Abstract:
An apparatus for the collection of wet concrete residue that results from rinsing of a concrete dispensing element of a concrete delivery vehicle. The apparatus includes a container body having an internal volume with an open top and a back wall and side wall, a shield guard that extends above a back and at least portions of the side walls of the container body, a containment cover that is hingedly attached to the container body and which permits the containment cover to open between a full opened position where the open top of the container body is accessible, and a fully closed position wherein the container cover water tightly closes the open top of the container body, a drain valve connected to the container body to control flow of liquid out of the container body, a strainer associated with the drain valve which prevents aggregate from being drained through the drain valve, and suspension hooks for suspending the apparatus on a concrete dispensing element of a concrete delivery vehicle.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates generally to apparatuses and methods for reclamation of concrete, and more specifically, to a vehicle-mounted apparatus and method for collection of wet concrete residue from dispensing elements of concrete delivery vehicles. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Concrete is composed of aggregate (generally a coarse aggregate such as gravel, limestone, or granite, plus a fine aggregate such as sand), cement (commonly Portland cement) and can also include other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement (with the cement and cementitious materials acting to hold the aggregate together, water, and can also include other chemical admixtures. Depending on the intended use, fiberglass, chemicals and other additives can be added. Concrete is commonly transported to a construction site in concrete mixture delivery vehicles, typically concrete transport trucks (in-transit mixers) having a large rotating mixing drum. During transportation, the concrete is in a wet, relatively flowable state. At the construction site, the wet concrete mixture is installed. One typical method to deliver the concrete from the drum is via one or more pour chutes. 
         [0003]    After substantially all of the concrete mixture is unloaded from the delivery transport truck, a considerable amount of wet concrete continues to adhere to the pour chutes. In the past, this remaining wet concrete mixture was merely hosed off onto the ground or down storm drains. In recent years, however, the rinse water used to clean the pour chutes is considered a potential groundwater contaminant. Consequently, environmental laws generally prohibit the disbursal of such rinse waters onto the ground, onto streets, or down storm drains. All such rinse waters must be recouped and recycled without being allowed to flow into streets, storm drains or gutters or allowed to percolate into the soil. 
         [0004]    One way that has been used to deal with concrete mixture rinse waters at large construction sites has been to deposit such rinse waters in a prefabricated lined evaporation pit. However, the construction of a prefabricated evaporation pit at smaller commercial and residential construction sites is impractical and not cost effective. 
         [0005]    There are various devices and systems for removal of concrete chute rinse water in the delivery vehicle. Many systems require the use of expensive and bulky hydraulic, pneumatic or electrical components which must be carried on the delivery vehicle. Such hydraulic or electrical components are expensive to purchase and maintain and awkward to carry on the delivery vehicle. Also, such hydraulic, pneumatic or electrical components leave the driver of the delivery vehicle vulnerable to hydraulic, pneumatic and electrical system failures which would prevent use of the equipment at the construction site. Still further, proposed equipment in the prior art can suffer from leakage of contaminated water during the normal operation. Many prior devices and methods require the use of the vehicle&#39;s mixing drum to store the recovered rinse water. Storing such rinse water in the mixing drum can adversely affect the integrity of the next load of concrete mixture prepared and transported within the mixing drum, unless the rinse water is thoroughly drained from the mixing drum prior to the preparation of the next batch of concrete mixture. From a practical standpoint, this is a major disadvantage of such proposed equipment because there is a strong temptation among individual concrete mixture preparation personnel to reuse the rinse water (already in the mixing drum) rather than to take the time to thoroughly drain and reconstitute the rinse water and to replace it in the mixing drum with fresh water. 
         [0006]    The co-inventor&#39;s prior patented apparatus, covered by U.S. Pat. No. 7,117,995, avoids many of these problems by using a purely gravity fed system comprising a first, opened container for collecting the washed off concrete slurry that is suspended from the concrete chute, a second closed collection container for collecting grey water collected from the first container, and a transfer conduit for gravity feeding of the grey water from the first to the second container. While this system is excellent, there are some situations wherein the volume of grey water to be collected is not excessive, and it would be beneficial to provide a more simplified and lower cost apparatus and method. 
         [0007]    Accordingly, there is a need for a vehicle-mounted apparatus and method for collection of wet concrete residue from dispensing elements of concrete delivery vehicles. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The invention is an apparatus and method useful in the separation of solids from a diluted, wet concrete mixture. The apparatus and method is suitable for use on a concrete mixture delivery vehicle. An apparatus for the collection of wet concrete residue that results from rinsing of a concrete dispensing element of a concrete delivery vehicle, the apparatus comprising: 
         [0009]    a container body having an internal volume with an open top and a back wall and side wall; 
         [0010]    a shield guard that extends above a back and at least portions of the side walls of the container body; 
         [0011]    a containment cover that is hingedly attached to the container body and which permits the containment cover to open between a full opened position where the open top of the container body is accessible, and a fully closed position wherein the container cover water tightly closes the open top of the container body 
         [0012]    a drain valve connected to the container body to control flow of liquid out of the container body; 
         [0013]    a strainer associated with the drain valve which prevents aggregate from being drained through the drain valve; and 
         [0014]    suspension engagements for suspending the apparatus on a concrete dispensing element of a concrete delivery vehicle. 
         [0015]    An apparatus for the collection of wet concrete residue that results from rinsing of a concrete dispensing element of a concrete delivery vehicle, the apparatus comprising: 
         [0016]    a container body having an internal volume with an open top and a back wall and side wall; 
         [0017]    a shield guard that extends above a back and at least portions of the side walls of the container body; 
         [0018]    a containment cover that is adapted to cover the open top of container body; 
         [0019]    a drain valve connected to the container body to control flow of liquid out of the container body; 
         [0020]    a strainer associated with the drain valve which prevents aggregate from being drained through the drain valve; and 
         [0021]    hooks for suspending the apparatus on a concrete dispensing element of a concrete delivery vehicle. 
         [0022]    The invention further comprises a method for the collection of and disposing of cement waste from the chute of a concrete delivery vehicle, comprising: 
         [0023]    hanging the collection apparatus by its hooks on an end of a concrete delivery vehicle&#39;s concrete chute; 
         [0024]    washing down the chute so that waste concrete including concrete grey water and aggregate located on the chute is deposited into the apparatus, and not necessary in the following order: 
         [0025]    using the containment cover to cover and seal closed the open top of container body of the collection apparatus; 
         [0026]    removing the collection apparatus from the end of the chute and securing it to the concrete delivery vehicle; and 
         [0027]    transporting the collection apparatus back with the concrete delivery vehicle to a location where concrete grey water is drained from the apparatus and aggregate is emptied from the apparatus. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0028]      FIG. 1  is a partially exposed perspective view of an exemplary apparatus for the collection of wet concrete residue from a dispensing element of a concrete delivery vehicle, with its lid in an opened position. 
           [0029]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the exemplary apparatus of  FIG. 1 , but with its lid in a closed position. 
           [0030]      FIG. 3  is a rear view of the exemplary apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0031]      FIG. 4  is a detail showing a feature for holding the hinged lid of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  in a fully opened position. 
           [0032]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the exemplary apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0033]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional detail view showing one embodiment of how the hinged lid seals with a seating rim on and inside of bucket portion of the apparatus. 
           [0034]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional detail view showing another embodiment of how the hinged lid seals with a seating rim on and inside of bucket portion of the apparatus. 
           [0035]      FIG. 8  is a diagrammatic view showing the exemplary apparatus of the invention in use suspended from the end of a concrete delivery chute of a cement delivery truck. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0036]    The following discussion describes in detail one embodiment of the invention and several variations of that embodiment. This discussion should not be construed, however, as limiting the invention to those particular embodiments. Practitioners skilled in the art will recognize numerous other embodiments as well. 
         [0037]      FIG. 1  is a partially exposed perspective view of an exemplary apparatus  10  for the collection of wet concrete residue that results, from rinsing of a dispensing element, such as a chute  60  that delivers concrete from a mixing drum  62  of a concrete delivery vehicle  64  (as best seen in  FIG. 6 ).  FIG. 1  shows the exemplary apparatus  10  with its containment cover  28  in an opened position. The apparatus  10  comprises a container body  12  that has side walls  14 , a front wall  18 , a back wall  18  and a bottom  20 . The side walls  14  can preferably have indentations  15  formed therein for added strength, and also to adapt the apparatus  10  to be suspended on a carrying rack  66  on a concrete truck  64 . A bottom rim  54  is preferably extends formed below the bottom  20  of the container body  12  and an relief  17  is formed therein, also to help suspend the apparatus on the carrying rack  66  of the concrete delivery truck  64 . Extending above the back wall  18  and the side walls  14  is a splash guard portion  21  that has side walls  22  and a back wall  24 . The splash guard  21  is preferably integrally formed together with the rest of container body  12 , and the container body  12  can, for example, be formed of plastic, fiber reinforced plastic, fiberglass, aluminum, high strength rubber, and the like. While the container portion is shown as generally rectangular in shape, it can also have a more circular or oval shape is desired. A grip  26  can preferably be formed into the top of the back wall  24  of the shield guard  21 . A containment cover (e.g., a lid)  28  is provided in order to allow an open top  29  of the container body  12  to be closed. The containment cover  28  can comprise, for example a lid that has a top  30  and a perimeter rim  32 , and tabs  34  with the containment cover  28  preferably being pivotally hinged to the container body  12  with pivots  36 . While it is preferable that the containment cover  28  be hingedly attached to the apparatus  10 , the containment cover  28  can alternately be a lid which is fully detachable from the container portion. A seat  38  is preferably formed about an inside of the container body  12 . When the containment cover  28  is lowered it will make sealing contact with the seat  38 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 6 . The containment cover  28  preferably has a hand grip  40  near its front edge. In order to suspend the apparatus from a front on a chute  60  of a concrete delivery truck  64 , suspension engagements  42 , e.g., hooks, are provided. In the embodiment shown, the hooks  42  are attached to side walls  22  of the splash guard  21 , but they could be connected with other portions or even integrally formed with the splash guard  21  if desired. The hooks  42  can preferably be made of metal such as steel, and have a base plate  50  and a backing plate  52  that secure the hooks  42  to the side walls  22  of the shield guard  21 . A lip rim  44  can be formed around a front portion of the container body  12  to provide the container body  12  with additional strength and stability. Located on the front wall  16  of the container body  12  is a drain opening with a drain valve  46  connected thereto to allow liquid to be collected inside the apparatus  10  to be drained when desired. In order to prevent coarse aggregate, such as gravel from being drained from the container body  12 , a strainer  48  is preferably located on the inside of the container body  12 . The size of the openings in the strainer  48  can be sized to stop large gravel and pea gravel, if desired. However, the strainer will allow water and dissolved cement to be drained when desired. The strainer  48  has a plurality of apertures. Typically, the plurality of apertures are round holes having diameters between about ¼ inch and about ⅜ inch. In lieu of providing round holes, the strainer can be formed of a wire mesh, expanded metal, and the like. To securely retain the apparatus  10  in place on the end of the chute  60  of a cement truck  64  during rinsing of the chute  60 , an elastic band with a hook  56  can be provided. This same elastic band  56  can be used to further secure the apparatus  10  when engaged with the carrying rack  66  on the concrete delivery truck  64 . 
         [0038]    The volume of the container base  12  is preferably between about 5 gallons and about 15 gallons, and for easy handling (since fresh water weights 8.35 pounds or 3.8 kg), should preferably not be over 8 to 10 gallons. Typically, the top opening  29  of the base container  12  has a width between about 10 inches and about 20 inches, and more preferably about 14 inches, and a depth typically between about 10 inches and about 20 inches, and more preferably about 14 inches. The height of the container portion  12  can be between about 8 inches and 20 inches, and preferably about 15 inches. For ease of handling, the apparatus  10  can be made of lightweight yet strong and durable materials so its less than about 20 to 25 pounds. 
         [0039]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the exemplary apparatus of  FIG. 1 , but with its containment cover  28  in a closed position. In this position, the containment cover  28  seats on the seat, as best shown in  FIG. 6 . The feature of  FIG. 2  are as shown and described with respect to  FIG. 1 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 3  is a rear view of the exemplary apparatus  10  of  FIG. 1 . The grip  26  is shown molded in the top of the back wall  24  of the shield guard  21 . This grip provides a handy grip for a user to hold and carry the apparatus  10 , and as shown in  FIG. 4 , provides a retention means to keep the containment cover  28  opened during use. 
         [0041]      FIG. 4  is a detail showing a feature for holding the hinged containment cover  28  of the apparatus  10  in a fully opened position when it is desired to fully access the open top  29  of the container body  12 . This feature comprises an interference fit of the grip  26  formed on the back wall  24  of the shield guard  24 , and the hand grip  40  of the containment cover  28 . When it is desired to lower the containment cover  28 , the user will pull down on the containment cover  28 , and thereby release the interference fit of the grip  26  formed on the back wall  24  of the shield guard  24  and the hand grip  40  of the containment cover  28 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the exemplary apparatus  10 . The containment body  12  with its side  14  with indentations  15 , bottom rim  54  extending formed below the bottom  20  of the container body  12  and relief  17 , the shield guard  21 , pivots  36 , drain valve  46 , hooks  42 , backing plate  52 , and elastic band with hook  56  are shown. 
         [0043]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional detail view showing a first exemplary embodiment of how the hinged containment cover  28  seals with the seating rim  38  on and inside of container body  12 . A recess  58  is preferably formed around the seating rim  38  (located inside of the lip rim  44 ) into which the perimeter rim  32  of the hinged containment cover  28  will fit in sealing contact. When the containment cover  28  is lowered, a tight fit can be established that will prevent any liquid and solids (e.g. grey water washed off of the chute  60 ) from leaking out when the apparatus  10  is carried. 
         [0044]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional detail view showing another exemplary embodiment of how the hinged containment cover  28  seals with container body  12 . In this embodiment the hinged containment covers has a perimeter rim  32  with an outer surface  60 . When the hinged lid is lowered, the outer surface of the perimeter rim  32  will be snuggly positioned against an inside surface  62  of walls  14  (and  16  and  18 , not shown) of the container body  12 . This will establish a tight fit that will prevent any liquid and solids (e.g. grey water washed off of the chute  70 ) from leaking out when the apparatus  10  is carried. 
         [0045]      FIG. 8  is a diagrammatic view showing the exemplary apparatus  10  of the invention in use suspended from the end of a concrete delivery chute  70  connected to the mixing drum  72  of a concrete delivery vehicle  74 . While the apparatus  10  is shown as hanging on a rear positioned chute  70 , the apparatus can be used for cleaning front mounted chutes (not shown), or other delivery chutes. 
         [0046]    In operation and method of the invention, after concrete is delivered from the mixing drum  72  and down the chute, and no more concrete is needed, there will remain a considerable amount of concrete residue on the chute  70 . If this concrete were to be left unattended on the chute  70 , and the concrete deliver vehicle  74  attempted to drive away, concrete would spill on roadway and the remaining concrete on the chute would cure and interfere with smooth delivery of future loads of concrete from the chute  70 . Accordingly, concrete delivery drivers will invariably rinse the chute  70  will a hose to remove concrete. As noted above, in the past, many drivers would simply allow the rinse water, which is full of cement and aggregate to fall onto the ground, roadways, or flow down sewers and storm drains, which is highly polluting. Using the apparatus and method of the invention, after an operator of the concrete delivery vehicle has completed delivering concrete, any loose and excess concrete is first scraped off the chute  70  and collected on a pile as waste concrete, typically on a pile at the job site. After that, the operator will suspend the apparatus  10  by its hooks  42  on the end of the chute  70  (which has complementary suspension points) of a concrete delivery vehicle  74 , with the containment cover  28  in an opened position with the back wall  24  of the shield guard  21  facing the end of the chute  70  so that the concrete being rinsed will not splash outside of the apparatus  10 . The operator will ensure that drain valve  46  is closed. The operator will then rinse the chute and related parts with a stream of water (e.g., from a hose), and allow the rinsed grey water and any aggregate to be rinsed into the container body  12  of the apparatus  10 . After the chute is thoroughly rinsed and is clean, the operator will close the containment cover  28  to secure the contained grey water and aggregate in the container body  12 , and will lift and remove the apparatus from the end of the chute  70 . The operator will then place the apparatus  10  and its contents on the rack  76  and secure it for travel back to the concrete delivery vehicle&#39;s  74  base of operation, e.g., a ready mix facility. At the concrete ready mix facility, the grey water will be drained from the apparatus  10 , e.g., by opening the drain valve  46 , and if desired, can be recycled back into future loads of concrete to be mixed. The aggregate and other solids that are collected in the container body  12 , can then be dumped out of the apparatus  10  and if desired, reused. 
         [0047]    Unlike prior art systems that require pumps and drain lines that connect containers, with the current invention, the container body  10  both collects the grey water and aggregate from the chute being rinsed and also permits easy carrying and handling of the collected liquids and solids back to the concrete delivery truck&#39;s base of operation. 
         [0048]    The invention provides for a simple and efficient method of dealing with waste concrete mix residue without the need of expensive, bulky and difficult to maintain electrical and/or hydraulic components. The incorporation of a lid with the apparatus alleviates problems of spillage after the collection of grey water and provides a quick and easy solution for a vexing problem. 
         [0049]    Having thus described the invention, it should be apparent that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope and fair meaning of the instant invention as set forth hereinabove and as described hereinbelow by the claims.