The Application of Pure Oxygen Gas to the Transport of Live Fish.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd June, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 26th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 30th Apr., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
The Application of Pure Oxygen Gas to the Transport of Live Fish.
FRANCIS GEORGE RICHMOND, of Buckland Fishery, Braunton, North Devon, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
Pure oxygen gas is placed in a container, which is either detachable or part of
the carrier itself, in such a manner that the gas is in contact with the surface of
the water in which the fish are carried.
The container is made of such a shape as to spray the water whenever the move-
ment of the journey agitates it. In this way the oxygen is rapidly absorbed by
the water and replaces that abstracted by the respiration of the fish.
The fish carrier and gas container may be arranged in various ways.
According to one arrangement, with separable gas containers the carrier is in
the form of a cylindrical vessel with its cover sloping upwards and inwards and
terminating in a cylindrical upward projection of less diameter than the body of
the vessel.
In this vessel, which is filled with water up to the springing of the cover I place
on suitable legs preferably two cylindrical gas containers, each having on its lower
side a hole through which the gas is introduced by a flexible tube displacing the
water.
The gas containers are held down by cords passed through rings at the bottom
of the vessel and attached to hooks at the mouth of the vessel which is large
enough to admit the gas containers.
According to a modified arrangement the gas is contained in the carrier itself
which has a conical cover with a cock or valve at its apex, and a side compart-
ment separated by a partition which does not reach to the bottom of the vessel
this side compartment extending up higher than the apex of the cone and being
open at the top. The valve at the apex being opened the vessel is charged with
water which fills the cone as well as the rest of the vessel. The upper part of the
vessel is then charged with oxygen by means of a flexible tube introduced by the
side compartment and passed under the partition.
Dated this 2nd day of June 1897.
The Application of Pure Oxygen Gas to the Transport of Live Fish.
I, FRANCIS GEORGE RICHMOND, of Buckland Fishery, Braunton, North Devon,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is
[Price 8d.]

page_text: to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement:
―
My invention relates to a method of preserving fish alive during transport by
supplying oxygen to the water in which they are carried, and to apparatus for
this purpose as I shall describe with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Figs. 1 and 2 are sections on planes at right angles to each other and Fig. 3 is
a sectional plan of apparatus according to my invention Figs. 1 and 2 are part
sections of a modifications.
Fig. 4 is a vertical section and Fig. 5 is a plan of a further modification.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, A is a vessel for containing the water and the
fish.
In this vessel I place two cylinders B charged or partly charged with oxygen.
Each of these cylinders has an opening 6 on its lower side.
It is supported on a triangular frame C at each end and held down in position
by a cord D one end of which is passed through a ring fixed at the bottom of the
vessel A and attached to the lower side of the cylinder B. The other end of the
cord is passed through a ring d at the mouth of the vessel A, and tied.
As the vessel is carried oxygen is absorbed by the water and serves for respira-
tion of the fish.
As shewn in Figs. 1 and 2* instead of holding down the cylinders B by cords
they are held down by rods d hooked into eyes a fixed to the bottom of the
vessel A each rod passes through a tube c fixed in the cylinder B and is provided
with a screw nut to press the cylinder down on to the frames C.
Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, E is a vessel closed at the top, so that its upper
part F serves as the reservoir for oxygen. At the side of the vessel there is a
column G which is open at the top and of such height that the column of water in
it shall balance the pressure of the oxygen in F. A partition H extends down
nearly to the bottom of the vessel.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The herein described method of preserving fish alive during transport by
supplying oxygen to the water in which they are carried.
2. In combination with a vessel for transporting fish a pair of cylinders con-
taining oxygen submerged in the water in the vessel, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
3. A vessel for transporting fish having its upper part charged with oxygen,
and having a side column and partition substantially as described.
Dated this 26th day of February 1898.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.