US4056472A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Oil recovery apparatus
Assignee: National Research Development Corp UK
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Filing: 1976-03-12
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Granted: 1977-11-01
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Expires: 1996-03-12
Abstract
Abstract An oil recovery apparatus in which oil to be recovered is allowed to pass over the leading weir edge of an oil skimmer mounted transversely across a flotation platform and with the leading weir edge positioned in the region of the center of buoyancy of the flotation platform. Oil passing over the leading weir edge is sucked through a slotted flow equalizing baffle plate mounted within the oil skimmer and removed to a collection location or vessel.
Inventors
- 👤 Raymond Geoffrey Teasdale
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 15:34
CPC Classifications
E; E02; E02B; E02B15/00; E02B15/04; E02B15/048; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A20/00; Y02A20/20; Y02A20/204; Y10; Y10S; Y10S210/00; Y10S210/918; Y10S210/922; Y10S210/923
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
273 words
Oil recovery apparatus for collecting oil floating on the surface of a body of water, said apparatus comprising a vessel having spaced apart longitudinally extending hulls connected by a bridge structure located between the hulls and having a lower surface inclined downwardly from the front of the vessel toward its rear, the rear edge of said surface being located approximately at the mid-point of the vessel and on its load water line, oil collection means comprising a receptacle having a front wall forming a weir plate member over which oil may enter the receptacle, side walls and a closed bottom, said receptacle being mounted between said hulls in the region of the center of buoyancy of the vessel and being so constructed and arranged that the front wall thereof is located adjacent the rear edge of said bridge structure, means for removing oil from said receptacle, said means comprising an oil suction evacuation conduit, a baffle plate arranged substantially horizontally within said receptacle, spaced above the bottom thereof and having flow equalising slots therein, an open end of said conduit being located adjacent the mid-point of said baffle plate on one side thereof in fluid communication with the space within the receptacle on the other side of said baffle plate via said flow equalising slots, said slots being located in said baffle plate on opposite sides of said conduit, increasing in width toward the opposite ends of said plate and having a total open area substantially equal to that of said conduit open end, the pump means for applying suction to the opposite end of said conduit for removing liquid from said receptacle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
273 words
Oil recovery apparatus for collecting oil floating on the surface of a body of water, said apparatus comprising a vessel having spaced apart longitudinally extending hulls connected by a bridge structure located between the hulls and having a lower surface inclined downwardly from the front of the vessel toward its rear, the rear edge of said surface being located approximately at the mid-point of the vessel and on its load water line, oil collection means comprising a receptacle having a front wall forming a weir plate member over which oil may enter the receptacle, side walls and a closed bottom, said receptacle being mounted between said hulls in the region of the center of buoyancy of the vessel and being so constructed and arranged that the front wall thereof is located adjacent the rear edge of said bridge structure, means for removing oil from said receptacle, said means comprising an oil suction evacuation conduit, a baffle plate arranged substantially horizontally within said receptacle, spaced above the bottom thereof and having flow equalising slots therein, an open end of said conduit being located adjacent the mid-point of said baffle plate on one side thereof in fluid communication with the space within the receptacle on the other side of said baffle plate via said flow equalising slots, said slots being located in said baffle plate on opposite sides of said conduit, increasing in width toward the opposite ends of said plate and having a total open area substantially equal to that of said conduit open end, the pump means for applying suction to the opposite end of said conduit for removing liquid from said receptacle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
73 words
An oil recovery apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which the oil suction evacuation conduit extends from the central region of the width of said receptacle and in which the slotted flow equalising plate includes two slots each of which is tapered and extends from the central region of the plate in a direction parallel with the front wall of the receptacle and widening as it extends away from the central region.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
An oil recovery apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which the lower forwardly inclined surface of the bridge structure includes an exterior layer of shock absorbent material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
An oil recovery apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which the layer of shock absorbent material is protected are reinforced on its exposed side by a flexible skin membrane.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
74 words
An oil recovery apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which the oil collection receptacle comprises essentially an open scuttle-like structure pivotally mounted between the hulls of the vessel, the foremost region of the open scuttle-like structure constituting a leading weir edge of the receptacle, and including means for lowering said leading weir edge relative to the underside of the bridge structure by a controlled rotation of said scuttle-like structure about its pivotal mounting.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
125 words
An oil recovery apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which the oil collection means comprises a fixed structure in the general form of a scuttle which protrudes downwardly from the load water line, the forward structure of the scuttle including at least one forward facing oil extraction passageway extending substantially the full width of the fixed structure, the oil collection means also comprising said weir plate member mounted immediately upstream of and parallel with the open end of the oil extraction passageway and slideably adjustable relative to the underside of the bridge structure whereby in use the weir plate member may be lowered and rasied across the open end of the oil extraction passageway to vary the depth of the passageway to be exposed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
76 words
An oil recovery apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which the fixed structure of the oil collection means is provided with a series of separate forward facing oil extraction passageways each extending substantially the full width of the fixed structure and arranged one above the other such that in use the separate oil extraction passageways are successively uncovered as the weir plate member is lowered progressively from an upper position at the load water line.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
101 words
An oil recovery system for usd in the recovery of oil from the surface of a body of water comprising in combination a boom system of substantially Y-plan form arranged to entrap and progressively concentrate the oil to be recovered as it passes between the converging arms of the boom, and an oil recovery apparatus as claimed in claim 1, the oil recovery apparatus being connected to the bottom end of the Y-plan form boom system and adpated to receive the concentrated oil and recover the same by means of the oil collection means and despatch it to a collection vessel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
61 words
An oil recovery system as claimed in claim 8 in which the open ends of the Y-plan form boom system are towed by tug marine craft, one of which also tows an oil collection tanker positioned approximately abeam of the oil recovery apparatus and into which oil recovered by the oil collection means is pumped via a buoy supported delivery hose.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
108 words
An oil recovery apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the oil collection means includes a series of separate forward facing oil extraction passageways each extending substantially the full width of the oil collection receptacle and arranged one above the other, and said weir plate member being mounted immediately upstream of and parallel with the open ends of the oil extraction passageways and slidably adjustable relative to the underside of the bridge structure whereby in use the weir plate member is lowered and raised across the open ends of the oil extraction passageways so that the separate oil extraction passageways are successively uncovered or covered, as required.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
48 words
An oil recovery apparatus as claimed in claim 10 in which the oil collection means includes a series of oil suction evacuation conduits each in fluid connection with a respective separate forward facing oil extraction passageway through a slotted flow equalising baffle plate as defined in claim 1.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
77 words
An oil recovery apparatus as claimed in claim 11 in which each oil suction evacuation conduit extends from the central region of the width of the oil collection receptacle and in which each slotted flow equalising plate includes two slots each of which is tapered and extends from the central region of the plate in a direction parallel with the open end of the oil extraction passageway and widens as it extends away from the central region.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-10-31 | 1981-05-02 | 1981-11-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-10-31 | 1985-05-02 | 1985-11-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-10-31 | 1989-05-02 | 1989-11-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |