Aquaculture cage cleaning equipment

Abstract

To provide an aquaculture basket washing apparatus having a structure which can reduce abrasion of a net conveyor.SOLUTION: An aquaculture basket washing apparatus comprises: an aquaculture basket conveyance unit; and a washing water jetting unit which jets washing water to an aquaculture basket conveyed by the aquaculture basket conveyance unit. The aquaculture basket conveyance unit includes: an endless conveyor; and a frame supporting the endless conveyor. The endless conveyor has a basket placement portion which travels substantially in parallel such that the plurality of aquaculture baskets can be placed. The frame includes a plurality of rails which have the length in the travel direction of the endless conveyor and are juxtaposed in the width direction of the endless conveyor at positions corresponding to the basket placement portion. The plurality of rails can move in the width direction of the endless conveyor within a range corresponding to at least a middle section of the basket placement portion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning culture cages used in shellfish farming, and more specifically, to a culture cage cleaning apparatus equipped with a mechanism for preventing wear on a conveyor made of a metal net. [Background technology]

[0002] In scallop farming, various types of cages are used, such as Zabuton, Kagomaru, and Pocket. Cages of different sizes, shapes, and mesh sizes are used depending on the growth stage of the scallops. Cage farming used in the ocean is prone to foreign matter such as seaweed and other organisms such as oysters and barnacles. If foreign matter adheres to the cages, it can impede water permeability and adversely affect the supply of oxygen and food to the scallops. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly remove foreign matter that has adhered to the cages, and for this purpose, the cages are washed on land or on a ship as necessary.

[0003] For example, the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 can be used as a culture cage washing device. In the drawing of Patent Document 1, shellfish are depicted as objects to be washed, but the culture cage can be washed by placing it on the conveyor in this device. The washing device of Patent Document 1 includes an endless net conveyor that is stretched between two rollers and runs with the culture cage with foreign matter attached thereto placed thereon, and a rotating nozzle that sprays high-pressure water onto the culture cage on the endless net conveyor. Although not described in Patent Document 1, it is preferable to use a net conveyor that is composed of multiple spiral wires made by bending stainless steel wires into a spiral shape and multiple wavy or straight force wires that connect adjacent spiral wires as the endless net conveyor of this washing device. In this device, high-pressure water is sprayed from a rotating nozzle at close range onto the culture cage, and the high-pressure water presses the culture cage downward, and a large pressure is applied to the net conveyor located below the culture cage.

[0004] In particular, in scallop farming, the number of farming cages used has increased in recent years due to the expansion of the farming scale, and the amount of cages to be washed has also increased. In order to improve the efficiency of washing the increasing number of farming cages, the pressure and amount of high-pressure water in the washing device have been increased, and the running speed of the net conveyor has been increased. Wear of the net conveyor has become a problem due to the increase in the pressure of the high-pressure water and the amount of washing water, and the increase in the running speed of the net conveyor.

[0005] In recent washing equipment, in order to support a low-rigidity net conveyor, multiple resin rails are fixed to the side of the net conveyor opposite the surface on which the culture cages are placed, with the aim of supporting the net conveyor, which has low rigidity, but as a result of increases in pressure, amount of washing water, and conveyor speed, the net conveyor wears out intensively at the parts that come into contact with the resin rails (these parts are always in the same position), leading to the phenomenon of the net conveyor being cut off. A net conveyor with a spiral wire comes into contact with the resin rails at points, not at a surface, due to the twisting of the spiral wire caused by the spiral bend, so that the wear at these contact points progresses faster than other parts, causing them to become thinner, and the phenomenon of the net conveyor being cut off by vibration occurs. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-115332 A [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6901763 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, in the prior art, the number of resin rails has been increased or the width of the resin rails has been widened to disperse the frictional force, but increasing the number of rails or widening the rail width increases the amount of water reflected off the top surface of the resin rail, which causes problems such as the reflected water blocking the high-pressure water heading toward the culture cages, reducing the cleaning effect, and increasing the amount of washing wastewater spraying out toward the entrance and exit of the washing device, which falls on the workers.

[0008] In addition, an attempt has been made to increase the diameter of the spiral wire of the net conveyor to extend its lifespan against wear, but the effect of preventing wear is limited, and the use of thick stainless steel wire results in problems of increased weight and cost.

[0009] The present invention addresses the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a culture cage cleaning device having a structure capable of reducing wear on the net conveyor. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The present invention provides an aquaculture cage washing device for washing aquaculture cages used in shellfish culture with washing water. The aquaculture cage washing device includes a culture cage transport unit and a washing water injection unit that injects washing water onto the aquaculture cages transported by the culture cage transport unit. The aquaculture cage transport unit includes an endless conveyor and a frame that supports the endless conveyor. The endless conveyor is stretched across two rotating rollers arranged in parallel, and has a cage placement portion that runs approximately horizontally between the two rotating rollers so that a plurality of aquaculture cages can be placed thereon. The frame has a plurality of rails that have a length in the running direction of the endless conveyor and are juxtaposed in the width direction of the endless conveyor at a position corresponding to the cage placement portion. The plurality of rails are movable in the width direction of the endless conveyor in a range that corresponds to at least a middle portion of the cage placement portion.

[0011] Preferably, the multiple rails are divided into three in the running direction of the basket placement portion of the endless conveyor. Specifically, the multiple rails preferably have a movable rail section in which the juxtaposed rails move integrally in the width direction of the endless conveyor in the range facing the cleaning water spray section. A first fixed rail section is preferably disposed upstream of the movable rail section in the running direction of the endless conveyor. Also, a second fixed rail section is preferably disposed downstream of the movable rail section in the running direction of the endless conveyor. The first fixed rail section can be longer than the second fixed rail section.

[0012] The culture cage cleaning device further includes a drive unit for moving the movable rail unit. In one embodiment, the drive unit may include a bolt rotatably supported on the frame and a connecting member connected to the movable rail unit and screwed to the bolt. In this embodiment, the movable rail unit moves in the width direction of the endless conveyor by moving the screwed connecting member in the length direction of the bolt by rotating the bolt.

[0013] In another embodiment, the drive unit may include a motor and a crank mechanism that converts the motion of the motor into linear motion, and in this embodiment, the crank mechanism moves the movable rail unit when the motor is operated. Effect of the Invention

[0014] According to the present invention, by moving the rail supporting the conveyor in the width direction of the conveyor in the range corresponding to the cleaning water injection section where the load on the conveyor by the high-pressure water becomes large, it is possible to prevent the rail from always contacting the same position on the conveyor, thereby dispersing the positions of wear on the conveyor and significantly extending its lifespan. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a culture cage cleaning device having a culture cage transport section according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2]FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a culture cage transport section having multiple rails according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a movable rail portion, a fixed rail portion, and a drive portion for the movable rail portion according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams showing examples of a method for driving a movable rail unit, in which (a) is a form having a manually operated drive unit, and (b) is a form having an automatically operated drive unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0017] (Overview of the aquaculture cage cleaning device) 1 is a perspective view showing a culture cage cleaning device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The culture cage cleaning device 1 (hereinafter referred to as device 1) includes a culture cage transport unit 2 that transports a plurality of culture cages K, which are objects to be cleaned, and a cleaning water spray unit 3 that sprays high-pressure cleaning water onto the culture cages K transported by the culture cage transport unit 2 to clean the culture cages K.

[0018] The culture cage transport section 2 preferably includes a frame 21 having four legs 212. Rotating rollers 211a, 211b are provided at both ends of the frame 21 in the longitudinal direction. An endless net conveyor 23 is stretched between the two rotating rollers 211a, 211b. The net conveyor 23 can be made to run by using at least one of the two rotating rollers 211a, 211b as a driving roller. Alternatively, the net conveyor 23 can be made to run by attaching a chain 232 to one or both side ends of the net conveyor 23 and using a driving mechanism (not shown) that drives the chain 232.

[0019] The net conveyor 23 may be an existing metal mesh conveyor, but it is preferable to use the balance net proposed in the applicant's patent application No. 2021-205810. This balance net is made of a metal (preferably stainless steel) net and is composed of multiple spiral wires made by bending a metal wire into a spiral shape and multiple wavy or straight force wires that connect adjacent spiral wires. The net conveyor 23 is typically 1 m to 1.2 m wide and about 6 m long.

[0020] Between the rotating rollers 211a, 211b of the net conveyor 23 (the cleaning surface side of the net conveyor 23) is a cage placing portion 231 that runs approximately horizontally, and the culture cages K to be cleaned are placed on the cage placing portion 231 and transported. The length of the cage placing portion 231 of the net conveyor 23 is typically about 3 m, but is not limited to this. Below the cage placing portion 231 of the net conveyor 23, a rail 24 is arranged at a position that generally corresponds to the cage placing portion 231.

[0021] The cleaning water jetting section 3 is provided so as to be located above a part (basket cleaning section) of the basket placement portion 231 of the net conveyor 23. In FIG. 1, the cleaning water jetting section 3 has a rotary nozzle unit 31. The rotary nozzle unit 31 may be provided with a rotor having a plurality of radially extending arms and a nozzle provided on each of the plurality of arms. The cleaning water jetted from the rotary nozzle unit 31 hits the culture cage K on the net conveyor 23 and can remove foreign matter from the culture cage K. The rotary nozzle unit 31 is not limited to that shown in FIG. 1, and for example, the nozzles described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 can be used appropriately as necessary.

[0022] In recent years, the pressure and flow rate of the cleaning water have been increased so that foreign objects in the culture cages K can be reliably and quickly removed, and the latest rotary nozzle units 31 can spray, for example, 400 L of cleaning water per minute at a pressure of 5 MPa. This high-pressure cleaning water presses the culture cages K downward, and the running speed of the net conveyor has increased to increase the processing volume, causing wear of the net conveyor due to friction between the net conveyor and the rail below it. The present invention reduces wear of the net conveyor due to friction with the rail.

[0023] The rotary nozzle unit 31 is housed in a case 32 to prevent the washing water from splashing, and high-pressure washing water is supplied to the rotary nozzle unit 31 from a washing water supply pipe 33 provided to protrude from the ceiling of the case 32. The case 32 is provided at a position roughly corresponding to the basket washing section of the net conveyor 23. The case 32 has an inlet section 32a and an outlet section 32b for the culture cage K. The inlet section 32a and the outlet section 32b are preferably closed by a curtain (not shown) made of a vinyl plate, a rubber plate, or the like so that the washing water does not blow out of the case 32. The length of the case 32 in the running direction of the net conveyor is typically 1 m to 1.2 m, and the width preferably corresponds to the width of the frame 21.

[0024] (Details of the aquaculture cage transport section) Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a culture cage transport unit 2 having a plurality of rails 24 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a movable rail unit 241, first and second fixed rail units 242, 243, and a drive unit 25 of the movable rail unit 241 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Although not shown in Fig. 2, the rotating rollers 211a, 211b are provided at both ends of the frame 21 as described above, and the endless net conveyor 23 is stretched between them. The culture cage K to be cleaned is placed on the cage placement portion 231 between the rotating rollers 211a, 211b and transported, and the rails 24 are arranged below the cage placement portion 231.

[0025] Frame 21 has two side frames 213a, 213b arranged in parallel at both ends in the width direction of net conveyor 23. Presser brackets 215a, 215b with an L-shaped cross section are provided on the inside of the two side frames 213a, 213b in a positional relationship facing each other. Both ends in the width direction of basket placement portion 231 of net conveyor 23 run between the lower surfaces of the lower sides of presser brackets 215a, 215b and side rails 213ar, 213br provided on the inside of side frames 213a, 213b in a positional relationship facing each other.

[0026] Four intermediate frames 214a to 214d are stretched between the side frames 213a and 213b so as to be perpendicular to them. The intermediate frame 214a is disposed near the ends of the side frames 213a and 213b on the upstream side of the running direction of the net conveyor 23, and the intermediate frame 214d is disposed near the ends of the side frames 213a and 213b on the downstream side of the running direction of the net conveyor 23. The intermediate frame 214b is disposed upstream of the midpoint between the intermediate frames 214a and 214d in the running direction, and the intermediate frame 214c is disposed downstream of the midpoint between the intermediate frames 214a and 214d in the running direction. The interval between the intermediate frames 214a and 214b is preferably wider than the interval between the intermediate frames 214c and 214d. The interval between the two will be described later in the detailed description of the rail.

[0027] Between the intermediate frames 214a and 214d, a plurality of rails 24 are arranged below the cage placement portion 231 of the net conveyor 23. The plurality of rails 24 have a length in the running direction of the net conveyor 23, and are arranged side by side in the width direction of the net conveyor 23. By arranging the plurality of rails 24 below the cage placement portion 231 of the net conveyor 23, the plurality of rails 24 support the cage placement portion 231, and the net conveyor 23 can run smoothly even when high-pressure washing water from the washing water jetting unit 3 presses the culture cages K downward.

[0028] In one embodiment, the multiple rails 24 are preferably divided into three in the running direction of the basket placement portion 231 of the net conveyor 23. Specifically, it is preferable to provide a first rail portion 242 between the intermediate frames 214a and 214b, a second rail portion 243 between the intermediate frames 214c and 214d, and a third rail portion 241 between the first rail portion 242 and the second rail portion 243. The third rail portion 241 can be a range corresponding to the middle portion of the basket placement portion 231, and more preferably, a range facing the rotary nozzle unit 31, i.e., a portion (basket washing portion) corresponding to the reach of the high-pressure washing water sprayed from the rotary nozzle unit 31.

[0029] In the first rail section 242, a plurality of rails 242a, one end of which is fixed to the intermediate frame 214a and the other end of which is fixed to the intermediate frame 214b, are arranged side by side at intervals in the width direction of the net conveyor 23. That is, the first rail section 242 is a first fixed rail section 242 in which the ends of the plurality of rails 242a are fixed to the intermediate frames 214a and 214b. The first fixed rail section 242 is an entrance side rail section located upstream of the third rail section 241 in the running direction of the net conveyor 23, and can be used as a space for spreading the culture cages K with foreign matter attached thereto before they enter the cleaning water injection section 3. The length of the first fixed rail section 242 is typically about 1 m, but is not limited thereto.

[0030] In the second rail section 243, a plurality of rails 243a, one end of which is fixed to the intermediate frame 214c and the other end of which is fixed to the intermediate frame 214d, are arranged side by side at intervals in the width direction of the net conveyor 23. That is, the second rail section 243 is a second fixed rail section 243 in which the ends of the plurality of rails 243a are fixed to the intermediate frames 214c and 214d. The second fixed rail section 243 is a fixed rail section on the outlet side located downstream of the third rail section 241 in the running direction of the net conveyor 23, and can be used as a space for folding or stacking the culture cages K that have been washed in the washing water injection section 3. The length of the second fixed rail section 243 is not limited and may be shorter than that of the first fixed rail section 242.

[0031] The third rail portion 241 located between the first fixed rail portion 242 and the second fixed rail portion 243 is a movable rail portion 241. The movable rail portion 241 is a portion corresponding to the washing space (cage washing portion) of the culture cage K, arranged in a range generally facing the rotary nozzle unit 31 (i.e., a portion corresponding to the reach of the high-pressure washing water sprayed from the rotary nozzle unit 31). The movable rail portion 241 is configured such that multiple rails 241a move integrally in the width direction of the net conveyor 23.

[0032] The movable rail section 241 has a plurality of rails 241a arranged side by side at intervals in the width direction of the net conveyor 23, and a pair of base members 241b1, 241b2 to which both ends of the plurality of rails 241a are fixed and have a length in the width direction. The base member 241b1 is shorter than the length of the intermediate frame 214b and can move in the length direction while sliding along the intermediate frame 214b. Similarly, the base member 241b2 is shorter than the length of the intermediate frame 214c and can move in the length direction while sliding along the intermediate frame 214c. Therefore, the movable rail section 241 can move in the width direction of the net conveyor 23 along the length direction of the intermediate frames 214b, 214c.

[0033] The intermediate frames 214b, 214c on which the base members 241b1, 241b2 are placed are provided with three slots h along their length. The base members 241b1, 241b2 are provided with three pins p protruding from their lower surfaces, and the three pins p are inserted into the three slots and move within the slots. Therefore, the movement distance of the movable rail portion 241 in the width direction can be determined by the length of the slots h.

[0034] 2 and 3, the number of rails 241a, 242a, 243a of the movable rail portion 241, the first fixed rail portion 242, and the second fixed rail portion 243 is six, but is not limited to this, and may be five or less or seven or more depending on the width of the net conveyor 23, as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved. In addition, the number of rails 241a, 242a, 243a may be different in any one of the movable rail portion 241, the first fixed rail portion 242, and the second fixed rail portion 243, or may be different in all three.

[0035] As described above, the movable rail portion 241 is configured such that the multiple rails 241a in the range facing the rotary nozzle unit 31 move integrally in the width direction of the net conveyor 23. In another embodiment, multiple rails 24 each continuing over the entire length of the basket placement portion 231, without being divided into three in the running direction of the net conveyor 23, may be used, and the multiple rails 24 thus continuing may be configured to move integrally as a whole in the width direction of the net conveyor 23.

[0036] As an example of the movable rail section, when a net conveyor with a width of 1 m is used, it is more preferable that the rail interval is 110 m and the number of rails is 6, and when a net conveyor with a width of 1.2 m is used, it is more preferable that the rail interval is 140 m and the number of rails is 6. If the rail interval is narrower than these and the number of rails is increased, the washing water may splash on the top surface of the rails and the washing waste water may spurt out from the inlet or outlet of the case. On the other hand, if the rail interval is wider and the number of rails is reduced, the pressure of the washing water may cause the net conveyor to deform downward between the rails, which may increase the wear of the net conveyor. When the length of the basket placement part is 3 m, the length of the movable rail section (the length in the running direction of the net conveyor) is preferably 1.2 m to 1.3 m. Furthermore, the applicant's experiments have confirmed that when a 25 mm wide resin rail is used and the moving distance of the movable rail section is 60 mm, a wide 85 mm wide area of ​​the net conveyor becomes the contact surface with the rail, and the net conveyor replacement time is approximately three times longer than in conventional devices in which the rail does not move and is always in contact with the same position on the net conveyor.

[0037] (Method of driving the movable rail section) FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a method for driving the movable rail section. The movement of the movable rail section 241 may be performed manually or automatically. As a manual movement mechanism for the movable rail section 241, the driving section 25 shown in FIG. 2 to FIG. 4(a) can be used. The driving section 25 has a knobbed bolt 25a having a knob provided at one end so that an operator can rotate it by hand. The knobbed bolt 25a protrudes outward from the side frame 231a, and the other end is rotatably supported by the side frame 213a.

[0038] The driving unit 25 further has a connecting member 25b fixed to the movable rail portion 241. The connecting member 25b has a base portion 25b1 having a length in a direction parallel to the side frame 213a, and a connecting portion 25b2 connecting both ends of the base portion 25b1 in the length direction to the movable rail portion 241. A screw hole 25b3 is provided at a roughly intermediate portion in the length direction of the base portion 25b1, through which the knobbed bolt 25a is inserted and into which a screw is formed to be screwed. Therefore, by rotating the knobbed bolt 25a, the base portion 25b1 moves in the length direction of the knobbed bolt 25a according to the rotation direction, and the movable rail portion 241 connected to the base portion 25b1 via the connecting portion 25b2 moves in the length direction of the knobbed bolt 25a, i.e., in the width direction of the net conveyor 23.

[0039] The movable rail portion 241 can be moved in the width direction of the net conveyor 23, for example, by repeatedly rotating the knobbed bolt 25a as appropriate each time the cleaning device is used, and once the movable rail portion 241 has moved in one direction by a distance determined by the length of the long hole h, the knobbed bolt 25a is similarly rotated in the reverse direction each time the cleaning device is used, and this is repeated. This allows the rail 24 to be moved so that the same position on the net conveyor 23 does not continue to contact the rail 24, thereby preventing concentrated wear on the net conveyor 23.

[0040] As the automatic movement mechanism of the movable rail section 241, the driving section 26 shown in FIG. 4(b) can also be used. The driving section 26 has a motor 26a and a crank mechanism that converts the rotational motion of the motor 26a into linear motion. The crank mechanism has a disk 26b attached to the rotating shaft of the motor 26a and a rod 26c with one end rotatably attached near the outer periphery of the disk 26b. The other end of the rod 26c is rotatably attached to a connecting member 26d that is connected to the movable rail section 241. Therefore, the rotational motion of the motor 26a is converted into linear motion, and the movable rail section 241 moves in the width direction of the net conveyor 23 by the linear motion.

[0041] Preferably, a motor with a high reduction ratio is used as motor 26a, and motor 26a is configured to be driven by a timer, so that disk 26b of the crank mechanism rotates a predetermined angle at regular time intervals while the cleaning device is in use, and movable rail portion 241 moves little by little in the width direction of the net conveyor 23. [Explanation of symbols]

[0042] 1. Aquaculture cage cleaning device 2. Cage transport section 21 Frame 211a, 211b Rotating roller 212 legs 213a, 213b Side frame 213ar, 213br side rail 214a, 214b, 214c, 214d Intermediate frames 215a, 215b Clamp h long hole 23 Net Conveyor 231 Basket placement area 232 Chen 24 Rail 241 Movable rail section 241a Rail 241b1, 241b2 Base material p pin 242 First Rail Section 242a Rail 243 Second Rail Section 243a Rail 25 Drive unit 25a knobbed bolt 25b Connecting member 25b1 base 25b2 Connecting part 25b3 screw hole 26 Drive unit 26a Motor 26b Disc 26c Rod 26d Connecting member 3. Cleaning water injection section 31 Rotating nozzle unit 32 cases 32a Entrance 32b Exit section 33 Cleaning water supply pipe

Claims

1. A culture cage washing device for washing a culture cage used for shellfish culture with washing water, comprising: A culture cage transport unit; a washing water injection unit that injects washing water onto the culture cages transported by the culture cage transport unit; Equipped with The culture cage conveying unit includes: an endless conveyor having a cage placement portion that runs substantially horizontally so that a plurality of culture cages can be placed thereon; a frame configured to support the endless conveyor, and including a plurality of rails each having a length in a running direction of the endless conveyor and arranged in parallel in a width direction of the endless conveyor at a position corresponding to the basket placement portion; having The rails are movable in the width direction in a range corresponding to at least a middle portion of the basket placement portion. A culture cage cleaning device characterized by the above.

2. The plurality of rails include: a movable rail section in which the juxtaposed rails move integrally in the width direction in a range facing the cleaning water jetting section; A first fixed rail portion located upstream of the movable rail portion in the running direction of the endless conveyor; A second fixed rail portion located downstream of the movable rail portion in the running direction of the endless conveyor; Consists of The culture cage cleaning device according to claim 1.

3. The culture cage cleaning apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the first fixed rail portion is longer than the second fixed rail portion.

4. A drive unit that moves the movable rail unit is further provided. The drive unit has a bolt rotatably supported by the frame and a connecting member connected to the movable rail unit and screwed to the bolt, and the screwed connecting member moves in the length direction of the bolt by rotation of the bolt, thereby moving the movable rail unit in the width direction. The culture cage cleaning device according to claim 2 or 3.

5. A drive unit that moves the movable rail unit is further provided. the drive unit includes a motor and a crank mechanism that converts motion of the motor into linear motion; The motor is operated so that the crank mechanism moves the movable rail portion. The culture cage cleaning device according to claim 2 or 3.

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