Abstract:
A central mobile air collection and treatment platform to establish and maintain a negative air pressure environment in a designated structure. Multiple stage air filtration stations within a central vacuum source combine general dust filtration, collection and disposal with inline multiple particulate HEPA filtration in a high volume self-contained mobile platform configuration for adaptable multi-venue staging.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    This invention relates to devices and processes for creating negative air environments in building structures for the collection, filtration and removal of air entrained particulate matter. Current regulations, such as Section 112 of the Clean Air Act states that particulate laden air creates health issues for workers involved in the material removable such as friable asbestos and the like. Such air contamination occurs when surfaces and structures are disturbed during renovation, disassembly, removal and rehabilitation in the construction industry. Regulations require that such particulate laden air be evacuated and that friable particulates be contained and collected during the process. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Prior Art 
         [0004]    Prior art devices have used a variety of different air collection, containment and filtration systems, such as room specific small mobile negative air machines with HEPA filters. 
         [0005]    Large industrial vacuum cleaners and dust collector devices have also been developed, see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,774,974, 4,820,315, 4,979,967 and 7,094,142. 
         [0006]    In U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,974 is directed to a system for removing asbestos from structures having a remote small sealed work area connected to a collection chamber for initial particulate separation through multiple filter bags. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,315 discloses a vacuum loader and processor for removing asbestos comprising a separation filtration unit, a centrifuge separator, dust and portable bagger to bag and remove air entrained asbestos. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,967 claims a contaminant transportation apparatus having a cargo chamber, air handler to maintain vacuum pressure and a filtering system associated therewith. 
         [0009]    Finally, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,094,142 illustrates a portable device with interchangeable cleaning modules for the removal of contaminants in an airstream. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    A mobile platform base central dust collection with HEPA filter configuration to establish a total enclosure negative vacuum particulate containment apparatus. A high volume low vac dust filtration by a dust filter bag assembly with multiple dust filter bags defines a first filter stage. A dual bank of HEPA filters arranged downstream of a vacuum containment fan provides a second and final filtration stage air cleaning of air volume calculated output equal to dust filtration required. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of the collection and removal device of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view thereof. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is an end view on lines  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view on lines  4 - 4  of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2  of the drawings, a mobile vacuum dust collection filtration platform apparatus  10  of the invention can be seen having a self-contained wheeled carrier  11  with a support frame  13 , dual axle wheel assemblies  14  and a hitch  15  extending from one end thereof for mobile repositioning and site transportation. 
         [0016]    The vacuum dust collection filtration platform  10  is secured on the wheeled carrier  11  affording mobile deployment and placement at sites specific work sites (not shown) that heretofore required multiple negative air filtration application environments. The filtration platform apparatus  10  has a first stage material dust collector control assembly  16  comprised of a vacuum cartridge bag base dust filter assembly  17 . Dual vacuum containment material inlets  18  and  19  are provided in communication with a plurality of dust collection filter bag cartridges  21  within the dust filter assembly  17 . The dust collection filter bag cartridges  21  are arranged in aligned spaced sequential rows  22  defining maximum dust filtration exposed surface within a filter mounting and separation containment frame and enclosure  23 . 
         [0017]    Bag cartridge access panels  20  are provided for removal and service of the filter bag cartridges  21  and lower chamber clean out access assembly generally indicated at  21 A as will be well known to those skilled in the art in accordance with such filtration applications in the industry. A compressed air filter purge nozzle assembly  24 , illustrated graphically, is positioned above the multiple dust collection filter bag cartridges  21  and is supplied air under pressure by an onboard air compressor generally indicated at  25 . The air filter purge nozzle assembly  24  allows for select “purging” of the respective filter bag cartridge assemblies, decreasing replacement requirements during operation parameters and assures maximum airflow therethrough. The “purged” dust, as noted, is collected in the clean-out assembly  21  A having a transfer auger assembly  26  and outlet valve  27  interengaged in a collective compressive manner of particulate dissemination. 
         [0018]    First stage dust filter  16  accordingly supplies clean air indicating at CA that exits the filter assembly  17  via a transfer collection chamber duct  28  having a high vac blower fan assembly  29  in communication therewith which supplies vacuum circulation through the multiple vacuum dust collection platform  10  of the invention. The blower fan assembly  29  has a blower fan  30  with a power drive source  31  interconnected by a drive belt and housing assembly  32  as best seen in  FIGS. 1 and 4  of the drawings. The blower fan  30  draws the first stage filtered air CA up and into an air flow distribution manifold duct  33  having directional baffles  34  therewithin to divide and direct equally the air supply streams to respective spaced parallel effacing fine particulate (HEPA) filter banks  35  and  36 , best seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3  of the drawings. Each of the HEPA filter banks  34  and  35  arc within a containment and filter access housing  35 A and  36 A in which multiple HERA filter cartridges  37  are positioned. 
         [0019]    Air flow directional arrows A illustrate air intake, filter flow patterns and exit through the hereinbefore described multiple stage negative air filtration platform apparatus  10  of the invention. 
         [0020]    The filtered access and containment HEPA filter housings  35 A and  36 A have clean air exhaust outlets at  38  and multiple filter access service doors  39  affording HEPA filtration removable access and replacement based on calculated and operation air flow pressure parameters within the filter housings in accordance with standard HEPA filter applications. 
         [0021]    In operation, the mobile vacuum dust collector filtration platform apparatus  10  is positioned at a work site indicated by broken lines arrow brackets WS to provide a central negative air vacuum dust collection and particulate filtration thereto. Establishment of such negative air environments therewithin are well known and understood within the art and as such further description and explanation is not deemed necessary. 
         [0022]    Negative air vacuum transfer lines shown in broken lines at  40  extend from the work site WS structure establishing a negative air exhaust environment in which fresh make-up air is drawn through the work venue to maintain a negative vacuum environment via filtered exhaust air requirements applications. 
         [0023]    The flexible transfer lines  40  extend to and are in communication with the hereinbefore described negative air vacuum contaminant material inlets  18  and  19 . Contaminated particulate air stream  41  is established into the first stage dust collector assembly  16  by the disclosed and described central high vac blower fan assembly  29 . The second and final filter stage designated by multiple HERA filter banks  35  and  36  as hereinbefore described assure safe exhaust air discharge at  38  into the environment. It will thus be seen that a new and novel mobile self-contained negative air particulate collection and removal device in a platform venue have been illustrated and described and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore I claim: