Abstract: A floating oil containment boom is comprised of boom sections connected end to end. Each boom section is of a tubular member or pipe section. The pipe or tubular member is buoyant, either closed at its ends and/or filled with foam or other buoyant material. Plates extend above and below the tubular member or pipe section for each section of boom. A specially configured connecter joins each boom section to the other, the connecter extending above and below the pipe or tubular member. An elastomeric block forms an interface between connectors on each boom section while simultaneously sealing the area between boom sections to flow of oil.

Abstract: An apparatus for drawing-up and winding-up booms, including self-expanding booms, which are provided with an upper floating body portion and a lower skirt portion, includes a plate arranged on a platform. The plate is rotatable by use of a motor unit, and is provided with a winder positioned generally vertically and at the middle of the plate, and a feeder for feeding-in the boom. Preferably the motor unit can be plugged into and out of the platform, and the plate can be driven by means of a gear pinion which is arranged in the motor unit and goes into engagement with the plate when the motor unit is plugged into the platform. The apparatus includes a support that can be brought into contact with the boom at a border area between upper and lower portions of the boom and can be arranged between the feeder and the platform. The support can be plugged into and out of the platform.

Abstract: A valve mechanism for self-expanding booms. The mechanism is preferably a mechanical expansion device that folds out the boom so that air flows into the boom to fill the boom. When the boom is folded, the air is pressed out of the boom. A novel feature is an automatic control mechanism that is adapted to permit an inflow of air into the boom when the boom is expanded and to permit an outflow of air when the boom is collapsed, rolled up and stored. The control mechanism is affected by the relative position between the valve mechanism and other parts of the boom when the boom is in the expanded or collapsed position.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding fish includes a member operable to be disposed in a body of water. The member has a wall for containing fish food and for defining a feeding area and the wall has upper and lower portions. The upper portion is operable to project above the surface of the water to generally protect the feeding area from wind to prevent feed in the feeding area from being blown by wind, yet provides access to the feeding area. The lower portion is operable to project sufficiently below the surface of the water to prevent the occurrence of opening between the wall and the surface of the after due to surface disturbances thereon, however, the lower portion does not project far enough below the surface to generally inhibit fish access to the feeding area.

Abstract: An oil spill detection system to detect and track oil spills and transmit data to a remote monitoring center comprising a buoyant detection platform including at least one detection sensor to detect the presence of hydrocarbons in the water adjacent the buoyant detection platform and generate a detection signal in response thereto and a communication system operatively coupled to the detection sensor to receive the detection signal and to generate a data signal in response to the detection signal and to transmit the data signal to the remote monitoring center, the data signal including a discrete platform identification signal corresponding to the buoyant detection platform, and a deployable free floating tracking buoy to be deployed when the detection signal is generated to indicate the direction and speed of travel of the oil slick created by the oil spill.

Abstract: A containment boom (10) includes a plurality of self-inflatable units (12) each having a plurality of chambers (26) connected end to end. Each chamber (26) has an air valve (28) at each end thereof. A water repellent and airtight covering (32) is provided for each chamber (26). A flotation subassembly (44) is positioned within an open space formed within the covering (32). The flotation subassembly includes a pair of open cell buoyant flotation members (54, 56) disposed on adjacent sides of an intermediate water repellent flotation member (58). The intermediate water repellent flotation member (58) is preferably formed of a closed cell polyethylene material and provides increased buoyancy to open cell flotation members (54, 56), particularly in the event that a rupture of the covering were to occur such that the open cell flotation members (54, 56) absorb water.

Abstract: An oil spill containment collar system for aquatic vessels. A deployable floatation collar and apron apparatus automatically surrounds the periphery of the vessel to be contained. This continuous collar only takes a few minutes to become full functional. The collar may be stored either inboard or outboard of the vessel's gunnel about the deck. In the version of the embodiment which stores the collar inboard of the gunnel, the collar is lowered into the water by a gear or spring-torsion driven pivot arms that lift the collar from the deck area and up over the gunnel. the collar is inflated after lowering over the gunnel, encircling the entire vessel, and giving vertical support to an attached apron. In the outboard version, the collar is automatically released from a container and inflated by compressed gas means. The collar is provided with secondary floatation means to ensure its buoyancy.

Abstract: A boom for collecting material floating on the surface of a body of water comprises a first collapsible tube which can be stored either as flat layers of folded material or by rolling it on a roller. Transverse seals are provided along the length of the tube to provide a longitudinal sequence of compartments. A reactant body is disposed in at least one compartment, and being capable of producing an inflating gas. The reactant body is disposed within a pouch which is frangible under pressures applied by rollers or the like during the deployment of the boom from its stored condition. In a modification, a small collapsable tube is provided in longitudinally secured relationship to the first tube and the interior of the small tube is provided with fluid connection to each of the successive compartments.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for containing a contaminant in the vicinity of a water vehicle. The system comprises a barrier apparatus detachably coupled to the vehicle for operating in a deployed mode to erect a barrier at a perimeter around the vehicle to contain the contaminant, and a deploying subsystem operatively coupled to the barrier apparatus and to the vehicle for transporting the barrier apparatus from the vehicle to the perimeter during the deployed mode. The method comprises storing a barrier apparatus on the vehicle during a stored mode, transporting the barrier apparatus from the vehicle to a perimeter around and spaced from the vehicle during a deployed mode, and erecting a barrier at the perimeter to contain the contaminant.

Abstract: A boom for collecting material floating on the surface of a body of water comprises a first collapsible tube which can be stored either as flat layers of folded material or by rolling it on a roller. Transverse seals are provided along the length of the tube to provide a longitudinal sequence of compartments. A reactant body is disposed in at least one compartment, and being capable of producing an inflating gas. The reactant body is disposed within a pouch which is frangible under pressures applied by rollers or the like during the deployment of the boom from its stored condition. In a modification, a small collapsible tube is provided in longitudinally secured relationship to the first tube and the interior of the small tube is provided with fluid connections to each of the successive compartments.

Abstract: A collapsible boom for use in confining oil spills on water formed of an elongated curtain of flexible material having along the upper edge a tubular portion and along the lower edge a flexible ballast, such as a chain, the curtain containing a plurality of spaced-apart short length cylindrical floats in the upper tubular edge, each float having a passageway therethrough permitting the flow of air through the float and to all parts of the interior of the upper tubular edge, and at least one closure cap permitting, as the curtain is expanded, air to flow into the upper tubular edge so that the boom when placed on water will float and, when removed from water and collapsed into a stored position will permit air to escape, the opening being closeable while the boom is in use on water.

Abstract: A rotatable fairlead suitable for use in the deployment, control and recovery of anti-pollution booms, comprises two end pieces (1 and 2), two pins, or rollers, 3 and 4, mounted between the end pieces and spaced sufficiently apart that a partially inflated boom may pass between the pins, means for rotating the said end pieces and pins through at least 270.degree. and means for holding them at a given angle of rotation.

Abstract: An improved containment barrier or boom having a flotation means and a skirt section dependent therefrom. The boom may be wound around a reel for storage, and deployed from the reel as required. The flotation means comprises a flexible, longitudinally elongated tubular member, having a cavity extending throughout the elongated length thereof. A resilient, generally spring-like member having helical coil means is provided in the tubular member. The spring-like member extends substantially longitudinally throughout the length of the tubular member, and the helical coil means maintain the walls of the tubular member in a transversely expanded condition when the tubular member is deployed in the body of water. The spring-like member is resiliently deformable from the helical condition to a transversely flattened condition, when the tubular member is wound upon the reel for storage.