The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 26, 1999
Filed:
Jan. 27, 1998
Applicant:
Inventor:
James A Patterson, Sarasota, FL (US);
Assignee:
Other;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
E02B / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
405 60 ; 210924 ; 405 63 ;
Abstract
Hollow tubular segments, preferably in the form of pretreated hollow core fiber segments, and a method, for gathering or collecting and removing an oil spill floating atop a body of water. The preferably fuel oil-pretreated segments are hydrophobic having a resulting density such that, when disposed atop the oil spill, the pretreated segments absorb or draw the spilled oil by capillary action into the interiors and remain afloat atop the water to prevent further dispersion of the oil spill and to facilitate gathering of the spilled oil filled segments. After use, the spilled oil may be drawn from the segments by heat and/or forced air, the segments then being reusable.