Patent US3808779A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3808779A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sea harvesting apparatus and method
Assignee: SEA HARVEST
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Filing: 1972-02-17
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Granted: 1974-05-07
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Expires: 1992-02-17
Abstract
Abstract Diver from boat working along ocean bottom cuts Irish Moss, agar weed, or similar marine vegetation growing at depth of up to about 100'', using a manually maneuvered sickle bar cutting unit which carries and is powered by a light weight air motor. Cutting unit further includes a collecting hood to which a flexible suction hose is attached for hydraulic delivery of the cut plants via an airlift, by which the suction is induced, to the surface and into a collecting strainer in or alongside the boat. Airlift is positioned just below the water surface and is spaced by the flexible suction hose a considerable distance away from the diver. Cutting unit air motor receives driving air, and diver receives breathing air from air compressor aboard the boat. Airlift receives driving air preferably from said air compressor, and cutting unit air motor preferably exhausts to atmospheric pressure, but said motor exhaust air could be utilized to drive airlift. Cutting unit oriented for side-to-side sweeping movement in cutting of plant stalks, and several hood configurations are described. Cutting blade has relatively short length, and air motor is relatively small. Airlift delivery tube receives driving air via a relatively large number of small diameter air apertures therethrough, the apertures being angled 20* upwardly, and the sum of their areas being 50 percent larger than the interior diameter of the delivery tube.
Inventors
- 👤 A Randall
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 17:19
CPC Classifications
A; A01; A01D; A01D44/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
92 words
Apparatus for harvesting marine vegetation or the like, comprising a portable motor-driven underwater cutting unit for cutting said marine vegetation, an airlift, a delivery hose having a length of at least about 10 feet for receiving and conveying said cut vegetation, at least a portion of the length of said delivery hose being highly flexible and providing an inlet end of the delivery hose connected to said cutting unit, said delivery hose having an opposite end connected to said airlift, and means for introducing air into said airlift for driving the same.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
92 words
Apparatus for harvesting marine vegetation or the like, comprising a portable motor-driven underwater cutting unit for cutting said marine vegetation, an airlift, a delivery hose having a length of at least about 10 feet for receiving and conveying said cut vegetation, at least a portion of the length of said delivery hose being highly flexible and providing an inlet end of the delivery hose connected to said cutting unit, said delivery hose having an opposite end connected to said airlift, and means for introducing air into said airlift for driving the same.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
105 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said delivery hose has a length of between about 20 feet and about 100 feet, said airlift includes a delivery tube having one end to which said opposite end of said delivery hose is attached and an opposite end carrying an attached discharge pipe, and said cutting unit comprises a submersible air motor and a cutter connected in driven relation thereto, and a hood over said cutter permitting contact of the latter with said marine vegetation but providing a confined region generally above said cutter for collecting said vegetation, said delivery hose inlet end being connected to said hood.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
99 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cutting unit comprises a portable underwater type motor, an elongated bar type cutter projecting outwardly substantially from said motor in the direction of elongation of said cutter and having a horizontally disposed and laterally directed cutting blade, means connecting said motor and said cutter for driving the latter reciprocally in said direction of elongation of the cutter, and a hood extending along substantially the length of said cutter and in laterally spaced relation thereabove to provide a zone of suction concentration as exerted by said delivery hose adjacent to said cutting blade.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said cutter is of the reciprocating, elongated sickle bar type, and said hood has means defining a narrow side area along substantially the length of said cutter through which a cutting blade is exposed for contacting said marine vegetation to be cut.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
57 words
Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said cutting blade is double-edged presenting blade edges on laterally opposite sides thereof, said hood having means defining a narrow side area along substantially the length of said cutter on each side thereof through which the respective of said blade edges are exposed for contacting said marine vegetation to be cut.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
148 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said cutting unit comprises a portable underwater type motor, an elongated sickle bar type cutter having length between about 6 inches and about 20 inches and projecting outwardly substantially from said motor in the direction of elongation of said cutter for cutting said vegetation, said cutter further having a horizontally disposed and laterally directed cutting blade, means connecting said motor and said cutter for driving said cutting blade and the latter with reciprocating motion in said direction of elongation of the cutter, and a hood extending substantially the length of said cutter and in spaced relation therewith to provide a zone adjacent to said cutting blade for collecting said cut vegetation, said hood having means defining a narrow side area along substantially the length of said cutter through which said cutting blade is exposed for contacting said marine vegetation to be cut.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
103 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said motor is an air motor, and said cutting unit further comprises a horizontal base plate, means mounting said motor on said base plate, means connecting said motor to said cutting blade to effect said reciprocating cutting movement thereon, a vertical end platE attached to and supporting the outwardly projecting end of said cutter, said hood being attached substantially to said vertical end plate and extending substantially to said motor, said hood being spaced above said cutter a distance of about 2 inches and about 4 inches, and handle means for grasping and manipulating said cutting unit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
72 words
Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said cutting blade is double-edged presenting blade edges on laterally opposite sides thereof, and said hood comprises a substantially flat plate having downwardly turned side edges to define respective side areas between said cutter and said hood through which each of said blade edges is respectively exposed, and said delivery hose inlet end is attached to said hood at a middle location along the length thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
131 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said airlift comprises a delivery tube having an inlet end and an outlet end, a substantially cylindrical jacket defining an enclosed air plenum extending peripherally about said delivery tube along at least a portion of its length, means for admitting compressed air into said air plenum for driving said airlift, and means defining a plurality of peripherally spaced apart air apertures through said delivery tube within the region under said jacket for admitting said air from said plenum into said delivery tube, the sum of the cross-sectional areas of said plurality of apertures being 50 percent larger than the cross-sectional area of the interior of said delivery tube, said opposite end of said delivery hose being connected to said inlet end of the delivery tube.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
168 words
Apparatus for cutting submerged marine vegetation or the like comprising a portable underwater type motor, an elongated sickle bar type cutter having length between about 6 inches to about 20 inches and projecting outwardly substantially from said motor in the direction of elongation of said cutter for cutting said vegetation, said cutter further having a horizontally disposed and laterally directed cutting blade, means connecting said motor and said cutter for driving said cutting blade of the latter with reciprocating motion in said direction of elongation of the cutter, a hood extending substantially the length of said cutter and in spaced relation therewith to provide a zone adjacent to said cutting blade for collecting said cut vegetation, said hood having means defining a narrow side area along substantially the length of said cutter through which said cutting blade is exposed for contacting said marine vegetation to be cut, and means on said hood for connecting a flexible delivery hose to receive and convey said cut vegetation from said zone.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
168 words
Apparatus for cutting submerged marine vegetation or the like comprising a portable underwater type motor, an elongated sickle bar type cutter having length between about 6 inches to about 20 inches and projecting outwardly substantially from said motor in the direction of elongation of said cutter for cutting said vegetation, said cutter further having a horizontally disposed and laterally directed cutting blade, means connecting said motor and said cutter for driving said cutting blade of the latter with reciprocating motion in said direction of elongation of the cutter, a hood extending substantially the length of said cutter and in spaced relation therewith to provide a zone adjacent to said cutting blade for collecting said cut vegetation, said hood having means defining a narrow side area along substantially the length of said cutter through which said cutting blade is exposed for contacting said marine vegetation to be cut, and means on said hood for connecting a flexible delivery hose to receive and convey said cut vegetation from said zone.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said hood has a downwardly projecting edge portion providing a lip extending along the top of said narrow side area.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said hood further has respective inwardly directed edge portions providing a generally vertical lip at each of the respective ends of said narrow side area.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the width of said hood is greater than that of said cutter.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
135 words
Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein aid motor is an air motor, and which further comprises a horizontal base plate, support means extending upwardly from said base plate and mounting said otor with its drive shaft extending vertically downwardly to adjacent said base plate, cam and cam follower means connecting said motor drive shaft to said cutting blade of said cutter to effect said reciprocating cutting movement thereof, a vertical end plate attached to and supporting the outwardly projecting end of said cutter, said hood being attached substantially to and extending between said support means and said vertical end plate, said hood being spaced above said cutter a distance of between about 2 inches and about 4 inches, handle means attached adjacent to said vertical end plate, and handle means attached adjacent to said moTor.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
99 words
Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said cutting blade is double edged presenting blade edges on laterally opposite sides thereof, and said hood comprises a substantially flat plate having downwardly turned side edges providing a substantially vertical lip extending substantially along the length of and spaced generally above each of said respective blade edges to define respective side areas between said cutter and said hood through which each of said blade edges is respectively exposed for contacting said marine vegetation to be cut, said delivery hose connecting means being at a middle location along the length of said hood.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
83 words
Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said motor is an air motor, said length of said cutter is about 6 inches, said hood includes a substantially vertical end plate at the outwardly projecting end thereof and a substantially vertical end plate at its opposite end, said narrow side area having height of not more than about 4 inches above the plane of said cutter, and said means for connecting said delivery hose being on and extending through one of said vertical end plates.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
70 words
Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said motor is an air motor, said means for connecting said delivery hose is attached to and extends through said hood at a middle location along its length and on that side thereof which is opposite to said narrow side area, and said hood has respective edge portions providing a generally vertical lip at each of the respective ends of said narrow side area.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said means for connecting said delivery hose provides a cylindrical passage through said hood which is inclined at an upward angle of substantially 20* with respect to the plane of said horizontally disposed cutter.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
72 words
Apparatus according to claim 17 which further comprises a base plate supporting said motor, said cutter, and said hood, said base plate extending along the length of said cutter immediately therebelow and providing a bottom wall of said hood, and wherein said length of said cutter is substantially 14 inches, and said hood further has a downwardly projecting edge portion providing a lip extending along the top of said narrow side area.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
138 words
Apparatus for hydraulically conveying cut marine vegetation or the like, comprising an airlift having a delivery tube, a substantially cylindrical jacket defining an enclosed air plenum extending peripherally about said delivery tube along at least a portion of its length, means for admitting compressed air into said air plenum for driving said airlift, and means defining a plurality of peripherally spaced apart air apertures through said delivery tube within the region under said jacket for admitting said air from said plenum into said delivery tube, delivery tubing having a length of at least about 10 feet for receiving and conveying said cut vegetation and having an inlet end for receiving said vegetation and an opposite end connected to one end of said airlift delivery tube, and a discharge pipe connected to the opposite end of said delivery tube.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
138 words
Apparatus for hydraulically conveying cut marine vegetation or the like, comprising an airlift having a delivery tube, a substantially cylindrical jacket defining an enclosed air plenum extending peripherally about said delivery tube along at least a portion of its length, means for admitting compressed air into said air plenum for driving said airlift, and means defining a plurality of peripherally spaced apart air apertures through said delivery tube within the region under said jacket for admitting said air from said plenum into said delivery tube, delivery tubing having a length of at least about 10 feet for receiving and conveying said cut vegetation and having an inlet end for receiving said vegetation and an opposite end connected to one end of said airlift delivery tube, and a discharge pipe connected to the opposite end of said delivery tube.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
82 words
Apparatus according to claim 20 which further comprises a Y-type pipe coupling having the stem branch of its Y-shape attached to said one end of said airlift delivery tube, said opposite end of said delivery tubing being connected to one of the Y-branches of said coupling, and a second length of delivery tubing having an inlet end for receiving said vegetation independently of the first said delivery tubing and an opposite end connected to the other of said Y-branches of said coupling.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the length of said discharge pipe and that portion of said airlift delivery tube measured from said airlift jacket to its said opposite end is between about 6 feet and about 10 feet.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
100 words
An airlift comprising a delivery tube, a substantially cylindrical jacket defining an enclosed air plenum extending peripherally aboUt said delivery tube along at least a portion of its length, means for admitting compressed air into said air plenum for driving said airlift, and means defining a plurality of peripherally spaced apart air apertures through said delivery tube within the region under said jacket for admitting said air from said plenum into said delivery tube, the sum of the cross-sectional areas of said plurality of apertures being 50 percent larger than the cross-sectional area of the interior of said delivery tube.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
100 words
An airlift comprising a delivery tube, a substantially cylindrical jacket defining an enclosed air plenum extending peripherally aboUt said delivery tube along at least a portion of its length, means for admitting compressed air into said air plenum for driving said airlift, and means defining a plurality of peripherally spaced apart air apertures through said delivery tube within the region under said jacket for admitting said air from said plenum into said delivery tube, the sum of the cross-sectional areas of said plurality of apertures being 50 percent larger than the cross-sectional area of the interior of said delivery tube.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
55 words
An airlift according to claim 23, wherein said plurality of air apertures are arranged in rows and columns of apertures which are staggered with respect to each other in their spaced apart disposition peripherally about said delivery tube, and the diameter of each of said air apertures is on the order of about (0.0730 inch).
Claim 29
Independent Claim
101 words
The method of hydraulically conveying cut marine vegetation or the like from a submerged location, comprising providing a delivery hose having length of at least 10 feet and further having an inlet end for receiving said cut vegetation and an opposite end attached to the delivery tube of an airlift device, positioning said airlift device with its air jacket is a depth of between about 6 feet and about 10 feet, introducing air into said airlift jacket for driving said airlift device, and bringing said marine vegetation and said inlet end of the delivery hose into close proximity with each other.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
101 words
The method of hydraulically conveying cut marine vegetation or the like from a submerged location, comprising providing a delivery hose having length of at least 10 feet and further having an inlet end for receiving said cut vegetation and an opposite end attached to the delivery tube of an airlift device, positioning said airlift device with its air jacket is a depth of between about 6 feet and about 10 feet, introducing air into said airlift jacket for driving said airlift device, and bringing said marine vegetation and said inlet end of the delivery hose into close proximity with each other.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
63 words
The method according to claim 25 wherein said delivery hose has a diameter of from about 2 inches to about 4 inches, and said air is introduced into said airlift at a pressure of between about 10 pounds per square inch (p.s.i.) and about 100 p.s.i. through an air supply line having nominal diameter of between about 1/4 inch and about 1/2 inch.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
68 words
The method according to claim 25 wherein said delivery hose is highly flexible along at least a portion of its length extending from its said inlet and, and which further comprises connecting a portable motorized cutting device to said delivery hose adjacent to its said inlet end and manually maneuvering said cutting device and flexible hose portion to cut said vegetation proximate to said delivery hose inlet end.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
63 words
The method according to claim 27 wherein said cutting device comprises an elongated sickle bar cutter projecting outwardly from its drive motor and having reciprocating cutting motion in the direction of its elongation, said cutter having laterally directed cutting edges, and wherein said cutting device is manually maneuvered using substantially side-to-side sweeping motion with respect to said direction of elongation of the cutter.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-05-06 | 1977-11-05 | 1978-05-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-05-06 | 1981-11-05 | 1982-05-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-05-06 | 1985-11-05 | 1986-05-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |