US3867817A - Oil fence having a limited flexibility - Google Patents

Oil fence having a limited flexibility Download PDF

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Publication number
US3867817A
US3867817A US373222A US37322273A US3867817A US 3867817 A US3867817 A US 3867817A US 373222 A US373222 A US 373222A US 37322273 A US37322273 A US 37322273A US 3867817 A US3867817 A US 3867817A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
fence
oil fence
floats
skirts
rigid
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US373222A
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English (en)
Inventor
Kuninori Aramaki
Yasuharu Kawaguchi
Hiroshi Kawakami
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Bridgestone Corp
Original Assignee
Bridgestone Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Bridgestone Corp filed Critical Bridgestone Corp
Priority to US05/517,576 priority Critical patent/US3962875A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3867817A publication Critical patent/US3867817A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
    • E02B—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING
    • E02B15/00—Cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water; Apparatus therefor
    • E02B15/04—Devices for cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like floating materials by separating or removing these materials
    • E02B15/08—Devices for reducing the polluted area with or without additional devices for removing the material
    • E02B15/0857—Buoyancy material
    • E02B15/0885—Foam
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
    • E02B—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING
    • E02B15/00—Cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water; Apparatus therefor
    • E02B15/04—Devices for cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like floating materials by separating or removing these materials
    • E02B15/08—Devices for reducing the polluted area with or without additional devices for removing the material
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
    • E02B—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING
    • E02B15/00—Cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water; Apparatus therefor
    • E02B15/04—Devices for cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like floating materials by separating or removing these materials
    • E02B15/08—Devices for reducing the polluted area with or without additional devices for removing the material
    • E02B15/0814—Devices for reducing the polluted area with or without additional devices for removing the material with underwater curtains
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02A—TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02A20/00—Water conservation; Efficient water supply; Efficient water use
    • Y02A20/20—Controlling water pollution; Waste water treatment
    • Y02A20/204—Keeping clear the surface of open water from oil spills

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT An oil fence having a unidirectional flexibility, comprising a plurality of rigid floats which are swingably connected by hinge means. Planar skirts are connected to the floats so as to define at least one continuous oil fence wall thereby.
  • This invention relates to an oil fence having a limited flexibility, and more particularly to an oil fence having a limited flexibility which is to be pulled by a ship for recovering pollutants, e.g., spilt oil, from water surface.
  • pollutants e.g., spilt oil
  • the three-dimensionally flexible belt member allows the pollutant-carrying water to flow in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to the cruising direction of the ship pulling the belt member.
  • the line of the long belt member is, of course, arcuately curved on the water surface when such perpendicular flow of the pollutant-carrying water is allowed. It has been found that when the flow rate of the pollutant-carrying water, relative to the longitudinal direc tion of the belt member, exceeds a certain value, the pollutants tend to by-pass the belt member by flowing underneath it together with the water. Such by-pass of the pollutants across the belt member is apparently detrimental to effective collection of the pollutants.
  • an object of the present invention is to overcome the aforesaid difficulties of the conventional oil fence, by providing an improved oil fence which has a limited flexibility.
  • an oil fence having a limited flexibility which comprises a plurality of oil fence units, each consisting of a hollow rigid float and at least one rigid planar skirt secured to the rigid float, a plurality of hinge means each connecting the adjacent oil fence units in such a manner that the adjacent oil fence units can swing relative to each other about an axis inherent to the hinge means and that the skirts of the oil fence units form an elongated oil fence wall extending at right angles to said axis of the hinge means, and a plurality offlexible membrane members each being disposed between the adjacent planar skirts and secured thereto.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a conventional oil fence which is incorporated in an oil recovering system
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the system
  • FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of an oil fence, according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway elevation of an oil fence unit, which is to be used in the oil fence of FIG. 3;
  • FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of the manner in which a plurality of flexible membranes are folded, which flexible membranes are to be disposed between skirts of the adjacent oil fence units of FIG. 4;
  • FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram, showing the manner in which hollow floats of the oil fence units are rolled up in a compactfashion when they are not used;
  • FIG. 7 is an elevation, showing a modification of the oil fence unit of FIG. 4;
  • FIG. 8 is a partial plan view of an oil fence, according to the present invention.
  • FIGS. 9A and 9B are a plan view and a sectional view, respectively, of a hinge means to be used in the oil fence of the present invention for swingably joining adjacent oil fence units.
  • a pollutant collecting unit 2 is pulled by one or two ships 1 (only one ship is shown) while dragging one or two lines of oil fences 3 (only one line is shown), which oil fence line is disposed between the ship I and the collecting unit 2.
  • the line of oil fence 3 is to guide a layer of floating matter A, e.g., spilt oil, toward the collecting unit 2, in response to the cruising of the ship 1.
  • a conventional oil fence is provided with high flexibility in three mutually orthogonal directions X, Y, and Z, as shown in FIG. 1.
  • a typical construction of such conventional oil fence comprises a hollow flexible tubular float 3a and a flexible skirt 3b depending therefrom.
  • the oil fence 3 of FIG. 1 has a shortcoming in that, as the cruising speed of the ship 1 increases, the oil fence 3 tends to be partially submerged in the water.
  • the flexible skirt 3b is sometimes turned up as it moves through the water.
  • the submerging of the oil fence 3 and the turning up of the flexible skirt 3b allow the floating matter A to bypass the oil fence line.
  • the oil fence 3 fails to fulfill its function of guiding the floating matter A to the collecting unit 2 Referring to the plan view of FIG. 2, if the collecting unit 2 should move toward the ship I, due to some reason or other, the oil fence line 3 flexes substantially on a horizontal plane ZX.
  • the arcuate flexure of the oil fence 3 may also be caused when water flow on the water surface has a component v which is normal to the arcuate line of the oil fence 3.
  • the inventors have found out that, if the component v of the water velocity exceeds 1.8 Km/hr., the floating matter A (e.g., spilt oil) may be pulled by the water flow and tends to bypass the oil fence through a path thereunder.
  • the floating matter A e.g., spilt oil
  • any oil fence which is flexible on a horizontal plane, i.e., the XZ plane of FIG. 1, is susceptible to such by-pass phenomenon.
  • an object of the present invention is to provide an oil fence whose flexibility is substantially restricted to that on a vertical plane.
  • the oil fence is formed by connecting a plurality of oil fence units 7.
  • Each unit 7 has a hollow prismshaped float 4 and at least one planar skirt 5 secured to a base surface of the prism-shaped float by bolts 6 in a detachable manner.
  • the hollow float 4 is made of a material having a high rigidity, such as iron sheet, fiber-reinforced synthetic resin sheet, wood board, and
  • the float shape is not restricted to the hollow prism, and any other suitable shape can be used as long as it provides a sufficient buoyancy to the oil fence.
  • the float can be made of hard foamed plastics material in any desired shape.
  • the skirt 5 is made of rigid sheet material, such as aluminum sheet, iron sheet, fiberreinforced synthetic resin sheet, or the like.
  • two planar skirts 5 are used in each unit 7, one at each of the opposing ends of the prism-shaped float 4, as shown in FIG. 4.
  • each oil fence unit 7 is preferably so selected that, when it is placed in water, the longitudinal center line of the prism-shaped float 4 lies substantially on the plane of the water surface.
  • a suitable weight member 8 may be attached to the float 4.
  • the weight member 8 is an angled steel member which is attached along the bottom edge of the prism-shaped float 4.
  • the floats 4 are juxtaposed in such a manner that the planar skirts 5 which are secured to one ends of the units 7 lie substantially on a common plane. More particularly, when each unit 7 has two planar skirts 5 secured to the opposite ends thereof, such skirts 5 of the assembled units 7 define two parallel planes extending along the opposite ends of the floats 4.
  • the adjacent floats 4 in the oil fence 3 are connected by one or more hinge means 9 in such a manner that the adjacent floats 4 can swing relative to each other about a hinge line I which is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the skirts 5.
  • the relative movement of the adjacent floats 4 in parallel to the aforesaid hinge line I is restricted by the hinge means 9.
  • FIGS. 9A and 9B illustrate an embodiment of the hinge means 9 for swingably connecting the adjacent floats 4.
  • a pair of spaced parallel core metal plates 9c are embedded in a unitary elastomeric hinge body 9a.
  • a recess 9b is formed in the elastomeric body 9a in parallel with the core metal plates 90, so as to define a hinge line 1-], about which the adjacent floats 4 may swing.
  • a suitable number of bolt holes 9e are bored through the hinge means 9, i.e., through both the elastomeric body 9a and the core metal plates 9c.
  • suitable reinforcing cords 9d e.g., glass fiber cords
  • suitable reinforcing cords 9d are embedded in the elastomeric body 9a, so as to wrap the two core metal plates, as shown in the figures.
  • the merit of the hinge means of FIGS. 9A and 9B is in its capability of absorbing mutual vibrations between the adjacent floats 4.
  • the hinge means 9 is, of course, connected to the adjacent floats 4 by bolts and nuts (not shown).
  • the present invention is, however, not restricted to such hinge means as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B.
  • Conventional metallic hinges (not shown) of simple construction can be used for swingably connecting the floats 4.
  • adjacent oil fence units 7 are swingably connected by joining the floats 4 with the hinge means 9, so as to allow the oil fence line 3 to flex in the plane YZ of the three-dimensional orthogonal co-ordinate system of the FIG. 3.
  • the adjacent units 7 may be connected by joining the skirts 5, instead of the floats 4.
  • a flexible membrane 10 is attached to the adjacent skirts 5 by fixtures I].
  • the flexible membrane 10 may be made of a rubber coated cloth or a water-repellent asbestos cloth.
  • a continuous wall is formed on the water surface by the skirts 5 and the flexible membranes 10, which wall inhibits the floating matter A from moving thereacross.
  • the oil fence 3 of FIG. 3 is pulled in the direction of the Z axis of the three-dimensional orthogonal co-ordinate system of FIG. 3 by a ship 1 for collecting or recovering the floating matter A, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
  • the oil fence 3 can flex on the YZ plane, so as to follow any variation of the wave contour on the water surface.
  • the oil fence line 3 is restricted from flexing on the X2 plane. Thereby, the oil fence line 3 prevents the floating matter A from moving in a direction normal to the line of the oil fence. Thus, undesirable leakage of the floating matter A across the oil fence 3 can be effectively prevented.
  • a rope (not shown) may be connected between the ship and the foremost oil fence unit 7, or such rope may be extended through the entire length of the oil fence 3.
  • the oil fence 3 of the present invention is also easy to transport and requires only a small floor space for storage. More particularly, when the oil fence is not used, the skirts 5 and the membranes 10 are separated from the floats 4 by releasing the bolts 6, while keeping the floats 4 joined by the hinge means 9. The skirts 5 and the membranes 10 thus separated can be folded in a compact fashion, because the membranes 10 are flexible. FIG. 5 illustrates a typical way of such folding. The floats 4 can be rolled by using the hinge means 9, as shown by the spiral line B of FIG. 6.
  • FIG. 7 illustrates an oil fence unit 7, which has a skirt 5 secured to only one end of a float 4 thereof.
  • a weight member 8 is secured to the float 4 at the opposite end of the float 4 to said skirt 5.
  • FIG. 8 illustrates a bent oil fence 3, which may be incorporated in a stationary installation.
  • the structure of the bent oil fence 3 is essentially the same as that of linear oil fence of FIG. 3, except the following two points: namely, individual floats 4 are suitably tapered, and a planar skirt 5b at one end of the float 4 is differently sized from a planar skirt 5a at the opposite end of the float 4.
  • the cross sectional area of the float 4 taken at right angles to the longitudinal central axis thereof, gradually diminishes as the float extends toward the center of curvature (not shown) of the curved line m.
  • the planar skirt 5a at that end of the float 4 which is located closer to the center of the curvature (not shown) of the curved line m than the opposite end thereof is smaller than the planar skirt 5 at said opposite end thereof.
  • the oil fence 3 along the curved line m, as shown in FIG. 8, also flex along the contour of a waved water surface, while keeping the skirts 5 and the membranes 10 vertical without flexing in a direction normal to the curve m. Thereby, excellent performance of preventing the dispersion of the floating matter A can be achieved.
  • An oil fence having a limited flexibility said oil fence comprising:
  • a rigid planar skirt attached to each end of each of said plurality of rigid floats along the longitudinal direction of the fence, said rigid planar skirts being dimensioned to leave a gap between each adjacent pair of said rigid planar skirts in the longitudinal direction of the fence;
  • hinge means for pivotally connecting each pair of adjacent floats, said hinge means including means permitting relative rotational motion about the hinge axis but substantially preventing relative rotational motion about axes perpendicular to the hinge axis, whereby each pair of adjacent floats is swingable about an axis therebetween which is sub stantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the fence, permitting the fence to follow any variation of the wave contour on the water surface, but the fence is restricted from flexing in the longitudinal direction of the fence.
  • each of the floats is of prism shape.
  • hinge means consists of a vibration-absorbing elastomeric body, a pair of core metal plates embedded therein, and reinforcing cords embedded therein so as to surround said pair of core metal plates.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Cleaning Or Clearing Of The Surface Of Open Water (AREA)
  • Pivots And Pivotal Connections (AREA)
  • Removal Of Floating Material (AREA)
US373222A 1972-06-29 1973-06-25 Oil fence having a limited flexibility Expired - Lifetime US3867817A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US05/517,576 US3962875A (en) 1972-06-29 1974-10-23 Oil fence having a limited flexibility

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP47064431A JPS5017772B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1972-06-29 1972-06-29

Related Child Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US05/517,576 Continuation US3962875A (en) 1972-06-29 1974-10-23 Oil fence having a limited flexibility

Publications (1)

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US3867817A true US3867817A (en) 1975-02-25

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US373222A Expired - Lifetime US3867817A (en) 1972-06-29 1973-06-25 Oil fence having a limited flexibility

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (1) US3867817A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS5017772B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
AU (1) AU465864B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CA (1) CA966677A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE2332947C3 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2191569A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1414419A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3962875A (en) * 1972-06-29 1976-06-15 Bridgestone Tire Company Limited Oil fence having a limited flexibility
US4425053A (en) 1978-08-09 1984-01-10 Mitsui Ocean Development & Engineering Co., Ltd. Oil fence arrangement
CN106592549A (zh) * 2016-11-30 2017-04-26 扬州浪涛清环保科技有限公司 一种柔性蓝藻围隔装置
CN106759181A (zh) * 2016-11-29 2017-05-31 扬州浪涛清环保科技有限公司 一种活动式污染物围隔栏

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2410092A1 (fr) * 1977-11-24 1979-06-22 Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd Barriere flottante contre l'huile, les chocs et les vagues
US4586848A (en) * 1984-11-27 1986-05-06 British Columbia Research Council Method of storing logs
CN115450189B (zh) * 2022-10-26 2024-06-28 珠江水利委员会珠江水利科学研究院 城市群河涌水网漂浮垃圾拦截收纳系统

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US436644A (en) * 1890-09-16 Floating breakwater
US3592005A (en) * 1969-02-25 1971-07-13 Fre Del Engineering Corp Oil barrier for offshore oil rigs
US3630033A (en) * 1970-04-30 1971-12-28 Ralph L Tuttle Apparatus for controlling oil slicks
US3651647A (en) * 1970-09-17 1972-03-28 Edmond Flaviani Oil slick confinement equipment
US3751925A (en) * 1970-10-07 1973-08-14 Merritt Division Of Murphy Pac Floating oil containment boom

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US436644A (en) * 1890-09-16 Floating breakwater
US3592005A (en) * 1969-02-25 1971-07-13 Fre Del Engineering Corp Oil barrier for offshore oil rigs
US3630033A (en) * 1970-04-30 1971-12-28 Ralph L Tuttle Apparatus for controlling oil slicks
US3651647A (en) * 1970-09-17 1972-03-28 Edmond Flaviani Oil slick confinement equipment
US3751925A (en) * 1970-10-07 1973-08-14 Merritt Division Of Murphy Pac Floating oil containment boom

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3962875A (en) * 1972-06-29 1976-06-15 Bridgestone Tire Company Limited Oil fence having a limited flexibility
US4425053A (en) 1978-08-09 1984-01-10 Mitsui Ocean Development & Engineering Co., Ltd. Oil fence arrangement
CN106759181A (zh) * 2016-11-29 2017-05-31 扬州浪涛清环保科技有限公司 一种活动式污染物围隔栏
CN106592549A (zh) * 2016-11-30 2017-04-26 扬州浪涛清环保科技有限公司 一种柔性蓝藻围隔装置
CN106592549B (zh) * 2016-11-30 2018-09-25 扬州浪涛清环保科技有限公司 一种柔性蓝藻围隔装置

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2332947A1 (de) 1974-01-10
JPS4923425A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-03-01
GB1414419A (en) 1975-11-19
DE2332947C3 (de) 1975-04-30
JPS5017772B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1975-06-24
DE2332947B2 (de) 1974-09-05
CA966677A (en) 1975-04-29
AU465864B2 (en) 1975-10-09
AU5712073A (en) 1975-01-09
FR2191569A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-02-01

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