Abstract The invention is apparatus for cleaning up oil-spills. It comprises effecting a first separation externally of the ship at the bow, and conveying the oil into the ship for a second separation through an elongated baffled conduit. Oil in excess of the ship''s capacity may be discharged at the stern into waiting tankers. Intake means which may heat the oil and include when necessary surrounding wave-damping means connected to the ship''s bow communicate flexibly with the ship''s interior. One embodiment of the intake means is a wide shallow funnel. Novel for shallow coastal water oil skimming is a floating box having a water-level weir through which oil enters and a discharge port connected to a long flexible conduit communicating with a ship of substantial draft standing off in deep water. Mobile means such as shore tractors and powered boats tied to each box on the land side hold it in position and move it as desired.
IN THE SEPARATION OF OIL AND WATER FROM A SPILL OF OIL ON A WATER SURFACE, THE APPARATUS WHICH INCLUDES, A SHIP HAVING HOLDING TANKS THEREIN, A WIDE SHALLOW STEAM-JACKETED LAGGED AND PERIPHERALLY FENCED FUNNEL-SHAPED INTAKE, ADJUSTABLY OUTWARDLY SUSPENDED FROM ONE END OF SAID SHIP, SAID INTAKE HAVING A SURROUNDING WALL CONVERGING FROM A LARGE OPEN MOUTH TO A DISCHARGE APERTURE OF RELATIVELY RESTRICTED AREA THEREBELOW FOR ADMITTING AND SEPARATING SAID OIL FROM SAID WATER EXTERNALLY OF SAID SHIP, A FLEXIBLE CONDUIT CONNECTING SAID DISCHARGE APERAURE TO SAID SHIP, A SET OF SPACED BUT INTERCONNECTED PONTOONS ARRANGED IN RING FORMATION ABOUT SAID INTAKE TO DAMPEN WAVE ACTION IN SAID WATER SURFACE ADJACENT SAID INTAKE, A SECONDARY SEPARATION MEANS WITHIN SAID SHIP COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE CONDUIT LOCATED LONGITUDINALY FORE AND AFT OF SAID SHIP AND CONNECTED TO SAID FLEXIBLE CONDUIT, AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF BAFFLES THEREACROSS TO DIRECT THE OIL INTO SAID HOLDING TANKS WITHIN SAID SHIP, AND MOBILE ANCHORING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID INTAKE MEANS FOR MAINTAINING SAID INTAKE IN POSITION RELATIVE TO AN ANCHORED SHIP THEREBY REMOVING ANY CURRENT OR WAVE INDUCED STRAIN FORM SAID FLEXIBLE CONDUIT.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
190 words
IN THE SEPARATION OF OIL AND WATER FROM A SPILL OF OIL ON A WATER SURFACE, THE APPARATUS WHICH INCLUDES, A SHIP HAVING HOLDING TANKS THEREIN, A WIDE SHALLOW STEAM-JACKETED LAGGED AND PERIPHERALLY FENCED FUNNEL-SHAPED INTAKE, ADJUSTABLY OUTWARDLY SUSPENDED FROM ONE END OF SAID SHIP, SAID INTAKE HAVING A SURROUNDING WALL CONVERGING FROM A LARGE OPEN MOUTH TO A DISCHARGE APERTURE OF RELATIVELY RESTRICTED AREA THEREBELOW FOR ADMITTING AND SEPARATING SAID OIL FROM SAID WATER EXTERNALLY OF SAID SHIP, A FLEXIBLE CONDUIT CONNECTING SAID DISCHARGE APERAURE TO SAID SHIP, A SET OF SPACED BUT INTERCONNECTED PONTOONS ARRANGED IN RING FORMATION ABOUT SAID INTAKE TO DAMPEN WAVE ACTION IN SAID WATER SURFACE ADJACENT SAID INTAKE, A SECONDARY SEPARATION MEANS WITHIN SAID SHIP COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE CONDUIT LOCATED LONGITUDINALY FORE AND AFT OF SAID SHIP AND CONNECTED TO SAID FLEXIBLE CONDUIT, AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF BAFFLES THEREACROSS TO DIRECT THE OIL INTO SAID HOLDING TANKS WITHIN SAID SHIP, AND MOBILE ANCHORING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID INTAKE MEANS FOR MAINTAINING SAID INTAKE IN POSITION RELATIVE TO AN ANCHORED SHIP THEREBY REMOVING ANY CURRENT OR WAVE INDUCED STRAIN FORM SAID FLEXIBLE CONDUIT.