METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RECOVERY OF SEDIMENTS FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA

摘要

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREA method and device are disclosed for therecovery of sediments from the bottom of the sea bymeans of a freely suspended suction pipe provided atone end with a suction mouth. The suction mouth issuccessively slowly lowered into the sediment to berecovered and is subsequently raised to a height atwhich it is freely laterally movable. The deviceis then shifted a predetermined distance and loweredagain to repeat the cycle. The method according tothis invention avoids the problem of the suction mouthlaterally sliding into the depression previously formedin the sediment. The suction head includes looseningmeans which are construed to exert a low frictionalresistance with respect to the sediment during loweringand penetration into the sediment but a high frictionalresistance when pulled upwardly therefrom. Such adevice is more versatile with various densities ofsediment.