Patent ID: 7887700

Claim:
An apparatus for skimming liquid from a surface, said apparatus comprising: a suction port having an open end configured to receive a fluid; a conduit having a first end and a second end, said first end of said conduit in fluid communication with said suction port; a storage tank in fluid communication with said second end of said conduit, said storage tank separated from said suction port by said conduit, said storage tank configured to receive said fluid from said suction port, said storage tank having an opening that prevents a differential pressure from developing between an inside and an outside of said storage tank, said storage tank configured to be partially submerged in said fluid with said suction port adjacent to a surface of said fluid; an outlet in fluid communication with said conduit, said fluid flowing by gravity into said outlet from said suction port and said storage tank; and a pivot mechanism attached to said conduit adjacent a pivoting axis whereby said storage tank moves in a substantially vertical direction and said suction port moves in an opposite vertical direction when said conduit pivots, said pivot mechanism configured to position said pivoting axis below said surface of said fluid when said suction port is adjacent said surface of said fluid, and a location of said pivoting axis being immovable relative to said surface of said fluid such that said location of said pivoting axis does not change when a level of said surface of said fluid changes.