← Back to Patent Explorer
US3986959A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Oil spill apparatus

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1975-05-21
•
Granted: 1976-10-19
•
Expires: 1995-05-21
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract An improved method and apparatus for removal of oil products floating on water in which a floating sponge remains essentially fixed on top of the water and bouyant squeezing means are moved over said belt to squeeze out oil picked up thereby without having to lift the sponge from the water.

Inventors

  • 👤 Harold E. Bagot
  • 👤 Selmes Paul Funkhouser

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-04 22:42
CPC Classifications
E; E02; E02B; E02B15/00; E02B15/04; E02B15/10; E02B15/101; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A20/00; Y02A20/20; Y02A20/204; Y10; Y10S; Y10S210/00; Y10S210/918; Y10S210/922; Y10S210/924

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim 108 words
Apparatus for collecting oil from the surface water comprising: a. an elongated olephillic sponge floated on the oil and water and supported between two vessels; b. buoyant squeezing means; c. means for moving said buoyant squeezing means across the length of said sponge while said sponge is floated on the oil and water comprising: a cable extending over the length of said sponge belt, said cable rigidly coupled to said buoyant squeezing means, and means for pulling said cable back and forth to move said buoyant squeezing means back and forth over said sponge; and d. means for collecting the oil squeezed out from said buoyant squeezing means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 108 words
Apparatus for collecting oil from the surface water comprising: a. an elongated olephillic sponge floated on the oil and water and supported between two vessels; b. buoyant squeezing means; c. means for moving said buoyant squeezing means across the length of said sponge while said sponge is floated on the oil and water comprising: a cable extending over the length of said sponge belt, said cable rigidly coupled to said buoyant squeezing means, and means for pulling said cable back and forth to move said buoyant squeezing means back and forth over said sponge; and d. means for collecting the oil squeezed out from said buoyant squeezing means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 20 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 and further including means for removing the oil squeezed out from said buoyant squeezing means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 36 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said vessels comprise barges and wherein said means for removing oil from said buoyant squeezing comprises means for pumping oil from said means to at least one of said barges.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 12 words
Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said barges are self propelled barges.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 20 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said vessels comprise buoyant floats and further including a self-propelled vessel towing said floats.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3700593A Cited
US3592006A Cited
US3631679A Cited
US3679058A Cited
US3581899A Cited
US3667608A Cited
US3668118A Cited
US3800950A Cited
US3804251A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1979-10-19 1980-04-19 1980-10-19 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1983-10-19 1984-04-19 1984-10-19 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1987-10-19 1988-04-19 1988-10-19 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag