Decanting skimmer

Claim 1

Apparatus for collecting oil from the surface of a body of water, said apparatus comprising: a. a pair of longitudinal laterally spaced floats with a rear end and a forward end, b. an oil collecting receptacle pivotally secured between said floats constructed and arranged for rotational movement between said floats around an axis at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said floats, said receptacle comprising an open top, a rear wall, sidewalls, a bottom wall, and a forward wall, said forward wall having a height less than the sidewalls and rear wall whereby an inlet is provided into said receptacle, said bottom wall being generally horizontal at the normal operating attitude of the receptacle from said rear wall forwardly to the point where means pivotally secure the receptacle to the floats and inclined upwardly from said point forwardly thereof until it is connected to the forward wall, c. means for preventing flow of oil through the apparatus between the receptacle and floats, d. means for removing oil from said receptacle, said means comprising a conduit with a first open end within the receptacle and above the bottom thereof and a second open end, a pump for withdrawing collected oil in communication with means for receiving the collected oil from the said second open end, and means between said open ends of the conduit for adjusting flow of oil through the conduit whereby the rate of removal of oil from said rceptacle may be controlled to thereby adjust the weight of oil within the receptacle which weight causes rotation of said receptacle around itS pivotally securing means variably positioning the upper edge of said forward wall relative to the surface of said body of oil and water.