Method and apparatus for removal of surface liquids

Claim 2

A floating enclosure perimeter adapted to encompass a variable surface area of a liquid body, said enclosure perimeter including as a boundary at least two elongated barrier strips adapted to extend above and below said surface, mounting means for winding in and paying out said strips thereby respectively to decrease and increase the surface area encompassed within said enclosure, at least one opening between said strips, a gate movably mounted in said opening, said gate being shiftable between first and second positions, respectively, permitting fluid flow through said opening and sealing said opening against flow therethrough, said gate being mounted to be hydraulically shifted to said first position during paying out of said strips, and to said second position upon winding in of said strips.

Claim 3

Apparatus for confining and concentrating a surface layer of a liquid, such apparatus comprising a floatable support, two longitudinally aligned, laterally spaced drums mounted for rotational movement about spaced vertical axes, drive means for causing the said rotational movement, a respective resiliently flexible barrier strip wound around each drum, rotation of the drive means in one sense causing the strip on each drum to extend forwardly and rotation of the drive means in the other sense causing the strips to retract rearwardly, a rear wall portion adjacent said support forming a continuous confining barrier between said strips, a rigid floatable structure connecting the front end parts of said barrier strips, said strips, rear wall, and floatable structure together defining a continuous perimeter enclosing a variable area of said body, an opening in said floatable structure and a gate constituting the front of said structure hingedly carried by said rigid structure, said gate being normally disposed in closing positIon of said opening and being moved out of said opening by water pressure acting thereagainst responsive to movement of said structure away from said support, and being shifted to a closing position of said opening responsive to movement of said rigid structure toward said support to reduce the enclosed area.

Claim 4

Apparatus for confining a surface layer of a liquid, such apparatus comprising a floatable support, a pair of drums rotatably mounted on said support, a resilient barrier strip wound around each drum, said strips being adapted to be disposed in partially submerged position, means for rotating the drums to extend and retract the partially submerged strips, a partially submerged rear wall portion adjacent said support extending between and forming a barrier with said strips, a partially submerged rigid structure connecting the ends of the strips, said rear wall, strips, and structure together defining a continuous perimeter, an opening formed in said structure, closure means mounted on said structure and shiftable between clearing and sealing positions of said opening, said closure means being moved to said clearing position responsive to movement of said structure through said liquid during extension of said strips and being shifted to said sealing position by said liquid responsive to retraction of said strips, whereby said layer is permitted to pass through said opening into said perimeter during said extension, and is precluded from passing through said opening during retraction of said strips.