An aquatic transportation, storage, and distribution system, including one or more storage containers and a guide structure. The storage container is capable of retaining one or more items therein and is configured to selectively vary the buoyancy thereof to urge the storage container to float up or sink down within an aquatic environment. The guide structure is supported at least partially within the aquatic environment and includes at least one non-horizontal segment. The storage container is configured to interact with the at least one segment as the storage container is urged to float up or sink within the aquatic environment such that the storage container is moved along the guide structure and is routed to a specified extraction point for retrieval from the aquatic environment.

The invention relates to a method and a device for grouping into batches fragile buoyant objects, such as buoyant fruit, in at least one accumulation channel with hydraulic superposition of the objects held in a superposition zone against a closed holding/releasing device so as to hold the objects. During a step of accumulating objects in an accumulation channel (11), an elevation (17) extending upwards from the bottom (19) of the accumulation channel (11) is moved upstream in said superposition zone (18) from the downstream end (13) of the accumulation channel (11) as the objects are being supplied so as to cause a superposition of the objects held in the superposition zone between said elevation (17) and the holding/releasing device (14).

The invention relates to a method and a device for grouping into batches fragile buoyant objects, such as buoyant fruit, in at least one accumulation channel with hydraulic superposition of the objects held in a superposition zone against a closed holding/releasing device so as to hold the objects. During a step of accumulating objects in an accumulation channel (11), an elevation (17) extending upwards from the bottom (19) of the accumulation channel (11) is moved upstream in said superposition zone (18) from the downstream end (13) of the accumulation channel (11) as the objects are being supplied so as to cause a superposition of the objects held in the superposition zone between said elevation (17) and the holding/releasing device (14).

The invention relates to a method and a device for hydraulically filling cases with floating objects in which at least one case to be filled is immersed in a receiving tank, during a step of supplying the tank with floating objects, floating objects are transported to the tank by a hydraulic stream of a supply channel (13) communicating with the tank above an immersed case. During at least part of the supplying step, floating objects are forced to move downstream in the hydraulic stream of the supply channel at a speed greater than that of the hydraulic stream.

The invention relates to a method and a device for hydraulically filling cases with floating objects in which at least one case to be filled is immersed in a receiving tank, during a step of supplying the tank with floating objects, floating objects are transported to the tank by a hydraulic stream of a supply channel (13) communicating with the tank above an immersed case. During at least part of the supplying step, floating objects are forced to move downstream in the hydraulic stream of the supply channel at a speed greater than that of the hydraulic stream.

A transfer mechanism for transferring food product from a compartment of a food processing system includes a conduit having a first end portion configured to be in communication with the compartment and a second end portion, a fluid discharge positioned substantially within the conduit between the first end portion and the second end portion, and a pressurized fluid source in communication with the fluid discharge. The pressurized fluid source is operable to propel a fluid through the fluid discharge to move the food product from the first end portion of the conduit toward the second end portion.

A transfer mechanism for transferring food product from a compartment of a food processing system includes a conduit having a first end portion configured to be in communication with the compartment and a second end portion, a fluid discharge positioned substantially within the conduit between the first end portion and the second end portion, and a pressurized fluid source in communication with the fluid discharge. The pressurized fluid source is operable to propel a fluid through the fluid discharge to move the food product from the first end portion of the conduit toward the second end portion.

The present disclosure includes a method for the control of water flow within a hydraulic food cutter assembly having a pump, a pump discharge line, a cutter assembly a product supply tank, and a fluid transport medium and comprises a method for increasing the flow of fluid transport medium through the pump while maintaining a preselected velocity for the flow of the fluid transport medium in pump discharge line by using a frustoconical accelerator tube attached to the discharge line of the pump having a plurality of apertures through which the fluid transport medium may flow out of the accelerator tube into fluid tight housing encasing the accelerator and a throttling valve operatively attached to the fluid tight housing discharge line for regulating the pressure of the fluid medium being discharge from the pump so as to maximize fluid medium flow through the pump at a preselected pressure in the discharge line.

The invention relates to a device for grouping into batches at least semi-buoyant objects belonging to the group of fruit and vegetables, comprising a plurality of accumulation channels (11), a hydraulic supply device for each accumulation channel (11), a device for supplying objects to an upstream portion of each accumulation channel, a collecting channel downstream of each accumulation channel (11), a device (14) for holding/releasing the objects in each accumulation channel Each accumulation channel (11) comprises at least one bypass passage (30) for the hydraulic stream extending from at least one inlet of the bypass passage (30) located upstream of the holding/releasing device (14) to at least one outlet of the bypass passage (30) issuing downstream of the holding/releasing device (14). A bypass valve (32) allows adjustment of said part of the diverted flow.

The invention relates to a device for grouping into batches at least semi-buoyant objects belonging to the group of fruit and vegetables, comprising a plurality of accumulation channels (11), a hydraulic supply device for each accumulation channel (11), a device for supplying objects to an upstream portion of each accumulation channel, a collecting channel downstream of each accumulation channel (11), a device (14) for holding/releasing the objects in each accumulation channel Each accumulation channel (11) comprises at least one bypass passage (30) for the hydraulic stream extending from at least one inlet of the bypass passage (30) located upstream of the holding/releasing device (14) to at least one outlet of the bypass passage (30) issuing downstream of the holding/releasing device (14). A bypass valve (32) allows adjustment of said part of the diverted flow.