Patent Abstract:
A three-yard concrete bucket with integral ladder is provided which comprises a series of steps attached by welding to the exterior perimeter of the bucket. When attached, a worker can easily inspect the inside of the bucket, clean the bucket, or enter the interior of the bucket. No external ladders or devices are needed.

Full Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present invention was first described in Disclosure Document No. 476,333 filed on Jul. 3, 2000. There are no previously filed, nor currently any co-pending applications, anywhere in the world. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to a concrete bucket for holding and dispensing concrete mixtures and, more particularly, to a three-yard concrete bucket with integral ladder. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Many construction projects that utilize concrete occur at high elevations above grade. These projects include high-rise buildings, bridges, roofs, and the like. While many locations are able to utilize concrete pumping trucks which employ hydraulic pumping, a vast majority of such projects still utilize portable buckets that are lifted by overhead crane. One of the most common of these sizes is the three-yard bucket. While these buckets can transport a large amount of wet concrete, their large size also makes it difficult when accessing the interior of the bucket. Such access is often needed when inspecting the bucket, cleaning the bucket, or simply getting inside the bucket. Many times construction workers will use a separate ladder which takes time to set up. Other times they may just climb on the exterior of the bucket, which it is not meant to do, thus compromising safety. 
     Accordingly, there exists a need for a means by which access to the interior of three-yard concrete buckets can be provided in an easy and quick manner. The development of the three-yard concrete bucket with integral ladder fulfills this need. 
     A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention; however, the following references were considered related. The following patents describe a washout assembly for a cement mixer vehicle: U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,468 issued in the name of Kowalcyzk; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,741,065 issued in the name of Bell et al. 
     The following patents describe a dispensing bucket removably connected to a loader vehicle: U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,949 issued in the name of Brown; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,510 issued in the name of Lazenby. 
     The following patents disclose an elevator bucket with a guard extension: U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,104 issued in the name of Jackson; and U.S. Pat. No. 642,171 issued in the name of Suppes. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,377 issued in the name of Tanada describes a multipurpose bucket structure for construction purposes. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,578 issued in the name of Garlinghouse discloses a closed pressure actuated system for a placement bucket. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,148,924 issued in the name of Habler describes a tray stand with a detachable receptacle mounted on the legs. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,901,148 issued in the name of Cunningham discloses a bucket for conveying concrete. 
     Consequently, a need has been felt for providing a means for construction workers who must work with concrete buckets a means to access them more quickly and easily, while improving safety as well. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a concrete bucket ladder which provides a means to access the interior of large concrete buckets. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a concrete bucket ladder which is used with concrete buckets that are lifted by crane. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a concrete bucket ladder which can be used when inspecting a bucket interior. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a concrete bucket ladder which aids in cleaning the bucket interior. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a concrete bucket ladder which allows a worker to climb inside the interior of the bucket more easily. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a concrete bucket ladder which is great for any contractor who regularly works with concrete. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a concrete bucket ladder which is ideal for inspection and safety purposes. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a concrete bucket ladder which reduces business costs and saves time. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a concrete bucket ladder which saves the cost of a separate ladder. 
     Briefly described according to one embodiment of the present invention, a three-yard concrete bucket with integral ladder is provided which comprises a series of steps attached by welding to the exterior perimeter of the bucket. When attached, a worker can easily inspect the inside of the bucket, clean the bucket, or enter the interior of the bucket. No external ladders or devices are needed. The invention also provides attached eye hooks to which safety lanyards may be attached to comply with any applicable safety regulations. 
     The use of the present invention provides a means for construction workers who must work with concrete buckets a means to access them more quickly and easily, while improving safety as well. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a three-yard concrete bucket with integral ladder according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the three-yard concrete bucket with integral ladder shown without the hoist apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the ladder according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 4 is a rear side view of the ladder according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     1. Detailed Description of the Figures 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1-4, a three-yard concrete bucket with integral ladder  10  is shown, according to the present invention, comprised of a three-yard concrete bucket  20  with an integral ladder  50  for allowing easy access to an interior of the bucket  20 . 
     The bucket  20  includes a rim  22  adjoined to a conical hopper portion  24  extending about the perimeter of an open upper section  23  thereof, a pair of skirt supporting structures  26 , a base ring  28 , a lower funneled section  29 , and a hoist bail assembly  30 . The rim  22  and the base ring  28  are fabricated of steel tubing having a diameter measuring approximately 2½ inches. A portion of the base ring  28  is left open forming a void  28   a  therein so as to facilitate mating of a chute  29   a  with the lowered funnel section  29   a.    
     The hoist bail assembly  30  includes an A-shaped tubular structure comprised of a linearly elongated, V-shaped hoist member  32  which forms an apex  35  and is welded at opposite ends thereof to upper external circumferential surfaces of the rim  22 . The V-shaped hoist member  32  is fabricated of steel tubing having a diameter measuring approximately 3 inches. 
     Ends of a plurality of tubular support legs  38  are welded perpendicularly between a lower external circumferential surface of the V-shaped hoist member  32  and a linearly elongated, tubular cross member  37  which is welded to a lower external circumferential sidewall of the hoist member  32  in such a manner so as to form a pair of acute angles with respect therewith. 
     A hoist apparatus  39 , comprised of a pair of circular, tubular steel loops  39   a,    39   b  linked together, and connectively joined at the apex  35  of the V-shaped hoist member  32 , is provided for facilitating a means for hoisting, suspending, and lowering the bucket  20 . 
     Each of the pair of skirt supporting structures  26  is of an H-shaped configuration welded at opposed locations along the base ring  28  and comprises a pair of linearly elongated, tubular legs  27  fabricated of steel and having a diameter measuring approximately 2½ inches. A horizontal tubular member  33  is welded perpendicularly between the tubular legs  27 . Lower ends of each tubular leg  27  of each pair of skirt supporting structures  26  are welded to an outer circumferential sidewall of the base ring  28 , and upper ends of each tubular leg  27  are welded to an external circumferential surface of the rim  22 . 
     The ladder  50  comprises a pair of L-shaped vertical leg members  52  fabricated of tubular steel stock. A lower surface of each lower end  54  of each vertical leg member  52  is welded to an upper, outer circumferential sidewall of the base ring  28 , lateral to each skirt supporting structure  26 . Upper ends of each vertical leg member  52  are formed into eye hooks  56  defining holes  57  therethrough. An external surface of each eye hook  56  is welded to an external surface of the rim  22  of the bucket  20 . The eye hooks  56  provide a means for easily attaching safety lanyards thereto so as to comply with applicable safety regulations. 
     Each of a pair of linearly elongated, rectangular support arms  58  are welded between an outer surface of each vertical leg member  52 , just below the eye hooks  56 , and the external surface of the conical hopper portion  24 , so as to provide structural stability to the ladder  50 . 
     A series of linearly elongated, tubular steps  59  fabricated of steel stock are welded perpendicularly between inside external circumferential surfaces of the vertical leg members  52 . 
     A top step  60 , generally of a flat, rectangular configuration having a grated upper surface  62  and a width measuring approximately  4  inches, is welded between inside external circumferential surfaces of the vertical leg members  52 , at a measured distance of approximately two feet below the rim  22  of the bucket  20 . The ladder  50  provides a climbing means for gaining access to an interior of the bucket  20  so as to allow the bucket  20  to be cleaned and chipped out by the user. The location of the top step  60 , namely positioned approximately two feet below the rim  22  of the bucket  20 , is of critical importance to the present invention. When cleaning and chipping out the interior of the bucket  20 , the user is required to lean over the open upper section  23 . Thus, standing at an excessive height leads to improper and excessive leaning by the user into the bucket  20 , thereby creating both an unstable and unsafe working condition. 
     The grated upper surface  62  of the top step  60  provides a non-skid platform for preventing inadvertent slippage of feet of the user thereon when cleaning and chipping out the bucket  20 . The design and configuration of the top step  60  as disclosed herein provides the user with both a stable and safe climbing means. 
     2. Operation of the Preferred Embodiment 
     To use the present invention, the user attaches safety lanyards to the eye hooks  56  so as to comply with applicable safety regulations, and then simply climbs the integral ladder  50  up to the grated top step  60  in order to gain access to the interior of the concrete bucket. While standing on the top step  60 , which provides a nonskid platform, the user easily, quickly, and safely cleans and chips out the concrete bucket  20 . 
     The use of the present invention provides a means for construction workers who must work with concrete buckets a means to access them more quickly and easily, while improving safety as well. 
     Therefore, the foregoing description is included to illustrate the operation of the preferred embodiment and is not meant to limit the scope of the invention. As one can envision, an individual skilled in the relevant art, in conjunction with the present teachings, would be capable of incorporating many minor modifications that are anticipated within this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be broadly limited only by the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4