NZ734295B - A shellfish farm - Google Patents

Abstract

mussel farm may have a number of floats connected together by two backbone ropes. A problem is that the connections to the floats can become compromised during adverse weather conditions. An object of the invention is to go at least some way towards addressing this. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention a shellfish farm has a plurality of floats 1 at or near water level with at least one backbone rope extending between them. Shellfish growing ropes extend down from the backbone rope with shellfish attached. Each float 1 has an opening 3 and a resilient sleeve 4 within the opening, at each end. The backbone thread passes through each sleeve 4 and a pin 5 locks the backbone into the opening. diment of the invention a shellfish farm has a plurality of floats 1 at or near water level with at least one backbone rope extending between them. Shellfish growing ropes extend down from the backbone rope with shellfish attached. Each float 1 has an opening 3 and a resilient sleeve 4 within the opening, at each end. The backbone thread passes through each sleeve 4 and a pin 5 locks the backbone into the opening.

Description

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION TITLE A Shellfish Farm FIELD OF INVENTION The invention relates to the field of shellfish farming. A particularly preferred embodiment relates to mussel farming.

BACKGROUND Mussels have been farmed in the Marlborough Sounds for some years. A typical mussel farm includes a number of floats linked by backbone ropes. Each backbone rope runs along one side of the line of floats and is connected to each float. Mussel growing ropes are hung from the backbone ropes.

The backbone ropes are typically attached to the floats by tying them into small indentations with a thin rope lashing. A problem with this is that the lashing can come loose during adverse weather conditions. This can lead to a float coming loose and/or chaffing the backbone rope, leading to failure of the rope and damage to the float. These problems occur more often when the mussel farm is located in open seas.

It is an object of a preferred embodiment of the invention to provide a connection between a backbone rope and a float. However, it should be appreciated that the invention may more general application and so any objects or advantages applicable to the preferred embodiment should not be seen as a limitation on any claims expressed more broadly.

The object of the invention per se is simply to provide the public with a useful choice.

The term “comprising”, if and when used in this document, should be interpreted non- exclusively. For example, if used in relation to a combination of features it should not be taken as precluding the option of there being further unnamed features.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a shellfish farm comprising: • a plurality of floats at or near water level; • at least one backbone thread (e.g. a rope) extending between the floats; • at least one shellfish growing thread (e.g. rope) extending from the backbone thread with a plurality of shellfish attached; • a resilient liner (e.g. a bushing); and • a pin; wherein each float has a fastening recess which receives the liner, the backbone thread passes through the liner and the liner is prevented from exiting the recess by the pin.

Optionally each float has two fastening recesses on opposite sides of the float.

Optionally there are two backbone threads.

Optionally each backbone thread runs along a respective side of each float.

Optionally the liner is formed from rubber.

Optionally the or each backbone thread is flexible.

Optionally the or each backbone thread is rope.

Optionally each float is substantially in the form of a capsule having a central cylinder, rounded ends and a solid extension at each rounded end.

Optionally each fastening recess is formed in the solid extension of each float.

Optionally each float’s solid extension includes an aperture that intersects the recess.

Optionally each aperture receives a respective pin.

Optionally the liner includes a slit along its length.

Optionally the liner includes two spaced apart protrusions one either side of the/a pin.

Preferably each float has a fastening recess at each end, each recess is intersected by a respective pin aperture, a liner is contained within each recess respectively, each liner has a portion of backbone thread passing through it and each liner is releasably locked into its respective recess by a pin passing through the associated pin aperture to secure the backbone thread or backbone threads to the floats.

Preferably each liner is hinge like and clamps against the associated respective portion of backbone thread under compressive pressure from sides of the corresponding recess.

IMAGES Some preferred embodiments of the invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying images in which: Figure 1 shows a float; Figure 2A shows a cross section of the float; Figure 2B shows the cross section of figure 2A with a liner and pin in place; Figure 2C shows a locking pin; and Figure 3 shows a rope with a rubber liner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A shellfish farm has a number of spaced floats at or near the waterline and linked by one or more lateral backbone ropes. The backbone ropes are connected to the floats using liners and pins. A number of growing ropes are at least mostly submerged and hang down from different parts of the backbone ropes. Growing or mature shellfish, eg mussels, are attached to and live on the growing ropes. The backbone ropes may be formed from the same or different material to the growing ropes.

In preferred embodiments, the floats have two fastening recesses for connecting to the backbone ropes, one at each end. For each float one backbone rope passes through the recesses at one end of the float and the other backbone rope passes through the recess at the opposite end of the float. The backbone ropes and floats can be thought of as forming a generally horizontally aligned ladder-like arrangement.

Each backbone rope is held in place at each recess by way of a liner and a pin. The liner surrounds a portion of the rope. The liner and thread are collectively inserted into a respective one of the float’s end recesses. The pin is inserted into an aperture that intersects the recess to prevent the liner and thus the backbone rope from disengaging with the float.

Figure 1 shows one of the floats 1 with an end 2 having an opening 3. Housed within the opening 3 is a sleeve 4 and a locking pin 5. A backbone rope (not shown) will extend through the sleeve 4 when the float holds it as part of a mussel farm.

More particularly, there may be a line of floats 1 connected by one or two backbone ropes that extend through the sleeves 4 in each float. The floats hold the backbone ropes at or near the surface of the water and the mussel growing ropes hand downwards held at their upper ends by the backbone ropes.

Preferably both ends of the float 1 are as shown in figure 1. The float is generally in the form of a capsule, that is to say a substantially cylindrical body with hemispherical ends.

However alternative shapes may be employed if desired. The float 1 may be mainly hollow or filled with foam or some other material for buoyancy, and each of the ends 2 may be solid. The floats may be formed from plastics by moulding.

Figure 2A provides cross-sectional representation of the float’s end 2 showing a vertical aperture 6 extending through the end of the float and intersecting with the opening 3. The aperture 6 receives a pin 5 extending down through the opening 3 so as to prevent the sleeve 4 from disengaging.

Figure 2B provides further cross-sectional detail of the float’s end with the sleeve 4 and pin 5 in place. As can be seen, the pin 5 blocks the opening in front of the sleeve 4 and so serves to keep the sleeve 4 engaged with the float 1.

Figure 2C is a side view of one embodiment of pin 5, sized to fit snugly in the aperture 6.

Preferably at least part of the pin extends above the opening 3 and sits flush or nearly flush against the side of the float 1. Optionally the lower part of the pin may protrude out from the float a little to help in removal of the pin when required (eg tapping the pin from the lower end to raise the pin’s head from the float where it can be gripped).

Figure 3 shows a backbone rope 7 passing through the sleeve 4 in a snug fit. In preferred embodiments, the sleeve 4 provides a liner formed of rubber or any other suitable resilient material. The sleeve 4 has a slit 8 along its length so it can be opened to a lesser degree in a hinge manner to accommodate the rope 7. The sleeve 4 also includes a pair of protrusions 9. When the sleeve 4 is in place in the float’s opening 3 (as shown in figure 1) the pin 5 sits between the protrusions 9 to prevent or significantly limit side-to-side movement of the sleeve 4. The sleeve 4 may be about the same width as the opening 3 of the float. The sleeve may be in the form of a housing constituted by one or more pieces.

In some embodiments, the float’s opening 3 has small lips that serve as a guide for the sleeve 4 and may also help prevent side-to-side movement of the sleeve.

Ideally the sleeve 4 is made of rubber and provides a soft connection between the plastic float and the backbone rope 7. Using a rubber bushing as the sleeve 4 can reduce or eliminate shock loading on the rope 7 when weather conditions are adverse.

The rope 7 is typically made of polypropylene but any suitable material may be used.

Ideally the backbone rope 7 is very flexible. In some embodiments it may be substituted by other forms of thread, for example a chain, cable or even a rod.

In use, the backbone rope 7 is slid into the sleeve 4. The sleeve 4 is in turn slid into the float’s opening 3 of a float 1 with the sleeve’s slit 8 facing the back of the opening 3. The sleeve 4 is lined up so that the protrusions 9 are on either side of the aperture 6. The pin is then pushed through the aperture 6 to hold the sleeve 4 in place. The sleeve 4 is forced tight around the rope 7 as the sleeve is compressed in the opening by the pin 5.

With the pin in place through the aperture 6, extending between the protrusions 9, the sleeve 4 and therefore the rope are securely connected to the float. The sleeve 4 and the part of the rope it engages cannot escape through the opening 3 or move side-to-slide.

Again, the sleeve 4 holds the backbone rope 7 in place with the sleeve compressed by the walls of the opening 3 and the pin 5. Further, the pin 5 is held in place by friction from the sleeve 4. A number of floats are connected in similar fashion to form the mussel farm.

In preferred embodiments two backbone ropes are provided, one running along each side of the floats. At each float 1, the backbone rope is connected to the float using a sleeve 4 and pin 5 arrangement as above, with mussel growing ropes suspended downwards from each backbone rope. The mussel growing ropes have mussels attached either directly or indirectly.

While some preferred aspects of the invention have been described by way of example it should be appreciated that modifications and improvements can occur without departing from the scope of the following claims.

Claims (15)

1. A shellfish farm comprising: • a plurality of floats at or near water level; • at least one backbone thread extending between the floats; 5 • at least one shellfish growing thread extending from the backbone thread with a plurality of shellfish attached; • a resilient liner; and • a pin; wherein at least one float has a fastening recess which receives the liner, the backbone 10 thread passes through the liner and the liner is prevented from exiting the recess by the pin.

2. A shellfish farm according to claim 1, wherein each float has two fastening recesses on opposite sides of the float.

3. A shellfish farm according to claim 1 or 2, wherein there are two backbone threads.

4. A shellfish farm according to claim 3, wherein each backbone thread runs along a 20 respective side of each float.

5. A shellfish farm according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the liner is formed from rubber. 25

6. A shellfish farm according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the or each backbone thread is flexible.

7. A shellfish farm according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the or each backbone thread is rope.

8. A shellfish farm according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein each float is substantially in the form of a capsule having a central cylinder, rounded ends and a solid extension at each rounded end.

9. A shellfish farm according to claim 8, wherein each fastening recess is formed in the solid extension of each float. 5

10. A shellfish farm according to claim 8 or 9, wherein each float’s solid extension includes an aperture that intersects the recess.

11. A shellfish farm according to claim 10, wherein each aperture receives a respective pin.

12. A shellfish farm according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the liner includes a slit along its length.

13. A shellfish farm according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the liner includes 15 two spaced apart protrusions one either side of the/a pin.

14. A shellfish farm according to claim 1, wherein each float has a fastening recess at each end, each recess is intersected by a respective pin aperture, a resilient liner is contained within each recess respectively, each liner has a portion of backbone thread 20 passing through it and each liner is releasably locked into its respective recess by a pin passing through the associated pin aperture to secure the backbone thread or backbone threads to the floats.

15. A shellfish farm according to claim 14, wherein each liner is hinge like and clamps 25 against the associated respective portion of backbone thread under compressive pressure from sides of the corresponding recess.