Patent US2409912A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US2693248A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent DE476446C successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3672079A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for mining manganese nodules from the deep sea-bottom
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-04-22
•
Granted: 1972-06-27
•
Expires: 1990-04-22
Abstract
Abstract A mechanism for mining manganese nodules from the deep sea bottom including a number of dredge nets tied to a long endless rope suspended from both sides of a ship, the rope falling from one side of the ship to the deep sea-bottom with apparatus being provided to pull the rope therefrom to another side of the ship, whereby manganese nodules are continuously collected by the dredge nets.
Inventors
- 👤 Yoshio Masuda
- 👤 Toshikazu Murakami
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 16:06
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21C; E21C50/00; E02; E02F; E02F3/00; E02F3/04; E02F3/08; E02F3/081
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said nodule collecting members are dredge nets.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
76 words
The structure as recited in claim 1, wherein, said emptying means includes a plurality of rollers, said endless loop rope being trained to travel over the circulated peripheries of said rollers, and at least one of said rollers being elevated with respect to other of said rollers, said nodule collecting members being conveyed by said endless loop line over the surface of the elevated roller to an inverted condition, whereby the nodules collected therein are emptied.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said endless rope is adapted to have a length approximately two-four times the depth of sea in which the system is being employed.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
116 words
A method for deep-sea mining of manganese nodules from the bottom of the sea comprising the steps of: traversing a ship over the sea surface, urging travel of an endless loop line having a plurality of nodule collecting members serially located thereon in a direction from the ship bow downward to the sea-bottom, resting said members on the sea-bottom, subsequently dragging the nodule collecting members along the sea-bottom, raising said members to the stern of said ship, emptying the nodule collecting members of the nodules collected therein as the continuous loop line travels from the ship bow to the ship stern, and passing said members to the bow of the ship for return to the sea-bottom.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the speed of the ship traversing the sea surface is substantially equal to the travel of the endless loop.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
NO80446A
Cited
US653324A
Cited
US708583A
Cited
US978968A
Cited
US2636288A
Cited
FR1000273A
Cited
US3146537A
Cited
US3378130A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-06-27 | 1975-12-27 | 1976-06-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-06-27 | 1979-12-27 | 1980-06-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-06-27 | 1983-12-27 | 1984-06-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |