Vacuum skimming apparatus for removing liquid contaminants floating in confined bodies of water

Claim 1

In a system for collecting oil from a confined area on the surface of a body of water said system comprising a Vacuum tank, means for producing a vacuum in said tank, a flexible conduit with a first end connected to said tank and a second end adapted to collect oil from the surface of said body of water, the improvement comprising: a water pump with an inlet and outlet thereto; first conduit means with one end connected to said inlet of said water pump and a second end located beneath the surface of said body of water at a location removed from said confined area; water operated eductor means operatively connected to the vacuum tank of said system for producing a continuous vacuum therein, means for transferring the oil collected in said vacuum tank to a depository, said transfer means being separate from and operable independently of said eductor; conduit means connected between said outlet of said water pump and an inlet to said water operated eductor means, second conduit means with a first end connected to an outlet of said water operated eductor means and a second discharge end located spaced apart from said eductor means and leading to said body of water whereby water utilized in operating said eductor may be discharged into said body of water at a location removed from oil floating on the surface of said body of water.