US 4,807,373 A · Loop circuit dredging apparatus

Abstract

A loop circuit method and apparatus for dredging a first area water and in which the water being used to transport the solid material (the dredging water) is continuously routed around in a loop and used repeatedly to convey the solid material from the first area to a second, solids collecting area. The loop circuit may be either quasi-closed or completely closed depending on where the returning dredge water is discharged at the first area. An improved dredge head which may be operated by a diver and in which the returning dredge water is discharged adjacent the nozzle and acts to stir up the material in that location. Alternatively, the returning dredge water can be discharged directly in the nozzle of the dredge head and acts to help convey the material picked up by the nozzle, and this constitutes a completely closed circuit. The second area of solid collecting area may include a dump body into which the mixture is dumped and from which the returning dredge water is extracted via a filter, and then returned to the first area.

Claims7

Dependent claims

Dredging apparatus forming a dredging loop circuit comprising:

a hand-held dredge head having a suction nozzle for continuously dredging a mixture of solids and water from a first body, of water,
a dredge pump and power source located on shore and connected to said dredge head for pumping said mixture from said head and said first body of water and to a second, separate body of water which is spaced a distance from said first body of water and for depositing and allowing the solids to settle out from the mixture at one portion of said second body of water;
a water return pump located adjacent the surface of said second body of water and spaced from said one portion of said second body of water, said water return pump having a return water conduit for returning relatively clear water from adjacent the surface of said second body of water and to the hand held dredge head in said first body of water, whereby the returned dredge water is again used to convey more solids from said first body of water to said second body of water, thereby continually reusing and pumping the dredged water in a loop circuit to convey solids from the first body of water to said second body of water.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Loop circuit dredging apparatus

Life of this patent

Loop circuit dredging apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims7