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US 7,272,940 B2Granted
Submersion tank for on-board fish freezing
OwnerDonald J. Vinberginventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A submersion tank for on-board brine freezing of whole or nearly whole fish, and a method for freezing fish employing such tank. One or more pivotable screen baskets are provided in tank containing refrigerated brine. The pivotable screen baskets are provided in a normal, fish receiving position immersed in refrigerated brine. Once fish are frozen, the pivotable screen baskets are pivoted upward to a fish unloading position for delivery of frozen fish for bagging and storage.
Claims33
A tank system for freezing of fish with refrigerated brine, said tank system comprising:
- (a) a liquid container, said liquid container comprising
- a bottom,
- upwardly extending sidewalls ending at an upper end portion;
- (b) one or more brine inlet headers for supply of refrigerated brine, at least one of said one or more brine inlet headers extending peripherally around said liquid container, and in fluid communication with at least one of said one or more brine inlet headers, one or more liquid distributor inlets for supply of refrigerated brine from one of said brine inlet headers into said liquid container, said liquid distributor inlets spaced apart around the interior of said liquid container;
- (c) one or more liquid outlets for accepting brine to be discharged from said liquid container, and in fluid communication with said one or more liquid outlets, a brine outlet header for accepting brine to be discharged from said liquid container;
- (d) said liquid container having an upwardly extending above deck portion and a downwardly extending below deck portion.
3 more elements
An apparatus for freezing fish on-board a fishing vessel, said apparatus comprising:
- (a) a tank, said tank comprising a bottom and an upwardly extending sidewall having an upper end portion, said tank sized, shaped, and insulated for containing a refrigerated brine therein;
- (b) at least one caged screen basket, said caged screen basket comprising (i) an upper opening defined by edgewall portions, (i) a downwardly extending compartment sized and shaped for receiving fish therein, said compartment having opposing sidewalls, a first endwall, and a second endwall, (iii) at least one said opposing sidewalls, first endwall, and second endwall of said at least one caged screen basket comprising apertures therein defined by edgewall portions, said apertures adapted for allowing escape of said liquid therethrough while preventing fish from escaping there through;
- (c) said at least one caged screen basket sized and displaceably located for filling and for emptying by pivotable movement with respect to said tank, said at least one caged screen basket attached by a pivot connection to said upper end portion of said upwardly extending sidewall, said at least one caged screen basket pivotally connected for repetitive movement between a downward, at-rest, fish freezing position and an upward, fish removal position for harvest of fish from said at least one caged screen basket.
The combination of a fishing vessel and an apparatus for freezing fish on-board a fishing vessel, said combination comprising:
- (a) a fishing vessel;
- (b) a tank, said tank comprising a bottom and an upwardly extending sidewall having an upper end portion, said tank sized, shaped, and insulated for containing a refrigerated brine therein;
- (c) at least one caged screen basket, said caged screen basket comprising (i) an upper opening defined by edgewall portions, (i) a downwardly extending compartment sized and shaped for receiving fish therein, said compartment having opposing sidewalls, a first endwall, and a second endwall, (iii) at least one said opposing sidewalls, first endwall, and second endwall of said at least one caged screen basket comprising apertures therein defined by edgewall portions, said apertures adapted for allowing escape of said liquid therethrough while preventing fish from escaping there through;
- (d) said at least one caged screen basket sized and displaceably located for filling and for emptying by pivotable movement with respect to said tank, said at least one caged screen basket attached by a pivot connection to said upper end portion of said upwardly extending sidewall, said at least one caged screen basket pivotally connected for repetitive movement between a downward, at-rest, fish freezing position and an upward, fish removal position for harvest of fish from said at least one caged screen basket.
1 more element
A method for on-board freezing of fish, comprising
- providing a refrigerated brine filed tank, said brine cooled to 20F or lees, providing one or more pivotable screen baskets which are pivotably immersable in, and removable from, said refrigerated brine in said brine filled tank;
- filling at least one of said pivotable screen baskets with fish to be frozen while said pivotable screen baskets are in a lowered, fish freezing position;
- retaining said fish to be frozen in said pivotable screen baskets until said fish are frozen;
- removing said fish from said refrigerated brine by pivoting said at least one pivotable screen basket upward to a fish unloading position;
- removing said fish from said at least one pivotable screen basket.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.