Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
203 words
A device for removing sludge particularly from the bottoms of oil tanks, comprising a shovel having a head defining an interior sludge receiving chamber with an opening which is adapted to be advanced into the sludge material to be removed, said shovel having an inclined bottom wall terminating in an engagement edge which is engageable into the sludge and with a wall inside said head defining an oblique impounding surface and a top wall with a front downwardly extending edge at the opposite side of the opening spaced forwardly of said bottom edge, nozzle means at said front edge including a nozzle oriented rearwardly toward said impounding surface for directing a high velocity jet of liquid downwardly against said impounding surface to loosen the sludge ahead of said bottom wall to permit it to enter into said receiving chamber to break up the sludge material and form it into a liquid slurry, discharge conduit means for the discharge of the slurry from said receiving chamber connected to said receiving chamber at a spaced location from the opening of said shovel head, and venturi means connected to said discharge conduit means to provide withdrawal pressure for moving the slurry through said discharge conduit means.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
203 words
A device for removing sludge particularly from the bottoms of oil tanks, comprising a shovel having a head defining an interior sludge receiving chamber with an opening which is adapted to be advanced into the sludge material to be removed, said shovel having an inclined bottom wall terminating in an engagement edge which is engageable into the sludge and with a wall inside said head defining an oblique impounding surface and a top wall with a front downwardly extending edge at the opposite side of the opening spaced forwardly of said bottom edge, nozzle means at said front edge including a nozzle oriented rearwardly toward said impounding surface for directing a high velocity jet of liquid downwardly against said impounding surface to loosen the sludge ahead of said bottom wall to permit it to enter into said receiving chamber to break up the sludge material and form it into a liquid slurry, discharge conduit means for the discharge of the slurry from said receiving chamber connected to said receiving chamber at a spaced location from the opening of said shovel head, and venturi means connected to said discharge conduit means to provide withdrawal pressure for moving the slurry through said discharge conduit means.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
221 words
A device for removing sludge particularly from the bottoms of oil tanks, comprising a shovel having a head defining an interior sludge receiving chamber with an opening which is adapted to be advanced into the sludge material to be removed, said shovel having an inclined bottom wall terminating in an engagement edge which is engageable into the sludge and a top wall with a front downwardly extending edge at the opposite side of the opening spaced forwardly of said bottom edge, nozzle means at said front edge for directing a high velocity jet of liquid downwardly at a spaced location ahead of said bottom edge to loosen the sludge ahead of said bottom wall to permit it to enter into said receiving chamber to break up the sludge material and form it into a liquid slurry, discharge conduit means for the discharge of the slurry from said receiving chamber connected to said receiving chamber at a spaced location from the opening of said shovel head, and venturi means connected to said discharge conduit means to provide withdrawal pressure for moving the slurry through said discharge conduit means, said head including a screen extending across the interior thereof and defining an impounding surface against which the sludge material is received, said nozzle means including a nozzle directed to discharge against said screen.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
221 words
A device for removing sludge particularly from the bottoms of oil tanks, comprising a shovel having a head defining an interior sludge receiving chamber with an opening which is adapted to be advanced into the sludge material to be removed, said shovel having an inclined bottom wall terminating in an engagement edge which is engageable into the sludge and a top wall with a front downwardly extending edge at the opposite side of the opening spaced forwardly of said bottom edge, nozzle means at said front edge for directing a high velocity jet of liquid downwardly at a spaced location ahead of said bottom edge to loosen the sludge ahead of said bottom wall to permit it to enter into said receiving chamber to break up the sludge material and form it into a liquid slurry, discharge conduit means for the discharge of the slurry from said receiving chamber connected to said receiving chamber at a spaced location from the opening of said shovel head, and venturi means connected to said discharge conduit means to provide withdrawal pressure for moving the slurry through said discharge conduit means, said head including a screen extending across the interior thereof and defining an impounding surface against which the sludge material is received, said nozzle means including a nozzle directed to discharge against said screen.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
71 words
A device, according to claim 2, wherein said nozzle means includes a nozzle mounted on said head, a high pressure liquid conduit connected to said nozzle, said venturi means including a conduit at a remote location from said head connected to said high pressure liquid conduit, a diffuser surrounding one end of said conduit and being connected intermediate its length to said head at a location spaced from the opening thereof.