IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND ADDARAMIZO TO
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Crofts, of Herne Bay, in the County of
Kent, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND
ADDARAMIZO TO THR
Sealed the 20th October 1864, and dated the 25th April 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Crofts at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th April 1864.
I, WILLIAM CROFTS, of Herne Bay, in the County of Kent, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MEANS AND APPARATUS USED IN THE PROPAGATION OF OYSTERS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists, in the first place, in the use of tanks or vivaria in
which the oysters are deposited for the purpose of breeding. Water is
allowed to flow constantly through these tanks. The oysters are placed in rows
in an inclined position, with their mouths slanting upwards at almost an angle
of 30 degrees with the ground, and supported in this position at intervals by
long narrow tiles about half an inch thick, running transversely across the
tanks. These tiles are made of a mixture of blue estuary clay, calcined
oyster shells, cracked cockle and oyster shell, and Roman cement baked in
the sun or otherwise hardened. They are provided with lugs or projections

page_text: on their back surfaces for holding them up at the proper angle for the support
of the oysters. They are indented with grooves arranged to subdivide them
into squares, and perforated with holes to increase the facility with which they
can be broken up should the young oysters adhere to their surface. Above
and over these oyster tiles are placed spat or brood collectors, which consist of
long round bars of wood, also traversing the beds transversely, and supported
at each end by chairs or dogs so as to raise them slightly over the oyster tiles.
These collectors are perforated for the reception of bunches of broom, heather,
coir, cork, or other such material as the spat or brood. of the oyster may like
to adhere to. These bunches radiating from the centre form a proper
receptacle for this purpose. These collectors can be placed in a tideway
near to or over ordinary oyster beds for the collection of spat or brood if
required.
Secondly, this Invention includes spat collectors in the shape of four
rectangular tiles radiating from a hollow boss in the centre (in cross section,
in form of a cross) and perforated with holes, which are filled with cork,
kamptulicon, or such like material, to which the spat will readily adhere.
These are lowered down in a tideway, and taken up again when required
to be examined.
Thirdly, this Invention further.consists of acclimatisers or water tanks,
vivaria, or receptacles for the reception of oysters, the temperature of which can
be regulated or altered by ordinary mechanical appliances, and the proportion
of salt water and fresh also varied by the same means, so that .it. will not be
necessary for the oysters to be taken at once from the sea or returned to their
natural element, as they can be acclimatised to the water in the tanks by
gradual stages.
Fourthly, this Invention consists of a hive or case for experimental
breeding of oysters, to be lowered into deep water with a chain and buoy
attached. : :
Fifthly, the Invention consists of a vermin collector for taking up starfish
and other such things from the oyster beds. It is formed of two wheels on
a spindle, connected by rollers placed round and inside their circumferences,
these rollers being armed with bunches of coir or such bristly substance. The
collector is dragged over the oyster beds and gathers the vermin, which it
deposits in a bag suspended from the axis or spindle for that purpose.
Sixthly, this Invention consists of a circular case or frame of wicker or
stake work, lined inside with tiles and covered at the top, to be fixed in the
tideway or on the beach. In this will be placed oysters for breeding, and the
water will be changed every rise and fall of the tide; also fresh water can be

page_text: mixed with the salt water in these receptacles, by means of a pipe from the
shore. These,sunk receptacles, may be of any other suitable material than
wickerwork. In operating with the above apparatus I do so either with or
without the action of voltaic electro-galvanism.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by, the said William Crofts in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
- 25th October, 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CROPTS, of Herne Bay, in the County of Kent, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four,-in-the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said William Crofts, Her special licence that I, the said
William Crofts, my 'executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Crofts, my executors, administrators, and, assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS USED IN THE PROPAGATION
or OYSTERS," upon the condition (aniongst others) that I, the said William
Crofts, my executors or administrators, by an instrument' in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner -the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent. Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Crofts, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly. described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed.
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-)
-
This Invention relates, in the first place, to the use of tanks or vivaria in
which the oysters are deposited for the purpose of breeding. Water is
allowed to flow constantly through these tanks. The oysters are placed in

page_text: rows in an inclined position, with their mouths upwards, and supported in
this position at intervals by long narrow tiles about half an inch thick,
running transversely across the tanks. These tiles are made of a mixture of
blue estuary clay, calcined oyster shells, cracked cockle and oyster shells, and
Roman cement baked in the sun or otherwise hardened. They are provided
with lugs or projections at their back surfaces for holding them up at the
proper angle for the support of the oysters. These tiles are indented with
grooves arranged to subdivide them into squares, and perforated with holes
to increase the facility with which they can be separated into parts; should
the young oysters adhere to their surface they are further perforated, and the
boles filled with cork or other substance suitable to induce the deposit of the
spat. Above and over these oyster tiles are placed spat or brood collectors,
which consist of long round bars of wood, also traversing the beds trans-
versely, and supported at each end by chairs or dogs, so as to raise them
slightly over the oyster tiles. These collectors are perforated for the reception
of bunches of broom, heather, coir, cork, or other such material as may
induce spat or brood of the oyster to adhere. These bunches radiate from a
centre, or are otherwise arranged to form a proper attraction. These col-
Jectors may be placed in a tideway, near to or over ordinary oyster beds, for
the cultivation of the spat or brood if required.
This Invention further has reference to acclimatisers or water tanks,
vivaria, or receptacles for the reception of oysters, the temperature of which
can be regulated or altered by ordinary mechanical appliances, and the pro-
portion of salt water and fresh also varied by the same means, so that it will
not be necessary for the oysters to be taken at once from the sea or returned
to their natural element, but can be acclimatised to the water in the tanks by
gradual stages.
This Invention also relates to a vermin collector for taking up starfish and
other such things from the oyster beds. It is formed of two wheels on a
spindle, connected by rollers, being armed with bunches of coir or such bristly
substance, or hooks. The collector is dragged over the oyster beds and
gathers the vermin, which it deposits in a vessel suspended from the axis or
spindle for that purpose.
This Invention also relates to spat collectors in the shape of four rect-
angular tiles, radiating from a hollow boss in the centre (in cross section, in
the form of a cross) and perforated with holes, which are filled with cork,
kamptulicon, or such material, to which the spat will readily adhere. These
are lowered down in a tideway, and taken up again when required to be
examined, or they may be used in the vivaria instead of in the tideway.

page_text: the water will be changed at every rise and fall of the tide, also fresh water can
be mixed with the salt water in these receptacles by means of a pipe from
the shore. In operating with the above apparatus I do so either with or
without the action of voltaic electro-galvanism.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
First, with reference to the tanks or vivaria in which the oysters are
deposited for the purpose of breeding, water is allowed to flow constantly
through the tanks, it being filtered as it passes in and aerated by falling from
a height into the tank.
Fig. 1 of the Drawings annexed shows a vertical section, and Fig. 1* a
plan of a vivaria, which will elucidate the principle of my Invention.
:
A is the upper receptacle for the receipt of the supply of salt water, which
runs through perforations in its side into B; which is filled with some proper
filtering medium, through which the water percolates until it reaches the
bottom, rising between two plates C, and falling over the top D on to a
spreader I for aerating the water, which passes thence into the larger part of
the tank E; in this tank are placed tiles, or such substances as are herein
described, to collect the spat or young from certain oysters deposited therein!
Fresh and hot water is mixed with the salt water as required, by means of
the pipes F, F, which are carried to the bottom of the filtering tank. As the
water is drawn out of the vivaria. at bottom, any spat not deposited upon the
collectors is caught upon the gravel or other substance deposited in troughs
G, G, G, G, from the compartments below which the waste pipes lead. O is
the spill water. In the large vivaria the oysters are placed in rows in an
inclined position, with their mouths slanting upwards, and are supported in
this position at intervals by long narrow double tiles, about half an inch in
thickness, running transversely across the tanks. Fig. 2 shows this arrange-
ment in elevation, and Fig. 2* the same in plan. Fig. 3 shows a portion on
an enlarged scale, while Fig. 3* shows details of tiles on an enlarged scale.
These tiles S are made of a mixture of blue estuary clay, calcined oyster
shells, cracked. cockle and oyster shells, and Roman cement baked in the sun
or otherwise hardened. They are provided with lugs or projections on their
back parts for holding them up at the proper angle for the support of the

page_text: oysters, and are perforated with holes, which are filled with cork or such
other suitable substance. Above and over these oyster tiles are placed spat
or brood collectors H, which consist of long round bars of wood, on these bars
of wood are strung collectors, as will be herein-after described, also traversing
the beds transversely, and supported at each end by chairs or dogs, so as to
raise them slightly above the oyster tiles.. These collectors can be employed
in the tideway near to ordinary oyster beds for the collection of spat or brood
if required; they may also be anchored in position instead of being supported
by dogs.
Secondly, with reference to acclimatisers, water tanks, vivaria, or recep-
tacles for the reception of oysters are provided, the temperature of which can
be regulated or altered by ordinary means and appliances, and the proportion
of salt water and fresh water also varied, so that it will not be necessary for
the oysters to be taken at once from the sea or returned to their natural
element, but can be acclimatised to the water in the tanks by gradual stages.
2.
Fig. 4 represents a plan, and, Fig. 4* an end elevation of a vermin col-
lector for taking up starfish and other such things from the oyster beds. It
is formed of two wheels L, L, fixed on a spindle K, and connected by rollers
arranged round within the circumference of L; these rollers are furnished
with bunches of coir M, or such bristly substances, or alternately with
hooks, N. This apparatus is further provided with a guard P behind to keep
the vermin up against the hooks N. The collector is dragged over the oyster
beds in the manner of a garden roller and picks up the vermin, which it
deposits in a box or vessel R suspended from the centre spindle for that
purpose.
Fig. 5 represents a plan, and Fig. 5* side view of a spat collector; con-
sisting of rectangular tiles T in the form of a cross, with a hollow boss U in
the centre, and disc-like ends V; they are perforated with holes, which are
filled with cork, kamptulicon, or such like material. These are lowered
down in the tideway singly, or strung, or used in the apparatus herein
described, and taken up again when required to be examined.
..
The last part of this Invention is illustrated in Fig. 6, representing a
vertical section of the beach; a circular frame of wicker or stake work W,
lined inside with tiles and covered over at the top, is to be placed in a tide-
way, in it will be, deposited oysters for breeding, and collectors T for spat.
The rising and falling of the tide changes the water in these receptacles ;
fresh water can also be introduced by means of pipes from the shore. In
this Figure I have represented two of the spat collectors T, Fig. 5, deposited
in the tank for the brood oysters. The wicker or stake work may be either

page_text: rendered water-tight itself, or the hole in the beach in which it is placed may
be staked or piled and puddled, and may be considerably larger than the
wicker receptacle.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Crofts, have hereunto set my
band and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of October, in the 'year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
WILLIAM CROFTS. (L.s.)