Method and apparatus for separating liquids of different specific gravities from a mixture of the same

Claim 1

IN A BARGE MOUNTED VACUUM SYSTEM FOR REMOVING OIL FROM THE SURFACE OF A BODY OF WATER, APPARATUS COMPRISING A BARGE SUPPORTING A SEALED SEPARATING TANK WITH A BOTTOM, SIDEWALLS DIVERGING UPWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY, AND A CLOSED TOP, CONDUIT MEANS FOR INTRODUCING LIQUID INTO SAID TANK WITH A FIRST OPEN END OF SAID CONDUIT LOCATED WITHIN CASING MEANS WITH A CLOSED BOTTOM AND OPEN TOP, SAID CASING BEING SUPPORTED SO THAT THE OPEN END OF SAID CONDUIT IS SEALINGLY MAINTAINED IN COMMUNICATION WITH LIQUID COLLECTED BY SAID CASING MEANS FROM SAID BODY OF WATER, SAID CONDUIT NEAR A SECOND OPEN END THEREOF COMPRISING A PORTION EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY THROUGH THE CLOSED TOP OF SAID SEALED TANK WITHH SAID PORTION FURTHER COMPRISING A U-SHAPED BEND EXTENDING UPWARDLY LOCATING THE SECOND OPEN END OF THE CONDYIT WITHIN THE TANK NEAR THE TOP PORTION THEREOF, REVERSIBLE PUMP MEANS FOR FILLING OR EMPTYING SAID TTANK WITH WATER, SAID PUMP MEANS BEING IN FLUID COMMUNICATION BY CONDUIT MEANS NEAR THE BOTTOM OF SAID TANK WHEREBY SAID REVERSIBLE PUMP MEANS MAY BE UTILIZED TO DISCHARGE THE LIWUID CONTENTS OF SAID TANK AND TO FILL SAID TANK WITH WATER FROM SAID BODY OF WATER, FLOAT CONTROL MEANS IN SAID TANK CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED TO CAUSE SAID PUMP MANS TO INTRODUCE LIQUID INTO SAID TANK RESPONSIVE TO A LOW LIQUID LEBEL THEREIN AND TO DISCHARGE LIQUID FROM SAID TANK WITH A HIGH LIQUID LEVEL THEREIN WHEREBY IN OPERATION OF SAID APPARATUS WATER INTORDUCED INTO SAID TANK AND THEREAFTER DISCHARGED THEREFROM CAUSES A NEGATIVE PRESSURE WITHIN SAID TANK SO THAT LIQUID WITHIN SAID CASING MEANS IS CAUSED TO FLOW INTO THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID TANK AND THE FILLING AND EMPTYING OF SAID TANK IS REPEATED SO THAT THE CONTENTS OF SAID TANK SUBSTANTIALLY COMPRISES OIL WHICH MAY BE DISCHARGE FROM SAID TANK BY SAID PUMP MEANS.