# US 2014/0197088 A1 · Skimmer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0197088 A1 - Document ID: US20140197088A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/807,529 - Filed: 2011-07-07 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2010-07-08 - Assignees: Laitram, L.L.C. - Inventors: Christopher G. Greve; Robert S. Lapeyre - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197088A1 ## CPC - E02B 15/104: {Conveyors; Paddle wheels; Endless belts (E02B15/101 takes precedence)} - E02B: HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING (ship-lifting E02C; dredging E02F) ## Abstract A self-floating skimmer that can operate remotely from a vessel. Pontoons allow the skimmer to float at the surface of a body of water. An inclined belt conveyor whose lower end is submerged just below the surface of the water conveys material to be collected up the incline to the upper end where it is dumped from the surface of the belt into a collection tank below. For convenience in storage or transit, the skimmers can be stacked atop one another. The belt conveyor can include a bidirectional conveyor belt that is driven in either direction by a selectively reversible drive motor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A skimmer comprising: a frame; a pair of floats mounted on opposite outer sides of the frame and having parallel float axes defining a horizontal plane when floating in a body of water; a belt conveyor mounted to the frame between the pair of floats and defining a conveying path inclined relative to the horizontal plane between a lower end and an upper end, wherein the belt conveyor includes: a rotating drive element at the upper end of the belt conveyor; a reversing element at the lower end of the belt conveyor; an endless conveyor belt trained around the rotating drive element and the reversing element and driven by the rotating drive element along the conveying path including an underwater portion at the lower end of the belt conveyor at which material to be skimmed is captured; a trough positioned below the conveyor belt to catch skimmed material falling off the conveyor belt. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A skimmer as in claim 1 wherein the trough has a bottom that extends below the horizontal plane and floats in the body of water. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A skimmer as in claim 2 wherein the bottom of the trough is angled to form a bow for the skimmer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A skimmer as in claim 1 wherein the floats are hexagonal tubes. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A skimmer as in claim 1 wherein the floats have a U-shaped hull. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A skimmer as in claim 1 wherein the floats have angled end plates to prevent diving. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A skimmer as in claim 1 wherein the frame includes vertical posts attached to the outer sides of the frame and having plates at top ends of the posts for stacking skimmers atop each other. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A skimmer as in claim 1 further comprising a pair of lower vertical posts attached to the frame on opposite sides of the conveyor belt near the lower end of the belt conveyor and a pair of upper vertical posts attached to the frame on opposite sides of the conveyor belt near the upper end of the belt conveyor, wherein the lower vertical posts are vertically offset from the upper vertical posts. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A skimmer as in claim 8 further comprising a flat horizontal plate at a top end of each of the upper and lower vertical posts. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A skimmer as in claim 1 wherein the belt conveyor further includes a plurality of Z-shaped transverse supports supporting the conveyor belt between the upper and lower ends of the belt conveyor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A skimmer as in claim 1 further comprising a grooved flat hull attached to the trough and extending below the belt conveyor to the lower end, wherein the flat hull is below the bottoms of the pair of floats. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A skimmer as in claim 1 wherein the trough does not extend below the horizontal plane. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A skimmer as in claim 1 comprising a selectively reversible conveyor motor rotating the rotating drive element and selectively changing the direction of travel of the conveyor belt along the conveying path. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A skimmer as in claim 1 further comprising a scraper contacting the conveyor belt proximate the trough to scrape skimmed material from the conveyor belt and direct the skimmed material into the trough. ### Claim 15 A skimmer comprising: a frame; a pair of floats mounted on opposite outer sides of the frame and having parallel float axes defining a horizontal plane when floating in a body of water; a belt conveyor mounted to the frame between the pair of floats and defining a conveying path inclined relative to horizontal plane between a lower end and an upper end, wherein the belt conveyor includes: an endless conveyor belt arranged to advance along the conveying path including an underwater portion at the lower end of the belt conveyor at which material to be skimmed is captured; a selectively reversible motor to selectively drive the conveyor belt in either direction along the conveying path; a trough positioned below the conveyor belt to catch skimmed material falling off the conveyor belt. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A skimmer as in claim 15 wherein the trough has a bottom that extends below the horizontal plane and floats in the body of water. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A skimmer as in claim 16 wherein the bottom of the trough is angled to form a bow for the skimmer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) A skimmer as in claim 15 wherein the floats are hexagonal tubes. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) A skimmer as in claim 15 wherein the floats have a U-shaped hull. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) A skimmer as in claim 15 wherein the floats have angled end plates to prevent diving. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) A skimmer as in claim 15 wherein the frame includes vertical posts attached to the outer sides of the frame and having plates at top ends of the posts for stacking skimmers atop each other. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) A skimmer as in claim 15 further comprising a pair of lower vertical posts attached to the frame on opposite sides of the conveyor belt near the lower end of the belt conveyor and a pair of upper vertical posts attached to the frame on opposite sides of the conveyor belt near the upper end of the belt conveyor, wherein the lower vertical posts are vertically offset from the upper vertical posts. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) A skimmer as in claim 22 further comprising a flat horizontal plate at a top end of each of the upper and lower vertical posts. ### Claim 24 (depends on 15) A skimmer as in claim 15 wherein the belt conveyor further includes a plurality of Z-shaped transverse supports supporting the conveyor belt between the upper and lower ends of the belt conveyor. ### Claim 25 (depends on 15) A skimmer as in claim 15 further comprising a grooved flat hull attached to the trough and extending below the belt conveyor to the lower end, wherein the flat hull is below the bottoms of the pair of floats. ### Claim 26 (depends on 15) A skimmer as in claim 15 wherein the trough does not extend below the horizontal plane. ### Claim 27 (depends on 15) A skimmer as in claim 15 further comprising a scraper contacting the conveyor belt proximate the trough to scrape skimmed material from the conveyor belt and direct the skimmed material into the trough.