초록 ▼

A fish display apparatus continuously circulating water through a plurality of removable live fish containers, whereby a large number of individual containers containing one or more fish may be easily displayed to customers and whereby any single container may be removed by the customer for purchase

A fish display apparatus continuously circulating water through a plurality of removable live fish containers, whereby a large number of individual containers containing one or more fish may be easily displayed to customers and whereby any single container may be removed by the customer for purchase of the fish contained therein without stopping or interfering with the flow of water passing through the remaining containers.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A fish display and water circulation apparatus comprising: a water retaining reservoir tank; a multi-shelf assembly in fluid communication with said reservoir tank, said multi-shelf assembly comprising a plurality of horizontal shelves, transverse supply conduits and transverse return troughs; a

1. A fish display and water circulation apparatus comprising: a water retaining reservoir tank; a multi-shelf assembly in fluid communication with said reservoir tank, said multi-shelf assembly comprising a plurality of horizontal shelves, transverse supply conduits and transverse return troughs; a plurality of removable, open-topped, lid-less fish containers retained on said shelves; a water pump delivering water from said reservoir tank to said transverse supply conduits; each transverse supply conduit including at least one outlet; pivoting rocker valves in fluid communication with said transverse supply conduits, each of said valves being associated with and actuated by one of said fish containers, said valves delivering water from said transverse supply conduit into said fish containers; wherein upon removal of any of said fish containers, said valve associated with said removed fish container diverts water into said transverse return troughs for return to said reservoir tank: whereby for each said rocker valve associated with one of said fish containers, said rocker valve delivers water from said transverse supply conduits into said fish container when said fish container is retained on said shelves, and wherein said rocker valve delivers water from said transverse supply conduits into said transverse return troughs when said fish container is removed from said shelves; and further wherein each of said fish containers comprises a valve-less outflow opening, wherein water received from said transverse supply conduits through said rocker valves passes through said outflow openings and is returned to said reservoir tank; each rocker valve comprising a channel having an oven top, a first end and an opposite second end; a lever extending from the channel; a fulcrum between the first end of the channel and the second end of the channel; said channel being pivotable about said fulcrum from a first orientation to a second orientation; the first end of the channel being disposed beneath and in fluid communication with one of the openings in one of the transverse supply conduits and further being disposed above and in fluid communication with one of the transverse return troughs, and the second end of the channel being disposed above and in fluid communication with one of the fish containers when said one of the fish containers is retained on one of said shelves; and the channel providing a fluid flow path from said one of the openings in said one of the transverse supply conduits to said one of the fish containers when said channel is in the second orientation; and said one of the fish containers including a flange in abutting alignment with the lever and urging the lever and causing the channel to remain in the second orientation when said one of the fish containers is retained on one of said shelves. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a supply conduit delivering water from said reservoir tank to said transverse supply conduits and a return conduit delivering water from said transverse return troughs to said reservoir tank. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transverse supply conduit is a tubular member having a plurality of apertures. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said fish containers are suspended from said shelves. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said fish containers disposed atop said shelves. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a gravity tank positioned above said transverse supply conduits, wherein water from said reservoir tank is delivered to said transverse supply conduits through said gravity tank. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein water delivered into said transverse supply conduits which is not delivered through said valves returns to said reservoir tank. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein water flow through said fish containers is continuous when said water pump is in operation. 9. A fish display and water circulation apparatus comprising: a plurality of removable, open-topped, lid-less fish containers; a multi-shelf assembly comprising a plurality of horizontal shelves retaining said fish containers, transverse supply conduits and transverse return troughs; each transverse supply conduit including at least one outlet; a reservoir tank retaining water, said reservoir tank in fluid communication with said transverse supply conduits and said transverse supply troughs; a water pump delivering water from said reservoir tank to said transverse supply conduits; pivoting rocker valves in fluid communication with said transverse supply conduits, each of said rocker valves being associated with and actuated by one of said fish containers retained by said horizontal shelves, said rocker valves delivering water from said transverse supply conduit into said fish containers; each of said fish containers comprising a valve-less outflow opening, wherein water delivered into said fish containers passes through said outflow openings and is returned to said reservoir tank; and wherein upon removal of any of said fish containers, said valves associated with said removed fish container divert water into said transverse return troughs for return to said reservoir tank; each rocker valve comprising an open top channel having a first end and an opposite second end, a lever extending from the channel, a fulcrum between the first end of the channel and the second end of the channel, said open top channel being pivotable about said fulcrum from a first orientation to a second orientation; the first end of the channel being disposed beneath and in fluid communication with one of the openings in one of the transverse supply conduits and further being disposed above and in fluid communication with one of the transverse return troughs, and the second end of the channel being disposed above and in fluid communication with one of the fish containers when said one of the fish containers is retained on one of said horizontal shelves. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a gravity tank positioned above said transverse supply conduits, wherein water from said reservoir tank is delivered to said transverse supply conduits through said gravity tank. 11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein water flow through said fish containers is continuous when said water pump is in operation. 12. A fish display and water circulation apparatus comprising: a plurality of removable. open-topped, lid-less fish containers; a multi-shelf assembly comprising a plurality of horizontal shelves removably retaining said fish containers, a gravity tank, transverse supply conduits and transverse return troughs; each transverse supply conduit including at least one outlet; a reservoir tank retaining water, said reservoir tank in fluid communication with said gravity tank, said transverse supply conduits and said transverse supply troughs; a water pump delivering water from said reservoir tank through said gravity tank to said transverse supply conduits, wherein water flow through said fish containers is continuous when said water pump is in operation; pivoting rocker valves in fluid communication with said transverse supply conduits, each of said rocker valves being associated with and actuated by one of said fish containers retained by said horizontal shelves, said rocker valves delivering water from said transverse supply conduit into said fish containers; each of said fish containers comprising a valve-less outflow opening, wherein water delivered into said fish containers passes through said outflow openings and is returned to said reservoir tank; and wherein upon removal of any of said fish containers, said rocker valves associated with said removed fish container divert water into said transverse return troughs for return to said reservoir tank; each rocker valve comprising an open top channel having a first end and an opposite second end, a lever extending from the channel, a fulcrum between the first end of the channel and the second end of the channel, said open top channel being pivotable about said fulcrum from a first orientation to a second orientation; the first end of the channel being disposed beneath and in fluid communication with one of the openings in one of the transverse supply conduits and further being disposed above and in fluid communication with one of the transverse return troughs, and the second end of the channel being disposed above and in fluid communication with one of the fish containers when said one of the fish containers is retained on one of said horizontal shelves. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein for each said rocker valve associated with one of said fish containers, said rocker valve delivers water from said transverse supply conduits into said fish container when said fish container is retained on said shelves, and wherein said rocker valve pivots to deliver water from said transverse supply conduits into said transverse return troughs when said fish container is removed from said shelves.