Patent ID: 7785035

Claim:
An apparatus which is floatable and movable on a surface of a water system for collecting material therefrom, wherein the apparatus comprises: a cargo space having forward and rearward walls for storing the material collected from the water system surface therewithin, at least one ballast tank which is divided into at least two separate parts, wherein water from the water system may be introduced into one of the separate parts of the at least one ballast tank so as to controllably alter cargo space draught in the water system and thereby maintain the collected material within the cargo space at a level which is the same as the water system surface, a collecting assembly including a collecting platform connected to the cargo space forwardly of the forward wall thereof, and an adjustment device for adjusting the collecting platform in relation to the water system surface so the collecting platform is maintained at a desired height below the water system surface, wherein the collecting assembly receives water of the water system and material to be collected therefrom as the apparatus moves in a forwardly direction through the water system, and directs the received water of the water system and material to be collected therefrom into the cargo space, and wherein the water of the water system and material to be collected therefrom pass over the collecting platform before passing into the cargo space; and water exhaustion means comprising openings in the rearward wall of the cargo space which are positioned below the water system surface for allowing water to be exhausted from the cargo space, wherein movement of the apparatus in the forwardly direction responsively causes an under pressure condition to exist rearwardly of the rearward wall of the cargo space to thereby draw water received in the cargo space through the openings and be removed therefrom, whereby material collected from the water system surface is retained in the cargo space.