Abstract A self-propelled watercraft for scavenging oil spillage and other floating debris from the surface of a body of water as, for example, oil accumulations and other debris that floats about harbor areas. The watercraft has a catamaran-type hull providing spaced apart hull sections each of which is equipped with a receiving tank having a substantial volume thereof extending downwardly below the surface of the water body. Each tank has an inlet located along and above a generally horizontal deck extending between the hull sections at the water level, and each tank also has an exit opening adjacent the bottom thereof which places it below the deck. The craft is open at its bow to define a mouth which permits a surface layer of the body of water to wash rearwardly along the deck toward the inlet opening of each tank as the craft is propelled through the water. Since the oil spillage and other debris is lighter than water and therefore floats, the volume of each receiving tank is effectively increased by removing the water accumulations that settle toward the bottom of the tank; and such removal of water is effected by reducing the pressure at the exit openings via a venturi flow passage system associated with the exit openings and which reduces the pressure thereat automatically as the craft moves through the water.
A WATERCRAFT FOR SCAVENGING OIL AND OTHER FLOATING DEBRIS FROM THE SURFACE OF A BODY OF WATER, COMPRISING A BYOYANT HULL ADAPTED TO BE PROPELLED IN SUCH BODY OF WATER AND BEING EQUIPPED WITH A RECEIVING TANK HAVING A SUBSTANTIAL VOLUME THEREOF EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY BELOW THE SURFACE OF SUCH BODY OF WATER; AN INLET SYSTEM COMMUNICATING WITH SAID TANK AND HAVING A MOUTH LOCATED ALONG THE SURFACE OF SUCH BODY OF WATER TO AFFORD INGRESS OF A SURFACE LAYER THEREOF AND DELIVERY OF SUCH SURFACE LAYER INTO SAID TANK; A DISCHARGE SYSTEM PROVIDING AN EXIT OPENING FOR SAID TANK AT AN ELEVATION SUBSTANTIALLY BELOW THE SURFACE O SUCH BODY OF WATER; AND TRANSVERSELY SPACED AND LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING WALL SURFACES PROVIDED BY SAID HULL AND DEFINING AN OPEN ENDED FLOW PASSAGE BELOW THE SURFACE OF SUCH BODY OF WATER HAVING A VARYING TRANSVERSE CROSS SECTION CONSTITUTING A VENTURI THROUGH WHICH WATER IS FORCED TO FLOW AS SAID CRAFT IS PROPELLED, SAID EXIT OPENING BEING DISPOSED ADJACENT A LOWER-PRESSURE AREA OF SAID FLOW PASSAGE WHEREBY THE PRESSURE ADJACENT SAID EXIT OPENING IS REDUCED AS SAID CRAFT MOVES THROUGH SUCH BODY OF WATER SO AS TO REMOVE WATER ACCUMULATIONS FRROM THE LOWER PORTIONS OF SAID TANK AND THEREBY ENABLE THE SAME TO RECEIVE THEIR GREATER QUANTITIES OF SCAVENGED DEBRIS.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
216 words
A WATERCRAFT FOR SCAVENGING OIL AND OTHER FLOATING DEBRIS FROM THE SURFACE OF A BODY OF WATER, COMPRISING A BYOYANT HULL ADAPTED TO BE PROPELLED IN SUCH BODY OF WATER AND BEING EQUIPPED WITH A RECEIVING TANK HAVING A SUBSTANTIAL VOLUME THEREOF EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY BELOW THE SURFACE OF SUCH BODY OF WATER; AN INLET SYSTEM COMMUNICATING WITH SAID TANK AND HAVING A MOUTH LOCATED ALONG THE SURFACE OF SUCH BODY OF WATER TO AFFORD INGRESS OF A SURFACE LAYER THEREOF AND DELIVERY OF SUCH SURFACE LAYER INTO SAID TANK; A DISCHARGE SYSTEM PROVIDING AN EXIT OPENING FOR SAID TANK AT AN ELEVATION SUBSTANTIALLY BELOW THE SURFACE O SUCH BODY OF WATER; AND TRANSVERSELY SPACED AND LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING WALL SURFACES PROVIDED BY SAID HULL AND DEFINING AN OPEN ENDED FLOW PASSAGE BELOW THE SURFACE OF SUCH BODY OF WATER HAVING A VARYING TRANSVERSE CROSS SECTION CONSTITUTING A VENTURI THROUGH WHICH WATER IS FORCED TO FLOW AS SAID CRAFT IS PROPELLED, SAID EXIT OPENING BEING DISPOSED ADJACENT A LOWER-PRESSURE AREA OF SAID FLOW PASSAGE WHEREBY THE PRESSURE ADJACENT SAID EXIT OPENING IS REDUCED AS SAID CRAFT MOVES THROUGH SUCH BODY OF WATER SO AS TO REMOVE WATER ACCUMULATIONS FRROM THE LOWER PORTIONS OF SAID TANK AND THEREBY ENABLE THE SAME TO RECEIVE THEIR GREATER QUANTITIES OF SCAVENGED DEBRIS.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The watercraft of claim 1 in which said hull has a catamaran configuration providing spaced apart hull sections defining the aforesaid wall surfaces and venturi flow passage.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The watercraft of claim 2 in which a pair of the aforesaid receiving tanks are provided in respective association with said hull sections, each of said receiving tanks being in communication with said inlet system and each provided with an exit opening as aforesaid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
96 words
The watercraft of claim 2 in which said inlet system includes a generally horizontal main deck extending between said hull sections at an elevation slightly below the surface of such body of water so as to enable the surface layer thereof to wash over said deck, said mouth being located along said deck adjacent the bow of said craft, and said tank being provided with an inlet opening generally along said deck and extending upwardly therefrom to define the aforesaid communication of said tank with said inlet system, said exit opening being located below said deck.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
The watercraft of claim 4 in which each of said exit openings, inlet openings, and mouth is equipped with a movable closure, and in which means are provided for selectively moving each of said closures between the open and closed positions thereof.