FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an oil boom according to the preamble of claim 1.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Known from patent application WO 2008099054 Al is an oil boom wherein a vertical wall that is impermeable to oil is disposed between two tubular floats that are storable in a small space. The floats provided on both sides of the wall hinder the collection of oil because the float provided on the oil intake side causes turbulence in the. oil flow and prevents the free flow of oil along the boom into a collector. It is also essential of the use of an oil boom that it is easy to pack tightly to a storage volume that consumes little space. However, to control the wall provided between the floats and to pack it tightly is difficult.

One oil boom that represents the prior art is disclosed in patent application WO2012037602. This oil boom comprises two floats and a vertical wall that re ^¬ tains the oil flows on one side thereof. However, the boom consists of a raft which is made from intercon- nectable rigid assemblies, i.e. of two pontoons, and the edge of which is provided with the oil-retaining vertical wall. The · product is not applicable for prompt oil spill response because it cannot be effec- tively stored and transported in sufficient numbers as needed 'due to the great space requirement. Since this structure is not collapsible, the floats are smooth and do not prevent steady flows even with the vertical wall provided between the floats. OBJECTIVE OF THE INVENTION

The objective of the invention is to remedy the above- mentioned defects of the prior art. In particular, the objective of the invention is to disclose a novel oil boom structure that is storable in a small space as a tight assembly, that is easily deployable to the operational length, that guides the oil floating on the surface of water in a steady and non-turbulent fashion towards a collector or other oil recovery means and that is easily restorable to the storage volume after use .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The oil boom according to the invention includes two adjacent and elongated floats extending for the length of the boom; frameworks that are transversal to the oil boom to support the floats to one another; and an oil-impermeable vertical wall. ^' According to the invention, both floats are air-filled tubes operating in an accordion-type fashion and are disposed on the same side of the vertical wall, and the vertical wall is supported to projections extending from the frameworks. Preferably, the floats are deployable from a collapsed state by means of air pressure and/or a spiral spring structure and can thus be deployed, i.e. forced into operational condition, directly from a stored position. It is also possible to draw the floats straight to the operational length. In this case, the floats can be filled with air by the effect of suction caused by the drawing and are blown full of air to finish.

Preferably, the wall is greater in overall height than the floats so as to extend vertically at least from below the lower surfaces of the floats and also appro- priately over the upper surfaces thereof. This ensures the containment of oil on the right side of the boom during waving. Preferably, the frameworks are planar structures, i.e. structures that extend in the lateral direction and vertical direction of the oil boom, which are as thin as possible in the longitudinal direction of the boom. Thus, they are collapsible with the floats in the lon- gitudinal direction of the floats to a storage position that consumes little space.

Preferably, the framework includes rigid support frames supporting the floats, an intermediate part connecting the support frames and said projection supported to one of the support frames for securing of the wall. The framework may consist entirely for example of a thin square pipe made of aluminum, which makes it very rigid and light. Preferably, the projec- tion is formed by a hooked structure extending downward from one of the support rims and continuing to extend upward to constitute support for the wall. This way, the center of mass of the structure is provided low to ensure more stable floating properties for the entire oil boom.

To make the handling of the oil boom easy during storage and displacement, a storage case is preferably included in connection with the oil boom so that the floats and the frameworks can be tightly fitted in connection therewith. One preferred embodiment is a structure wherein the storage case includes a longitudinal gap through which the projections extend outside the storage case to hold the wall in a folded position outside the case while the accordion-type floats are tightly provided with the frameworks inside the storage case.

ADVANTAGES PROVIDED BY THE INVENTION

The oil boom according to the invention provides considerable advantages as compared with the prior art. The oil boom according to the invention is very lightweight and consumes little space when collapsed, so it is readily usable and transportable. The boom effec- tively guides oil in a desired direction without slowing down the oil flows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Below, the invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Fig. 1 illustrates one oil boom according to the invention from the top and in an opened state,

Fig. 2 illustrates the oil boom of Fig. 1 from the side,

Fig. 3 illustrates the oil boom of Fig. 1 diagonally from the end,

Fig. 4 illustrates the framework and storage case of the oil boom of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 illustrates the oil boom of Fig. 1 in the stor- age case and

Fig. 6 illustrates the oil boom of Fig. 1 in use at the side of a vessel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Fig. 1-5 illustrate one oil boom according to the invention. The oil boom includes two accordion-type and elongated floats 1 supported to one another in a spaced-apart fashion by frameworks 2 provided at a distance from one another. The frameworks consist of two rigid support frames 5, i.e. circular rings in this embodiment, corresponding to the cross-section of the float, and of an intermediate part 6 connecting them. These three parts together constitute a rigid assembly supporting the floats and keeping them together and spaced apart from one another at a distance determined by the intermediate part. Further, a projection 4 extends laterally and downwardly from one of the support frames so as to constitute by way of a downward curvature an upwardly-extending support to which the oil-retaining wall 3 of the oil boom is sup- ported. The height of the wall 3 is such that it ex ^¬ tends downward clearly below the lower surface of the float 1 and upward clearly over the upper surface of the float 1. During storage, the oil boom can be kept in a storage case 7 constituted by a space that is open or provided with a door at the front end and that corresponds in shape to the two floats of the oil boom and to the part of the framework 2 that supports them to one an- other. Thus, the floats 1 and the frameworks 2 that are spaced apart from one another in the floats can be forced inside the storage case 7 as a tight package. This is allowed by virtue of the accordion-type structure of the floats and by their flexible material as well as by the structure of the frameworks which is rigid yet thin in the longitudinal direction of the boom.

The projection 4 supporting the wall 3 is not provided inside the storage case 7; instead, one edge of the storage case has a gap 8 extending for the entire length of the case. The projection 4 extends out from this gap while the frameworks 2 are provided inside the case 7 in such a way that, as the floats are tightly pressed inside the case, the wall 3 is suitably folded outside the case. This allows tighter pack- ing of the oil boom than with the wall also being inserted inside the case. Thus, the folding of the wall may even be assisted by hand while the floats are being pressed into the case.

Further, the back edge of the storage case 7 may be provided with a hinged support 10 so that it can be lifted up when not used. Thus, as illustrated in Fig. 6, the oil boom may be fixedly installed to a vessel and, under normal conditions, it is provided in a vertical position 12 next to the side of the vessel so as to consume little space. During oil spill response, the storage case 7 can then be quickly lowered horizontally according to the right side illustration of Fig. 6. Thus, the oil boom can be drawn out of the case and supported at the end to the bow of the vessel by a wire 13.

The invention has been described above by way of exam- pie with reference to the accompanying drawings without limiting the invention to the illustrated structures in any way. However, different embodiments of the invention are possible within the scope defined by the claims.