← Back to Patent Explorer
US4096700A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Oil boom for damming and collecting a floating oil slick

Assignee: Bridgestone Corp
•
Filing: 1976-11-04
•
Granted: 1978-06-27
•
Expires: 1996-11-04
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract An oil boom is disclosed which comprises two rows of upper and lower stream side; a flexible base sheet connected across base portions of the two rows of floats and hanging down therefrom into the water in a gently curved shape. A plurality of inlet openings are arranged near the upper stream side float and extending in its lengthwise direction; an inflow guide plate made integral with the flexible base sheet and arranged below the inlet openings. A plurality of outlet openings are arranged in a rear portion of the flexible base sheet and extending in its lengthwise direction, the total opening area of the outlet openings per unit length of the flexible base sheet being larger than that of the inlet openings. Thus the oil boom may be utilized not only to dam and collect and oil slick floating on water, but also as an oil collecting region to separate the oil slick from the water.

Inventors

  • 👤 Tateo Muramatsu
  • 👤 Toshio Fukai
  • 👤 Haruo Takahashi

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 09:41
CPC Classifications
E; E02; E02B; E02B15/00; E02B15/04; E02B15/06; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A20/00; Y02A20/20; Y02A20/204

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim 160 words
An oil boom for damming and collecting a floating oil slick comprising two rows of floats spaced apart from each other and partly submerged in water, one row being disposed upstream of the other row, a flexible base sheet connected across base portions of said two rows of floats and hanging down therefrom below into the water in a curved shape, a plurality of inlet openings arranged near said upper stream side float and extending in its lengthwise direction, an inflow guide plate integral with said flexible base sheet and arranged below said inlet openings, said inflow guide plate projecting up-stream in a direction in parallel with the water surface, and a plurality of outlet openings arranged in a rear portion of said flexible base sheet and extending in its lengthwise direction, the total opening area of said outlet openings per unit length of said flexible base sheet in its lengthwise direction being larger than that of the inlet openings.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 160 words
An oil boom for damming and collecting a floating oil slick comprising two rows of floats spaced apart from each other and partly submerged in water, one row being disposed upstream of the other row, a flexible base sheet connected across base portions of said two rows of floats and hanging down therefrom below into the water in a curved shape, a plurality of inlet openings arranged near said upper stream side float and extending in its lengthwise direction, an inflow guide plate integral with said flexible base sheet and arranged below said inlet openings, said inflow guide plate projecting up-stream in a direction in parallel with the water surface, and a plurality of outlet openings arranged in a rear portion of said flexible base sheet and extending in its lengthwise direction, the total opening area of said outlet openings per unit length of said flexible base sheet in its lengthwise direction being larger than that of the inlet openings.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 33 words
An oil boom according to claim 1 comprising further at least two connection bodies for connecting said two rows of floats, each said connection bodies having a finite length and a proper hardness.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 50 words
An oil boom according to claim 1 further comprising an anticounterflow plate located at up-stream from a position intermediate between said upstream and downstream floats and extending along a lengthwise direction of said up-stream float, said anticounterflow plate being composed of an elongate flexible sheet normally closing said inlet openings.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 56 words
An oil boom according to claim 1 comprising further a tension rope located in front of said inflow guide plate and extending in a lengthwise direction of said inflow guide plate, said tension rope being connected through a plurality of guide ropes to said inflow guide plate, said guide ropes being spaced apart from each other.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 45 words
An oil boom according to claim 1 wherein a ratio of the total opening area of said outlet openings per unit length of said flexible base sheet in its lengthwise direction to that of said inlet openings is selected to the order of approximately 2.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 30 words
An oil boom according to claim 1 wherein said flexible base sheet is provided at that portion thereof which is located below said upstream float with a tension supporting member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 21 words
An oil boom according to claim 6 wherein said tension supporting member is connected a with towing means to a boat.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 26 words
An oil boom according to claim 1 wherein said outlet openings are located at the deepest submerged portion of said flexible base sheet in the water.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 26 words
An oil boom according to claim 1 wherein said inflow guide plate has a length which is substantially equal to a height of said inlet opening.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 35 words
An oil boom according to claim 2 wherein each said connection bodies is composed of a hermetically sealed annular tubing containing a reinforcing layer and having a proper hardness when said connection body is inflated.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 29 words
An oil boom according to claim 1 wherein said flexible base sheet is provided with a plurality of weights spaced apart from each other in a widthwise direction thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 25 words
An oil boom according to claim 11 wherein said weight is composed of a chain extending in a lengthwise direction of said flexible base sheet.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 24 words
An oil boom according to claim 11 wherein said weight is composed of a rib extending in a direction of the flow of water.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 45 words
An oil boom according to claim 2 wherein said two rows of floats are connected by two connection bodies and are provided at both sides with a flexible side surface sheet and at both ends with two guide fences diverged toward the upper stream side.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 32 words
An oil boom according to claim 14 wherein said upstream float is composed of a plurality of floats separated from each other by a gap and secured to said inflow guide plate.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USRE27640E Cited
US3886750A Cited
US3779382A Cited
US3760944A Cited
US3883433A Cited
US4015431A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1981-06-26 1981-12-26 1982-06-27 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1985-06-26 1985-12-26 1986-06-27 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1989-06-26 1989-12-26 1990-06-27 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag