Floating skimmer for cleaning the surface of a body of liquid, method, and apparatus

Patent ·

OSTI ID:5768166

Gore, D J

The majority of the dirt and debris that gets into a body of water is airborne. Water has a surface tension which tends to retain most of this airborne dirt and debris in a relatively tough film on the very upper surface. A floating skimmer which is manually controlled to remove this contaminated film is described. The skimmer comprises an outer ring shaped body having an inner, central cavity. A flotation and ballast chamber is formed integrally in the outer body. An inlet opening in one peripheral part of the outer body admits a flow of liquid into the central cavity. The liquid in the cavity is pumped through a drain opening in the base plate. A movable weir extends across the width of the inlet opening. It is connected to the outer body along its outer edge by a hinge connection which permits articulation to regulate the quantity of and velocity liquid flowing through the opening and into the central cavity. A float on the bottom of the weir rides on the liquid within the central cavity and adjusts the level of the weir in relation to the height of the external liquid. The incoming water flowing through the opening must therefore flow over the inclined weir, and it falls off the back, inner edge of the weir in a cascade of action. By maintaining the weir at the proper height, the incoming water is accelerated, and the waterfall or cascade effectively pulls the upper film from the water. Because of the acceleration produced by the inclined weir, the skimmer very quickly cleans the entire water surface around the simmer.

• Assignee: TIC; EDB-80-030248
• Patent Number(s): US 3970556
• OSTI ID: 5768166
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520200* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AEROSOLS
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
EQUIPMENT
FLOTATION
FLUID FLOW
PARTICLES
POLLUTION
POLLUTION CONTROL
POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT
REMOVAL
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SKIMMERS
SOLS
WATER POLLUTION
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL