Patent ID: 11864539
Assignee: GRAND SHRIMP, LLC
Field: Other special machines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC A  Y | IPC A

Claim 2:
3. The shrimp aquaculture system of claim 2, wherein each of the first lower growth tray and the second lower growth tray comprises a drain valve that is movable between a closed position and an open position and comprises:
an inner valve sheath having an open top side, an open bottom side, and closed side walls, wherein the inner valve sheath slidably fits over a valve guide, wherein a height of the inner valve sheath at least partially defines a water level in the corresponding lower growth tray when the drain valve is in the closed position; and
an outer valve sheath having side walls surrounding the side walls of the inner valve sheath, wherein the side walls of the outer valve sheath have openings configured to allow water to pass through and to impede the shrimp from passing through, and wherein the inner valve sheath and the outer valve sheath are coupled to move together between the closed position and the open position;
wherein, when the drain valve is in the closed position, the drain valve is configured to permit water that is above the open top side of the inner valve sheath to pass through the open top side, through the inner valve sheath, through the open bottom side, and out an outlet on the corresponding lower growth tray, while water that is below the open top side of the inner valve sheath is impeded from flowing to the outlet by the closed side walls;
wherein the drain valve is configured to slide upward away from the corresponding outlet to transition from the closed position to the open position;
wherein, when the drain valve is in the open position, the drain valve is configured to permit the water and the shrimp to flow under the drain valve and out the corresponding outlet.