APPARATUS FOR IN-FLOW SORTING AND COUNTING OF LIVE FISH Russian patent published in 1999 - IPC

FIELD: commercial fish rearing. SUBSTANCE: apparatus has receiving hopper, device for orienting, transporting and separating live fish in water flow. Device has hydraulic chute 1 with partition walls 2 defining individual channels 2, group channels 8 for fish of different size, group channel gates with drives 11, module 7 for coordinating moments of opening group channel entries and approach of fish to these entries, fish parameter sensor, fish counting sensor and output sensor, group collectors 13, logic gate 4, computer 5, indicator 6 and feeding vessels. Sizes of individual channels correspond to that of fish. Replaceable hydraulic chutes are available for fish batches of different kind, size and age. Fish parameter sensor is adapted to determine fish length among other parameters. Module 7 has length equal to or exceeding product of water flow rate into gate starting time. Gates are adapted for synchronous or out-of-phase opening of entry into one group channel and simultaneously closing previously opened entry of other group channel. Output sensor 12 is positioned in each group channel behind gate and connected to logic gate 4, computer 5 and gate drive 11 for blocking fish counting process and gates until output sensor generates fish passage signal indicating passage of fish into respective group channel. Fish sorting and counting processes are performed simultaneously in all individual channels. EFFECT: precise sorting and counting of fish in its natural environment and state providing minimized stresses exercised by fish. 5 cl, 3 dwg, 1 tbl