Land-based spill collection system

Claim 2

Mechanism for collecting liquid leaking from a land-based container comprising a containment vessel of flexible sheet material impervious to the leaking liquid, said vessel having an open end defining a mouth leading into the interior of the vessel and a normally closed end opposite said open end, a lip extending from said mouth for positioning adjacent to the container and configured such that the leaking liquid falls onto said lip, said lip having a marginal portion, and a cuff having a first part at least partially encircling said mouth and inflatable so as to maintain said mouth open for flow of the liquid therethrough from said lip into said vessel, and a second part being inflatable and extending adjacent the marginal portion of said lip for retaining any runoff of the leaking liquid.

Claim 3

The mechanism defined in claim 1, in which the cuff includes a generally U-shaped portion extending along the margin of the lip from generally opposite sides of the mouth, respectively, which generally U-shaped portion is inflatable to form a raised rim.

Claim 4

The mechanism defined in claim 1, including tie-downs spaced circumferentially around the open end portion of the vessel.

Claim 5

The mechanism defined in claim 1, in which the normally closed end of the vessel includes a valve for controlling discharge of liquid from such end of the vessel.

Claim 6

The mechanism defined in claim 4, including a collapsible collection container connectible to the normally closed end portion of the vessel for receiving liquid through the valve from the interior of the vessel.

Claim 7

The mechanism defined in claim 5, including a hose connectible between the normally closed end of the vessel and the collapsible collection container for conveying liquid from the vessel to the collection container.

Claim 8

The mechanism defined in claim 1, in which said first part of the inflatable cuff has a chamber defining an arcuate upper part of the cuff inflatable to generally upright condition for maintaining the upper portion of the mouth of the vessel open and said second part of said cuff includes a separately inflatable chamber defining a bottom part extending along the marginal portion of the lip and, upon inflation, forming a raised rim surrounding the central portion of the lip projecting from the mouth of the vessel.

Claim 9

The mechanism defined in claim 7, including means for inflating the cuff, said inflating means including means for supplying gas under pressure, valve means controlling the supply of gas from the gas-supplying means and directional valve means selectively manipulable to control the chamber(s) to which the gas is supplied.

Claim 10

The mechanism defined in claim 8, including means for regulating the maximum pressure of gas supplied into the cuff by the gas-supplying means.

Claim 11

A kit of components for collecting liquid leaking from a land-based container comprising: a containment vessel component of flexible sheet material impervious to the leaking liquid, said vessel having an open end defining a mouth leading into the interior of the vessel and a normally closed end opposite said open end, a lip extending from said mouth for positioning adjacent to the container and configured such that the leaking liquid falls onto said lip, a cuff having a first part at least partially encircling said mouth and inflatable so as to maintain said mouth open for flow of the liquid therethrough from said lip into said vessel and a second part extending adjacent the margin of said lip for retaining any runoff of the leaking liquid; a collapsible collection container component connectible to the normally closed end portion of the vessel for receiving liquid through the valve from the interior of the vessel, said components being foldable to a compact condition; means for inflating said cuff; and a storage container containing said components and said inflating means.

Claim 12

A kit of components for collecting liquid leaking from a land-based container comprising: a containment vessel component of flexible sheet material impervious to the leaking liquid, said vessel having an open end defining a mouth leading into the interior of the vessel and a normally closed end opposite said open end, a lip extending from said mouth for positioning adjacent to the container and configured such that the leaking liquid falls onto said lip, a cuff having a first part at least partially encircling said mouth and inflatable so as to maintain said mouth open for flow of the liquid therethrough from said lip into said vessel and a second part extending adjacent the margin of said lip for retaining any runoff of the leaking liquid; a collapsible collection container component connectible to the normally closed end portion of the vessel for receiving liquid through the valve from the interior of the vessel, said components being foldable to a compact condition; means for inflating said cuff; and a storage container containing said components and said inflating means.

Claim 13

Mechanism for collecting liquid leaking from a container comprising: a containment vessel of flexible sheet material impervious to the leaking liquid; said vessel having an open end defining a mouth leading into the interior of the vessel and a normally closed openable end opposite to said open end; a lip extending from said mouth for positioning adjacent to the container and configured such that leaking liquid falls onto said lip, said lip having a marginal portion; and a cuff having a first part at least partially encircling said mouth and extending upwardly therefrom and being rigid so as to maintain said mouth open for flow of the liquid therethrough from said lip into said vessel, and a second part extending upward adjacent the marginal portion of said lip for retaining any runoff of the leaking liquid.

Claim 14

Mechanism for collecting liquid leaking from a container comprising: a containment vessel of flexible sheet material impervious to the leaking liquid; said vessel having an open end defining a mouth leading into the interior of the vessel and a normally closed openable end opposite to said open end; a lip extending from said mouth for positioning adjacent to the container and configured such that leaking liquid falls onto said lip, said lip having a marginal portion; and a cuff having a first part at least partially encircling said mouth and extending upwardly therefrom and being rigid so as to maintain said mouth open for flow of the liquid therethrough from said lip into said vessel, and a second part extending upward adjacent the marginal portion of said lip for retaining any runoff of the leaking liquid.

Claim 15

The mechanism defined in claim 11, in which the cuff includes a generally U-shaped portion extending along the margin of the lip from generally opposite sides of the mouth, and which is inflatable to form a raised rim.

Claim 16

The mechanism defined in claim 11, including tie-downs spaced circumferentially around the open end portion of the vessel.

Claim 17

The mechanism defined in claim 11, in which the normally closed end of the vessel includes a valve for controlling discharge of liquid from such end of the vessel.

Claim 18

The mechanism defined in claim 14, including a collapsible collection container connectible to the normally closed end portion of the vessel for receiving liquid through the valve from the interior of the vessel.

Claim 19

The mechanism defined in claim 15, including a hose connectible between the normally closed end of the vessel and the collapsible collection container for conveying liquid from the vessel to the collection container.

Claim 20

The mechanism defined in claim 11, in which said first part and said second part of said cuff are rigidified by being inflatable, and said first part of said inflatable cuff has a chamber defining an arcuate upper part of the cuff inflatable to generally upright condition for maintaining the upper portion of the mouth of the vessel open and said second part of said cuff includes a separately inflatable chamber defining a bottom part extending along the marginal portion of the lip and, upon inflation, forming a raised rim surrounding the central portion of the lip projecting from the mouth of the vessel.

Claim 21

The mechanism defined in claim 17, including means for inflating the cuff, said inflating means including means for supplying gas under pressure, valve means controlling the supply of gas from the gas-supplying means and directional valve means selectively manipulable to control the chamber(s) to which the gas is supplied.

Claim 22

The mechanism defined in claim 18, including means for regulating the maximum pressure of gas supplied into the cuff by the gas-supplying means.

Claim 23

A kit of components for collecting liquid leaking from a container comprising: a containment vessel component of flexible sheet material impervious to the leaking liquid, said vessel having an open end defining a mouth leading into the interior of the vessel and a normally closed openable end opposite said open end; a lip extending from said mouth for positioning adjacent to the container such that the leaking liquid falls onto said lip; a cuff having a first part at least partially encircling said mouth and rigidifiable so as to maintain said mouth open for flow of the liquid therethrough from said lip into said vessel, and a second part extending adjacent the margin of said lip for retaining any runoff of the leaking liquid; a collapsible collection container component connectible to the normally closed openable end portion of the vessel for receiving liquid through the normally closed openable end portion from the interior of the vessel; said components being foldable to a compact condition, means for rigidifying at least the first part of said cuff, and a storage container containing said components and said rigidifying means.

Claim 24

A kit of components for collecting liquid leaking from a container comprising: a containment vessel component of flexible sheet material impervious to the leaking liquid, said vessel having an open end defining a mouth leading into the interior of the vessel and a normally closed openable end opposite said open end; a lip extending from said mouth for positioning adjacent to the container such that the leaking liquid falls onto said lip; a cuff having a first part at least partially encircling said mouth and rigidifiable so as to maintain said mouth open for flow of the liquid therethrough from said lip into said vessel, and a second part extending adjacent the margin of said lip for retaining any runoff of the leaking liquid; a collapsible collection container component connectible to the normally closed openable end portion of the vessel for receiving liquid through the normally closed openable end portion from the interior of the vessel; said components being foldable to a compact condition, means for rigidifying at least the first part of said cuff, and a storage container containing said components and said rigidifying means.