Patent ID: 7767094

Claim:
Apparatus for collecting solids settling at the bottom of a liquid reservoir, said apparatus comprising a hollow suction head, said suction head comprising a hollow body having an upper side and a lower side, said lower side defining a mouth, at least one outlet duct extending from said hollow suction head, a collector communicating with said at least one outlet duct for collecting materials from said suction head, said collector comprising a housing defining a collection chamber of substantially circular cross-section and buoyant support means for providing buoyant support to said housing, said housing including at least one entry port through which liquids and solids entrained in said liquid can flow from said suction head into the chamber via said at least one outlet duct, means for introducing air into said suction head to create a suction pressure in said suction head to cause in use liquid and solids adjacent said mouth to pass along said at least one outlet duct into said at least one entry port for collection in said chamber, and there being guide means in said chamber adjacent said entry port for directing liquids and entrained solids from said outlet duct in a generally tangential direction into said chamber.