Floatage collecting apparatus and method

Abstract

Apparatus and method for removing floating material from the surface of a body of liquid and for collecting the material has an endless belt-type materials transport mounted, as by rollers with vertically-separated horizontal rotation axes, to dispose the transport with a lower flight inclined downwardly from above the liquid surface at a frontal location to below the surface at a rearward location. A collection well is contiguously behind the rearward location. The transport is driven to advance the lower flight in the direction from the frontal location to the rearward location. This motion carries floating material from the liquid surface downward and rearward under the lower flight of the transport and releases it at the rearward location to float upward into the collection well. A method for floatage collection by steps that the foregoing apparatus performs is also disclosed. BACKGROUND

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and secured by Letters Patent is: 
     
       1. Apparatus for skimming floating materials.Iadd., whether solid or liquid, .Iaddend.from the surface of a body of water and collecting the same comprising, in combination A. a first roller having a longitudinal axis of rotation,   B. means positioning said first roller so that its axis of rotation is located above the surface of the body of water,   C. a second roller,   D. means positioning said second roller so that its longitudinal axis of rotation is parallel to the first roller and horizontally spaced therefrom, at least a portion of said second roller surface being below the surface of the body of water and the lower horizontal tangent of said second roller being below the lower horizontal tangent of said first roller,   E. endless.Iadd.-belt .Iaddend.material transport means carried by said rollers,   F. means for driving at least one of said rollers in a direction so that the lower flight of said material transport means moves downwardly from said first roller to said second roller,   G. means forming a materials collecting and retaining well, said well 1. having a bottom opening and an enclosed periphery formed by sidewalls extending from above said surface to below it, said sidewalls which extend transversely to the horizontal spacing between said rollers extending downwardly substantially only to the level of said lower horizontal tangent of said second roller,   2. having said bottom opening disposed aft of said second roller and extending along the length of said well for the passage therethrough of said material and of water, and     H. perforated baffle means horizontally disposed at least partially spanning said well bottom opening substantially at said level of said lower horizontal tangent of said second roller, for passing said material into said well and for blocking the flow of turbulent currents into said well through said bottom opening, whereby said transport means removes floating material from the surface of the water downwardly toward said second roller, and discharges said material below the water surface for the entry thereof into said well through said opening and at least in part through said baffle means.     
     
     
       2. In apparatus for removing .[.at least liquid.]. floatage.Iadd., whether solid or liquid, .Iaddend.from the surface of a body of liquid, and having 1. means forming an endless.Iadd.-belt .Iaddend.materials transport,   2. transport-mounting means disposing said transport to have an upper flight thereof above a lower flight thereof and with said flights extending between first and second horizontally-spaced locations, said lower flight being inclined downwardly along the passage thereof from said first location to said second location,   3. drive means for advancing said transport to move said lower flight in the direction from said first location to said second location,   4. support means for deploying said transport with said lower flight above the surface of said liquid body at said first location and submerged below said surface at said second location, and   5. a floatage-collecting well mounted with said support means adjacent the side of said second location away from said first location, said well having means forming peripheral walls extending vertically from above said surface downwardly to at least below said surface, the improvement wherein .Iadd.     A. .Iaddend.said well .Iadd.is arranged to have no significant pressure head at the surface of liquid therein and .Iaddend.has an opening thereinto at the bottom thereof disposed no lower than the level of said transport at said second location and located beyond said second location from said first location, said opening extending along said direction of transport lower flight advance and communicating with said materials transport at said second location for the passage therethrough of .[.liquid.]. floatage buoyantly rising after discharge from below said lower flight.[...]..Iadd.,   B. said transport, said mounting means, said drive means and said support means are together arranged for i. engaging floatage under said transport lower flight,   ii. submerging at least a significant portion of said engaged floatage and drawing it thereunder, by advancement of said apparatus relative to said liquid and by said transport advance, to said second location without significant adhesion to said transport, and   iii. discharging submerged floatage from under said lower flight at said second location for buoyantly rising into said collection well through said bottom opening thereof. .Iaddend.     
     
     
       3. In apparatus as defined in claim 2, the further improvement wherein said transport-mounting means includes means for disposing said transport with said lower flight thereof inclined from the horizontal by an angle substantially between 10° and 35°. 
     
     
       4. In apparatus as defined in claim 2 the further improvement comprising pump means for removing from within said well .[.said.]. liquid floatage which is floating on said surface. 
     
     
       5. In apparatus as defined in claim 2 the further improvement wherein said peripheral walls of said collection well include first walls extending longitudinal to said transport and second walls extending transversely to said transport, and said transversely-extending walls extend vertically downward to a level no lower than the level of said transport lower flight at said second location. 
     
     
       6. In apparatus as defined in claim 2 the further improvement wherein said well has a floatage-concentrating funnel-like configuration with the smallest horizontal cross-sectional area at the top thereof. 
     
     
       7. In apparatus as defined in claim 6, the further improvement comprising pump means communicating with said well at the funnel-like configuration thereof for pumping at least flowable floatage out from said well. .[.8. In apparatus for removing at least liquid floatage from the surface of a body of liquid, and having 1. means forming an endless materials transport,   2. transport-mounting means disposing said transport to have an upper flight thereof above a lower flight thereof and with said flights extending between first and second horizontally-spaced locations, said lower flight being inclined downwardly along the passage thereof from said first location to said second location,   3. drive means for advancing said transport to move said lower flight in the direction from said first location to said second location,   4. support means for deploying said transport with said lower flight above the surface of said liquid body at said first location and submerged below said surface at said second location, and   5. a floatage-collecting well mounted with said support means adjacent the side of said second location away from said first location, said well having means forming peripheral walls extending vertically from above said surface downwardly to at least below said surface, the improvement wherein     A. said well has a bottom opening substantially at the level of said second location and located beyond said second location from said first location, said opening extending along said direction of conveyor lower flight advance and communicating with said materials transport at said second location for the passage therethrough of liquid floatage buoyantly rising after discharge from below said lower flight, and said well retains liquid floatage therein from said body of liquid, and   B. said transport, said mounting means, said drive means and said support means are together arranged for i. engaging said liquid floatage under said transport lower flight,   ii. submerging at least a significant portion of said engaged liquid floatage and drawing it thereunder to said second location without significant adhesion to said transport, and   iii. discharging said portion of submerged liquid floatage from under said lower flight at said second location for buoyantly rising into said collection well through said bottom opening thereof..]. .[.9. In apparatus as defined in claim 8, the further improvement comprising horizontally-disposed and perforate baffle means spanning said bottom opening of said well at a level no lower than said transport at said second location, and arranged for the passage of said floatage therethrough and for impeding turbulent floatage-removing flow of the     
     
     
        liquid of said body through said opening..]. 10. In apparatus as defined in claim .[.9.]. .Iadd.28.Iaddend., the further improvement wherein said perforate baffle means has a lower substantially horizontal face disposed at a first level which is no lower than the level of said transport lower 
     
     
        flight at said second location. 11. In apparatus for removing floating material, .[.including at least liquid floatage.]. .Iadd.whether solid or liquid.Iaddend., from the surface of a body of liquid, and having 1. means forming an endless .Iadd.-belt .Iaddend.materials transport,   2. transport-mounting means disposing said transport to have an upper flight thereof above a lower flight thereof and with said flights extending between first and second horizontally-spaced locations, said lower flight being inclined downwardly along the passage thereof from said first location to said second location,   3. drive means for advancing said transport to move said lower flight in the direction from said first location to said second location,   4. support means for deploying said transport with said lower flight above the surface of said liquid body at said first location and submerged below said surface at said second location, and   5. a floatage-collecting well mounted with said support means adjacent the side of said second location away from said first location, said well having means forming peripheral walls extending vertically from above said surface downwardly to at least below said surface, the improvement wherein     A. said well has a bottom opening located beyond said second location from said first location and extending along the length of said well in the direction of .[.conveyor.]. lower flight advance, said opening communicating with said materials transport for the passage therethrough of floatage buoyantly rising after discharge from below said lower flight,   B. said opening into said well includes a floatage-passing perforate baffle impeding turbulent flow of liquid through said opening, and   C. said well is arranged to retain .[.said.]. discharged liquid floatage   
     
     
        therein from loss to said body of liquid. 12. In apparatus as defined in claim 11 the further improvement wherein said baffle has a lower substantially horizontal face disposed at the level of said lower flight 
     
     
        at said second location. 13. In apparatus as defined in claim 11 the further improvement comprising a horizontally-arranged member spaced below said baffle and below the level of said transport at said second location, 
     
     
        for shielding said well opening from currents in said body of liquid. 14. In apparatus for removing floatage.Iadd., whether solid or liquid, .Iaddend.from the surface of a body of liquid, and having 1. means forming an endless.Iadd.-belt .Iaddend.materials transport,   2. transport-mounting means disposing said transport to have an upper flight thereof above a lower flight thereof and with said flights extending between first and second horizontally-spaced locations, said lower flight being inclined downwardly along the passage thereof from said first location to said second location,   3. drive means for advancing said transport to move said lower flight in the direction from said first location to said second location,   4. support means for deploying said transport with said lower flight above the surface of said liquid body at said first location and submerged below said surface at said second location, and   5. a floatage-collecting well mounted with said support means adjacent the side of said second location away from said first location, said well having means forming peripheral walls extending vertically from above said surface downwardly to at least below said surface, the improvement wherein     A. said peripheral walls of said well which extend transversely to said horizontal spacing between said locations extend downwardly substantially only to the level of said second location,   B. said well .Iadd.is arranged to have no significant pressure head at the surface of liquid therein and .Iaddend.has a bottom opening thereinto located beyond said second location from said first location, said opening extending along the length of said well in said direction of transport lower flight advance and communicating with said materials transport for the passage therethrough of .[.liquid.]. floatage buoyantly rising after discharge from below said lower flight at said second location, and   C. a plate-like member is horizontally disposed below the level of said transport at said second location and is spaced beneath said well opening, and spans across at least said well opening for admitting floatage to pass thereabove and for shielding said well opening from currents in said body   
     
     
        of liquid. 15. In apparatus for removing floating material .[.including liquid floatage.]..Iadd., whether solid or liquid, .Iaddend.from a body of liquid and having a downwardly-inclined .Iadd.endless-belt .Iaddend.materials transport with a horizontally-extending lower flight passing between a first location above the surface of said liquid to a second location below said surface and horizontally spaced from said first location, the improvement comprising A. .Iadd.a .Iaddend.floatage-collecting well i. .Iadd.open at the top to the pressure of the atmosphere so that no significant pressure head develops at the surface of liquid in the well and .Iaddend.having an open bottom formed by peripheral walls including first wall means extending longitudinal to said transport and second wall means extending transversely to said transport, said transversely-extending wall means extending vertically from above said surface downwardly to no lower than said lower flight at said second location, and said longitudinally-extending wall means extending vertically from above said surface downwardly to at least the level of said lower flight at said second location,   ii. said bottom opening being located contiguously beyond said second location on the side thereof away from said first location and extending along the length of said well longitudinal to said transport, so that floatage, including .[.said.]. liquid floatage, moves along said transport lower flight to said second location and passes from said second location in the direction toward said opening for buoyantly rising into said well through said opening, and     B. first perforate baffle means horizontally disposed at said well opening, whereby said baffle impedes the passage through said opening of turbulently-flowing liquid of said body and allows floatage to pass therethrough from said second location and allows liquid of said body displaced from said well by floatage therein to pass outward from said   
     
     
        well. 16. In apparatus as defined in claim 15, the further improvement wherein said first baffle means has a lower face at the level of said 
     
     
        transport lower flight at said second location. 17. In apparatus as defined in claim 15, the further improvement comprising a horizontally arranged member for blocking from said well opening turbulent currents which are directed transversely to the spacing between said locations and to the spacing between said longitudinally-extending wall means, said member spanning said well opening and located below said first baffle means and below the level of said transport lower flight at said second location by a distance sufficient to allow floatage to pass from below 
     
     
        said second location to above said member. 18. A method for collecting .[.liquid.]. floatage.Iadd., whether solid or liquid, .Iaddend.from a body of liquid, said method comprising the steps of A. submerging said floatage under a downwardly-inclined .Iadd.endless-belt .Iaddend.conveyor surface having a forward end .Iadd.without significant adhesion to said transport .Iaddend.above the surface of said body of liquid and having a back end below said liquid surface and which advances from said forward end to said back end and advances relative to said liquid, thereby to draw floatage from the liquid surface downward under said conveyor surface toward said back end,   B. releasing the submerged .[.liquid.]. floatage from under said conveyor surface at said back end .[.into.]. .Iadd.for buoyantly rising therefrom in .Iaddend.said liquid, and   C. collecting said released floatage, upon the buoyant rise thereof, within a vertically-extending, liquid-retaining enclosure having a floatage-passing bottom opening extending from adjacent said back end of said conveyor surface along said enclosure in the direction of said conveyor surface advance.[...]. .Iadd.without developing a significant pressure head at the surface of liquid in the collecting enclosure.   
     
     
        .Iaddend. 19. The method defined in claim 18 comprising the further step of impeding the flow of currents of said liquid body into said enclosure through said opening and concurrently allowing said floatage and liquid to 
     
     
        pass therethrough. 20. The method defined in claim 18 comprising the further steps of A. baffling said enclosure bottom opening to impede the flow of currents of said liquid body therethrough, and   B. isolating said enclosure bottom from currents of said liquid body that are directed horizontally transversely to the spacing between said ends of   
     
     
        said conveyor surface. 21. A method for collecting .[.both solid and liquid.]. floatage.Iadd., whether solid or liquid, .Iaddend.from a body of liquid, said method comprising the steps of A. engaging the floatage under a horizontally-extending and downwardly-inclined .Iadd.endless-belt .Iaddend.conveyor surface having a forward end above the surface of said body of liquid and having a back end below said liquid surface,   B. .Iadd.advancing said conveyor relative to the liquid of said body and .Iaddend.advancing said conveyor surface in the direction from said forward end to said back end, and at a rate to diminish relative movement between said liquid and said conveyor .Iadd.for drawing at least a portion of the floatage engaged under said conveyor surface to said back end thereof without significant adhesion to said conveyor .Iaddend.surface,   C. locating a collection well at said back end of said conveyor surface,   D. providing said well with at least a partially open bottom located at a depth below said surface of said liquid and not below said conveyor surface at said back end thereof,   E. extending said bottom opening from adjacent said back end of said conveyor surface backwardly along said well in the direction of advance of said conveyor surface,   F. discharging collected floatage, including liquid floatage, from under said conveyor surface at said back end for buoyantly rising into said collection well through said open bottom thereof .Iadd.without developing a significant pressure head at the surface of liquid in the collection well as it fills with floatage, .Iaddend.and   G. retaining said discharge floatage in said well from loss to said body of   
     
     
        liquid. 22. The method defined in claim 21 comprising the further step of baffling currents of said liquid body from communicating through said open bottom of said collection well with liquid within said collection well by spanning across at least part of said well opening with a horizontally-extending liquid-baffling member. .Iadd. 23. In apparatus as defined in claim 2, the further improvement comprising horizontally extending means spanning said well opening for blocking from said well turbulent currents which are directed transversely to the spacing between said locations and to the spacing between said longitudinally-extending wall means. .Iaddend..Iadd. 24. In apparatus for removing floating material, whether solid or liquid, from the surface of a body of liquid, and having 1. means forming an endless-belt materials transport,   2. transport-mounting means disposing said transport to have an upper flight thereof above a lower flight thereof and with said flights extending between first and second horizontally-spaced locations, said lower flight being inclined downwardly along the passage thereof from said first location to said second location,   3. drive means for advancing said transport to move said lower flight in the direction from said first location to said second location,   
     
     
       4.  support means for deploying said transport with said lower flight above the surface of said liquid body at said first location and submerged below said surface at said second location, and 5. a floatage-collecting well mounted with said support means adjacent the side of said second location away from said first location, said well having means forming peripheral walls extending vertically from above said surface downwardly to at least below said surface, the improvement wherein     A. said well is open at the top to atmospheric pressure for having no significant pressure head at the surface of liquid therein,   B. said well has a bottom opening located beyond said second location from said first location and extending along the length of said well in the direction of conveyor lower flight advance, said opening communicating with said materials transport for the passage therethrough of floatage buoyantly rising after discharge from below said lower flight,   C. said bottom opening into said well includes a floatage-passing baffle impeding turbulent flow of liquid through said opening, and   D. said well is arranged to retain discharged liquid floatage therein from loss to said body of liquid. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 25. Apparatus for removing floatage, whether solid or liquid, from the surface of a body of water and collecting the same comprising   A. means forming an endless-belt materials transport,   B. transport-mounting means disposing said transport to have an upper flight thereof above a lower flight thereof and with said flights extending between first and second horizontally-spaced locations, said lower flight being inclined downwardly along the passage thereof from said first location to said second location,   C. drive means for advancing said transport to move said lower flight in the direction from said first location to said second location,   D. support means for deploying said transport with said lower flight above the surface of said liquid body at said first location and submerged below said surface at said second location,   E. a floatage-collecting and retaining well mounted with said support means adjacent the side of said second location away from said first location, said well having means forming peripheral walls extending vertically from above said surface downwardly to at least below said surface, said well being open at the top to the pressure of the atmosphere for being free of significant pressure head at the surface of liquid therein and having an opening thereinto at the bottom thereof disposed no lower than the level of said transport at said second location and located beyond said second location from said first location, said opening extending along said direction of transport lower flight advance and communicating with said materials transport at said second location for the passage therethrough of floatage buoyantly rising after discharge from below said lower flight, and   F. a horizontally arranged member spanning said well opening for blocking from said well opening turbulent currents which are directed transversely to the spacing between said locations and to the spacing between said   
     
     
        longitudinally-extending wall means. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 26.  In apparatus for removing floatage, whether solid or liquid, from the surface of a body of liquid, and having 1. means forming an endless-belt materials transport,   2. transport-mounting means disposing said transport to have a lower flight extending between first and second horizontally-spaced locations, said lower flight being inclined downwardly along the passage thereof from said first location to said second location,   3. drive means for advancing said transport to move said lower flight in the direction from said first location to said second location,   4. support means for deploying said transport with said lower flight above the surface of said liquid body at said first location and submerged below said surface at said second location, and   5. a floatage-collecting well mounted with said support means adjacent the side of said second location away from said first location, said well having means forming peripheral walls extending vertically from above said surface downwardly to at least below said surface, the improvement wherein     A. said well is open at the top to the pressure of the atmosphere for being free of significant pressure head at the surface of liquid therein, and has a bottom opening substantially at the level of said second location and located beyond said second location from said first location, said opening extending along said direction of transport lower flight advance and communicating with said transport at said second location for the passage therethrough of floatage buoyantly rising after discharge from below said lower flight, and said well retains floatage, including liquid floatage, therein from said body of liquid,   B. said transport, said mounting means, said drive means and said support means are together arranged for i. engaging floatage under said transport lower flight,   ii. submerging at least a significant portion of said engaged floatage and drawing it thereunder, by advancement of said apparatus relative to the liquid of said body and by said transport advance, to said second location without significant adhesion to said transport, and   iii. discharging submerged floatage from under said lower flight at said second location for buoyantly rising into said collection well through said bottom opening thereof, and     C. horizontally-disposed and perforate baffle means is provided spanning said bottom opening of said well at a level no lower than said transport at said second location, and arranged for the passage of said floatage therethrough and for impeding turbulent floatage-removing flow of the   
     
     
        liquid of said body through said opening. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 27.  In apparatus for removing floatage, whether solid or liquid, from the surface of a body of water, and having 1. an endless-belt materials transport,   2. transport-mounting means disposing said transport to have a lower flight extending between first and second horizontally-spaced locations, said lower flight being inclined downwardly along the passage thereof from said first location to said second location,   
     
     
       3.  drive means for advancing said transport to move said lower flight in the direction from said first location to said second location, 4. support means for deploying said transport with said lower flight above the surface of the water at said first location and submerged below said surface at said second location and   5. a floatage-collecting well mounted with said support means adjacent the side of said second location away from said first location, said well having means forming peripheral walls extending vertically from above said surface downwardly below said surface, the improvement wherein     A. said transport is arranged, upon advance of said apparatus relative to the water and said advance of the transport lower flight, for drawing at least a significant portion of floatage which it engages in its underside downwardly to the second location without adhesion thereof to the transport and for releasing such floatage at the second location to rise buoyantly free of the transport,   B. said well has a longitudinally-extending bottom opening, is arranged for receiving floatage which rises from below said transport at the second location and for retaining such floatage from loss to the body of water, and is arranged to have substantially no pressure head at the surface of liquid therein, and   C. a baffling member extending rearwardly from adjacent said back location is provided spanning the well bottom opening for retarding currents of water from interfering with the entry of floatage into the well and from carrying floatage outward from the well through said bottom opening,   whereby said transport submerges floatage which it engages at its underside and releases it at the second location for retention in said well with relatively high independence both from waves on the body of water and from currents of the water relative to the apparatus including currents due to   
     
     
        maneuvering of the apparatus on the body of water. .Iaddend..Iadd. 28.  In apparatus according to claim 27, the further improvement wherein said baffling member is a plate-like member spaced below the transport at the second location and below the well bottom opening by a minimal distance which allows substantially all floatage engaged below the transport to pass thereabove, said plate-like member providing a passage thereabove and below the well opening and into which floatage enters from below the transport. .Iaddend..Iadd. 29. In apparatus according to claim 27, the further improvement wherein the means for driving the materials transport comprises means for advancing the transport at a rate to diminish relative horizontal movement between the water and the transport lower flight. .Iaddend.