Patent ID: 6962659

Claim:
An oil skimmer for removing contaminants floating on the surface of a body of liquid comprising: a support frame adapted to be positioned adjacent the body of liquid; a skimmer hose made of a generally flexible material having an outer surface adapted to adhere the contaminants thereto; a drive pulley rotatably mounted on the support frame for driving the skimmer hose; a guide pulley rotatably mounted on the support frame for guiding the skimmer hose; at least one skimmer hose scraper for engaging the outer surface of the skimmer hose whereby the scraper is adapted to scrape adhered contaminants therefrom; a safety housing which is mounted on the support frame and movable between an inoperative position and an operative position partially enclosing the drive and guide pulleys and permitting the skimmer hose to enter and exit therefrom; at least one drive pulley safety block which is mounted on the safety housing and presses the skimmer hose into frictional engagement with the drive pulley when the safety housing is in the operative position and disengages from the skimmer hose when the safety housing is in the inoperative position; and a guide pulley safety block which is mounted on the safety housing adjacent the guide pulley when the safety housing is in the operative position to prevent undue movement of the skimmer hose away from the guide pulley.