US3921584A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fish display device
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1974-08-22
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Granted: 1975-11-25
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Expires: 1994-08-22
Abstract
Abstract A fish display device consisting of a hollow, transparent body member open only at its bottom, and a stand for supporting the body member principally above the water level of a larger body of water but with its bottom just below the water level. The body member is filled with water supported therein by atmospheric pressure, so that fish may swim therein for display purposes. For better display of the fish, the body member may be be partitioned to form a maze having an inlet and an outlet, and a water impellor may be provided to produce a current of water through the maze, to encourage fish to swim against the current.
Inventors
- 👤 William J Scantlin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 20:33
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01K; A01K63/00; A01K63/04; A01K63/003
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
177 words
A fish display device comprising: a. a hollow, transparent body member open at its bottom but otherwise sealed, and adapted to contain water, b. supporting means operable to support said body member in a larger body of water so as to project above the surface of said water body but extending beneath said surface, whereby water in the elevated portion of said body member is retained therein by atmospheric air pressure, said supporting means including a tray engageable by the bottom of said body member and having two spaced apart apertures formed therethrough, whereby the interior of said body member forms a path along which fish entering said body member from said water body through one of said tray apertures may swim through said body member to and outwardly through the other of said tray apertures, and d. water impellor means carried by said supporting means and operable to produce a current of water inwardly into said body member through one of said tray apertures and outwardly from said body member through the other of said apertures.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
177 words
A fish display device comprising: a. a hollow, transparent body member open at its bottom but otherwise sealed, and adapted to contain water, b. supporting means operable to support said body member in a larger body of water so as to project above the surface of said water body but extending beneath said surface, whereby water in the elevated portion of said body member is retained therein by atmospheric air pressure, said supporting means including a tray engageable by the bottom of said body member and having two spaced apart apertures formed therethrough, whereby the interior of said body member forms a path along which fish entering said body member from said water body through one of said tray apertures may swim through said body member to and outwardly through the other of said tray apertures, and d. water impellor means carried by said supporting means and operable to produce a current of water inwardly into said body member through one of said tray apertures and outwardly from said body member through the other of said apertures.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
121 words
A fish display device as recited in claim 1 wherein said supporting means comprises: a. a base supportable on the bottom formation of said water body, b. an upright standard carried by said base, said tray being fixed to the upper end of said standard, c. a first adjusting means operable to vary the angularity of said standard universally relative to said base, whereby to level said tray despite out-of-level configuration of the bottom formation of said water body, and d. a second adjusting means operable to adjust the effective height of said standard, whereby said tray may be disposed at the desired spacing below the top surface of said water body despite variations in the depth of said water body.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
A fish display device as recited in claim 1 wherein the interior of said body member is partitioned to constitute a maze of any desired complexity interconnecting said tray apertures, and wherein said water impellor means is operable to Impel water from said water body upwardly into said body member at a position adjacent one of said tray apertures.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
136 words
A fish display device as recited in claim 3 wherein said maze path does not occupy the entire interior of said body member, and wherein said water impellor means constitutes a power-driven impellor screw carried by said tray and operable to impel water from said water body upwardly into said body member adjacent one of said tray apertures, but into a zone of said body member not included in said maze path, and with the addition of a louvered wall between the maze path adjacent one of said apertures and the body member zone into which water is impelled by said screw, the louvers of said wall being spaced sufficiently closely to prevent the passage of fish therebetween, and angled to direct water into said body member in a direction away from the adjacent tray aperture.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1943417A
Cited
US3216395A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-11-24 | 1979-05-26 | 1979-11-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-11-24 | 1983-05-26 | 1983-11-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-11-24 | 1987-05-26 | 1987-11-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |