US3682316A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for the collection of buoyant foreign matter
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-03-03
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Granted: 1972-08-08
•
Expires: 1990-03-03
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for collecting buoyant foreign matter (particularly oil) floating on the surface of water comprising a tank adapted to float on water, an outlet at the bottom of the tank, an inlet track positioned to draw in water at or near the surface and means for pumping water together with the foreign matter through the inlet track into the tank, where the foreign matter rises and is trapped in the tank, whilst the water passes out through the outlet. The bottom of the tank is preferably open. The pumping means may comprise one or more impellers located in the inlet track driven by a motor carried on the tank.
Inventors
- 👤 Frank Arthur Oakley Waren
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 23:00
CPC Classifications
E; E02; E02B; E02B15/00; E02B15/04; E02B15/046; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A20/00; Y02A20/20; Y02A20/204; Y10; Y10S; Y10S210/00; Y10S210/918; Y10S210/922; Y10S210/923
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
215 words
Apparatus for collecting buoyant foreign matter floating on or near the surface of a body of water, comprising a tank having opposed sidewalls, front and rear walls and a top wall and being adapted to float in said body of water, said tank having at least one outlet near the bottom thereof below the surface of said body of water, an inlet tract on said tank communicating with the surface of said body of water, means for pumping water into said tank through said inlet tract, said inlet tract including a trough located at the upper part of the front wall of said tank and having an outer lip portion, said trough and said outer lip portion both being part circular in section and said outer lip portion being mounted coaxially with said trough and being rotatable about the common axis to adjust the height of said outer lip portion relative to the surface of said body of water, and a float arrangement including a pair of arms rigidly connected to and extending forwardly of said outer lip portion and terminating in float members, said float arrangement serving to maintain the upper edge of said outer lip portion at a predetermined depth below the surface when said tank is floating in said body of water.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
215 words
Apparatus for collecting buoyant foreign matter floating on or near the surface of a body of water, comprising a tank having opposed sidewalls, front and rear walls and a top wall and being adapted to float in said body of water, said tank having at least one outlet near the bottom thereof below the surface of said body of water, an inlet tract on said tank communicating with the surface of said body of water, means for pumping water into said tank through said inlet tract, said inlet tract including a trough located at the upper part of the front wall of said tank and having an outer lip portion, said trough and said outer lip portion both being part circular in section and said outer lip portion being mounted coaxially with said trough and being rotatable about the common axis to adjust the height of said outer lip portion relative to the surface of said body of water, and a float arrangement including a pair of arms rigidly connected to and extending forwardly of said outer lip portion and terminating in float members, said float arrangement serving to maintain the upper edge of said outer lip portion at a predetermined depth below the surface when said tank is floating in said body of water.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pumping means comprises at least one impeller located in the inlet tract driven by a motor mounted on top of said tank.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein an impeller is located at eiTher end of said trough, each of said impellers being arranged to deliver water through a respective passage communicating with the interior of the tank, and said impellers being mounted on a common shaft extending through said trough.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said shaft is provided with means comprising a plurality of fingers extending from and spaced along and around said shaft for breaking up agglomerated foreign matter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one baffle is mounted inside said tank in the path of water pumped into said tank through said inlet tract.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
69 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tank is provided with guide means for guiding buoyant foreign matter into the inlet tract said guide means comprising a V-shaped boom arrangement projecting from the front of the tank, each limb of said boom arrangement comprising an arm supported by a plurality of blocks of buoyant material and a skirt depending from said arm into the said body of water.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the top of said tank is made of expanded polystyrene.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the top of said tank is in the form of a closed buoyancy chamber.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least the walls of said tank are made of resin-bonded glass fiber.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the side walls and top of said tank are formed from a plurality of elements flexibly connected together.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said top wall of the tank is a buoyant deck, the bottom of said tank being open to form said outlet.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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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) | 1975-08-08 | 1976-02-07 | 1976-08-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-08 | 1980-02-07 | 1980-08-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-08 | 1984-02-07 | 1984-08-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |