Abstract: An animal cage box has a grommet for passing a watering conduit through a box side wall. The grommet is removably attachable at an opening through the side wall, using a non-round configuration by which the grommet is aligned for insertion into a non-round opening, and turned to hold the grommet in place. A flange on the grommet body rests against one face of the side wall. The non-round configuration includes one or more tabs that can be cut from the flange and are displaced axially by a distance equal to the side wall thickness. A hinge flap that can be grasped in the fingers helps to hold, align, insert or remove and twist the grommet relative to the side wall. The disclosed arrangement further minimized the cost of using inexpensive disposable cage boxes because relatively expensive grommets, for example of stainless steel, can be cleaned and reused.

Abstract: A housing system for aquatic animals has a shelf-like rack holding tiers of individual tanks or aquariums (aquaria), each removably suspended from structural members that engage flanges of the tanks. The tanks are tilted inwardly of the rack and have covers with fittings on the higher or outer side, that intercept flow between a supply and a drain to inlet water when the tank is in the rack and to recycle the water at any tank position that is unoccupied. The inside bottom of each tank is contoured, for example with a longitudinal trough, so sediment collects at a low spot on the lower or inner side, where a drain inlet is placed to provide a drainage outlet that opens at a velocity increasing restriction at which sediment is entrained. The drain has a spring biased valve that opens the drain only when the tank is fully inserted in the rack.

Abstract: An animal caging system includes a support such as a ducted rack for receiving animal cages at storage locations in a high density arrangement such as for testing laboratories, breeding establishments and the like. Closed cage boxes are received at the locations, each having an air impervious bottom and sidewalls, and a lid with an air permeable membrane on a frame. Complementary water supply fittings are provided on the rear of the cage box and on the rack or support, and are positively lockable and unlockable using a slide actuator that extends from front to the rear of the cage box, preferably being mounted in the frame of the lid. The fittings include male and female connection couplings, the female one having a movable spring biased locking sleeve that controls a radially displaceable body for engaging a groove in the male coupling, and a check valve that is opened by contact with the male coupling when inserted.

Abstract: A ventilated caging system of the type having ducted shelves with lower planar surfaces for box-like animal enclosures, the shelves having duct openings for powered supply and exhaust of air to the animal cages, has valved filter covers operable to isolate the animal enclosure from ingress and egress of airborne particles. The filter cover has a frame sealingly engaging a perimeter of the cage, the frame carrying a filter membrane with at least one opening. A support web integral with the frame extends inwardly of the perimeter within the frame to support a valve.

Abstract: An animal housing and service system of the type having impervious cage boxes suspended on brackets from internally-ducted shelves is provided with flat foraminous filter panels disposed across the open tops of the cage boxes, the filter panels remaining in position when the boxes are mounted in the shelves. An independently-ventilated service enclosure is provided for receiving cage boxes, the service enclosure having air direction panels adapted to achieve a downward flow across the cages to be serviced. By keeping the filter panels in place on the cages except when the cage is in the service enclosure, the system achieves the powered ventilation benefits of integrally-ducted shelves and the positive isolation from pathogens of filter covers.

Abstract: The rack comprises a plurality of hollow, sheet metal shelves supported in spaced, horizontal planes by four tubular corner posts. Two rows of animal cages of generally box-like configuration are removably suspended beneath each shelf, with the upper, open end of each cage disposed in near sealing engagement with the underside of the shelf from which it is suspended. Each shelf is divided into three compartments which extend between opposite ends of the rack. The middle compartment of each shelf overlies adjacent portions of the cages in each of the two rows suspended therebeneath, and has in its bottom a plurality of spaced openings so that each cage is in communication at its upper end with the middle compartment. The two outer compartments of each shelf overlie, respectively, the remaining portions of the cages in the two rows thereof, and also have in their lower sides spaced openings which communicate with the interiors of the cages positioned therebeneath.