Oil spill containing boom

Claim 2

An oil-containing boom comprising, in combination: an elongate band of longitudinally flexible, water-permeable, oil-impermeable material having sufficient stiffness transversely to maintain itself erect; a plurality of rigid, spaced spars, buoyant throughout the greatest part of their lengths, each said spar extending longitudinally across the full width of the band and being attached thereto to form a combination which moves in water as a unit; each said spar comprising a hollow casing, apertured and weighted at its lower end and containing a buoyant, water and oil impermeable material in its upper end, Whereby, when the boom is dropped onto a body of water, the spars will right themselves and float in a generally vertical position.

Claim 3

The boom as set forth in claim 1 wherein: the band comprises a plurality of sections interconnected at their ends by spars; each spar comprises a hollow casing having a removable member attached thereto at its upper end, the wall of the casing forming opposed openings extending longitudinally downward from the member; each said section having a bulbous bead along the edge of each of its ends, each said bead being received and retained within one of the openings; said member functioning to retain the strip bead in place in the spar opening.

Claim 4

A boom for hydrocarbon containment comprising: a plurality of spaced, substantially vertical spars and an erect band of filtration material extending between each pair of adjacent spars and attached thereto, each said spar being buoyant throughout the greatest part of its length and comprising: a substantially rigid elongate casing having a hollow upper detachable cap section, an intermediate section, and a hollow lower section, said intermediate section being filled with a buoyant solid material which is impervious to oil and water, said lower section wall forming one or more openings to admit water thereinto, said lower section having sufficient weight whereby the spar will right itself to the substantially vertical position when floating in water, said band being flexible in a longitudinal direction but sufficiently stiff in a vertical direction so as to maintain itself erect, and means associated with the spars and band connecting the band across its full width to the spars.

Claim 5

A boom for hydrocarbon containment comprising: a plurality of spaced, substantially vertical spars and an erect band of filtration material extending between each pair of adjacent spars and attached thereto, each said spar being buoyant throughout the greatest part of its length and comprising: a substantially rigid elongate casing having a hollow upper detachable cap section, an intermediate section, and a hollow lower section, said intermediate section being filled with a buoyant solid material which is impervious to oil and water, said lower section wall forming one or more openings to admit water thereinto, said lower section having sufficient weight whereby the spar will right itself to the substantially vertical position when floating in water, said band being flexible in a longitudinal direction but sufficiently stiff in a vertical direction so as to maintain itself erect, and means associated with the spars and band connecting the band across its full width to the spars.