Process and apparatus for the separation of hydrocarbons from tar sands

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE SEPARATION OF OIL FROM TAR SANDS COMPRISING FORMING A MIXTURE OF TAR SANDS, RECIRCULATED OIL RECOVERED FROM A PREVIOUS EXTRACTION AND HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME CONSTIUENCY AS THE OIL IN SAID TAR SANDS AND HOT WATER IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO FORM A WATER LAYER OF TOP OF SAID TAR SANDS, AGITATING SAID WATEROIL-TAR SAND MIXTURE SO AS TO BRING THE TAR SANDS INTO CONTACT WITH FREE OIL AND HEATING SAID MIXTURE TO THE BOILING POINT OF WATER THEREBY CAUSING OIL TRAPPED IN THE-TAR SANDS TO SEPARATE FROM SAID TAR SANDS AND FLOAT TO THE TOP OF THE WATER LAYER, LOWERING AND MAINTAINING THE TEMPEATURE OF THE MIXTURE TO ABOUT 190-200*F. SO AS TO ALLOW THE SEPARATD OIL TO ACCUMULATE ON THE TOP OF THE WATER LAYER, RECIRCULATING PART OF THE FLOATING OIL FOR MIXTURE WITH UNTREATED TAR SANDS AND REMOVING THE REMAINDER OF THE FLOATING OIL FROM THE WATER LAYER.