摘要 |
<p>PCT No. PCT/GB94/02672 Sec. 371 Date Jun. 28, 1996 Sec. 102(e) Date Jun. 28, 1996 PCT Filed Nov. 30, 1994 PCT Pub. No. WO95/15280 PCT Pub. Date Jun. 8, 1995Apparatus for extracting fluent material from a container, for example to remove oil or toxic fluid from a submerged or sunken container, e.g., a tank in a sunken ship, has a device for locating (29) and securing (21, 27) the apparatus against a wall of such a container, a device for forming an aperture in the wall (15, 17), a device for extracting the fluid through the aperture, and a closure device for the aperture. Preferably the apparatus has two parts, a first upper module (1) comprising a driving device and a drilling or milling device (17) for making an aperture in the wall, and a second lower module (4), comprising the closure device (12) operable mechanically or hydraulically by the first module. The first and second modules are releasably connected together and can be separated under control of the first module. The apparatus is moved into position by thruster drive units (29) and may be guided remotely from a remote monitor connected to a video camera mounted on the apparatus. A method is also disclosed, in which the apparatus is secured to an upper portion of the container wall for removal of light fluids and to a lower portion for heavy fluids.</p> |