Abstract:
A method and device for extracting fluid from a body of fluid is has a bellows with a feed system interfaced to a first end of the bellows. A floating head is interfaced to a distal second end of the bellows and has one or more buoyancy elements. The buoyancy elements cause the floating head to float at a surface of the fluid. One or more inlets on a lower surface of the floating head are in fluid communication with the distal second end of the bellows, such that, fluid from a stratum beneath the surface of the fluid is drawn into the inlet(s), passes through the bellows, and into the feed system.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application takes priority from U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/791,999, filed Mar. 15, 2013, and first named inventor Jonathan D. Moody. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This invention relates to the field of fluids and more particularly to a system for extracting from an upper stratum of a fluid body. 
     BACKGROUND 
     There are many needs for extracting fluids from an upper portion of a body of such fluids. Often, when a body of fluid such as water is still, particulate matter settles to the bottom, forming a layer of silt or sludge. When a portion of the fluid is needed, for example drinking water, it is desired to prevent the silt or sludge from mixing with the fluid, so it is desired to access only the upper layers of the fluid. 
     There are also needs for extracting fluids from an upper portion of a body of fluids when the fluids include two different fluids, each having different specific gravities. One example of this is gasoline and water, in which gasoline has a lower specific gravity than water and floats over the water. In such, there are needs in which the gasoline needs to be taken from the body of fluid without taking the water. 
     In the past, various approaches to such extraction have been attempted, each with various degrees of success. For example, some prior attempts utilize flexible hoses that have buoyancy devices at one end to keep that end at the surface. This may work on a small scale, but in large operations such as supplying water to a small city from a river, hundreds of flexible hoses would be needed. Additionally, such a system would also extract debris that is floating on the river such as leaves, branches, plastic bags, etc., thereby causing clogging and/or reducing efficiencies of filters, etc. 
     What is needed is a system that will extract a fluid from an upper stratum of a body of such fluid. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one embodiment, a fluid extraction device is disclosed including a foundation submerged within the fluid that has a feed system passing through the foundation. The feed system is interfaced to a first end of a bellows. A floating head is interfaced to a distal second end of the bellows. The floating head has a buoyancy element that causes the floating head to float at a surface of the fluid. An inlet on a lower surface of the floating head is in fluid communication with the distal second end of the bellows such that fluid from a stratum beneath the surface of the fluid is drawn into the inlet, passes through the bellows, and into the feed system. 
     In another embodiment, a device for extracting fluid from a body of fluid is disclosed including, a bellows with a feed system interfaced to a first end of the bellows. A floating head is interfaced to a distal second end of the bellows and has one or more buoyancy elements. The buoyancy elements cause the floating head to float at a surface of the fluid. One or more inlets on a lower surface of the floating head are in fluid communication with the distal second end of the bellows, such that, fluid from a stratum beneath the surface of the fluid is drawn into the inlet(s), passes through the bellows, and into the feed system. 
     In another embodiment, a method for extracting fluid from a body of fluid is disclosed including, floating a floating head at the surface of the body of fluid and extracting fluid from beneath the surface of the body of fluid through an inlet in the floating head. The fluid is transferred from the floating head to a feed system through an extendable tube and the floating head is vented to air above the body of fluid. 
     In another embodiment, a system for extracting fluid from a body of fluid is disclosed including a tower. A first end of the tower interfaced to a floor of the body of fluid. A bellows is interfaced at a first end to a feed system. Guide wires/rods are provided, one end of each guide wire/rod is interfaced to a distal second end of the tower and an opposing end of each guide wire/rod is interfaced to the feed system. A floating head is interfaced to a distal second end of the bellows. A buoyancy element interfaced to the floating head causes the floating head to float at a surface of the fluid. The floating head has apertures, such that, each of the guide wire/rods pass through one of the apertures. An inlet is formed on a lower surface of the floating head and is in fluid communication with the distal second end of the bellows, such that, fluid from a stratum beneath the surface of the fluid is drawn into the inlet, passes through the bellows, and into the feed system. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention can be best understood by those having ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a schematic view of a fluid extraction system. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a schematic view of a fluid extraction system with the tower embedded in the earth. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the following detailed description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements in all figures. 
     Throughout this description, the skimming system  20  is shown and described as being installed in a fluid  12 . Although the fluid  12  is frequently referred to as water, any fluid  12  is anticipated with or without dissolved solid particles such as silt, salt, vegetation, etc. 
     Throughout this description, the skimming system is shown and described using a bellows  24  as an example of an expandable tube  24 , therefore, providing fluid flow internally while adjusting in length as the buoyancy head  23  raises and lowers responsive to changes in the fluid level  10 . This is a preferred example, but does not limit the skimming system  20  to any particular expandable tube  24 , as other types of expandable tubes  24  are equally anticipated such as telescoping expandable tubes  24 , expandable tubes  24  having resilient walls without folds, etc. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , exemplary fluid extraction systems  20  are shown. Although any number of individual fluid extraction devices  20  is anticipated, the exemplary systems of  FIGS. 1 and 2  show two fluid extraction devices  20 , mounted side-by-side and secured in a foundation  28  resting on the floor  11  beneath the body of water  10  ( FIG. 1 ) or footed into the floor  11  beneath the body of water  10  ( FIG. 2 ). The system works equally well with a single fluid extraction device  20  or many fluid extraction devices  20 . 
     Each fluid extraction device  20  includes a buoyancy element  22  affixed to or made as part of a floating head  23 . In some embodiments, the upper edge  25  of the floating head  23  extends outwardly forming an animal block lip  25 . The animal block lip  25  extends far enough beyond the side of the floating head  23  as to deter animal life from scaling the floating head  23  and resting atop the floating head  23 . As shown in the exemplary  FIGS. 1 and 2 , any animal wishing to climb up onto the floating head  23  needs to travel upside down along the animal block lip  25 , which is impossible for many animals such as alligators, many frogs, turtles, etc. The animal block lip helps prevent such animals from becoming lodged in the vents  30  or falling into the feed system  26 . 
     Additionally, in some embodiments, a screen or grid  27  covers inlets  31  in the bottom of the floating head  23  to prevent small animals such as fish, baby alligators, reptiles, etc., from being sucked into the floating head  23 . 
     A bellows element  24  fluidly interfaces the floating head  23  with the feed system  26 . The feed system  26  is a fluid system that delivers the extracted fluid  12  to a destination. In some installations, the fluid system includes a pump (not shown) and associated filtration (not shown). 
     The buoyancy element  22  (e.g., a float, etc.), has a sufficiently lower specific gravity than the fluid  12  as to maintain the buoyancy element  22  and the floating head  23  at a submergence level such that the fluid  12  enters the head  23  below the fluid level  10  (as depicted by flow arrows) and flows into a first end of the bellows  24 , flowing through the bellows  24  and exiting at a distal end of the bellows  24  into the feed system  26 . 
     It is preferred that the buoyancy element  22  be sufficiently buoyant as to overcome any forces that pull the buoyancy element  22  and floating head  23  towards a further submerged configuration. One such force is the resilient action of the bellows  24 . In other words, as the fluid level  10  rises, the buoyancy element  22  and floating head  23  rises, stretching the bellows  24 . The bellows  24  have resiliency (e.g., the bellows  24  are elastic and are biased to the folded/retracted stated) and, therefore, the buoyancy element  22  must have sufficient buoyancy as to stretch the bellows  24  to sufficient length so that the top of the buoyancy element  22  and floating head  23 , preferably, remains above the fluid surface  10 . 
     In some embodiments, a secondary buoyancy element  35  is included, affixed to the bellows  24 , to counteract the resilient effects of the bellows  24 . 
     As is visible in  FIG. 1 , the fluid  12  preferably does not flow into the floating head  23  from the very surface  10  of the fluid  12 , rather the fluid  12  flows from a stratum slightly below the surface  10  of the fluid  12  through inlets  31 . In this way, less floating debris such as leaves, trash, plastic bags, insects, etc., are pulled into the floating head  23  and bellows  24 . Likewise, other fluids that float on water such as gasoline and oil are not drawn into the inlets  31  of the floating head  23  and such contaminants remain on the surface  10  of the fluid (e.g. water)  12 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, the buoyancy element  22  includes a vent  30  that releases any air that tends to form within the floating head  23 . The vent  30  also serves as a port for inspection of the floating head  23  and removal of any debris there within. 
     In operation, it is anticipated and preferred that the entire length of the bellows  24  be filled with the fluid  12 , thereby equalizing pressure from outside of the bellows  24  with pressure from within the bellows  24 , thereby the fluid extraction device  20  will operate at great depths of fluid  12 . 
     In some embodiments, to reduce malfunctions due to birds perching on the fluid extraction device  20 , anti-bird features  50  are included, such as rigid wires  50  that will make perching upon the floating head  23  undesirable. 
     In some embodiments, to reduce skewing, the buoyancy elements  22  and floating heads  23  are guided by guides  56  and tower system  58 / 54  that includes a tower  58 / 54  and a series of guide rods/wires  56 . When guide wires  56  are used, the guide wires  56  are tautly strung between the tower head  54  and the foundation  28 , preferably perpendicular to the mean fluid surface  10 . The guywires  56  pass through apertures in, for example, the buoyancy element  22  and floating head  23  such that the buoyancy element  22  and floating head  23  are free to move vertically along the guywires  56 . The tower  58 / 54  and guides  56  help prevent the buoyancy element  22  and floating head  23  from swaying, especially during windy conditions. 
     In some embodiments, anti-bird barbs  52  are included to reduce bird perching on the tower head  54 . 
     As a sample application, in a water storage pond or reservoir, it is desired to draw drinking water  12  from a top stratum of the water  12  below the water surface  10 . This is desired over drawing from lower strata where silt or other materials have settled or drawing from the top surface  10  where floating debris and fluids such as oils are found. In this sample application, the fluid  12  is water  12 . In the fluid extraction device  20  shown in  FIG. 1 , the foundation  28  is anchored at the floor of the reservoir and the tower  58 / 54  is configured for the expected range of water levels. At the water level  10  as shown in  FIG. 1 , as water  12  is pumped from the feed system  26 , water  12  from an upper stratum of the water  12  enters the underside of the floating head  23  and through the bellows  24  to the feed system  26 . As the water level  10  rises, the bellows  24  elongate and the buoyancy element(s)  22  lift the floating head  23  and water  12  from an upper stratum of the water  12  enters the underside of the floating head  23  and flow through the bellows  24  to the feed system  26 . The opposite occurs as the water level  10  abates. 
     In  FIG. 2 , the tower mast  58  is anchored into the floor  11  of the reservoir and the tower  58 / 54  is, as above, configured for the expected range of water levels. 
     Equivalent elements can be substituted for the ones set forth above such that they perform in substantially the same manner in substantially the same way for achieving substantially the same result. 
     It is believed that the system and method as described and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description. It is also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely exemplary and explanatory embodiment thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.