Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2 ~ 3
WATE:~.C~FT BUC~:T FO~ COLL~C~ING ~LO~.TING ~ TEP~IALS
The present invention relates to a watercra~t bucket
for collecting floating materials.
It is known that the need to eliminate the causes of
the pollution of waters, b~ they marine surfaces or inland
5 waters of basins or rivers, is currently very urgent and
strongly felt.
This need is all the more felt in recent times, due to
a considerable algal florescence which occurs particularly
in summer periods on the surface of the Adriatic sea and of
10 the Venetian lagoon, causing considerable problems from the
point of view of both navigation and bathing.
These algae furthermore form a film on the surface of
the water which prevents the exchange o~ oxygen betw~oen the
air and the water and ultimately causes havoc in the
15 environment, ~reventing the life of aquatic flora and fauna.
The aim of the present invention is to pro~ide a device
which can collect algae or other floating materials and
deposit them in a collection container.
A conse~uent primary obj~ct is to provide a de~ice
20 which is capable of separating the collected substances from
the water.
Not least object is to provide a device which is
structurally simple and easy to install.
: This aim, these objects and others which will become
apparent hereinafter are achieved by a watercraft bucket
for collecting floating materials, characterized in that
it comprises a loader which is arranged at the bow or in
another position on the watercraft and is suitable for
being arrangad so that it is p~rtially submerged during the
advancement of said craft; said loader having a sieve-like
bottom and a lower section configured like a deprsssion
chamber with at least one ejector suitable for expelling the
5 conveyed water.
. . .
Further characteristics and advantages of the invention
will become apparent ~rom the detailed description of an
embodiment thereof, illustrated only by way of non-
limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
figure 1 is a schematic side view of a watercraft for
collecting floating materials which is provided, at the bow,
with the ~ucket according to ~he invention;
figure 2 is an enlarged side view of a detail of the
watercraft of figure 1, with the ~ucket according to th~
invent~on;
figure 3 is a partially sectional perspective view of
the bucket a~cording to the invention;
figure 4 is a top view of the bucket according to the
invention;
figure 5 is a view of a possible variation of the
bucket according to the invention;
figure 6 is a schematic view of the bucket ~ccording to
the invention, equipped with a device for sepa.rating oil-
like sub~tances from water.
With reference to the above figures 1 to 4, the bucket
according to the invention comprises a loader l pro~ided
with arms 2 which are articulated to a bow region of a
watercraft 3 suitable for c~llecting floating materialsO
4 ~ 9 ~
Articulation is performed about a transver~e axis ~o
that the loader 1 can be overturned b~ suitable actuation
means, according to the movements indicated by the broken
lines in figure 2, parallel to the axis of the watercraft 3.
The loader 1 is suitable ~or heing arranged so that it
is partially submeryed in ~ront of the watercraft 3 during
the advancement khereof and so that a surface portion of
water is conveyed int~ it.
In a region below the surface 4 of the water, said
10 loader 1 is provided with a sieve-like bo$tsm 5 which nas
its concavity directed upward and is constituted for example
by a grille, by a net or by fabric.
The ~ieve-like bottom can conveniently be sel~-cl~aning
and replaceable.
Beneath the bottom 5, the loader 1 is provided with a
lower section 6 which has a concave shape and in which
double channel sy~tem 7 is defined at the rear; said channel
sy~tem ~orms a sort of depression chamber in which one or
more ejactors 8 are installed; said ejectors are suitable
20 for expelling the con~eyed water laterally from the loader 1
or in any other direction.
Each of the ejectors 8 is conveniently constituted by
a propeller 9 which is motorized by mean~ of a variable-
speed orientatable hydraulic motor 10.
In~tead of being fixed, the blades of each propeller 9
can have a variable pitoh so as to be able to vary the
amount sf ~xpelled water a~ requi~ed.
- AS regard~ op ration, both when th2 watercraft 3 is
moving and when it iæ m~tionless with ~he loader 1 lower~d,
30 wa~er and ~loating sub~tances are csnveyed into said loader.
~ 7~
The continuous expulsion performed by the ejectors 8
causes a concentration on the bottom 5 of substances which
are subsequently discharged into the watercra~t 3 by
overturning the loader 1.
As can be seen in figures 2 and 3, a continuously- or
discontinuously-moving, oleodynamically- or mechanically-
actuated cutter 11 is fixed in front o~ the loader l for
cutting the algae or other aquatic vegetation so as to
facilitate the collection thereof by means of the bucket.
With reference now to the above figure 5, a variation
of th~ bucket accordi~g to the invention provides a loader
101 .
Said loader 101 differs from the preceding one in that
the recovery of the material can occur with the simpl~
15 movement ~nd subsequent overturning of the internal sieve-
like bottom 103 with independent arms 104 or with
continuous-discharge system which operates inside ~he
bucket, for example by means o~ a conveyor belt.
A further variation illustrated in figure 6 is
20 provided, inside the loader now designated by 201, above the
sieve-like hottom 202, with a known unit 203 with partially
submerged rotating disks for separating oil-like substance~.
Conveniently, said disk unit 203 may al80 be arr~ng~d
wi~hin the coll-ction containar arranged on the watercraft.
In practice it has thus been observed that the bucket
according to the invention has achieved the intend~d aim and
objects, since it is capable of collecting floating
substances, such as alga~ nr others, separating them from
the water and then discharging them into a collection
30 container.
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The buckPt is structurally simple and can thus be
manufactured without particular problems.
The invention thus conceived is susceptible to numerous
modifications and variations, all o~ which are within the
scope of the inventive concept.
All the details may furthermore be replaced with other
technically equivalent elements.
In practice, the materials employed, so long as
compatible with the contingent use, as well as the
dimensions, may be any according to the requirements,
