Method and apparatus for collecting mineral aggregates from sea beds

Claim 2

Apparatus for collecting mineral aggregates from sea beds, including: means to transport said apparatus across and to support it at the surface of the sea bed; means for dislodging aggregates and accompanying silt from the sea bed; adjacent said dislodging means, an inlet leading into a duct including a slowing passage which undergoes a substantial increase in cross-sectional area in the direction in which nodules, silt, and water pass through said duct; means downstream of the slowing passage for separating nodules from the aforementioned stream by causing divergence of silt and nodules into separate paths in which the nodule path is relatively below the silt path; a final outlet by which silt and water depart said apparatus; and means for causing the nodules to depart from the duct upstream of said final outlet.

Claim 3

Apparatus for collecting mineral aggregates from sea beds, comprising: means for supporting said apparatus at the surface of the sea bed for transport across the surface of the sea bed; a drag shoe member having a leading edge for contacting nodules at a predetermined depth in the sea bed and an upwardly and rearwardly directed inclined surface positioned for lifting said nodules above the sea bed surface; an enclosed duct including upper, lower and side wall means; an inlet at the forward end of said duct positioned for direct communication with the water above the sea bed and for receiving a stream including nodules, silt and water elevated by said inclined surface as said apparatus is transported across the sea bed; turbulence imparting means for inducing said stream to flow turbently in said duct; a nodule outlet in said duct; a slowing passage extending downstream of said turbulence imparting means and comprising a portion of said duct which is upstream of said nodule outlet, said slowing passage including divergent walls which provide a cross-sectional area in said duct at said nodule outlet which is substantially larger than the cross-sectional area of said duct at the commencement of said slowing passage; and a silt and water outlet in said duct, downstream of said nodule outlet.

Claim 4

Apparatus for collecting mineral aggregates from sea beds, comprising: means for supporting said apparatus at the surface of the sea bed for transport across the surface of the sea bed; a drag shoe member having a leading edge for contacting nodules at a predetermined depth in the sea bed and an upwardly and rearwardly directed inclined surface positioned for lifting said nodules above the sea bed surface; an enclosed duct including upper, lower and side wall means; an inlet at the forward end of said duct positioned for direct communication with the water above the sea bed and for receiving a stream including nodules, silt and water elevated by said inclined surface as said apparatus is transported across the sea bed; turbulence imparting means for inducing said stream to flow turbently in said duct; a nodule outlet in said duct; a slowing passage extending downstream of said turbulence imparting means and comprising a portion of said duct which is upstream of said nodule outlet, said slowing passage including divergent walls which provide a cross-sectional area in said duct at said nodule outlet which is substantially larger than the cross-sectional area of said duct at the commencement of said slowing passage; and a silt and water outlet in said duct, downstream of said nodule outlet.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said supporting means is a member having a substantially flat bottom adapted to rest on the sea bed.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said member has sufficient surface area to resist sinking into the sea bed.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 2 including a transporting member extending between said apparatus and a surface vessel, whereby the vessel can pull the unit across the surface of the sea bed.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said transporting member is a cable.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 2 including means for attaching a transporting member to said apparatus ahead of the center of gravity of said apparatus.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said drag shoe is located at the front of said apparatus.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said drag shoe extends across the entire width of said inlet.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said drag shoe is located forward of the center of gravity of the apparatus.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein an additional drag shoe is secured to the apparatus rearward of the center of gravity in position for cutting into the sea bed and exerting downward force on the rear of the apparatus for assisting in maintaining it in horizontal position.

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein a portion of said inlet tapers towards the rear of said apparatus.

Claim 15

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the inlet has a central portion and lateral portions on both sides of said central portion which taper toward the rear of the apparatus.

Claim 16

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said inlet is entirely above said drag shoe.

Claim 17

Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said inlet is entirely above the portion of said member which rests on the sea bed.

Claim 18

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said turbulence imparting means includes means for adding velocity to said stream.

Claim 19

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said turbulence imparting means includes means for projecting fluid into said stream with a downstream component of motion for agitating and propelling said stream.

Claim 20

Apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said means for projecting fluid includes nozzle means.

Claim 21

Apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said means for projecting fluid is positioned for propelling nodules toward said nodule outlet.

Claim 22

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said turbulence imparting means is located in said duct.

Claim 23

Apparatus according to claim 20 wherein said turbulence imparting means is a transverse array of nozzles at spaced intervals across the interior of the duct adjacent said inlet.

Claim 24

Apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said nozzle center lines are directed so as to converge with the bottom wall of said duct toward the downstream end of said duct.

Claim 25

Apparatus according to claim 20 wherein said turbulence imparting means is mounted behind a member for protecting said turbulence imparting means from attrition by said nodules.

Claim 26

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said duct and nodule outlet comprise means for separating silt and nodules into separate paths in which the nodule path is relatively below the silt path.

Claim 27

Apparatus according to claim 24 wherein said nodule outlet is turned away from the path of said stream.

Claim 28

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said nodule outlet is turned downward.

Claim 29

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said silt and water outlet is turned upward.

Claim 30

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said slowing passage commences at said inlet.

Claim 31

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said slowing passage extends to said nodule outlet.

Claim 32

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said slowing passage extends throughout the entire distance between said turbulence imparting means and said nodule outlet.

Claim 33

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the side walls in said slowing passage converge in the downstream direction, but the upper and lower walls diverge sufficiently to provide said substantially larger cross-section at said nodule outlet.

Claim 34

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the cross-sectional area of said slowing passage increases substantially continuously.

Claim 35

Apparatus according to claim 32 wherein said increase is linear.

Claim 36

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said silt and water outlet is of larger cross-sectional area than said inlet.

Claim 37

Apparatus according to claim 2 including a nodule collection chamber in communication with said duct through said nodule outlet.

Claim 38

Apparatus according to claim 35 wherein said nodule collection chamber is located to the rear of an upward turned portion of said duct.

Claim 39

Apparatus according to claim 35 wherein said nodule collection chamber includes a lower wall for supporting nodules, said wall being positioned at a lower elevation than the nodule outlet.

Claim 40

Apparatus according to claim 35 wherein a removal conduit for removing nodules from the apparatus has its inlet in said chamber.

Claim 41

Apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said nodule collection chamber is provided with a water inlet.

Claim 42

Apparatus according to claim 39 wherein said water inlet is of larger cross-sectional area than the inlet of said removal conduit.

Claim 47

A method according to claim 42 wherein the velocity of said stream is increased in said duct and then slowed in said slowing passage by the impartation of said substantially larger cross-sectional area.

Claim 48

A method according to claim 43 wherein turbulence, agitation and added velocity are imparted to said stream by projecting fluid into said stream in said duct upstream of said nodule outlet, with a downstream component of motion.

Claim 49

A method according to claim 44 wherein the projected fluid propels said nodules toward said nodule outlet.

Claim 50

A method according to claim 42 wherein said silt and nodules are caused to diverge into separate paths in which the nodule path is relatively below the silt path.

Claim 51

A method according to claim 42 wherein said substantially larger cross-sectional area is provided by substantially continuously increasing the cross-sectional area of said stream in said slowing passage.

Claim 52

A method according to claim 47 wherein said increase is linear.