US3650406A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Oil collection retrieval system
Assignee: Ocean Systems Inc
•
Filing: 1970-10-12
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Granted: 1972-03-21
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Expires: 1990-10-12
Abstract
Abstract A system for collecting and retrieving a liquid of low density from the surface of a body of liquid of higher density which includes a catch basin having a floating weir as one section thereof through which the lower density liquid flows, and means for retrieving the liquid from the interior of the basin. The floating weir consists of a buoyant upper section and a water absorbent lower section representing the ballast for the upper section.
Inventors
- 👤 Louis Stanislaus Brown
- 👤 Frank Adams March
- 👤 Richard Patten Bishop
- 👤 Bruce Calvin Gilman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 11:46
CPC Classifications
E; E02; E02B; E02B15/00; E02B15/04; E02B15/06; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A20/00; Y02A20/20; Y02A20/204; Y10; Y10S; Y10S210/00; Y10S210/918; Y10S210/922; Y10S210/923
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
170 words
In a system, adapted to be towed along the surface of a body of liquid such as water, for collecting and retrieving from said body of liquid a substantially floating deposit of a lower density liquid such as oil, the improvement of which includes in combination: a catch basin comprising: a. a floating boom consisting of a plurality of serially connected liquid confining barrier modules; b. a floating weir coupled to said floating boom at two intermediate points thereof, which comprises a barrier having a buoyant substantially liquid impervious upper section with at least one liquid passageway extending therethrough and a liquid absorbing lower section representing, once submerged, the primary ballast for said upper section, said floating weir and the portion of said floating boom connected thereto forming the periphery of the basin; and c. a flexible support member connected about said periphery to form a bottom for the basin into which the lower density liquid is to be collected; and means for retrieving the collected liquid from said basin.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
170 words
In a system, adapted to be towed along the surface of a body of liquid such as water, for collecting and retrieving from said body of liquid a substantially floating deposit of a lower density liquid such as oil, the improvement of which includes in combination: a catch basin comprising: a. a floating boom consisting of a plurality of serially connected liquid confining barrier modules; b. a floating weir coupled to said floating boom at two intermediate points thereof, which comprises a barrier having a buoyant substantially liquid impervious upper section with at least one liquid passageway extending therethrough and a liquid absorbing lower section representing, once submerged, the primary ballast for said upper section, said floating weir and the portion of said floating boom connected thereto forming the periphery of the basin; and c. a flexible support member connected about said periphery to form a bottom for the basin into which the lower density liquid is to be collected; and means for retrieving the collected liquid from said basin.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said floating weir consists of a plurality of floating modules serially connected to each other with the upper and lower sections of each module formed from at least one material selected from the class consisting of flexible foam, porous rubber, and sponge having low density.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system as defined in claim 2 wherein each upper section is a polyether based polyurethane foam and wherein said lower section is a reticulated polyester based polyurethane foam.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
A system as defined in claim 3 wherein the upper section of each module has an elastomer surface outer coating and wherein the low section of each module is composed of two symmetrical segments and a relatively thin belt-like member located in a vertical plane between said segments and extending longitudinally for substantially the entire length of the module.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
A system as defined in claim 4 wherein each module of said floating boom consists of a buoyant substantially water impervious upper section and a water absorbent lower section representing once submerged the sole ballast for said upper section and the subsurface liquid barrier for the module.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A systEm as defined in claim 5 wherein said upper and lower sections are formed from a flexible foam plastic composed of polyurethane.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system as defined in claim 6 wherein said lower section is composed of two segments and a relatively thin belt-like member vertically aligned between said segments and extending longitudinally along substantially the entire length of the module.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
A system as defined in claim 7 wherein the flexible bottom support member of said basin is joined at the interface between the segments of the lower section of the weir and to the submerged underbottom of the boom.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system as defined in claim 8 wherein the flexible bottom support member is composed of a nylon reinforced rubber sheeting.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3184923A
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US3146598A
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US3476246A
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US3499290A
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US3548599A
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US3565254A
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-03-21 | 1975-09-20 | 1976-03-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-03-21 | 1979-09-20 | 1980-03-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-03-21 | 1983-09-20 | 1984-03-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |