Abstract:
Apparatus and method for collecting and transporting cement and concrete waste. The apparatus comprises a container, a cart for supporting and moving the container, and lifting means attached to the frame of a cement truck for lifting the cart and container off the ground for transport. The apparatus may be stored on a cement truck so that the apparatus and method can be used at any job site where the cement truck is present. Use of the disclosed method and apparatus prevents disposal of cement and concrete waste in an unlawful or unsightly manner and allows the cement and concrete waste to be returned to a cement and concrete production facility and recycled.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to an apparatus and method for clean up and disposal of cement and concrete waste. The use of the subject apparatus and method facilitates the clean up of cement and concrete waste at a job site. Cement trucks having a cement mixing drum connected to a chute for delivering mixed concrete from the mixer to a particular location are commonly used throughout the country in the construction of buildings, roads and other concrete structures. When the job is finished, the cement within the chute, must be cleaned before the truck leaves the job site. Otherwise, the concrete will harden making it difficult or impossible to clean off the chute. It is common practice to wash the waste from the chute onto the ground, into a wheelbarrow, or into a nearby storm drain. However, such disposal usually violates local laws or ordinances governing the disposal of concrete or cement waste. Nevertheless, this is done regularly, either intentionally or unintentionally, because no other facilities are available at a job site to clean up the concrete waste. This invention protects the environment by keeping cement and concrete and waste from being disposed of into the storm sewers. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Cummins U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,178 discloses a device that mounts to the rear tail gate of a pick up truck and allows the user to lift the trash container off the ground for transport. Cummins discloses an articulating support frame which is attached to the back of a pick up truck. The frame engages the trash container and lifts it to a raised position for transport by the vehicle. 
     Mottin U.S. Pat. No. 3,083,849 discloses an apparatus for collecting waste materials including a waste container which is hydraulically lifted and dumped into a truck. 
     Updik, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 3,762,586 discloses a refuse collection vehicle and a front loading bin which may be hydraulically raised to dump the refuse therein into the main body of the vehicle. 
     Hite U.S. Pat. No. 4,596,347 discloses a rear mounted utility box with a dumping pivot for lawn and garden tractor. 
     Dula U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,261 discloses a vehicle hitch for securing a hand cart. 
     Kann et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,071 discloses a trash truck which has a front compartment which can be loaded and then raised to dump the contents thereof into the truck. 
     Szinte U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,428 discloses a refuse receptacle collection assembly which includes a container which can be engaged by a truck and raised so that the contents thereof can be dumped into the truck. 
     Ramsey et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,879,015 discloses a trash truck that can pick up a trash container and dump it over the side of the truck into the truck. 
     None of the foregoing prior art discloses apparatus mounted to a cement truck for clean up and disposal of concrete and cement waste or any method for doing so. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention fills an environmental need for an apparatus and method for facilitating and enabling the disposal of concrete and cement waste. The present invention provides an apparatus and method that allows the waste in the concrete delivery chute or otherwise on the job site to be removed easily and transported to the cement production facility or some other remote location where it may be recycled. 
     In one embodiment of this invention, the apparatus includes a container to receive cement and concrete waste. The container is a barrel or other receptacle which may be made of metal, plastic or any other suitable material. The apparatus further includes some facilities for supporting the container, such as a cart which allows the container to be moved easily along the ground. The cart, preferably, has a brake to allow its movement to be slowed or stopped by an operator. The cart includes facilities for securing the container onto the cart. 
     A lifting assembly is mounted to the frame of a cement mixer truck, preferably between the cab of the truck and the mixer, for lifting the cart and the container mounted thereto off the ground for transport of the cement waste to a remote location, typically the concrete production facility where it can be recycled. The lifting assembly includes an electric or manual winch which can be operated to lift the heavy cart and container off the ground. The electric winch can be powered by the battery of the truck. After the cart is engaged by the lifting assembly, it is secured to the truck so that it can be safely transported. The container is covered by a lid during transport. 
     An optional agitation or vibrating assembly may also be mounted to agitate the waste in the container to prevent the cement from setting during transport. This may be externally mounted to the container or a vibrating element may be extended into the concrete waste in the container to vibrate it from either the top, bottom or sides of the container. 
     The subject method of this invention includes positioning a drum or container under the chute of the cement truck so that material collected from washing the chute can be deposited into the container. Waste located in the chute is washed from the chute and collected in the container. Additional waste may also be removed from the job site by hand and deposited into the container. The container is then moved to a position where it can be lifted onto the frame of the cement truck. The container is then lifted onto the cement truck and is secured to allow safe transport of the container to a remote location. 
     Use of the apparatus and method of this invention avoids depositing cement or concrete waste in locations that may violate laws or ordinances. By storing the container on the cement truck when it is not in use, it insures that a convenient apparatus and method of concrete and cement disposal is always available wherever the cement truck is present. When the cement truck returns to the cement or concrete production facility, the waste may be recycled and used in future cement or concrete production. Alternatively, it may be safely disposed of at the production facility, if desired. 
     Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and the specific examples while representing the preferred embodiments are given by way of illustration only. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cement truck having apparatus for disposal of cement waste in accordance with the principles of this invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container, cart, cage assembly and lifting assembly, and a portion of the frame of the cement truck. 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of one embodiment of a lifting assembly that may be used to lift the cart and container for transport in accordance with the principles of this invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the cage assembly. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the lifting assembly. 
     FIG. 6 illustrates the apparatus of this invention in three different positions. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following description is of the best presently contemplated modes of carrying out the inventions. This description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention and should not be taken in a limiting sense. 
     In accordance with the present invention, there is shown in FIG. 1 a cement truck generally designated as  10 . The cement truck has a mixer  11 , a cab  12 , and a frame  14 . Mounted behind the cab  12 , and before the mixer  11  is disposal apparatus generally designated as  16 . This apparatus includes a container  17  which is mounted on a cart  18 . While the disposal apparatus  16  is shown as being mounted behind the cab  12 , which is the most convenient place to do so, it may nevertheless be mounted elsewhere on the frame  14  for transport of the concrete waste to a remote location. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, the container  17  is shown mounted on the cart  18 . The cart  18  includes a pair of rear wheels  19  and a pair of front wheels or casters  21 . The wheels are either the same or different sizes if desired. The use of the large wheels  19  and the smaller casters  21  allow the cart to be rolled flat or tilted back like a hand truck. The wheels  21  are preferably casters so they allow the cart to be rotated easily if desired for positioning the cart both beneath the chute (not shown) of the cement truck, or positioning it near the lifting assembly identified generally as  36 , which is mounted to the truck frame  14  as described more fully hereinafter. The cart  18  includes a handle  23  and a frame  25 . The cart  18  also includes a parking brake  24  which when pulled moves a pair of plates  26  against each wheel  19  to slow or prevent the wheels from rotating. 
     The container  17  is supported by a cage assembly  28  which is rotatably mounted to the frame  25  of the cart  18 . The frame  25  has a pair of pillow blocks  29  mounted thereto for receiving a pair of shafts  35  connected to the cage assembly  28  which is shown in FIG.  4 . The cage assembly  28  has a top band  32  to which shafts  35  are welded on opposite sides. The top band  32  may be separable at  33  to allow easy insertion of container  17 . A handle  31  is mounted to one shaft  35  of the cage assembly  28  to allow the container  17  to be tilted to either allow the contents of the container  17  to be dumped or to align the container  17  with the chute so that material can be washed out of the chute into the container relatively easily. The handle  31  can be moved forward or backwards while the cart is on the ground to tilt the container in either direction for dumping. When the cart  17  is loaded on the truck, the cart can be tilted backwards for dumping without it being disengaged from the truck. Preferably the container  17  is a thirty gallon polyethylene container. It may also be made of metal or other plastic materials. The cage assembly  28  is preferably made of stainless steel. The cage can be rotated relative to the cart  18  by moving the handle  31  either forward or backward. 
     Referring now to both FIGS. 2 and 3, the lifting assembly generally designated as  36  is shown mounted to the frame  14  of the truck  10 . The lifting assembly  36  is mounted to truck frame  14  using existing bolt hole patterns such as those shown at  40 . If bolt holes do not exist, holes may be drilled in the frame  14  to allow the lifting assembly  36  to be mounted thereto. Alternatively, the lifting assembly could be welded to the frame or fastened by some by other means well known in the art. 
     The lifting assembly  36  includes a pair of angle members  37  interconnected by a U shaped member  38  which extends from one angle member  37  to the other angle member  37 . A pair of cross bars  41  and  42  are mounted to the angle members  37  for rotary movement relative thereto. The members  41  and  42  are connected to a pair of lifting arms  43  and  44  on each side of the lifting assembly  36 . At the end of each pair of lifting arms  43  and  44  there is an engaging assembly generally designated as  46 . The engaging assembly  46  will be explained more fully hereinafter. 
     The lifting assembly  36  engages the shafts  35  of the cage assembly  28  holding the container  17  to lift the entire container  17 , cage assembly  28  and cart assembly  18  onto the truck  10 . Lifting can be accomplished either by an electric winch or a manual winch which mounted to the truck  10  and is generally designated as  51 . The winch  51  has a drum  52  on which is mounted a cable  53  which has one end connected at  54  to an arm  43  of the lifting assembly  36 . When the winch  51  is actuated, the pair of arms  43  and  44  rotate upwardly to lift the cart and container off the ground. A rubber sealed lid, not shown, is preferably attached and locked onto the container to keep all waste in the container during transport. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 5, the engaging assembly  46  includes a vertical support  56  against which the vertical frame of the cart  18  is held during transport. If desired a rubber pad  59  may be bonded to support  56  to protect the cart frame  25 . A pair of U shaped members generally designated as  57  each have a quick release hitch or locking pin  58  which locks each shaft  35  of the cage assembly  28  when the lifting assembly  36  engages the cage assembly. 
     Referring now to FIG. 6A there is shown the container  17  on cart  18  which is resting on the ground prior to being lifted onto the truck. The lifting assembly  36  is shown in engagement with the cage assembly  28 . FIG. 6C the lifting assembly  36  is shown in the fully raised position in which the cart  18  is transported on the truck. FIG. 6B shows the lifting assembly  36  in an intermediate position where the cart  18  is partially lowered to allow waste to be dumped from the container  17  while on the truck. 
     The container  17  may be agitated during transport in a number of different ways. An agitator or shaker may be mounted to the cage to agitate the cage during transit. The agitator may be electrically operated and powered by the battery. Alternatively, a rod may be placed into the container either from the bottom, top or the sides of the container, and the rod may be agitated or vibrated during transit to prevent the waste in the container from setting. 
     In use at the job site, the lifting assembly  36  is lowered and the cart  18  and container  17  are disengaged from the engaging assembly  46 . The cart  18  is rolled to the end of the truck where the chute can be placed into or above the entrance into the container  17 . The chute is then washed out into the container  17 . Any other waste lying around the job site can be deposited by hand into the container. The cart  18  is then rolled over to the lifting assembly  36  where the engaging assembly  46  is positioned such that the U shaped members  57  engage the shafts  35  of the cage assembly  28 . The locking pins  58  are inserted in place to secure the cage assembly  28  to the lifting assembly  36 . The winch  51  is actuated to pull the arms  43  and  44  up to raise the cart  18  and container  17  off the ground. The winch pulls the entire assembly tight against the truck frame where it remains for transport. Safety chains or lanyards may further secure the apparatus for transport. At the cement production facility, the winch is reversed to lower the cart  18  to the ground or to the position shown in FIG. 6B to allow waste to be dumped while the apparatus is on the truck. When the apparatus is lowered to the position shown in FIG. 6A, the locking pins  58  are released to allow the engaging assembly  46  to disengage from the shafts  35  of the cage assembly. The cart  18  can then be wheeled to wherever the cement and concrete waste is to be disposed of. 
     Although the present invention has been described in terms of certain preferred embodiments and exemplified with respect thereto, one skilled in the art will readily appreciate the various modification, changes, omissions, and substitutions may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It is intended that the present invention be limited soley by the scope of the following claims: