Patent ID: 8318012

Claim:
An oil skimmer assembly for collecting an oil and water mixture found in the surface layer of a body of water and for use with a water vessel having a hull and deck forming a bow section, a mid-section and a stern section, at least one of the bow section or the stern section having an rake exterior wall surface, comprising: a pair of separated side walls, each side wall having one vertical edge forming an angle compatible for affixing to the rake exterior wall surface, each side wall having an upper edge section and a lower edge section; a skimmer bottom plate extending between and affixed to the pair of separated side walls at their lower edge sections, the skimmer bottom plate having a leading edge and a rearward edge for affixing to the rake exterior wall surface, and at least one opening positioned between the leading edge and the rearward edge; a weir assembly comprising a weir plate affixed to and extending upward from the skimmer bottom plate at a position between the at least one opening and the rearward edge, the weir plate having a top edge; wherein the side walls, the skimmer bottom plate and the weir assembly when affixed to the rake exterior wall surface form a skimming entrance into which the oil and water mixture can enter and form an oil and water mixture collecting compartment to receive the oil and water mixture that passes over the weir plate top edge.