Apparatus for collecting waste from the surface of a body of water

Claim 2

In a vessel for collecting waste from the surface of a body of water and including a tank for receiving said waste and an impeller assembly disposed on one side of said tank and arranged for conveying said waste from said surface to said tank, that improvement wherein said impeller assembly comprises: a substantially cylindrical support mounted for rotation with the axis thereof substantially parallel to said surface, the diameter of said support being at least about 20 inches whereby said support extends a substantial distance above said surface when said support is positioned with said axis thereof above said surface; a plurality of circumferentially-spaced flexible blades mounted on the peripheral surface of said support, each of said blades comprising a flexible sheet extending longitudinally of and radially outwardly from said surface, the diameter of said surface being greater than the distances from said surface to the free edge of each of said blades; a skimmer disposed generally below said support and having a trailing edge adjacent said side of said taNk and a leading edge spaced from said tank below said support; and, means for rotating said support, said blades cooperating with said skimmer during rotation of said support for sweeping waste material from said body along said skimmer to said tank.

Claim 3

The vessel of claim 1 including an elongated lip member supported with respect to said tank and extending longitudinally of said support, an edge of said lip member being substantially parallel to said axis and being positioned within the cylinder generated by a free edge of one of said blades during rotation thereof whereby said lip member causes bending of said blade during said rotation.

Claim 4

The vessel of claim 2 wherein said lip member is movable between a first position wherein said edge is within said cylinder and a second position wherein said lip member is wholly without said cylinder.

Claim 5

The vessel of claim 1 wherein each of said blades comprises a plurality of generally parallel sheet portions of flexible material detachably secured to said support.

Claim 6

The vessel of claim 4 wherein each of said blades includes a sheet of flexible material folded along not less than two spaced, parallel, longitudinally-extending fold lines and including a support portion overlying a portion of said surface of said support and a blade portion extending radially outwardly from said surface.

Claim 7

The vessel of claim 5 wherein each of said sheets includes two sheet portions extending radially outwardly from said surface.

Claim 8

The vessel of claim 4 wherein each of said sheets of flexible material is folded along three spaced, parallel longitudinal fold lines and includes two blade portions extending radially outwardly from said support surface and two support portions overlying portions of said support surface.

Claim 9

The vessel of claim 7 wherein the support portions of the sheets of adjacent blades are in face-to-face engagement, and including a connector associated with each pair of engaged support portions and connected to said support for securing said each pair to said support.

Claim 10

The vessel of claim 8 wherein each of said connectors comprises a steel band extending longitudinally of said support and overlying an engaged pair of support portions, said band being secured to said support adjacent the opposite axial ends of said engaged pair.

Claim 11

The vessel of claim 1 wherein said tank includes a well portion of substantially greater depth than the depth of other portions of said tank, and said vessel includes a first conduit extending from said well portion for withdrawing material of relatively high density from within said tank and a second conduit extending from within said tank for withdrawing waste material from within said tank.

Claim 12

The vessel of claim 10 wherein said tank is rectangular, the leading edge of said tank is positioned parallel and adjacent said support, and said well portion is adjacent the trailing edge of said tank.

Claim 13

The vessel of claim 11 wherein the bottom of said tank is substantially planar, and depth of said well portion is not less than twice the depth of a minimum depth portion of said tank.

Claim 14

The vessel of claim 10 wherein said vessel includes a pair of spaced support pontoons, each of said pontoons includes an internal waste storage area, and including a pipeline system for transporting waste from said tank to a selected one of said storage areas and from one of said storage areas to another of said storage areas.

Claim 15

The vessel of claim 13 wherein said pipeline system includes a separator for removing water from said waste and means for discharging said removed water and transporting the residue of said waste to one of said storage areas.

Claim 16

The vessel of claim 1 wherein said skimmer is arcuate and of diameter not less than the diameter of said support, said skimmer being mounted with the axis thereof generally parallel to the axis of said support and extending generally forwardly and downwardly from the leading edge of said tank, and said blades Engage said skimmer during said rotation.

Claim 17

The vessel of claim 15 wherein said support and said tank are relatively movable in a generally vertical direction.

Claim 18

The vessel of claim 15 wherein said skimmer and said support are relatively movable between a first position wherein said blades engage said skimmer and a second position wherein said skimmer is spaced from said blades.

Claim 19

In a vessel for collecting waste from the surface of a body of water and including a tank for receiving said waste and an impeller assembly disposed on one side of said tank and arranged for conveying said waste from said surface to said tank, that improvement wherein said impeller assembly comprises; a substantially cylindrical support mounted for rotation with the axis thereof substantially parallel to said surface; a plurality of circumferentially-spaced flexible blades mounted on the peripheral surface of said support, each of said blades comprising a flexible sheet extending longitudinally of and radially outwardly from said surface, the diameter of said support being greater than the distances from said surface to the free edge of each of said blades; means for rotating said support; and, an arcuate skimmer of diameter not less than the diameter of the cylinder generated by a free edge of one of said blades during rotation of said support, said skimmer being disposed on the side of said tank nearest said support with the axis thereof parallel to the axis of said support, and being movable between a first position generally above said support wherein said skimmer is spaced from said blades and a second position generally below said support wherein said blades engage said skimmer during said rotation and sweep waste material from said body along said skimmer to said tank.

Claim 20

In a vessel for collecting waste from the surface of a body of water and including a tank for receiving said waste and an impeller assembly disposed on one side of said tank and arranged for conveying said waste from said surface to said tank, that improvement wherein said impeller assembly comprises; a substantially cylindrical support mounted for rotation with the axis thereof substantially parallel to said surface; a plurality of circumferentially-spaced flexible blades mounted on the peripheral surface of said support, each of said blades comprising a flexible sheet extending longitudinally of and radially outwardly from said surface, the diameter of said support being greater than the distances from said surface to the free edge of each of said blades; means for rotating said support; and, an arcuate skimmer of diameter not less than the diameter of the cylinder generated by a free edge of one of said blades during rotation of said support, said skimmer being disposed on the side of said tank nearest said support with the axis thereof parallel to the axis of said support, and being movable between a first position generally above said support wherein said skimmer is spaced from said blades and a second position generally below said support wherein said blades engage said skimmer during said rotation and sweep waste material from said body along said skimmer to said tank.

Claim 21

The vessel of claim 18 wherein said skimmer is mounted eccentrically relative to said support for rotational movement between said first and second positions.

Claim 22

The vessel of claim 19 wherein said skimmer includes a stop member secured along one longitudinal edge portion thereof, said stop member engaging a cooperating portion of said tank when said skimmer is in said second position for retaining said skimmer in said second position.

Claim 23

The vessel of claim 18 including an elongated lip member supported with respect to said tank and extending longitudinally of said support, an edge of said lip member being substantially parallel to said axis and being positioned within said cylinder whereby said lip member causes bending of said blade during said rotation.