Suction oil decanter

Claim 1

Apparatus for removing an oil slick from a body of water comprising: a. a housing (101) having a top and sides with at least one opening (115) in the sides, the housing being positionable over a body of water (117) having an oil slick (116) on the surface thereof with the sides of said housing projecting into said body of water while the opening (115) extends both above and below the oil slick (116), b. a gate (102) pivotally attached to housing (101) at the top of the opening (115) with a hinge (113), and weighting means (103) attached to the bottom of the gate (102), c. an air conveying conduit (104) connected to the top of the housing (101) and which intercommunicates with the interior of said housing and further including a restricted air conveying conduit (107) which intercommunicates with the air conveying conduit (104) at one end and with an oil storage reservoir (108) at the other end, d. an oil conveying conduit (105) positioned within the air conveying conduit (104), the lower end of the oil conveying conduit extending into the interior of the housing (101) and the upper end thereof extending into the restricted air conduit (107), said oil conduit having a flap valve (106) pivotally attached thereto at the upper end with a pivot pin (114), e. an air blower (111) having a blower exit (112) and a blower inlet conduit (110) which intercommunicates with said reservoir (108), and f. means (109) for removing entrained oil from air which enters the blower inlet conduit (110).