Oil recovery apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for separating a first liquid from a second liquid on which such first liquid is floating, comprising: a receiving chamber floatingly supported by said second liquid, said chamber having an upwardly opening inlet and a generally vertical side wall extending upwardly from the second liquid, to provide freeboard above the surface of the floating first liquid, said generally vertical side wall defining a boundary of said inlet; a jet forming nozzle having an outlet; means supporting said jet forming nozzle during use outwardly of said receiving chamber, with its outlet positioned to discharge generally upwardly through said first liquid, over said generally vertical side wall and into the inlet of said receiving chamber; and means for delivering a fluid to and through said jet forming nozzle at sufficient discharge velocity so that it entrains some of the first liquid and carries it over said wall and through said inlet, into said receiving chamber.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said jet forming nozzle includes attitude control means responsive to wave action for changing the attitude of said jet forming nozzle as necessary to maintain the outlet of said jet forming nozzle positioned to discharge generally upwardly and over said receiving chamber wall during wave action movement of such apparatus.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said attitude control means comprises a support member spaced horizontally from said wall and fixed in position with respect to said wall, an elongated support arm pivotally connected to said support member and extending therefrom towards said wall, a float on said arm relatively adjacent said wall, a first link to which said jet forming nozzle is secured, said link being pivotally connected to said support arm at a location spaced a substantial distance from said support member, said first link depending downwardly from such pivotal connection, a second link fixed at its upper end to said support member and depending downwardly therefrom, and a third link spaced below said support arm, said third link being pivotally connected at one of its ends to the first link and at its other end to the second link, whereby during wave action movement of the apparatus the float lifts said support arm and the control linkage, formed by the support arm and the first, second and third links, functions to maintain the jet forming nozzle outlet properly oriented to discharge over said wall.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said attitude control means is adapted to change the angle of the jet forming nozzle relative to the wall in response to a change in height of such nozzle.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said receiving chamber is circular in shape and said generally vertical side wall is cylindrical, and wherein said apparatus is provided with a plurality of said jet forming nozzles spaced about said wall.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of support means are provided for said jet forming nozzles, each said support means comprising a generally radially disposed support arm which is pivotally mounted near its outboard end for vertical swinging movement, with at least one of said jet forming nozzles being supported on said arm means near its inboard end, and a control float on said arm secured to its inboard end relatively adjacent said wall.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 6, further including attitude control means for each said arm means, said control means being responsive to wave action on said control float, for changing the attitude of said jet forming nozzle as necessary to maintain the outlets of said jet forming nozzles positioned to discharge generally upwardly and over said receiving chamber wall during wave action movement of such apparatus.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a ring of low density floatation material encircling said cylindrical wall.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said floatation material includes radial recesses for receiving the floats at the inboard ends of the radial support arms.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein each recess includes a lower surface within the swing path of its support arm, serving as a lower stop for such arm.

Claim 12

A floating vessel including first vertical wall means forming an inner compartment, said first vertical wall means projecting upwardly from the surface of the water in which the vessel floats and including openings in the lower portion thereof spaced below such surface; second vertical wall means spaced laterally outwardly from said first vertical wall means and with the first vertical wall means forming an outer compartment having an upwardly opening inlet, said second vertical wall means extending upwardly to provide a freeboard above the surface of the water in which the vessel floats; means for collecting floating oil from the water outwardly of the second vertical wall means and delivering it into said outer compartment, to form a column of such oil in said outer compartment, which oil eventually flows through said openings into the inner compartment, said means comprising a plurality of jet forming nozzles, each having at least one outlet, means supporting said jet nozzles during use with their outlEts positioned to discharge generally upwardly through the floating oil, over said second vertical wall means and through said inlet, into said outer compartment, and means for delivering water to and through said jet forming nozzles at sufficient discharge velocity so that such water entrains some of the oil and carries it over said second vertical wall means and through said inlet into said outer compartment; and a suction tube extending from the upper portion of the oil in said inner compartment to a collection receptacle for the oil.

Claim 13

A floating vessel including first vertical wall means forming an inner compartment, said first vertical wall means projecting upwardly from the surface of the water in which the vessel floats and including openings in the lower portion thereof spaced below such surface; second vertical wall means spaced laterally outwardly from said first vertical wall means and with the first vertical wall means forming an outer compartment having an upwardly opening inlet, said second vertical wall means extending upwardly to provide a freeboard above the surface of the water in which the vessel floats; means for collecting floating oil from the water outwardly of the second vertical wall means and delivering it into said outer compartment, to form a column of such oil in said outer compartment, which oil eventually flows through said openings into the inner compartment, said means comprising a plurality of jet forming nozzles, each having at least one outlet, means supporting said jet nozzles during use with their outlEts positioned to discharge generally upwardly through the floating oil, over said second vertical wall means and through said inlet, into said outer compartment, and means for delivering water to and through said jet forming nozzles at sufficient discharge velocity so that such water entrains some of the oil and carries it over said second vertical wall means and through said inlet into said outer compartment; and a suction tube extending from the upper portion of the oil in said inner compartment to a collection receptacle for the oil.

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a separated oil pickup tube having an inlet supported in an upper region of the inner compartment, said inlet being provided with a float controlled valve means adapted to be closed when water alone and when water and less than a predetermined amount of separated oil are within the inner compartment, and to open when at least said predetermined amount of separated oil is within the inner compartment.

Claim 15

Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said vertical wall means are cylindrical, and wherein said jet forming nozzles are spaced about said second vertical wall means.

Claim 16

Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a plurality of support means are provided for said jet forming nozzles, each said support means comprising a generally radially disposed support arm which is pivotally mounted near its outboard end for vertical swinging movement, with at least one of said jet forming nozzles being supported on said arm means near its inboard end, and a control float on said arm secured to its inboard end relatively adjacent said second vertical wall means.

Claim 17

Apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising attitude control means for each said arm means, said control means being responsive to wave action on said control float, for maintaining the outlets of said jet forming nozzles positioned to discharge generally upwardly and over said second vertical wall means during wave action movement of such apparatus.

Claim 18

Apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a ring of low density floatation material encircling said cylindrical second vertical wall means.

Claim 19

Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said floatation material includes radial recesses for receiving the floats at the inboard ends of the radial support arms.

Claim 20

Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein each recess includes a lower surface within the swing path of its support arm, serving as a lower stop for such arm.