Flotation type water sweep boom and methods

Claim 2

A floating boom comprising, a horizontally elongated and generally vertically extending floating curtain means having an upper extremity floating at the water surface and extending downwardly a substantial distance to a lower extremity, means for towing said curtain means laterally through the water from beyond the horizontal ends of said curtain means including at least one tow line connected along the lower extremity of said curtain means for towing said curtain means at an angle of attack with said lower extremity in advance of said upper extremity, said curtain means including an impervious upper skirt portion constrained to said angle of attack by said towing and having a lower edge positioned in advance of the rest of the skirt portion, said curtain means being bendable along its length in both the vertical and horizontal directions for assuming the contour of the water surface in response to wave action and currents, and said curtain means having a lower portion including spaced tension elements for connecting the tow line continuously along the lower extremity of the curtain means with such lower portion being relatively open for allowing subsurface water to pass freely therethrough.

Claim 3

The floating boom of claim 1 wherein said towing means includes a second tow line connected along the upper extremity of said curtain means.

Claim 4

The floating boom of claim 1 wherein the upper extremity of said curtain means includes an enlarged floating member of excessive buoyancy for extending a distance above the water surface.

Claim 5

The floating boom of claim 1 wherein said curtain means has a substantial vertical dimension with said open portion being a relatively large proportion of said dimension.

Claim 6

The floating boom of claim 4 wherein the said vertical dimension varies along the length of the boom from end-to-end to maintain the lower extremity of each portion of said curtain means in advance of said upper extremity.

Claim 7

The floating boom of claim 5 wherein the proportion of the open portion increases as the vertical dimension increases.

Claim 8

A floating boom adapted to be towed by its ends through water to be swept, comprising, a horizontally elongated and generally vertically extending floating curtain means having an elongated upper floating member at the water surface and an impervious portion extending downwardly therefrom and having a lower edge, said curtain means having spaced tension elements forming an open portion extending a substantial distance below said lower edge of the impervious portion to a lower extremity, means for towing said curtain means from beyond the horizontal ends thereof including at least one tow line connected continuously along the lower extremity of said curtain means by said spaced tension elements for towing said curtain means at an angle of attack with both said lower extremity and said lower edge in advance of said upper extremity of said impervious portion, said tension elements being of sufficiently close spacing to apply the towing force uniformly along the length of the curtain means, said curtain means being bendable along its length in both the vertical and horizontal directions for assuming the contour of the water surface in response to wave action and currents, and said curtain means being open between said lower edge and said lower extremity for allowing subsurface water to pass freely therethrough.

Claim 9

A floating boom adapted to be towed by its ends through water to be swept, comprising, a horizontally elongated and generally vertically extending floating curtain means having an elongated upper floating member at the water surface and an impervious portion extending downwardly therefrom and having a lower edge, said curtain means having spaced tension elements forming an open portion extending a substantial distance below said lower edge of the impervious portion to a lower extremity, means for towing said curtain means from beyond the horizontal ends thereof including at least one tow line connected continuously along the lower extremity of said curtain means by said spaced tension elements for towing said curtain means at an angle of attack with both said lower extremity and said lower edge in advance of said upper extremity of said impervious portion, said tension elements being of sufficiently close spacing to apply the towing force uniformly along the length of the curtain means, said curtain means being bendable along its length in both the vertical and horizontal directions for assuming the contour of the water surface in response to wave action and currents, and said curtain means being open between said lower edge and said lower extremity for allowing subsurface water to pass freely therethrough.

Claim 10

The floating boom of claim 7 wherein said floating member includes a buoyancy element comprising bubble pack sheet material.

Claim 11

The floating boom of claim 8 wherein said bubble pack sheet material is circumferentially wrapped about a horizontal axis to form a generally cylindrical floating member.

Claim 12

The floating boom of claim 7 wherein at least one additional elongated floating member is provided and extends parallel to and spaced from the first floating member, and an impervious sheet member extending between and connecting said floating members.

Claim 13

The floating boom of claim 10 wherein a said additional floating member is provided on each side of the first floating member.

Claim 14

A floating boom adapted to be towed by vessels to sweep floating elements from an area of water, comprising, an elongated flotation means being bendable vertically and horizontally for floating on the water and assuming the contour of the water surface in response to wave action and currents, a skirt means extending the length of and connected to said flotation means and adapted to extend downwardly into the water to a lowermost skirt edge, harness means extending below said skirt means, a tow line connected along the lower extremity of said harness means and having ends adapted to be towed by the vessels, said skirt means being impervious and serving as a barrier for collecting the floating elements in the water, and said harness means including a multiplicity of closely spaced tension elements extending upwardly from said tow line to structurally join said tow line continuously along said skirt means and flotation means assemblage for towing that assemblage evenly through the water and being relatively open for allowing water to pass freely therethrough as the boom is towed through the water by said tow line, said skirt means and harness means being flexible for accommodating such bending of the flotation means and allowing the skirt means and harness means to assume an angle of attack with the lower extremity in advance of said floatation means and said lowermost skirt edge in advance of the upper extremity of the skirt portion.

Claim 15

A floating boom adapted to be towed by vessels to sweep floating elements from an area of water, comprising, an elongated flotation means being bendable vertically and horizontally for floating on the water and assuming the contour of the water surface in response to wave action and currents, a skirt means extending the length of and connected to said flotation means and adapted to extend downwardly into the water to a lowermost skirt edge, harness means extending below said skirt means, a tow line connected along the lower extremity of said harness means and having ends adapted to be towed by the vessels, said skirt means being impervious and serving as a barrier for collecting the floating elements in the water, and said harness means including a multiplicity of closely spaced tension elements extending upwardly from said tow line to structurally join said tow line continuously along said skirt means and flotation means assemblage for towing that assemblage evenly through the water and being relatively open for allowing water to pass freely therethrough as the boom is towed through the water by said tow line, said skirt means and harness means being flexible for accommodating such bending of the flotation means and allowing the skirt means and harness means to assume an angle of attack with the lower extremity in advance of said floatation means and said lowermost skirt edge in advance of the upper extremity of the skirt portion.

Claim 16

The floating boom of claim 12 wherein said harness means includes vertical straps comprising said tension elements extending from said tow Line to said flotation means and along at least that side of said skirt means away from the direction of towing for supporting said skirt means.

Claim 17

The floating boom of claim 13 wherein the harness means is of varying length along the boom.

Claim 18

An elongated floating boom for sweeping floating elements from water be being towed through the water by each end, comprising, a plurality of floating curtain segments releasably connected side by side to provide the required length boom, each floating curtain segment having an elongated flotation member along the upper end for buoyantly supporting said segment, said plurality of flotation members being bendable relative to each other in the vertical and horizontal directions for assuming the contour of the water surface in response to wave action and currents, each said flotation member having a buoyancy for in excess of the weight of said curtain segment and extending above the water surface a substantial distance for preventing the floating elements from washing over said curtain segment, each curtain segment having an impervious skirt portion extending downwardly a substantial distance below said floatation member to a lowermost edge, each curtain segment having a relatively open portion comprising a multiplicity of closely spaced tension elements extending downwardly from said lowermost edge of the skirt portion, a tow line means connected continuously along the curtain segments at the lower extremity of said open portion to said tension elements and connecting said plurality of floating curtain segments together for towing the boom through the water with the curtain segments inclined at an angle of attack with the lower extremity in advance of said flotation member and forcing the skirt portion to a like angle of attack with said lowermost edge in advance of skirt upper extremity, and said impervious skirt and open portion of said curtain segment being flexible for allowing such bending of the flotation members and assuming said angle of attack.

Claim 19

An elongated floating boom for sweeping floating elements from water be being towed through the water by each end, comprising, a plurality of floating curtain segments releasably connected side by side to provide the required length boom, each floating curtain segment having an elongated flotation member along the upper end for buoyantly supporting said segment, said plurality of flotation members being bendable relative to each other in the vertical and horizontal directions for assuming the contour of the water surface in response to wave action and currents, each said flotation member having a buoyancy for in excess of the weight of said curtain segment and extending above the water surface a substantial distance for preventing the floating elements from washing over said curtain segment, each curtain segment having an impervious skirt portion extending downwardly a substantial distance below said floatation member to a lowermost edge, each curtain segment having a relatively open portion comprising a multiplicity of closely spaced tension elements extending downwardly from said lowermost edge of the skirt portion, a tow line means connected continuously along the curtain segments at the lower extremity of said open portion to said tension elements and connecting said plurality of floating curtain segments together for towing the boom through the water with the curtain segments inclined at an angle of attack with the lower extremity in advance of said flotation member and forcing the skirt portion to a like angle of attack with said lowermost edge in advance of skirt upper extremity, and said impervious skirt and open portion of said curtain segment being flexible for allowing such bending of the flotation members and assuming said angle of attack.

Claim 20

The floating boom of claim 15 wherein said elongated flotation member includes a cover member filled with bubble pack sheet material.

Claim 21

A floating boom adapted to be towed by its ends through water to be swept, comprising, a horizontally elongated and generally vertically extending floating curtain means having an elongated upper floating member at the water surface and an impervious portion extending downwards, therefrom, said curtain means extending a substantial distance below said impervious portion to a lower extremity, said upper floating member including a central tube and bubble pack sheet material circumferentially wrapped about said tube to provide buoyancy, means for towing said curtain means from the horizontal ends thereof including one tow line extending through said tube and another tow line connected along the lower extremity of said curtain means for towing said lower extremity in advance of said upper extremity, and said curtain means being relatively open near said lower extremity for allowing subsurface water to pass therethrough.

Claim 22

A floating boom adapted to be towed by its ends through water to be swept, comprising, a horizontally elongated and generally vertically extending floating curtain means having an elongated upper floating member at the water surface and an impervious portion extending downwards, therefrom, said curtain means extending a substantial distance below said impervious portion to a lower extremity, said upper floating member including a central tube and bubble pack sheet material circumferentially wrapped about said tube to provide buoyancy, means for towing said curtain means from the horizontal ends thereof including one tow line extending through said tube and another tow line connected along the lower extremity of said curtain means for towing said lower extremity in advance of said upper extremity, and said curtain means being relatively open near said lower extremity for allowing subsurface water to pass therethrough.

Claim 23

An elongated floating boom for sweeping floating elements from water by being towed through the water by each end, comprising, a plurality of floating curtain segments releasably connected side by side to provide the required length boom, each floating curtain segment having an elongated floatation member along the upper end for buoyantly supporting said segment, said flotation member including a central tube with a multiplicity of layers of bubble pack sheet material wrapped about said tube and an encircling cover about said sheet material, said flotation member having a buoyancy far in excess of the weight of said curtain segment and extending above the water surface a substantial distance for preventing the floating elements from washing over said curtain segment, each curtain segment having an impervious skirt portion extending downwardly a substantial distance below said flotation member, each curtain segment having a relatiVely open portion extending downwardly from said skirt portion, one tow line extending through said tube and another tow line connected along the lower extremity of said open portion and connecting said plurality of floating curtain segments for towing the boom through the water.

Claim 24

An elongated floating boom for sweeping floating elements from water by being towed through the water by each end, comprising, a plurality of floating curtain segments releasably connected side by side to provide the required length boom, each floating curtain segment having an elongated floatation member along the upper end for buoyantly supporting said segment, said flotation member including a central tube with a multiplicity of layers of bubble pack sheet material wrapped about said tube and an encircling cover about said sheet material, said flotation member having a buoyancy far in excess of the weight of said curtain segment and extending above the water surface a substantial distance for preventing the floating elements from washing over said curtain segment, each curtain segment having an impervious skirt portion extending downwardly a substantial distance below said flotation member, each curtain segment having a relatiVely open portion extending downwardly from said skirt portion, one tow line extending through said tube and another tow line connected along the lower extremity of said open portion and connecting said plurality of floating curtain segments for towing the boom through the water.

Claim 25

The floating boom of claim 18 wherein said open portion of said curtain segment is comprised of vertical straps extending around said flotation member and downwardly along and beyond the skirt portion for connection to said tow line.