APPARATUS FOR RECOVERY OF SEDIMENTS FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA

摘要

The present invention relates to apparatus for removing sediment from the bottom of the sea. The apparatus includes a suction head for securement to a suction pipe with the suction head providing low frictional resistance during penetration and high frictional resistance upon removal of the suction head in the vertical direction. This is accomplished by means of loosening members extending outwardly from the suction head and secured thereto in a manner to facilitate penetration and to strip or scrape the sediment upon removal. These loosening members may be in the form of a folding anchor or a worm member orientated to be drilled or tapped into the sediment and provide a stripping action upon removal. This suction head can be advantageously employed with a suction pipe and floating body having propulsion means for progressively sampling the sediment at spaced locations in a given direction. Prior art devices normally include vibrators which have not been entirely satisfactory and have difficulty in dense sediment, where one would like to remove a core of sediment.