Apparatus for recovering oil substances from the surface of a body of water

Claim 2

Apparatus for removing oily substance floating on a body of water through a hose, said apparatus comprising: bouyant float means for floating on the surface of a body of water; oil withdrawal means, including oil inlet means carried by said buoyant float means, for withdrawing oily substance floating on the body of water; said buoyant float means being operable to buoyantly support said oil inlet means at a level communicable with the oily substance floating on the body of water; wind reaction surface means, supported by said buoyant float means responsive to wind tending to displace an oily substance floating on a body of water for moving said buoyant float means in the direction of the displaced oily substance, said wind reaction surface means comprising a plurality of symmetrically opposed pairs of planar surfaces supported by said float means and spaced above the upper surface thereof; and said oil withdrawal means further comprising swivel joint means for rotatably attaching a hose to said buoyant float means to reduce a resistance to a turning of said buoyant float means when said buoyant float means is moved in the direction of the displaced oily substance.

Claim 3

Apparatus for removing oily substance floating on a body of water according to claim 1 wherein: said buoyant float means comprises a generally discshaped float body; said float having a pair of substantially opposed inclined faces extending from a cEntral portion thereof and converging at an outer periphery of said float body.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein: said wind reaction surface means comprises a generally frusto-pyramical structure fixedly mounted on said float means in a generally upright position and including generally symmetrically disposed wind reaction faces.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein: said wind reaction means is rotatably supported on said float means and is operable to rotate in response to changes in wind direction.

Claim 6

Apparatus for removing oily substance from the surface of a body of water according to claim 1 wherein: said wind reaction surface means comprises a rigid open ended generally frusto-pyramidal body orientable in response to changes in wind direction to direct wind through said rigid body to move said buoyant float means with the wind.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein: said oil withdrawal means includes an oil collection chamber having a first cross-sectional area carried by said float means, and wherein said oil inlet means comprises a plurality of inlet passage means each having a cross-sectional area less than said first cross-sectional area for providing a vortex-like flow of fluid at a mouth of said oil inlet means when said mouth is below the surface of a body of water.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein: said inlet passage means are disposed generally perpendicular to a central axis of said float means.

Claim 9

Apparatus for recovering oily substances from the surface of a body of water according to claim 1 wherein said wind reaction surface means is connected to said buoyant float means by an assembly comprising: a mast; a first and second mast support means connected to said float means for supporting said mast; bearing means adjacent said mast support means for rotatably carrying said mast; said first and second mast support means being in spaced apart relationship to form with an interior wall of said float means and said mast an oil collection a chamber; and means for placing an interior portion of said mast in fluid communication with said chamber.

Claim 10

Apparatus for recovering oily substance from the surface of a body of water according to claim 1 wherein said apparatus further comprises: interior wall means of said buoyant float means defining a suction chamber; and a plurality of oil inlet passages passing through said wall means to place said suction chamber in fluid communication with said oil inlet means.

Claim 11

Apparatus for removing oily substance floating on a body of water, said apparatus comprising: buoyant float means for floating on the surface of a body of water; oil withdrawal means, including oil inlet means carried by said buoyant float means, for withdrawing oily substance floating on the body of water; said buoyant float means being operable to buoyantly support said oil inlet means at a level communicable with the oily substance floating on the body of water; and wind reaction surface means, connected to said buoyant float means and responsive to wind tending to displace an oily substance floating on a body of water, for moving said buoyant float means in the direction of the displaced oily substance, said wind reaction surface means comprising a generally frusto-pyramidal structure fixedly mounted on said float means above the surface thereof in a generally upright position and including generally symmetrically disposed wind reaction faces.

Claim 12

Apparatus for removing oily substance floating on a body of water, said apparatus comprising: buoyant float means for floating on the surface of a body of water; oil withdrawal means, including oil inlet means carried by said buoyant float means, for withdrawing oily substance floating on the body of water; said buoyant float means being operable to buoyantly support said oil inlet means at a level communicable with the oily substance floating on the body of water; and wind reaction surface means, connected to said buoyant float means and responsive to wind tending to displace an oily substance floating on a body of water, for moving said buoyant float means in the direction of the displaced oily substance, said wind reaction surface means comprising a generally frusto-pyramidal structure fixedly mounted on said float means above the surface thereof in a generally upright position and including generally symmetrically disposed wind reaction faces.

Claim 13

Apparatus for removing oily substance floating on a body of water according to claim 10 wherein: said buoyant float means comprises a generally discshaped float body; said float having a pair of substantially opposed inclined faces extending from a central portion thereof and converging at an outer periphery of said float body.

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein: said oil withdrawal means includes an oil collection chamber havinG a first cross-sectional area carried by said float means, and wherein said oil inlet means comprises a plurality of inlet passage means each having a cross-sectional area less than said first cross-sectional area for providing a vortex-like flow of fluid at a mouth of said oil inlet means when said mouth is below the surface of a body of water.

Claim 15

Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein: said inlet passage means are disposed generally perpendicular to a central axis of said float means.

Claim 16

Apparatus for recovering oily substance from the surface of a body of water according to claim 10 wherein said apparatus further comprises: interior wall means of said buoyant float means defining a suction chamber; and a plurality of oil inlet passages passing through said wall means to place said suction chamber in fluid communication with said oil inlet means.

Claim 17

Apparatus for removing oily substance floating on a body of water through a hose, said apparatus comprising: buoyant float means for floating on the surface of a body of water; oil withdrawal means, including oil inlet means carried by said buoyant float means, for withdrawing oily substance floating on the body of water; said buoyant float means being operable to buoyantly support said oil inlet means at a level communicable with the oily substance floating on the body of water; and wind reaction surface means, connected to said buoyant float means and responsive to wind tending to displace an oil substance floating on a body of water, for moving said buoyant float means in the direction of the displaced oily substance, said wind reaction surface means comprising a rigid, generally frusto-pyramidal body with open ends at each end of its longitudinal axis. said axis being supported for rotatable movement around a vertical axis supported by said float means above an upper surface thereof whereby said frusto-pyramidal body rotates responsively to changes in wind direction to direct wind through the interior of said frusto-pyramidal body to move said buoyant float means by said wind.

Claim 18

Apparatus for removing oily substance floating on a body of water through a hose, said apparatus comprising: buoyant float means for floating on the surface of a body of water; oil withdrawal means, including oil inlet means carried by said buoyant float means, for withdrawing oily substance floating on the body of water; said buoyant float means being operable to buoyantly support said oil inlet means at a level communicable with the oily substance floating on the body of water; and wind reaction surface means, connected to said buoyant float means and responsive to wind tending to displace an oil substance floating on a body of water, for moving said buoyant float means in the direction of the displaced oily substance, said wind reaction surface means comprising a rigid, generally frusto-pyramidal body with open ends at each end of its longitudinal axis. said axis being supported for rotatable movement around a vertical axis supported by said float means above an upper surface thereof whereby said frusto-pyramidal body rotates responsively to changes in wind direction to direct wind through the interior of said frusto-pyramidal body to move said buoyant float means by said wind.

Claim 19

Apparatus for removing oily substance floating on a body of water according to claim 15 wherein: said buoyant float means comprises a generally discshaped float body; said float having a pair of substantially opposed inclined faces extending from a central portion thereof and converging at an outer periphery of said float body.

Claim 20

Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein: said oil withdrawal means includes an oil collection chamber carried by said float means, and wherein said oil inlet means comprises a plurality of inlet passage means for providing impeded flow of fluid therethrough to said collection chamber.

Claim 21

Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein: said inlet passage means are disposed generally perpendicular to a central axis of said float means.

Claim 22

Apparatus for recovering oily substance from the surface of a body of water according to claim 15 wherein said apparatus further comprises: interior wall means of said buoyant float means defining a suction chamber; and a plurality of oil inlet passages passing through said wall means to place said suction chamber in fluid communication with said oil inlet means.

Claim 23

Apparatus according to claim 15 and wherein: said oil withdrawal means further comprises swivel joint means for rotatably attaching a hose to said buoyant float means to reduce a resistance to a turning of said buoyant float means when said buoyant float means is moved in the direction of the displaced oily substance.