WO2002001947A1

WO2002001947A1 - Cultivation box for shells

Info

Publication number: WO2002001947A1
Application number: PCT/NO2001/000248
Authority: WO
Inventors: Frode Gusdal
Original assignee: Frode Gusdal
Priority date: 2000-06-13
Filing date: 2001-06-12
Publication date: 2002-01-10
Also published as: EP1294226A1; NO20003026L; AU2001284538A1; NO311961B1; NO20003026D0

Abstract

A cultivation box (1-7) for shells, for example scallop shells, for use when cultivating shells in water, and where the cultivation boxes (1-7) are designed to be handled mechanically in connection with harvesting and tending of the shells, and also when cleaning the cultivation box. Several cultivation boxes (1-7) may be stacked on top of each other in a column (8) during a cultivation phase in water, and then singly be lifted apart by subsequent handling on a boat or on shore. Each cultivation box (1-7) is separably attached to any overlying and/or underlying cultivation box (1-7), and possibly separably attached to a cover (16) and/or a frame footing (18) of an associated box frame (10) for the cultivation boxes (1-7), and where each cultivation box is provided with side walls (33-40) separably and/or rotatably attached to the associated base (48, 50) of the box (1-7), so that the side walls (33-40) may be removed from or rotated relative to the associated base (48, 50).

Description

CULTIVATION BOX FOR SHELLS

This invention regards a cultivation box for shells, for example scallop shells, where such a cultivation box is used in connection with cultivation of shells in water, preferably seawater, and where the cultivation box in question is designed to be handled mechanically in connection with harvesting and tending of the shells, and also when cleaning the cultivation box, where the handling may for instance take place on board a boat or on shore.

In connection with handling of shells from known cultivation boxes for shells, it is common practice e.g. to harvest or tend the shells manually. Manual handling of shells from such cultivation boxes is costly, as manual handling is time consuming and demanding.

A cultivation box designed to be handled mechanically in connection with harvesting and tending of the shells, and also when cleaning the cultivation box, appears not to be known. Of prior art, there exists a rack designed with fixed wire shelves, on which wire shelves the shells are placed in the growth phase. Cultivation boxes also exist for intermediate cultures of shells, where the cultivation boxes can be stacked on top of each other, but where each cultivation box is formed by a base fixed to the side walls of the box. Of other known forms of cultivation of shells, known among other things from Japan, small scallops spaced at equal distances apart may e.g. be attached along a large number of ropes hanging down into the sea from floats. It is also common for shells, e.g. scallops, to be cultivated in bottom cultures, e.g. on a sand filled and relatively level seabed, whereupon shells that are ready for harvesting are scraped or gathered up from the seabed, e.g. by an appropriate mechanical device, s or possibly by the shells being gathered manually.

A significant disadvantage of the above and known cultivation boxes is that they are not designed to be handled mechanically in connection with harvesting and tending of the shells, and when cleaning the cultivation boxes. Handling of o the cultivation boxes, including lifting, opening and closing, is manual, and the shells are for instance picked out of the wire shelves or cultivation boxes manually prior to subsequent treatment. This is often hard, time consuming and not very cost-effective work, which in many cases leads 5 to bottom cultivation being considered the best cultivation method. This cultivation method is in addition burdened by several disadvantages. Among other things, cultivation of shells in a bottom culture causes the shells to be exposed to naturally present predatory fish and predatory organisms. o Moreover, shells under free growing conditions may swim or move away from the cultivation area, which reduces the return on the shells when they are harvested, causing this method of cultivation to become rather costly. The use of ropes that hang down into the sea from floats, and where the shells are attached to the rope, also has the disadvantage of the shells being harvested manually after the rope and the shells have for instance been brought on shore, and of such manual work often being hard, time consuming and not very cost-effective.

The object of the invention is to provide a cultivation box for shells, e.g. scallop shells, and where the cultivation box is designed to be handled mechanically in connection with harvesting and tending of the shells, and also when cleaning the cultivation boxes, so as to avoid or appreciably reduce the above disadvantages.

The object is achieved by use of a cultivation box designed to be stacked in a separable manner in a column on top of similar boxes in a cultivation phase in water, each cultivation box being separably attached to any overlying and/or underlying cultivation box, or possibly separably attached to parts of an associated frame for the cultivation box column, in a manner such that each cultivation box, for instance upon subsequent harvesting of the shells, can be lifted off and from an underlying cultivation box. In addition, each cultivation box is provided with side walls that are separably or rotatably attached to the associated base of the box. The boxes of such a column may be given a desired geometric shape such as square, rectangular, circular, hexagonal or octagonal shape.

After a cultivation box has been removed from the stack of boxes, and after the side walls have been separated from the base, and if applicable, after each side wall has been separated from the adjacent side walls, and where the side walls relative to the base have, e.g. by means of a hinge device, been rotated from a vertical position and placed in a 5 non-vertical position, the base of the box may be placed in a slanting position, e.g. on a slanting plane, so as to allow the shells to slide down from or be scraped or brushed off the base of the box on which the shells have been placed during the cultivation phase .

0 Each cultivation box may by means of a coupling device formed by complementary coupling elements or parts, for instance a tongue and complementary groove, be separably attached to an overlying and/or underlying cultivation box, or possibly be separably attached to parts of the associated box frame. The s side walls of the box may at their upper parts be equipped e.g. with a longitudinal and in the position of use horizontal tongue, while the overlying base may be equipped with a longitudinal and in the position of use horizontal groove, the two adjacent elements or parts thereby having o complementary shapes and being able to be coupled in a separable manner. Alternatively, the two adjacent elements or parts may be given another complementary and separable form, or by the two adjacent surfaces being provided with complementary and separable coupling elements, for instance 5 projecting bolts in one surface and complementary holes in the other, adjacent surface.

Like the coupling of two adjacent cultivation boxes, and preferably when using a cultivation box equipped with a base separably attached to the associated side walls of the box, o the base of the box may in the same way be attached to the associated side walls of the box by means of complementary and separable coupling elements, e.g. a groove and complementary tongue, or vertically projecting bolts in the upper part of the base of the box and complementary and vertical holes in the lower part of the side walls, or by the two adjacent coupling elements being given another complementary and separable form. The side walls of such a cultivation box may be fixed to each other, e.g. by the side walls being cast or welded in a continuous form. Alternatively, successive side walls may be separably attached, e.g. by means of hinges and/or locking bolts. If required, successive side walls may be free-standing, and thereby not attached to each other, only to the base of the box, e.g. by means of complementary and separable coupling elements.

When using a cultivation box equipped with side walls that are preferably rotatably attached to the associated base of the box, each side wall may for example be hinged to the associated base by means of a suitable number of hinges. The side walls in such a cultivation box should be separably attached to each other, e.g. where each side wall is separably attached to the next side wall by means of hinges and/or locking bolts. Alternatively, successive side walls may be free-standing and thereby not attached to each other, the side walls only being attached to the associated base. In addition to being rotatably attached to the base of the box, for instance by means of hinges, the side walls can be provided with complementary and separable coupling elements, e.g. tongue and groove. In connection with handling of cultivated shells, a lifting device may be used that is connected to each one of the boxes for the purpose of lifting this off, or placing it on, an underlying cultivation box. The lifting device may for 5 instance be provided with one or more lifting fork devices with one or more fork arms, the fork arm(s) being inserted underneath the base in question, whereupon the cultivation box is lifted off and disconnected from the underlying cultivation box or an associated frame footing. 0 Alternatively, the lifting device may be designed so as to be able to lift each cultivation box via the side walls of the box, the upper parts of the side walls for instance being provided or designed with suitable gripping points or parts, and where the lifting device is equipped with at least one s gripping device that when lifting the cultivation box is separably attached to said gripping points or parts. In this connection, it is assumed that the side walls are coupled to the associated base, e.g. by means of hinges. The lifting device should also be equipped with one or more skirts for o guiding the lifting device into place over the column of cultivation boxes before lifting of a cultivation box.

When using a cultivation box equipped with a base that has been separably attached to the associated side walls of the box, the at least one gripping device of the lifting device 5 may for example be equipped with an associated and releasable locking device. After an individual box has been lifted off and removed from the stack of cultivation boxes, and also when the at least one gripping device has been positioned in or around a gripping point or part and, by means of said o releasable locking device, has been placed in the locked position, the side walls of the individual box may be lifted off the base of the box and be put in a separate place. The side walls of the cultivation box are then released from the lifting device by each locking device being placed in the unlocked position, so that the gripping devices can then be loosened and released from the gripping points or parts of the side walls.

Preferably, the cultivation boxes, which are stacked on top of each other, are attached to a box frame, where the lower part of the box frame is constituted by e.g. a frame footing placed under the lowermost cultivation box in the stack of boxes, while the upper part of the frame is for instance equipped with a cover placed over the uppermost cultivation box in the stack of boxes, and where the frame footing and the cover in the working position are separably connected to each other, e.g. by connecting tubes or connecting rods. In order to give the cultivation box any buoyancy required during the cultivation phase in the water, the cover may for example be quipped with one or more floating bodies. In addition, the cover may be equipped with one or more lifting points, e.g. lugs, so as to allow the stack of cultivation boxes to be lifted into or out of the water. Also, the frame footing may be provided with at least one fixing device for fixing of any sinking means that may be required, for instance leads, to the footing.

The cultivation boxes may be formed e.g. from plastic, metal and/or cordage, where, if required, all or parts of the bases of the boxes and the side walls are designed with slots, grating and/or mesh or similar. The most obvious advantage of the invention is that the cultivation boxes are designed to be handled mechanically in connection with harvesting and tending of the shells, and when cleaning the cultivation box, the individual boxes being 5 mechanically separable from a stack of cultivation boxes, and where the side walls of the individual boxes can be mechanically removed from or be rotatably swung out and down from the base of the box. This provides easy access to the shells placed on the base of the box, so as to allow the o shells to be gathered for any further treatment and/or export in a simple, cost-effective and gentle manner. After the shells have been removed, the components of the box and the box frame may be cleaned in an easy and efficient manner. The construction features of the cultivation box also make it s possible to assemble the side walls and base of each box, and make it possible, for instance by means of above lifting device, box frame, locking devices, gripping points and gripping devices, for several boxes to be stacked on top of each other in a column and then be placed in water, so as to o give the shells arranged in the box the right growing conditions. At the same time, the boxes will protect the shells against predatory fish and predatory organisms, while also preventing the shells from moving away from the cultivation site. The disadvantages of known cultivation 5 methods for shells are thereby avoided or reduced.

In the following, reference will be made to non-limiting embodiments of shell cultivation boxes while referring to Figures 1-15, and also to other means/devices required in order to be able to stack several cultivation boxes in a o column when cultivating shells in water, with one specific reference number referring to the same detail in all the figures in which this detail is shown, and where:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of several shell cultivation boxes placed in a column within a box frame, the boxes containing shells (not shown), and where the box frame is shown suspended from a wire, the frame and the boxes being ready to be placed in water or be taken out of the water, and where the figure also shows a cutout area of a releasable coupling device between the upper cover of the box frame and the lower frame footing of the box frame;

Figure 2 illustrates the cutout area shown in figure 1, and where the figure shows the coupling device between an upper connecting tube, which is connected to the cover of the box frame, and a lower connecting tube, which is connected to the frame footing, where the connecting tubes are shown as being joined together by the upper and lower connecting tubes being provided with through holes at their respective free end parts, through which holes a locking bolt has been placed in a removable manner, so as to keep the cultivation boxes in place within the box frame;

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of two shell cultivation boxes, and where one box is stacked on top of the other box by means of a releasable coupling device, the upper parts of each of the side walls of the boxes being provided with two cross-sectionally rectangular and through-going notches for insertion of one fork arm each, and where the figure also shows a cutout area of a coupling device between stacked boxes and between side walls and an associated base; Figure 4 illustrates the cutout area shown in Figure 3, and where the figure shows the base of a box, which by means of coupling elements in the form of a tongue and a groove have been separably attached to the overlying side walls of the box and the side walls of an underlying box, where each side wall and base is provided with a longitudinal tongue at an upper part, and where each side wall and base are provided with a longitudinal and complementary shaped groove at a lower part, so that one box is thereby separably attached to an underlying box, and where the side walls of each box are thereby separably attached to the associated base;

Figure 5 shows an exploded, perspective view of the side walls and base of a cultivation box, where the side walls have been removed from the base of the box due to a separable tongue-and-groove coupling device, cf. Figure 4;

Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the side walls and base of a cultivation box, but where the side walls, as distinct from the coupling device shown in Figure 5, have been rotatably attached to the base of the box by means of hinges;

Figure 7 shows a perspective view of two cultivation boxes that have been stacked and placed on the frame footing and within the lower connecting tubes of the frame, the cover and the upper connecting tubes of the frame having been removed, and where a lifting device equipped with a skirt and four lifting fork devices, of which two have been shown in the figure, is in the process of being lowered over the uppermost cultivation box in the box frame via a wire, so that the cultivation box can then be lifted up and removed from the box frame; ϊ l

Figure 8 shows a plan view of the same box frame and lifting device as those shown in Figure 7, where Figure 8 also shows vertical section lines IX-IX, cf. Figure 9, and XIV-XIV, cf. Figure 14;

Figure 9 shows a vertical section seen along vertical section line IX-IX, cf . Figure 8, and where the lifting device and the four lifting fork devices, of which two have been shown in the figure, are in the process of being lowered over a cultivation box placed in the box frame, and where the lifting device is equipped with releasable and lockable gripping devices for coupling with gripping points in the upper part of the side walls of the box, and where each gripping device is provided with a locking device, but where the gripping device in this figure is shown in the open and unlocked position, and where the figure also shows a cutout area around one of the gripping devices and an associated gripping point;

Figure 10 illustrates the cutout area shown in Figure 9, and where the figure shows the lockable gripping device, which is constituted by among other things a rotatable coupling plate provided with a protruding hook, and a gripping point in the form of a protruding projection provided on and projecting from the inside of the side wall of the box, the hook of the coupling plate being shown disconnected from the gripping point of the side wall, and where the figure also shows horizontal section line XI-XI;

Figure 11 shows a horizontal section seen along horizontal section line XI-XI, cf. Figure 10, and where the figure shows the coupling plate of the gripping device, which can be. rotated about an eccentrically in the coupling plate positioned shaft, and where the figure also shows the locking device of the gripping device, which is constituted among other things by a through bore in the coupling plate, through which bore a locking bolt may be pushed in or out, the locking bolt being connected to and operated by a solenoid provided with a spring loading device, and where the figure shows the locking bolt retracted from the bore of the coupling plate, but where the locking bolt abuts the coupling plate, and where the central axis of the bore does not coincide with the central axis of the locking bolt, the hook of the coupling plate being uncoupled from the gripping point of the side walls, and where the figure also shows a vertical section line X-X;

Figure 12 illustrates a cutout area shown in Figure 14, and where the figure, in conformity with figure 10, shows the rotatable coupling plate of the lifting device and the gripping point of the side walls, but where the hook of the coupling plate is shown coupled to the gripping point of the side walls, and where the figure also shows horizontal section line XIII-XIII;

Figure 13 shows a horizontal section seen along horizontal section line XIII-XIII, cf. Figure 12, and where the figure, in conformity with Figure 11, shows components and construction features of said locking device, but where the locking bolt is shown in the drawn out position and placed in the bore of the coupling plate, so that the hook of the coupling plate is thereby coupled to the gripping point of the side walls, and where the figure also shows a vertical section line XII-XII; Figure 14 shows a vertical section seen along vertical section line XIV-XIV, cf . Figure 8 and Figure 15, and where the lifting device and the four lifting fork devices, of which two are shown in the figure, are positioned over and are lifting a cultivation box to or from the box frame, the arms of the lifting fork devices being positioned underneath the base of the box, and where the lifting device at the same time and in the locked position is coupled with the gripping points in the side walls of the box, via the releasable and lockable gripping devices , and where the figure also shows a cutout area around the gripping device and the gripping point, cf. Figure 12, and vertical section line XV-XV;

Figure 15 shows a vertical section seen along vertical section line XV-XV, cf. Figure 8 and Figure 14, and where the figure shows components and construction features of the lifting device, including a motor associated with a rotary shaft and a cogwheel, rotary rollers, and toothed bars and fork arms by the lifting fork devices, the lifting device causing the arms of the lifting fork devices to be pushed in or out underneath the base of the box, and where the figure also shows vertical section line XIV-XIV.

In other respects, the figures are schematic, and may be somewhat distorted with respect to sizes and distances.

Equipment and/or arrangements that do not pertain to the actual invention, but which in other respects are or may be prerequisites of implementing the invention, have not been indicated or described in greater detail in the following embodiment. Such equipment and/or arrangements may for instance include a hoist for lifting the frame containing a column of cultivation boxes, or for lifting the lifting device for the cultivation boxes . Moreover , such equipment and/or arrangements may for instance include hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical and/or mechanical auxiliary and control systems and equipment, including any required power supply lines/hoses, and where such equipment and/or arrangements may for instance be used for controlling and running the lifting device for the cultivation boxes .

In figure 1, seven shell cultivation boxes 1-7 have, as an example, been arranged in a column 8 of boxes within a box frame 10, the boxes containing shells (not shown), and where the box frame 10 is shown suspended on a wire 12 from a lug 14, the frame 10 and the column 8 of boxes being ready to be placed in water or be removed from the water. Otherwise, the box frame 10 is constituted by an octagonal cover 16, which in the working position is located by the upper part of the box frame 10, and an octagonal frame footing 18, which in the working position is located in the lower part of the box frame 10. In the working position, the cover 16 and the frame footing 18 are coupled to each other in a separable manner by four connecting tubes, where each connecting tube is in two parts and is constituted by an upper connecting tube attached to the cover 16, of which two upper connecting tubes 20 and 22 are shown in Figure 1 and Figure 7, and a lower connecting tube 20', 22', 24' and 26' attached to the frame footing 18, cf. Figure 8. The upper connecting tubes, including connecting tubes 20 and 22, are separably coupled to the lower connecting tubes 20', 22', 24' and 26' by a coupling device. Referring to Figure 2, the coupling is performed by e.g. the upper connecting tube 20 being joined to or inserted into the lower connecting tube 20', the respective free ends of the connecting tubes 20 and 20' being provided with through holes 28 and 28', through which a locking bolt 30 is placed in a removable manner, the locking bolt 30 being provided with a split-pin 32 to prevent the locking bolt 30 from sliding out of the holes 28 and 28'. Thereby the components of the box frame 10 are locked together, so as to keep the column 8 of boxes in place within the box frame 10.

Figure 3 shows two octagonal shell cultivation boxes 1 and 2, cf. Figure 1, and where the box 1 is stacked on top of the box 2 by means of a releasable coupling device, where the upper parts of each of the eight side walls of boxes 1 and 2, of which the eight side walls 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 and 40 (33-40) of box 1 and the eight side walls of box 2, of which side walls 42, 43 and 44 are shown in Figure 3, are provided with two cross-sectionally rectangular and through- going notches, e.g. notches 46 and 46' in side wall 33 of box 1 , through each of which notch in question a fork arm or similar device may be guided in under the overlying cultivation box in order to then lift the box. Alternatively and in an embodiment not shown, each base of boxes 1-7, e.g. bases 48 and 50 of boxes 1 and 2, cf. Figure 3, may be provided with corresponding notches, through which possible fork arms may be guided in under the base in question in order to then lift the box. Each side wall and/or base may be constituted fully or partly by a flow-through grating or screen surface.

Each base is provided with a longitudinal groove along its circumference and underside, and where each base is provided with a possible longitudinal tongue along its circumference and top. Similarly, the upper parts of the side walls of each box are provided with a longitudinal tongue, and the lower parts are possibly provided with a longitudinal groove. Each groove is shaped complementary w.r.t. to a co-operating tongue and is thereby an example of the above releasable coupling device. The coupling device causes individual boxes, when stacked in a column 8 of boxes within the box frame 10, to be locked to any overlying and underlying individual boxes, but where the coupling device also causes an individual box to be separably attached to an underlying box, o so as to allow successive lifting off and removal of individual boxes from underlying boxes. The cover 16 and the footing 18 of the box frame 10 are attached to the column 8 of boxes by a similar coupling device.

An example of such a coupling device is shown in Figure 4, s where the base 48 of the box 1 and the base 50 of the box 2 are each provided with a longitudinal groove 52 and 54 along their circumference and underside, and where the bases 48 and 50 are each provided with a longitudinal tongue 56 and 58 along their circumference and top. Similarly, the upper parts o of the side walls 33-40 of the box 1 and the eight side walls of the box 2, including the side walls 42, 43 and 44 shown in Figure 3, are each provided with a longitudinal tongue, of which the tongue 60 on side wall 42 is shown in Figure 4, and the lower parts are equipped with a longitudinal groove, of 5 which the groove 62 in the side wall 33 and the groove 64 in the side wall 42 are shown in Figure 4.

Such a releasable coupling device makes the side walls of each of the boxes 1-7 possible to lift up and away from the associated base of the box, as any overlying boxes and/or an o overlying cover 16 has been removed. This is shown in Figure Ϊ7

5, where the side walls 33-40 of the box 1 have been lifted up from the base 48 of the box 1. The side walls 33-40 may, preferably in their adjacent side parts, be connected and possibly separably attached to each other, so as to make the side walls 33-40 appear as a continuous ring 65 of side walls upon being lifted off their base 48, where the side walls 33- 40 may for instance be separably coupled by locking bolts or hinges (not shown). The side walls 33-40 may also be fixed to each other, e.g. with the side walls 33-40 being cast continuously into a ring 65 of side walls. Alternatively, successive side walls 33-40 may be free-standing and thereby not attached to each other, only to the base 48 of the box, for instance by complementary and releasable coupling elements.

When using a separably coupled ring 65 of side walls, or possibly when using free-standing side walls 33-40, the side walls 33-40 may be separated, which may for instance be an advantage in regard to facilitating any cleaning or repair work on the side walls 33-40. In an alternative embodiment, cf. Figure 6, each of the side walls 33-40 is rotatably attached to the associated base 48, the side walls 33-40 of the cultivation box 1 being provided with hinges 66 attached to the base 48 of the cultivation box 1, and where the figure shows the side walls 33-40 swung out and laid down from a previous vertical position.

Each cultivation box 1-7 is designed to be lifted to and from the column 8 of boxes by a lifting device 68 equipped with a lug 70, from where the lifting device 68 may be suspended from on wire 12 connected to a hoist not shown in the figure. The lifting device 68 is constituted by a lifting frame 72, which in its lower part and along two opposing sides has been constructed with a projecting skirt 74 and 76. In addition, the lifting frame 72 is provided with four lifting fork devices 78, 80, 82 and 84. Each of the fork devices 78, 80, 82 and 84 is, at one end placed outside the lifting frame 72, formed with a fork arm, of which fork arms 78', 80' and 82' are shown in the figure, while the other end part of each of the fork devices 78, 80, 82 and 84 is formed with a toothed bar 78", 80", 82" and 84", with these end parts being positioned on the inside of the lifting frame 72. Each toothed bar 78", 80", 82" and 84" is provided with teeth at the outermost end of the internal end part, which teeth mesh with and is thereby pushed by a cogwheel. The toothed bars 78" and 80', along with the toothed bars 82" and 84', co- operate in a paired manner, the toothed bars 78" and 80" being attached to and movable by a cogwheel 86 supported on a vertical mounting plate 88, while the toothed bars 82" and 84" are attached to and movable by a cogwheel 90 supported on a vertical mounting plate 92, with the cogwheels 86 and 90 being located internally of and centrally in the lifting frame 72, cf. Figure 9, Figure 14 and Figure 15. The cooperating toothed bars 78" and 80" are diametrically arranged on the upper and lower side of the cogwheel 86 respectively, the toothed bars 78" and 80" running parallel to each other in the horizontal direction. Similarly, the toothed bars 82" and 84" are diametrically arranged on the upper side and lower side of the cogwheel 90 respectively, and run parallel to each other in the same horizontal direction as the first mentioned pair of toothed bars. Each toothed bar 78", 80", 82" and 84" is movably supported in the centre of the lifting frame 72, where the toothed bar 78" is movably arranged between the cogwheel 86 and an upper rotary roller 94, while the toothed bar 80" is movably arranged between the cogwheel 86 and a lower rotary roller 96. In addition, each of the cooperating toothed bars 78" and 80" is, internally by the skirts 74 and 76 of the lifting frame 72, movably arranged between two rotary rollers each, where the toothed bar 78" is arranged between the rotary rollers 98 and 100, while the toothed bar 80" is arranged between the rotary rollers 102 and 104. The rotary rollers 98 and 100 are supported on a vertical fixing bracket 106, through which the toothed bar 78" extends through an opening 108 and further through an outer opening 110 in the lifting frame 72, while the rotary rollers 102 and 104 are supported on a vertical fixing bracket 112, through which the toothed bar 80" extends through an opening 114 and further through an outer opening 116 in the lifting frame 72. Similarly, the co-operating toothed bars 82" and 84" are movably arranged between the cogwheel 90 and separate rotary rollers 118 and 120. In addition, each toothed bar 82" and 84" is, similarly to the toothed bars 78" and 80", movably arranged between two rotary rollers (not shown) each, each pair of rotary rollers being supported on separate vertical fixing brackets (not shown), through which each toothed bar 82" and 84" extends through separate openings and further through separate outer openings in the lifting frame 72.

Each of the cogwheels 86 and 90 are attached to a common and between these centrally located rotary shaft 122, and where the rotary shaft 122 is attached to and may be rotated by a motor 124, e.g. an electric motor, the motor 124 being fixed to a mounting plate 126 located centrally in the lifting frame 72. Thereby, when the rotary shaft 122 is rotated in the desired direction of rotation, the cogwheels 86 and 90 are rotated simultaneously and in the same direction of rotation as that of the rotary shaft 122, so as to displace out through the four outer openings of the lifting frame 72 the via the cogwheels 86 and 90 co-operating toothed bars 78" and 80", and also co-operating toothed bars 82" and 84", upon 5 rotation in one direction. Upon rotation in the other direction, on the other hand, the toothed bars 78" and 80", along with the toothed bars 82" and 84", will be moved in through the four outer openings of the lifting frame 72, including the openings 110 and 116 shown in the figures. By o so doing, the associated fork arms 78' and 80' are also moved, along with the fork arms 82' and 84', in or out under a relevant cultivation box 1-7. Figure 9 shows the fork arms 78' and 80', along with the fork arms 82' and 84, in an extended position, where they project from the skirts 74 and s 76 of the lifting device 68, as the lifting device 68 and the associated skirts 74 and 76 are in the process of being lowered over the cultivation box 1 positioned in the box frame 10. Figure 14 and Figure 15 show the fork arms 78' and 80', along with the fork arms 82' and 84', pushed under the o cultivation box 1, where the lifting device 68 and the associated skirts 74 and 76 enclose the cultivation box 1, and where the cultivation box 1 is simultaneously being lifted away from the column 8 of boxes in the box frame 10.

When using cultivation boxes 1-7 that are separably attached 5 to each other, the four fixing brackets of the lifting device 68, including the fixing brackets 106 and 112 shown in the figure, are each equipped with a releasable and lockable gripping device, and where the gripping devices are identical in operation. Figures 10-13 show a gripping device 127 o attached to the fixing bracket 106, and where the gripping device 127 is constituted by among other things a rotatable coupling plate 128 formed with a protruding hook 130, a bore 132 designed to receive a locking bolt 134, and a bore 136 in which is placed a shaft 138. In this embodiment, the coupling plate 128 is designed with an approximately oval peripheral shape, and where said hook 130 projects outside the periphery of the coupling plate 128, and where part of the hook 130 forms a hook face 129, which in the lifting position forms a load bearing connecting face, to which hook face 129 the associated side wall 36 of the ring 65 of side walls may be connected and lifted via an associated gripping point. The coupling plate 128 is rotated about the shaft 138 via the bore 136, the shaft 138 being fixed to the fixing bracket 106, and where the coupling plate 128 is kept in place around the shaft 138 by means of a split-pin 140 placed through the end part of the shaft 138. In addition, the bore 136 of the coupling plate 128 and the shaft 138 are positioned eccentrically in the coupling plate 128, to allow the coupling plate to be rotated naturally by means of gravity when the locking bolt 134 is removed from the bore 132 of the coupling plate 128. The locking bolt 134 is designed to be pushed into or withdrawn from the bore 132, for instance by means of a solenoid 142 attached to a spring loading device (not shown). When the solenoid 142 is deactivated, the spring loading device will tend to push the locking bolt 134 out into the pulled-out position and, when possible, into the bore 132 (locked position), cf. Figure 13. Upon activation, the solenoid 142 will pull the locking bolt 134 towards itself in the retracted position, and preferably out of the bore 132 (open position), cf. figure 11, and thereby the locking bolt 134 is simultaneously pushed against the spring loading device and is spring loaded, so that the spring loading device is again ready to push the locking bolt 134 out into the pulled-out position. The solenoid 142 needs only to be activated when the locking bolt 134 is to be pulled out of the bore 132, whereupon the coupling plate 128 is naturally rotated by means of gravity to a position in which the centre line of the locking bolt 134 does not coincide 5 with the centre line of the bore 132, and where the locking bolt then abuts the face of the coupling plate 128, thus not requiring the solenoid 142 to be activated. When the coupling plate 128 is rotated in the opposite direction until the centre line of the locking bolt 134 coincides with the centre o line of the bore 132, the spring loading device will push the bolt 134 into the bore 132.

Moreover, Figure 9 and Figure 14 schematically show the releasable and lockable gripping device 143 and an associated coupling plate 144 of the fixing bracket 112, the coupling s plate 144 being attached to its fixing bracket 112 in an inverse manner relative to the coupling plate 128.

In addition, the side walls of each cultivation box 1-7, e.g. side walls 33-40 of cultivation box 1, are in an upper part provided with or designed with suitable gripping points that o are used to lift the side walls 33-40. In this embodiment, each gripping point is constituted by a wedge-shaped projection that, when in the lifting position, protrudes from the inside of, and which at its upper part ends in a wedge point at a distance from, the side walls 33-40. Each 5 projection is thereby formed with an upwardly and outwardly slanting wedge face w.r.t. the vertical, the upper part of which face ends in said wedge point, where this wedge face, when in the lifting position, constitutes a load bearing connecting face, and where a second and horizontal wedge face o extends from the wedge point. The upwardly and outwardly slanting wedge face of the projection is shaped complementary to the in the lifting position underlying hook face on the hook of each coupling plate. Figure 10 and Figure 12 show, among other things, the protruding projection 146 of the side wall 36 and its associated wedge point 148, from where extends two wedge faces made up of an upwardly and outwardly slanting wedge face 150 and a horizontal wedge face 152, and where the figure also shows the complementary and load bearing hook face 129 on the hook 130 of the coupling plate 128. Figure 12 and Figure 14 show the hook 130 in the closed and locked position around the projection 146, the hook face 129 and the wedge face 150 being connected to each other in a complementary and load bearing manner, to allow the shell box 1 to be lifted by the lifting device 68.

When the lifting device 68 and the associated skirts 74 and 76 are lowered over and around e.g. the cultivation box 1, all gripping devices, including the gripping devices 127 and 143, are placed in the open and unlocked position, in a manner such that e.g. the hook 130 of the coupling plate 128 0 is uncoupled from the projection 146, cf . Figure 9 and Figure 10. Upon further lowering of the lifting device 68 over and around e.g. the cultivation box 1, a lower peripheral part of e.g. the coupling plate 128 will be brought into contact with the horizontal wedge face 152 of the projection 146, so that 5 the coupling plate 128, due to its eccentric support, is rotated until the hook face 129 abuts the upwardly and outwardly slanting wedge face 150 of the projection 146. This is shown in Figures 12-15, where the gripping device 127 of the fixing bracket 106 and the rest of the gripping devices o are placed in the closed and locked position around the projection 146 and the other projections. In the locked position, all the fork arms, including the fork arms 78', 80', 82' and 84', are pushed in under the cultivation box 1, the cultivation box 1 being lifted away from the column 8 of boxes in the box frame 10, cf. Figure 14 and Figure 15. After the cultivation box 1 has thereby been lifted off and removed from the column 8 of boxes, and after the cultivation box 1 has been released from the fork devices 78, 80, 82 and 84, but where the above gripping devices, including gripping devices 127 and 143, are still in the closed position, the side walls 33-40 (ring 65 of side walls) of the cultivation box 1 can be lifted off the base 48 of the box and placed somewhere else. The ring 65 of side walls of the cultivation box 1 is then released from the gripping devices, including the gripping devices 127 and 143, and thereby from the lifting device 68 by each gripping device being placed in the unlocked and open position.

Claims

C l a i m s

1. A cultivation box (1-7) for shells, for example scallop shells, for use when cultivating shells in water, preferably seawater, the cultivation box (1-7) being provided with side walls (33-40), also termed a ring

(65) of side walls, and a base (48, 50), and where the cultivation boxes (1-7) are designed to be stacked in a column (8) within a box frame (10), the box frame (10) being designed to be lifted by a hoist, and where the cultivation box (1-7), when being lifted, is attached to a lifting device (68) designed to lift each separate cultivation box (1-7) and/or its associated ring (65) of side walls, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the cultivation box (1-7) is separably attached to any overlying and/or underlying cultivation box (1-7), and where the side walls (33-40) or the ring (65) of side walls are separably attached and/or rotatably attached to the associated base (48, 50) of the cultivation box (1-7).

2. A cultivation box (1-7) according to Claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that an upper part of the side walls (33-40) or the ring (65) of side walls of the cultivation box (1-7) and a lower part of the base (48, 50) of the cultivation box (1-7) are each provided with a coupling element or part, the coupling elements or parts being formed in a complementary manner with respect to each other.

3. A cultivation box (1-7) according to Claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that a lower part of the side walls (33-40) or the ring (65) of side walls of the cultivation box (1-7) and an upper part of the base (48, 50) of the cultivation box (1-7) are each provided with a coupling element or part, the coupling elements or parts being formed in a complementary manner with respect to each other.

4. A cultivation box (1-7) according to Claim 2 or 3, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the complementary shaped coupling elements or parts are constituted by a groove (52, 54, 62, 64) and a tongue (56, 58, 60), or a bolt and a hole.

5. A cultivation box (1-7) according to one or more of claims 1-4, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the side walls (33-40) of the cultivation box (1-7) are rotatably attached to the base (48, 50) of the cultivation box (1-7) by means of hinges (66).

6. A cultivation box ( 1-7 ) according to one or more of claims 1-5, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the side walls (33-40) of the cultivation box (1-7) are separably attached to each other by means of hinges and/or locking bolts, or that the side walls (33-40) are free-standing and thereby not attached to each other, only to the base (48, 50) of the box.

7. A cultivation box (1-7) according to one or more of claims 1-4, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the side walls (33-40) of the cultivation box are fixed to each other, e.g. by the side walls being cast or welded together in a continuous manner.

8. A cultivation box (1-7) according to one or more of claims 1-7, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that an upper part of the side walls (33-40) of the cultivation box (1-7) is provided or designed with gripping points or parts to which at least one releasable gripping device (127, 143), when in the lifting position, is coupled in a load bearing manner, the at least one gripping device (127, 143) being attached to the lifting device ( 68) .

9. A cultivation box (1-7) according to Claim 8, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the gripping point or part is constituted by a wedge-shaped projection (146), while the at least one gripping device (127, 143) is constituted by a coupling plate (128) formed with a hook (130) that protrudes outside the periphery of the coupling plate (128), and where a part of the hook (130) forms a hook face (129) that, when in the lifting position, is load bearing, the coupling plate (128) being rotatably coupled to the lifting device (68), and where the projection (146), when in the lifting position, protrudes from, and in its upper part ends in a wedge point (148) at a distance from, the side wall (33-40) in question, and where the projection (146) is formed with an upwardly and outwardly slanting wedge face (150) w.r.t. the vertical, which face, when in the lifting position, is load bearing, and which in its upper part ends in the wedge point (148), and where from the wedge point (148) there also extends a horizontal wedge face (152), and where the hook face (129) and the upwardly and outwardly slanting wedge face (150) are formed in a complementary manner, so that they are connected to each other in a complementary and load bearing manner when in the lifting position.

10. A cultivation box (1-7) according to one or more of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the upper part of the side walls (33-40) of each cultivation box (1-7) is provided with two cross- sectionally rectangular notches (46, 46'), through each of which relevant notch (46, 46') a fork arm (78', 80', 82') or similar device may be guided in underneath an overlying cultivation box (1-7) in order then to lift the overlying box ( 1-7 ) .