Year: 1888

page_text: I, GEORGE PITT of Sutton in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, (a communication
to me from abroad by Captain von Mühlenfels of Carlskrona, in the Kingdom of
Sweden) do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for carrying live fish.
The apparatus is so arranged that the fish are maintained under approximately
natural conditions as regards pressure, temperature and aeration.
On ship board tanks are provided to receive baskets containing the live fish. These
tanks are closed by tightly fitting covers and pipes through which water and air are
forced into the tanks are also provided. There is an outlet from the top of each
tank by a valve which is so weighted as to maintain in the tank the pressure
desired.
Pulsometers are employed to force water and air into the tanks or pumping
apparatus may be provided. When necessary the water may be cooled by means
of ice.
For railway traveling similar arrangements are made but the same water is
continuously circulated filtered or strained and cooled. A floating well is provided
in the tank to keep the fish from the walls of the tank. The sides of the well are
of open fabric and the water passes freely through. The well is connected with
the walls of the tank by india rubber springs which keep it in place.
1000

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Carrying Live Fish.
I, GEORGE PITT, of Sutton, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, (a communi
cation to me from abroad by Captain von Mühlenfels of Carlskrona, in the Kingdom
of Sweden,) do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
The object of the invention is an apparatus to transport live fish (either fresh-
water fish or sea-fish) on board steamers or on railway trucks.
Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings show the arrangement as applied to the transport
of live fish on railway trucks.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation and Figure 2 is a plan of a railway truck in
which the apparatus is placed. Figure 3 shows a portion of the mechanism.
:
a is a wooden tank with strong iron hoops and a lid which is kept air tight by screws
and india rubber_packing..
Inside the tank are floating fish boxes or holders bb of which the lids and bottoms
are of wood, pierced with holes and the sides are of strong fish-net. To strengthen
the sides ribs of wood are placed vertically outside from top to bottom at a distance
of 0.5 meter between them.
The tanks are made in this way that the fish may not be hurt when transported
by knocking against the walls of the tank. To prevent shaking when the truck is in-
motion the fish boxes or holders are fastened by spiral springs to the outer tank.
c is a force pump for circulating the water and d is an air pump. The pumps are
worked by a pulley or other combination from one of the wheel axles. A roller and
weight is applied to keep the belt always tight even when the truck plays up and down
on its springs.
From the bottom of the tank the pump takes water by the pipe e and forces it
through the pipe f to the filter and cooling apparatus g which has its place on the
lid of the tank. The water after it has been cooled and filtered goes back into
the tank.
The filter g consists of a small vessel with an airtight cover in which a spiral forming
part of the pipe f is put and round which ice is placed. At the bottom of the vessel
is a hair-sieve which takes out all the slime and other dirt which the fish exudes in
the water.
By the air pump d (Figure 3) air is forced in the tank by the pipe which
passes inside along both sides of the bottom of the tank and is perforated with
small holes to effect an equal distribution of air amongst the water.
To prevent too strong pressure from the water or the air there are safety valves
on the lids of the tank. To fill the tank with water there is placed on the pipe e
a three way cock so that the suction from the tank may be turned off and water be
taken instead through the pipe i which by a hoso is connected with a suitable place
from where the water can be drawn.

page_text: When the truck is standing still the belt is taken off and the pumps are worked by
hand by a crank handle put on the axle of the pulley.
When the train stops and the pumping ceases valves on the pump pipe as well as
on the air pipo close, the same being arranged so that they are opened by pressure
from outside but closed by pressure from inside the tank. Thus air is stored sufficient
for the fish during the time the train is at a standstill at a station where there may
not be time enough to pump by hand.
If this apparatus is put aboard a steamer the moving power is derived from a steam
winch and is conveyed by a belt or a chain and the water is taken direct from the sea
by suction pipes from the pump. Always care is taken that the tank shall be kept
quite full to prevent the movement of the water in the same in rough weather. As
soon as the vessel comes in a river or into unclean water the supply of water is
cut off and the apparatus is worked in the way mentioned before when transported
by railway truck.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that
what I claim is :-
1. Apparatus. substantially as described for transporting fish on railway trucks or
on ship board; the fish being placed in an air tight tank to which water and air are
continually supplied by pumps and the whole so arranged that the tank is kept full of
water and sufficiently supplied with air.
2. Apparatus such as is referred to in the preceding claim so arranged that a
pressure of water and air is maintained within the tank.
3. Apparatus such as is referred to in the first claim so arranged that the water is
passed through a cooler whilst it is circulated by the pump.
4. Apparatus such as is referred to in the first claim so arranged that the water is
passed through a filter whilst it is circulated by the pump.
5. Apparatus such as is referred to in the first claim, so arranged that the fish
are contained in floating boxes or fish holders moored within the tank.
6. Apparatus such as is referred to in the first claim and provided with floating
boxes or fish holders and springs connecting such boxes or holders with the walls
of the tank.
Dated this 23rd day of February 1889.