JP2672271B2 - Automatic feeding method and automatic feeding device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic feeding method for automatically supplying powdered and granular food to an arbitrary depth in water at an arbitrary place and an automatic feeding apparatus for carrying out the method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In fisheries related businesses, fish breeding businesses using automatic feeding devices have been promoted. However, the conventional general automatic feeding apparatus has many problems because it feeds powdery and granular food from the surface of the water. For example, flounder or bottom-dwelling tie that bottoms on the bottom of the water,
When feeding a pheasant grouper, puffer fish, etc. in water, if a powdery feed with a particle size of several mm to several cm is thrown in from the surface of the water, in the case of a net cage, it will flow out due to the tidal current, (I) the fish that emerged for feeding are preyed on by other large carnivorous fish, and (ii) the bait is deprived of the miscellaneous fish species before the bait sinks to an appropriate depth. There was a problem.

In order to solve the above problem, there is a method in which the bait is naturally settled in a straight pipe submerged in water.
When a large amount of bait having a relatively slow sedimentation rate is supplied, the bait may be clogged in the straight pipe due to absorption of water and increase in volume. In order to avoid this, it is necessary to make the diameter of the straight pipe sufficiently large.

Further, a feeding buoy as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-303095 has been proposed. This feeding buoy can supply food to any depth below the water surface.
However, in this feeding buoy, since the bait is stored in the upper part, it is necessary to perform the work of replenishing and replacing the bait to the place where the feeding buoy is installed, which is troublesome.

In addition to the above-mentioned feeding buoy, there is a water flow method as a method for feeding food at an arbitrary depth below the surface of the water.
The water flow method is a method in which food is transported by water and discharged as it is to an arbitrary depth position. However, in the water flow method,
(i) In the course of transportation, the fine baits are completely dissolved or the ingredients of the baits are eluted, and (ii) the speed of water flow for transportation is high, so that the speed of movement of the spilled baits is also high. The feeding behavior of the fish becomes difficult, (iii) the unfeeded food flows out of the net cage or sinks to the bottom of the aquarium, and the amount of residual food increases, resulting in deterioration of food efficiency. ) There was a problem that small fish in the period from seed production to intermediate breeding could be caught in the stream and could be fatal.

[0006] By the way, there are two types of baits: sedimentary ones and floating ones. In recent years, in order to reduce residual food and suppress marine pollution by floating on the water surface for a long time,
Floating materials are often used. Also, even sedimentable bait does not mean that it does not contain any floating food,
In the baits having an average particle size of 1 mm or less, floating substances are significantly present. Therefore, there is a demand for a method of supplying floating bait to an arbitrary depth below the water surface.

On the other hand, when powdered granular food is put into the water from the atmosphere, air bubbles will adhere to the food. If air bubbles adhere to the food, (i) the sedimentation speed of the food will slow down, It becomes difficult to feed the fish normally, and (ii) the fish may feel full and may be stunted before they get enough food. The above-mentioned feeding buoy cannot solve such a problem.

[0008]

It is an object of the present invention to carry out an automatic feeding method and a method thereof which can smoothly feed not only sedimentary bait but also floating bait to any depth in water at any place. It aims at providing the automatic feeding device of.

[0009]

The automatic feeding method of the present invention is an automatic feeding method for automatically feeding powdered and granular bait to an arbitrary depth in water at an arbitrary place, which pneumatically conveys the bait. Feed the air-transported bait to the water surface in the feeding pipe with the feeding port located at the transport end set to the desired depth in water, and exhaust the transport air through the exhaust unit located above the water surface in the feeding pipe. Then, the equilibrium relationship between the transport air volume and the exhaust air volume is intermittently broken, and the transport air volume is relatively increased to temporarily lower the water level in the feeding pipe from the feeding port.

The automatic feeding device of the present invention is an automatic feeding device which is equipped with an underwater feeder and its operating system and automatically feeds powdered and granular food to any depth in water at any place. The vessel is directly connected to the transportation pipe that pneumatically conveys the food,
The feeding port located at the transport end is set to an arbitrary depth position, a feeding pipe provided in communication with the feeding pipe for discharging transport air, and a floating body for floating the feeding pipe and the exhaust unit. The operating system is provided with an air volume variation means that intermittently breaks the equilibrium relationship between the transport air volume and the exhaust air volume, relatively increases the transport air volume, and temporarily lowers the water level in the feeding pipe below the feeding port. It is characterized by that.

[0011]

[Function] When the equilibrium relationship between the transport air volume and the exhaust air volume is disrupted intermittently by the air volume variation means and the transport air volume relatively increases, the water level in the feeding pipe of the underwater feeder temporarily becomes lower than the feeding port, The food accumulated near the water surface in the feeding pipe is discharged from the feeding port together with air bubbles.

Since the bait can be transported over a long distance by pneumatic transportation, it is not necessary to go out to the sea like a conventional feeding buoy, and the bait replenishment / exchange work can be easily and safely performed.

Since the bait is sent to the underwater feeder by pneumatic transportation, even if the underwater feeder is installed in a place where it cannot be easily approached, no serious trouble occurs.

Since the feeding port of the feeding pipe of the submersible feeder is set to a desired depth, the food is fed at the desired depth.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing an automatic feeding device of the present invention. The automatic feeder consists of an underwater feeder and its operating system. The submersible feeder 1 is located at the end of the actuation system. The operation system includes a main body device 2, a compressor 3, a control panel 4, a branching device 5, a distributor 6, and the like. The bait used here is in the form of powder and is buoyant.

The main body device 2 comprises a hopper 21 for storing food,
The hopper 21 is provided with a feeder 23 or the like for discharging a predetermined amount of the bait and transferring the bait to the transport pipe 22, so that the transport air supplied from the compressor 3 pneumatically transports the bait to the branching device 5 through the transport pipe 22. Has become.

The branching device 5 arbitrarily selects one line 51 from the many lines 51 leading to the submersible feeder 1 and connects the transport pipe 22 to the line 51. The bait pneumatically transported through the line 51 is distributed by the distributor 6 to the two underwater feeders 1.

The control board 4 controls the operation of drive motors such as the feeder 23, the compressor 3, the branching device 5, and the like.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing an operating state of the underwater feeder 1. The underwater feeder 1 includes a feeding pipe 11, an exhaust unit 12, a floating body 13 and the like. A transport pipe 61 is connected to the upper end of the feeding pipe 11. The other end of the transport pipe 61 communicates with the transport pipe 22 via the distributor 6, the line 51, and the branching device 5. The exhaust part 12 is provided on both sides of the feeding pipe 11, and is composed of an exhaust main pipe 121, and a first branch pipe 122 and a second branch pipe 123 communicating with the exhaust main pipe 121. The other end of the exhaust main pipe 121 is open to the atmosphere via a valve 124 whose opening degree can be adjusted. The floating body 13 has a transport pipe 61.
And the two main exhaust pipes 121 are held and the feeding pipe 11 is provided so as to stand vertically. For example, the feeding pipe 11 and the exhaust part 12 are made of vinyl chloride resin, and the floating body 13 is made of resin-coated polystyrene foam.

In the exhaust unit 12, the first branch pipe 122 communicates with the feeding pipe 11 above the water surface A, and the second branch pipe 123 above the water surface B and below the first branch pipe 122. Communicating with the feeding tube 11. The water surface A is set to the water level when the bait 10 is supplied into the feeding pipe 11 with the minimum air volume required to stably transport the bait 10, and the water surface B is the air flow rate. Is set to the water level when it becomes the lowest due to the pressure fluctuation in the feeding pipe 11 in the case where the exhaust gas flow rate and the exhaust air flow rate are in a balanced relationship.

The feeding tube 11 has a feeding port 11 located at the tip.
1 is set to a desired depth D. In addition, in the feeding pipe 11, the first net 112 and the second net 11 are provided.
3 are provided. The first net 112 has a cylindrical shape, the upper end of which is connected to the lower end of the transport pipe 61, and the lower end 11
2a is set at the position of the feeding port 111. The second net 113 is provided so as to close the inlets of the first branch pipe 122 and the second branch pipe 123, respectively. Both nets 112,
The opening size of 113 is set to be smaller than the particle size of the bait 10.

In the main body device 2, as shown in FIG. 1, in the middle of the transport pipe 22, an air volume setting means 24 for setting the transport air volume to a predetermined value and an air volume variation means for temporarily increasing the transport air volume. And 25 are provided. The air volume setting means 24 is composed of a pressure reducing valve 241, an opening / closing valve 242, and a needle valve 243 provided in the transport pipe 22. The air flow rate changing means 25 is composed of a bypass pipe 254 arranged in parallel with the transport pipe 22, a pressure reducing valve 251, an opening / closing valve 252, and a needle valve 253 interposed in the bypass pipe 254. The on-off valve 252 of the air volume changing means 25 is
It is normally closed, and is controlled by the control panel 4 to be opened intermittently and temporarily. In addition, it is preferable that the interval is intermittent for a certain period of time. That is, it is preferable to be regular. Also, when opening the opening / closing valve 252, the bait 10
It is preferred to interrupt the pneumatic transport of.

Further, in the vicinity of the feeding port 111, the feeding port 1
A water flow discharge nozzle 7 that applies a water flow from the lateral direction is provided immediately below 11. Breeding water pumped up by a pump (not shown) is discharged from the water flow discharge nozzle 7.

The automatic feeding method using the above automatic feeding device is carried out as follows. First, the submersible feeder 1 is installed in a net cage, in an ocean ranch, or in a breeding aquarium, at any place where feeding is desired, and is branched to a transport pipe 22 of the main unit 2 installed on land or above water. The transportation pipe 61 is connected through the device 5, the line 51, and the distributor 6.

Next, initial drainage is performed. That is, only the transport air is supplied into the feeding pipe 11, and the water in the feeding pipe 11 is discharged from the exhaust unit 12 and the feeding port 111. Then, the transport air volume and the exhaust air volume are set so as to maintain the equilibrium relationship.
The equilibrium relationship is set so that the water level is between the water surface A and the water surface B. The setting of the transport air volume is the air volume setting means 2
4 and the exhaust air volume is set by the valve 124. By the way, it is difficult to properly set the water level in the feeding pipe 11 in correspondence with the amount of air flow required for stable transportation due to factors such as the transportation distance and the physical properties of the bait 10, but it is difficult to open the valve 124. Since the exhaust air volume can be adjusted by adjusting the degree, the water level can be easily set, and the inflow of water into the exhaust unit 12 and the formation of the water column can be prevented. Also,
At the time of this initial drainage, the transportation air is discharged from the feeding port 111 to generate a sound. For this reason, the effect of acclimatizing the fish is produced.

Next, the bait 10 is pneumatically transported to the feeding pipe 11 through the transportation pipe 61, and the bait 10 is put on the water surface in the feeding pipe 11. At this time, the water level is between the water surface A and the water surface C, and the transport air flows into the first branch pipe 122 and is discharged. The feeding speed of the bait 10 on the water surface is set to a speed at which bubbling occurs on the water surface. For example, it is set to 20 m / s or more.

When the feeding of the bait 10 is continued, a pressure change occurs in the feeding pipe 11 due to a change in transport pressure loss, and the water level drops to, for example, the lowest water level B. At that time,
The transport air also flows into the second branch pipe 123 and is discharged. While the water level is between the water surface A and the water surface C, the transport air is reliably discharged into the atmosphere through the first branch pipe 122, the exhaust main pipe 121, and the valve 124, and while the water level is on the water surface B. ,
The transport air is surely discharged into the atmosphere through the second branch pipe 123. That is, the first branch pipe 122 is provided above the water surface A, and the first branch pipe 122 is above the water surface B.
Since the second branch pipe 123 is provided further downward, the bait 10 can be charged while reliably discharging the transport air even if the pressure in the feeding pipe 11 fluctuates due to a change in transport pressure loss or the like.

Since the bait 10 put on the surface of the water is bubbled so as to be familiar with the water, no bubbles adhere to the bait 10. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the fish from feeling full and becoming stunted before eating enough food.

Bubbling of the bait 10 on the surface of water in the feeding pipe 11 causes a part of the bait 10 to bounce, and air is discharged from the first branch pipe 122 and the second branch pipe 123 at high speed. By the suction action based on the fact that the first branch pipe 1
Even if the bait 10 flies toward the entrance of the second branch pipe 123 and the second branch pipe 123, the baits 10 flow into the first branch pipe 122 and the second branch pipe 123 because both nets 112 and 113 serve as a barrier. do not do. Therefore, the bait 10 is not discharged through the exhaust section 12. In addition, the bait 10 does not get clogged in the exhaust part 12 and cannot be exhausted.

When the bait 10 is continuously fed and a certain amount of the bait 10 floats on the surface of the water in the feeding pipe 11, the opening / closing valve 252 of the air volume changing means 25 in the main body device 2 is controlled by the opening / closing valve 252 of the control panel 4. The transport pipe 22 is temporarily opened (for example, for several seconds) by an instruction, and the bypass pipe 254 is attached to the transport pipe 22 while being opened.
The transport air passing through is also supplied, and the transport air volume increases. Note that the transport air volume passing through the bypass pipe 254 is, specifically,
The amount of transport air that has passed through the transport pipe 22 is set to an amount that increases by 10 to 20%. When the amount of transport air flowing through the transport pipe 22 increases, the air pressure in the feeding pipe 11 increases, the water surface falls below the normal state, and temporarily lowers than the feeding port 111. As a result, the bait 10 accumulated on the water surface is discharged into the water through the feeding port 111 together with the transport air. Therefore, the feeding pipe 11
The bait 10 does not stay in the inside forever, and the inside of the feeding pipe 11 is not clogged with the bait 10.

The bait 10 discharged into the water is caused to flow laterally by the water flow discharged from the water flow discharge nozzle 7, and diffuses widely and gently at the same depth. For this reason, the feeding behavior of the fish is facilitated, and many fish can be evenly grown. The bait 10 tends to float because it is buoyant, but most of the fish gathered near the feeding port 111 before it floats because the feeding action is facilitated by the action of the water jet nozzle 7. It is ingested by the fish and almost no food remains.

[0032]

[Another embodiment]

(1) As the air volume changing means 25, a valve whose opening degree can be adjusted may be provided in the transport pipe 22. In addition, this valve is
Thus, the opening degree is controlled to increase intermittently.

(2) The valve 124 is used as the air volume changing means 25.
May be used. The valve 124 is controlled by the control panel 4 so that the opening degree decreases intermittently.

(3) The transport pipe 61 and the exhaust main pipe 121 may be provided so as to be vertically movable with respect to the floating body 13. According to this, the depth positions of the feeding pipe 11 and the exhaust unit 12 can be easily set from above the floating body 13. The transport pipe 61 and the exhaust unit 12,
For example, it can be provided so as to be vertically movable by using a soft material such as soft nylon resin or urethane resin.

[0035]

【The invention's effect】

(1) According to the automatic feeding method of the first aspect, the following effects are obtained. (a) The equilibrium relationship between the transport air volume and the exhaust air volume is determined by the air volume variation means 2
Since the water level in the feeding pipe 11 is temporarily lowered below the feeding port 111 by collapsing intermittently by means of No. 5, even if the floating bait 10 is used, Can be intermittently discharged from the feeding port 111. Therefore, the bait 10 can be prevented from staying in the feeding pipe 11 forever, and the bait 10 can be prevented from clogging the feeding pipe 11. Needless to say, sedimentary baits or sedimentary baits mixed with floating baits may be used.

(B) At the time of initial drainage, sound can be generated in the water, the effect of acclimatizing fish can be exhibited, and feeding can be performed without waste.

(C) Submersible feeder 1 by feeding bait 10 by air
Therefore, the replenishment / exchange work of the bait 10 can be performed to the underwater feeder 1 from a remote place. Therefore, bait 10
Replenishment / replacement work can be facilitated.

(D) Submersible feeder 1 by feeding bait 10 by air
Therefore, even if the underwater feeder 1 is installed in a place where it cannot be easily approached, no serious trouble occurs.

(E) By setting the feeding port 111 of the feeding tube 11 to a desired depth, the bait 10 can be fed at a desired depth.

(F) If a small amount of air is constantly flown into the transport pipe 61, the inside of the feeding pipe 11 and the inside of the transport pipe 61 can be maintained in a dry state at all times.
It is possible to prevent marine organisms such as algae from adhering and propagating inside and inside the transport pipe 61.

(2) According to the automatic feeding method of the second or third aspect, it is possible to easily break the equilibrium relationship between the transport air volume and the exhaust air volume.

(3) According to the automatic feeding method of the fourth aspect, the bait 10 discharged from the feeding port 111 can be flowed in the lateral direction and diffused widely and gently at the same depth. it can. Therefore, the feeding behavior of fish can be facilitated,
It is possible to equalize the growth of many fish.

(4) According to the automatic feeding method of the fifth aspect, the bait 10 can be soaked in water.
It is possible to prevent bubbles from adhering to. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the fish from feeling full before eating enough food, and to prevent the developmental failure of the fish. Moreover, when a sedimentary bait is used, planned feeding can be performed based on the sedimentation rate.

(5) According to the automatic feeding method of claim 6, at least the first exhaust portion (first branch pipe 122) and the second
Since the air is exhausted by using the exhaust unit (the second branch pipe 123), even if the pressure in the feeding pipe 11 fluctuates, the bait 10 can be charged while the air is reliably discharged.

(6) In the automatic feeding device according to the seventh aspect, the underwater feeder 1 may be provided with the feeding pipe 11, the exhaust part 12, the floating body 13 and the like, and the operating system may be provided with the air volume changing means 25. It ’s cheap and easy to configure,
Moreover, there are few failures. That is, the automatic feeding method according to claim 1 can be implemented economically and reliably.

Further, since almost all of the underwater feeder 1 is submerged in the water, the underwater feeder 1 does not sway significantly even in the time of waves, and it is possible to perform the same feeding as in the calm state.

(7) According to the automatic feeding device described in claim 8 or 9, the automatic feeding method described in claim 2 can be reliably implemented. That is, the transport air volume can be easily and surely increased.

(8) According to the automatic feeding device of the tenth aspect, the automatic feeding method of the third aspect can be reliably implemented. That is, the exhaust air volume can be easily and surely reduced.
It is possible to relatively increase the transport air volume.

(9) According to the automatic feeding device of the eleventh aspect, the automatic feeding method of the fourth aspect can be reliably implemented. That is, the bait 10 discharged from the feeding port 111 can be flowed in the lateral direction and diffused in a wide range and gently at the same depth.

(10) According to the automatic feeding device of the twelfth aspect, the automatic feeding method of the sixth aspect can be reliably implemented. That is, even if the pressure in the feeding pipe 11 fluctuates, the transport air can be reliably discharged.

(11) According to the automatic feeding device of the thirteenth aspect, the depth positions of the feeding pipe 11 and the exhaust portion 12 can be easily set from above the floating body 13.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing an automatic feeding device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing an operating state of the underwater feeder.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Submersible Feeder 7 Water Flow Discharge Nozzle 10 Food 11 Feeding Pipe 12 Exhaust Portion 13 Floating Body 111 Feeding Port 112 First Net 113 Second Net 122 First Branch Pipe (First Exhaust Portion) 123 Second Branch Pipe (Second Exhaust Portion) ) 124 (exhaust) valve

Claims (13)

(57) [Claims] 1. An automatic feeding method for automatically feeding powdered and granular bait to an arbitrary depth in water at an arbitrary place, wherein the bait is pneumatically transported, and a feeding port located at a transportation end is set to a desired submerged position in water. Feed the air-transported bait to the water surface inside the feeding pipe set to the depth, exhaust the transportation air through the exhaust section located above the water surface inside the feeding pipe, and establish the equilibrium relationship between the transportation air volume and the exhaust air volume. An automatic feeding method characterized by intermittently collapsing and increasing the amount of transported air relatively to temporarily lower the water level in the feeding pipe below the feeding port. 2. The automatic feeding method according to claim 1, wherein the equilibrium relationship is broken by increasing the amount of transported air. 3. The automatic feeding method according to claim 1, wherein the equilibrium relationship is broken by reducing the amount of exhaust air. 4. The automatic feeding method according to claim 1, wherein a water stream is laterally applied just below the feeding port. 5. The feed which has been pneumatically transported is fed at a speed such that bubbling occurs on the water surface in the feeding pipe.
Automatic feeding method as described. 6. The first when the water surface is at the highest level during exhaust.
The automatic feeding method according to claim 1, wherein when the water surface is at the lowest level, air is exhausted from at least the first and second exhaust parts from the exhaust part. 7. An automatic feeding device comprising an underwater feeder and an operating system thereof, which automatically feeds powdered and granular food to an arbitrary depth in water at an arbitrary location, wherein the underwater feeder supplies air to the food. A feeding pipe that is directly connected to the transportation pipe and has a feeding port located at the end of the transportation set at an arbitrary depth position, an exhaust unit that is provided in communication with the feeding pipe, and discharges transportation air, and a feeding pipe. And a floating body that floats the exhaust part, and the operating system intermittently breaks the equilibrium relationship between the transport air volume and the exhaust air volume, relatively increases the transport air volume, and temporarily lowers the water level in the feeding pipe below the feeding port. An automatic feeding device, characterized in that it is provided with means for varying the air volume. 8. The automatic feeding device according to claim 7, wherein the air flow rate changing means is constituted by a bypass pipe provided in the transportation pipe and a valve for intermittently opening the bypass pipe. 9. The automatic feeding device according to claim 7, wherein the air flow rate changing means is constituted by a valve provided on the transportation pipe, the opening of which can be adjusted, and the opening of which is intermittently increased. 10. The air volume changing means is provided in the exhaust section,
With a valve that can adjust the opening and the opening is reduced intermittently,
The automatic feeding device according to claim 7, which is configured. 11. The automatic feeding device according to claim 7, wherein a water flow discharge nozzle for applying a water flow from a lateral direction is provided immediately below the feeding port in the vicinity of the feeding port of the underwater feeder. 12. The underwater feeder has an exhaust part which is located above the water surface in the feeding pipe when the water surface is at the highest level and above the water surface when the water surface is in the lowest position. The automatic feeding device according to claim 7, further comprising at least a second exhaust part located below the first exhaust part. 13. The automatic feeding device according to claim 7, wherein the feeding pipe and the exhaust portion of the underwater feeder are vertically movable with respect to the floating body.