Liquid confining and collecting apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for use in confining and/or collecting a lighter phase above a heavier phase of a body of liquid comprising an elongate, barrier which is flexible intermediate its longitudinal ends and has upper and lower faces which are impervious and converge to an apex on the front side of the barrier, and buoyant means for normally maintaining the barrier in a generally upright position within said body of liquid and with the apex below said lighter phase.

Claim 3

Apparatus for use in confining and/or collecting a lighter phase above a heavier phase of a body of liquid comprising an elongate, barrier which is flexible intermediate its longitudinal ends and has upper and lower faces which are impervious and converge to an apex on the front side of the barrier, and buoyant means for normally maintaining the barrier in a generally upright position within said body of liquid and with the apex below said lighter phase.

Claim 4

Apparatus for use in confining and/or collecting a lighter phase above a heavier phase of a body of liquid comprising an elongate, barrier which is flexible intermediate its longitudinal ends and has upper and lower faces which are impervious and converge to an apex on the front side of the barrier, and buoyant means for normally maintaining the barrier in a generally upright position within said body of liquid and with the apex below said lighter phase.

Claim 5

Apparatus of the character defined in claim 1, including a permanent anchor yieldably connected to the barrier.

Claim 6

Apparatus for use in confining and/or collecting a lighter phase above a heavier phase of a body of liquid, comprising an elongate barrier including a plurality of hingedly connected sections intermediate its longitudinal ends, each section having a relatively rigid open framework having upper and lower portions which converge to an apex on the front side of the section, and a flexible, impervious covering over the front sides of the sections, and buoyant means carried by the framework for normally maintaining the barrier in a generally upright position within said body of liquid and with the apex below said lighter phase.

Claim 7

Apparatus for use in confining and/or collecting a lighter phase above a heavier phase of a body of liquid, comprising an elongate barrier including a plurality of hingedly connected sections intermediate its longitudinal ends, each section having a relatively rigid open framework having upper and lower portions which converge to an apex on the front side of the section, and a flexible, impervious covering over the front sides of the sections, and buoyant means carried by the framework for normally maintaining the barrier in a generally upright position within said body of liquid and with the apex below said lighter phase.

Claim 8

Apparatus of the character defined in claim 3, wherein the flexible covering includes covers on each framework section overlapping its connection with adjacent section.

Claim 9

Apparatus of the character defined in claim 3, wherein the buoyant means comprises a buoyant element attached to the back side of each framework section.

Claim 10

Apparatus of the character defined in claim 3, wherein each framework section includes vertical bracing on the back side thereof between the upper and lower portions.

Claim 11

Apparatus for use in confining and/or collecting a lighter phase above a heavier phasE of a body of liquid, comprising an elongate barrier which is flexible intermediate its longitudinal ends and has upper and lower faces which are impervious and converge to an apex on the front side of the barrier, a lip which extends downwardly from the apex and has an impervious front face, and buoyant means for normally maintaining the barrier in a generally upright position within said body of liquid and with the lower edge of the lip below said lighter phase.

Claim 12

Apparatus for use in confining and/or collecting a lighter phase above a heavier phasE of a body of liquid, comprising an elongate barrier which is flexible intermediate its longitudinal ends and has upper and lower faces which are impervious and converge to an apex on the front side of the barrier, a lip which extends downwardly from the apex and has an impervious front face, and buoyant means for normally maintaining the barrier in a generally upright position within said body of liquid and with the lower edge of the lip below said lighter phase.

Claim 13

Apparatus of the character defined in claim 7, wherein the front face of the lip forms a substantial continuation of the upper face.

Claim 14

Apparatus for use in confining and/or collecting a lighter phase above a heavier phase of a body of liquid, comprising an elongate barrier including a plurality of hingedly connected sections intermediate its longitudinal ends, each section having a relatively rigid framework having upper and lower portions which converge to an apex on the front side of the section, the connection between adjacent sections including a pin extending through overlapping holes in adjacent edges of the sections, with the holes increasing in width in directions away from the apex, and a flexible, impervious covering over the front sides of the sections, and buoyant means carried by the framework for normally maintaining the barrier in a generally upright position within said body of liquid and with the apex below said lighter phase.

Claim 15

Apparatus for use in confining and/or collecting a lighter phase above a heavier phase of a body of liquid, comprising an elongate barrier including a plurality of hingedly connected sections intermediate its longitudinal ends, each section having a relatively rigid framework having upper and lower portions which converge to an apex on the front side of the section, the connection between adjacent sections including a pin extending through overlapping holes in adjacent edges of the sections, with the holes increasing in width in directions away from the apex, and a flexible, impervious covering over the front sides of the sections, and buoyant means carried by the framework for normally maintaining the barrier in a generally upright position within said body of liquid and with the apex below said lighter phase.

Claim 16

Apparatus for use in confining and/or collecting a lighter phase above a heavier phase of a body of liquid, comprising an elongate barrier including a plurality of hingedly connected sections intermediate its longitudinal ends, each section having a relatively rigid framework having upper and lower portions which converge to an apex and a lip which extends downwardly from the apex on the font side of the section, and a flexible, impervious covering over the upper and lower portions and lip of the front sides of the sections, and buoyant means carried by the framework for normally maintaining the barrier in a generally upright position within said body of liquid and with the lower edge of the lip below said lighter phase.

Claim 17

Apparatus for use in confining and/or collecting a lighter phase above a heavier phase of a body of liquid, comprising an elongate barrier including a plurality of hingedly connected sections intermediate its longitudinal ends, each section having a relatively rigid framework having upper and lower portions which converge to an apex and a lip which extends downwardly from the apex on the font side of the section, and a flexible, impervious covering over the upper and lower portions and lip of the front sides of the sections, and buoyant means carried by the framework for normally maintaining the barrier in a generally upright position within said body of liquid and with the lower edge of the lip below said lighter phase.

Claim 18

Apparatus for use in confining and/or collecting a lighter phase above a heavier phase of a body of liquid, comprising an elongate barrier which is flexible intermediate its longitudinal ends and has upper and lower relatively thin walls having faces which are impervious and converge to an apex to provide a convex front side and a concave back side of the barrier, and buoyant means for normally maintaining the barrier in a generally upright position within said body of liquid and with the apex below said lighter phase.

Claim 19

Apparatus for use in confining and/or collecting a lighter phase above a heavier phase of a body of liquid, comprising an elongate barrier which is flexible intermediate its longitudinal ends and has upper and lower relatively thin walls having faces which are impervious and converge to an apex to provide a convex front side and a concave back side of the barrier, and buoyant means for normally maintaining the barrier in a generally upright position within said body of liquid and with the apex below said lighter phase.

Claim 20

Apparatus of the character defined in claim 11, including means hingedly connecting the upper and lower walls, and means for holding said walls in fixed angular relation to one another.

Claim 21

Apparatus of the character defined in claim 11, wherein said buoyant means is attached to the back side of the barrier.

Claim 22

Apparatus for use in confining and/or collecting a lighter phase above a heavier phase of a body of liquid, comprising an elongate barrier which is flexible intermediate its longitudinal ends and has upper and lower faces which are impervious and converge to an apex on the front side of the barrier, and buoyant means attached to the back side of the barrier for normally maintaining the barrier in a generally upright position within said body of liquid and with the apex below said lighter phase.

Claim 23

Apparatus for use in confining and/or collecting a lighter phase above a heavier phase of a body of liquid, comprising an elongate barrier which is flexible intermediate its longitudinal ends and has upper and lower faces which are impervious and converge to an apex on the front side of the barrier, and buoyant means attached to the back side of the barrier for normally maintaining the barrier in a generally upright position within said body of liquid and with the apex below said lighter phase.

Claim 24

Apparatus of the character defined in claim 14, including means hingedly connecting the upper and lower faces, and means for holding the faces in fixed angular relation to one another.