Deep-sea mining method

Claim 1

IN APPARATUS FOR MINING MINERAL MATERIALS FROM THE OCEAN FLOOR, THE COMBINATION WHICH COMPRISES: (A) BUOYANT MEANS ADAPTED TO FLOAT AT THE SURFACE OF A BODY OF WATER; (B) CONDUIT MEANS EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID BUOYANT MEANS THROUGH SAID BODY OF WATER TOWARD THE FLOOR THEREOF; (C) VALVE MEANS AT THE LOWER END OF SAID CONDUIT TO CONTROL THE FLOW OF WATER INTO THE LOWER END OF SAID CONDUIT; (D) MEANS AT THE LOWER END OF SAID CONDUIT FOR PREVENTING FLOW OF MINERAL MATERIALS INTO SAID CONDUIT; (E) BIN MEANS SUPPORTED ON THE LOWER END OF SAID CONDUIT MEANS, SAID BIN MEANS BEING PROVIDED WITH WELL MEANS FOR RECEIVING SAID CONDUIT MEANS SO THAT SAID BIN MEANS MAY BE LIFTED UPWARDLY AROUND SAID CONDUIT MEANS; (F) A PLURALITY OF CABLES EXTENDING FROM SAID BIN MEANS TO SAID BUOYANT MEANS; (G) MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID BIN MEANS FOR PICKING UP SAID MINERAL MATERIALS FROM SAID FLOOR AND CONDUCTING SAID MATERIALS INTO SAID BIN MEANS; AND (H) MEANS SUPPORTED ON SAID BUOYANT MEANS FOR EVACUATING WATER FROM SAID CONDUIT MEANS.