US3815267A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for sucking up material from the bottom of a body of water
Assignee: IHC Holland NV
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Filing: 1972-09-15
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Granted: 1974-06-11
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Expires: 1992-09-15
Abstract
Abstract Material is sucked up from the bottom of a body of water through a suction pipe into a wholly submerged container. The container is filled with water to submerge and trim the container, and this water is pumped out to create the suction that raises the material and to balance the added weight of the material so that the container remains at a constant depth. Material is discharged in a stream of water upwardly from the bottom of the container, and water is simultaneously admitted to the ballast tanks to maintain the container submerged. The container is in the form of two conical frusta that open into each other and are traversed by a vertical shaft for the various conduits. The container for the material is centrally disposed and the ballast tanks are peripherally disposed.
Inventors
- 👤 J Laarman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 19:58
CPC Classifications
E; E02; E02F; E02F3/00; E02F3/04; E02F3/88; E02F3/8858; E02F7/00; E02F7/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
151 words
Apparatus for sucking up submerged material from the bottom of a body of water, comprising a suction pipe for said material, a submersible container into which said suction pipe discharges, said container having at least one ballast compartment and at least one hopper compartment for the material to be sucked up, pump means to create in said hoppeR compartment a pressure lower than the pressure outside said container thereby to draw material into said hopper compartment through said suction pipe, means to raise said material from the bottom of said hopper compartment, and a shaft extending from said container to above the surface of the water, said pump means being disposed in said shaft, said shaft extending downwardly through said container to adjacent the bottom of said hopper compartment but being spaced above the bottom of said hopper compartment thereby to provide discharge space for said material from said hopper compartment.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
151 words
Apparatus for sucking up submerged material from the bottom of a body of water, comprising a suction pipe for said material, a submersible container into which said suction pipe discharges, said container having at least one ballast compartment and at least one hopper compartment for the material to be sucked up, pump means to create in said hoppeR compartment a pressure lower than the pressure outside said container thereby to draw material into said hopper compartment through said suction pipe, means to raise said material from the bottom of said hopper compartment, and a shaft extending from said container to above the surface of the water, said pump means being disposed in said shaft, said shaft extending downwardly through said container to adjacent the bottom of said hopper compartment but being spaced above the bottom of said hopper compartment thereby to provide discharge space for said material from said hopper compartment.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
130 words
Apparatus for sucking up submerged material from the bottom of a body of water, comprising a suction pipe for said material, a submersible container into which said suction pipe discharges, said container having at least one ballast compartment and at least one hopper compartment for the material to be sucked up, pump means to create in said hopper compartment a pressure lower than the pressure outside said container thereby to draw material into said hopper compartment through said suction pipe, and means to raise said material from the bottom of said hopper compartment, said at least one hopper compartment being disposed centrally of said container and said at least one ballast compartment surrounding said at least one hopper compartment, said at least one hopper compartment having downwardly converging side walls.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
130 words
Apparatus for sucking up submerged material from the bottom of a body of water, comprising a suction pipe for said material, a submersible container into which said suction pipe discharges, said container having at least one ballast compartment and at least one hopper compartment for the material to be sucked up, pump means to create in said hopper compartment a pressure lower than the pressure outside said container thereby to draw material into said hopper compartment through said suction pipe, and means to raise said material from the bottom of said hopper compartment, said at least one hopper compartment being disposed centrally of said container and said at least one ballast compartment surrounding said at least one hopper compartment, said at least one hopper compartment having downwardly converging side walls.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
11 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, said hopper compartment being frusto-conical.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, said at least one ballast compartment being frusto-conical and having side walls that converge downwardly.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
173 words
A method of sucking up submerged material from the bottom of a body of water with the aid of a suction pipe, comprising wholly submerging a container for a material in said body of water at a distance above the bottom of the body of water, sucking up the material through said suction pipe into said container, then raising material from said container to above the surface of said body of water by passing a stream of water through a bottom portion of said container to entrain said material in said stream of water, moving said stream of water up to above the surface of said body of water, and establishing vertically superposed compartments in said container in the upper of which said material is disposed, the lower of said compartments comprising said bottom portion of said container through which said stream of water passes, said compartments communicating with each other during said raising of material whereby water moving through said lower compartment removes said material from the bottom of said upper compartment.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
173 words
A method of sucking up submerged material from the bottom of a body of water with the aid of a suction pipe, comprising wholly submerging a container for a material in said body of water at a distance above the bottom of the body of water, sucking up the material through said suction pipe into said container, then raising material from said container to above the surface of said body of water by passing a stream of water through a bottom portion of said container to entrain said material in said stream of water, moving said stream of water up to above the surface of said body of water, and establishing vertically superposed compartments in said container in the upper of which said material is disposed, the lower of said compartments comprising said bottom portion of said container through which said stream of water passes, said compartments communicating with each other during said raising of material whereby water moving through said lower compartment removes said material from the bottom of said upper compartment.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as claimed in claim 5 in which said upper and lower compartments are out of communication with each other when said material is being introduced into said upper compartment.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
181 words
Apparatus for sucking up submerged material from the bottom of a body of water, comprising a suction pipe for said material, a submersible container into which said suction pipe discharges, said container having at least one ballast compartment and at least one hopper compartment for the material to be sucked up, pump means to create in said hopper compartment a pressure lower than the pressure outside said container thereby to draw material into said hopper compartment through said suction pipe, means to raise said material from the bottom of said hopper compartment, said raising means comprising a water pump and means for conveying a stream of water discharged by said pump past a lower portion of said hopper compartment to entrain said material and then upwardly above the surface of the body of water, said means for conveying a stream of water past the lower portion of said hopper compartment comprising means defining a water passage beneath said hopper compartment, and means for establishing communication between said hopper compartment and said water compartment during discharge of material from said hopper compartment.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
181 words
Apparatus for sucking up submerged material from the bottom of a body of water, comprising a suction pipe for said material, a submersible container into which said suction pipe discharges, said container having at least one ballast compartment and at least one hopper compartment for the material to be sucked up, pump means to create in said hopper compartment a pressure lower than the pressure outside said container thereby to draw material into said hopper compartment through said suction pipe, means to raise said material from the bottom of said hopper compartment, said raising means comprising a water pump and means for conveying a stream of water discharged by said pump past a lower portion of said hopper compartment to entrain said material and then upwardly above the surface of the body of water, said means for conveying a stream of water past the lower portion of said hopper compartment comprising means defining a water passage beneath said hopper compartment, and means for establishing communication between said hopper compartment and said water compartment during discharge of material from said hopper compartment.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, and means for interrupting communication between said hopper compartment and said water compartment during introduction of material into said hopper compartment.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-06-10 | 1977-12-10 | 1978-06-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-06-10 | 1981-12-10 | 1982-06-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-06-10 | 1985-12-10 | 1986-06-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |