, e.g. of fish

Abstract

An apparatus for aquaculture, in particular for rearing water-dwelling fry, which is intended to be placed preferably in flowing water or water with some wave formation, is kept floating with the aid of floating elements, and consists of a breeding space formed by two end walls, two side walls, and a bottom plate, where the side walls have a number of openings. A flow-intensifying member is arranged in the upper edge of the breeding space. The size of the openings is adjustable.

Claims

1. An apparatus for aquaculture for rearing water-dwelling fry, the apparatus is adapted to be floating in flowing water or in water having some wave formation, the apparatus comprising:

a frame;

a floating element attached to the frame;

two opposite end walls;

two opposite side walls placed in between the end walls and attached thereto;

a bottom plate attached to the end walls and the side walls so that the end walls, side walls and the bottom plate form a structure, the structure having an upper edge;

a breeding space defined by the structure;

a flow-intensifying member attached to the upper edge of the structure, the flow-intensifying member having solid walls; and

a plurality of openings defined in the structure, the openings having a size that is adjustable.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the flow-intensifying member is movably attached to the structure and a portion of the flow-intensifying member is vertically adjustable.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the flow-intensifying member has an inflow end and an outflow end, the outflow end is more narrow than the inflow end and the outflow end is attached to the structure.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the openings are defined in the side walls and the size of the openings is adjustable by sliding plates attached to the side walls.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the structure is vertically adjustable relative to the floating element.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the floating element is secured to the frame and the frame is attached to the structure and vertically adjustable relative thereto so that when the apparatus is placed in water, the vertical position of the structure is adjustable relative to a water level of the water.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus has a movable section in the bottom plate that is movable between an open position and a closed position, the movable section is aligned with the flow-intensifying member.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the apparatus includes an adjusting plate attached to the frame and positioned below the movable section, the adjusting plate has a front part and a lower part, the front part is angled obliquely upwardly towards the flow-intensifying member and the lower part is substantially parallel to the structure.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the front part of the adjusting plate is movable into a position that is parallel to the structure.

10. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the bottom plate has a movable portion that is movable between an open position and a closed position, the movable portion is remote from the movable section.

11. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the movable section is slot-shaped when the movable section is in the open position.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the bottom plate slopes downwardly from one of the end walls attached to the flow-intensifying member towards the opposite end wall.

13. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus has a transparent protective sheet placed on top of the structure.

14. An apparatus for aquaculture for rearing water-dwelling fry, the apparatus is adapted to be floating in flowing water or in water having some wave formation, the apparatus comprising:

a frame;

two opposite end walls;

two opposite side walls placed in between the end walls and attached thereto;

a bottom plate attached to the end walls and the side walls so that the end walls, side walls and the bottom plate from a rectangular-shaped structure, the structure having an upper edge, the bottom plate having a movable section that is movable between an open position and a closed position;

a breeding space defined by the structure;

a floating element attached to the frame, the floating element being vertically adjustable relative to the frame so that when the apparatus is placed in water, the vertical position of the structure is adjustable relative to a water level of the water, the floating element being aligned with the movable section of the bottom plate;

a flow-intensifying member having an inflow end and an outflow end, the outflow end being more narrow than the inflow end, the outflow being movably attached to the upper edge of the structure, the flow-intensifying member having a portion that is vertically adjustable relative to the frame, the bottom plate sloping downwardly and away from the flow-intensifying member;

a plurality of openings defined in the side walls, the openings having a size that is adjustable by sliding plates attached to the side walls;

an adjusting plate attached to the frame, the adjusting plate being positioned below the movable section of the bottom plate, the adjusting plate having a front part and a lower part, the front part being angled obliquely upwardly towards the flow-intensifying member and the lower part being substantially parallel to the structure; and

a transparent protective sheet placed on top of the structure.