Installation for collecting oils and fuels spilled at sea

Claim 1

An installation for collecting oil spilled on the sea comprising an oil collecting stage; a first tank and a second tank arranged in different levels, a suction pump and a final tank for separation of oil from water; all of which are connected with pipes in the set forth order, the improvement comprising that the oil collecting stage comprises at least one platform having a plurality of supports which are equally spaced around the platform, at least one funnel to collect a mixture of the oil and water on the surface of the sea, the funnel being mounted approximately in the center of the platform and having a first flexible pipe connected to the bottom of the funnel and to the top of the first tank; a plurality of pipes, each having one end secured to each support and a second end linked to the second ends of the remainder of said plurality of pipes at a junction; a plurality of buoys to determine the floatability level of the platform, the buoys being connected to retractable cables which go through said plurality of pipes and are linked to a descending cable at the junction; wherein the first tank is submerged under the sea and has a first float therein, a pulley fixed to the bottom of the tank, and a second flexible pipe having an inlet secured to the first float and an outlet in the top of said second tank; and wherein the descending cable is guided along the first flexible pipe into the first tank, guided under the pulley and fixed to the bottom of the first float, such that the height of the platform is controlled by the level of the first float.