Patent Document

FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates in general to the construction industry, and in particular, to systems and methods for washing-out concrete pouring equipment. 
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     Concrete is one of the primary building materials used worldwide. One common form of concrete used in construction is “ready-mix” concrete, which is produced in accordance with a given formula at a plant and then trucked to a jobsite. At the jobsite, the concrete is off-loaded from the truck, as required to form a desired structure. Any excess or residual concrete left in the truck is then typically washed-out at the jobsite. 
     One current wash-out practice is to dig a pit in the ground and line it with plastic film. Ready-mix trucks dump any excess concrete into the pit and use roughly 15-20 gallons of water to rinse the truck and chute. The typical concrete pump will dump approximately ¼ to ½ a cubic yard of concrete into the pit and then require 30-50 gallons of water for rinsing off the pump truck. The result is not only a significant amount of wasted water, but a significant amount of water contaminated with caustic concrete waste. Furthermore, washout pits normally remain uncovered and if it rains, the washout pit may overflow and cause further contamination of the soil around the pit. This overflow water can also run into storm drains and on into rivers and bays, and possibly even into the ground water. 
     Eventually, a small front-end loader or the like is used to break up the waste concrete in the washout pit and remove it to be crushed and recycled. During this process the plastic liner is ruined and any remaining concrete-contaminated wastewater leaks into the soil. 
     One known solution to the problem of waste concrete is to wash-out ready-mix trucks into roll-off trash dumpsters. However, these types of dumpsters are not watertight and much of the wastewater leaks out and soaks into the soil. Furthermore, concrete pump trucks cannot use these dumpsters and therefore must dump their extra concrete waste and the resulting wastewater onto the ground next to the dumpster. Moreover, dumpsters are also subject to rain contamination and overflow. 
     On some large road jobs, or at extra large commercial job sites, contractors will sometimes dig out a large washout pit (approximately % to  1  acre in size) and set up several large evaporation pits. This technique allows for the washout of trucks in one location followed by wastewater evaporation and periodic waste concrete removal from the evaporation pits. These washout pits are too large and too costly to build and maintain for use in the construction of new home communities or at small commercial job sites. Additionally, the problems of rain overflow and wasted water are not addressed by this technique. 
     Hence, new solutions are required for conserving water and minimizing environmental impact during the wash-out of concrete pouring equipment at jobsites. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     The principles of the present invention are embodied in methods and systems for washing-out construction equipment, in particular concrete pouring equipment. According to one particular embodiment, a system is disclosed for washing-out concrete pouring equipment that includes a bin for receiving waste materials washed with water from the concrete pouring equipment. The bin includes openings allowing liquid to drain into a base unit that includes sidewalls defining a receptacle which receives the bin and has a sloped bottom for conveying liquid drained from the bin to a sump. A filtering system filters particulate matter from liquid provided from the sump to recover the water. 
     Embodiments of the present principles advantageously protect the environment from exposure to polluted waste water and allow for significant amounts of water to be recovered and recycled. Moreover, extracted waste concrete materials are quickly accumulated and removed, also for recycling. Furthermore, wash-out systems embodying these principles are scalable and therefore can be adapted to include as few as one wash-out station to five or more wash-out stations. Additionally, wash-out systems according to the inventive principles are easily transportable, inexpensive to maintain on the jobsite, and relatively easy to construct. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1A  is a conceptual diagram illustrating a representative wash-out system according to the principles of the present invention in a typical working environment; 
         FIG. 1B  is a diagram showing a perspective-exploded view of an exemplary three-bin wash-out system according to the principles of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2A  is a diagram providing a cut-away end view of a selected one of the bins shown in  FIG. 1B ; 
         FIG. 2B  is a diagram showing a side view of the bin of  FIG. 2A ; 
         FIG. 3A  is a diagram showing a side cut-away view of the base portion of the wash-out system shown in  FIG. 1A ; and 
         FIG. 3B  is a diagram providing an and cut-away view of the base portion of the wash-out system of  FIG. 1A . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The principles of the present invention and their advantages are best understood by referring to the illustrated embodiment depicted in  FIGS. 1-3A  of the drawings, in which like numbers designate like parts. 
       FIGS. 1A and 1B  illustrate a wash-out system  100  according to the principles of the present invention. Advantageously, wash-out system allows for the chute of a concrete truck or the nozzle of a concrete pump to be rinsed out and the resulting waste-water mixture to be captured. The solids are then removed from the mixture and the water filtered and recycled for use in subsequent rinse out operation. Advantageously, the waste-waste mixture is never in contact with the ground, thereby minimizing environmental contamination. Furthermore, wash-out system  100  can easily be moved from jobsite to jobsite, thereby eliminating the need to dig environmentally hazardous wash-out pits. 
     The illustrated embodiment of wash-out system  100  shown in  FIGS. 1A AND 1B  includes three stations supporting the wash-out of three corresponding concrete trucks, such as the exemplary ready-mix concrete truck as shown in  FIG. 1   a . (While a ready-mix concrete truck is shown for purposes of discussion, the principles of the present invention are equally applicable to other types of concrete pouring equipment, such as concrete pumps.) Alternate embodiments of wash-out system  100  may have a smaller or greater number of wash-away stations, depending on the number of pieces concrete pouring equipment the user wishes to support at one time. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, wash-out system  100  includes a base portion  101 , including three receptacles  102   a - 102   c  for receiving a corresponding bin  104   a - 104   c . As discussed further below, wash-out system  100  includes a filter system  103 , which filters particulate matter from the contaminated liquids that drain from each bin  104   a - 104   c  being used for wash-out. Each bin  104   a - 104   c , which are discussed below in detail in conjunction with  FIG. 2 , can be removed from corresponding receptacles  102   a - 102   c , such that waste materials captured within bins  104   a - 104   c  can be hauled away and, for example, crushed and recycled as road base. After filtering through filter system  103 , the filtered water is stored in a clean water tank  301 , discussed in detail below in conjunction with  FIGS. 3A AND 3B , and recycled for use in washing-out concrete pouring equipment. 
     Preferably, base  101 , filter system  103 , and bins  104   a - 104   c  are constructed from steel plate, although alternate materials that will sustain the wear and tear typically found at a jobsite are equally acceptable. 
       FIG. 2A  is a cutaway view of the selected one of bins  104   a - 104   c  shown in  FIG. 1B . Bins  104   a - 104   b  include a steel frame  201  and sidewalls  203 , which define a receptacle  202  for receiving mixture of water, rock, concrete, sand, and similar waste materials washed from the cement pouring equipment. Receptacles  204  provide for receiving a forklift fork or similar device for inserting and removing bins  104   a - 104   c  from the corresponding receptacles  102   a - 102   c  in base  101 . Each bin  104   a - 104   c  also includes a hinged bottom  205 , which allows accumulated material (e.g. rock, concrete and sand) to be dumped for recovery. Additionally, each bin  104   a - 104   c  includes a flexible portion  206 , made of rubber or a similar material, upon which a concrete truck chute or concrete pump nozzle rests during wash-out. 
     Sidewalls  203  are fastened to frame  201  at various points, however, spaces or gaps are provided along the edges  207  where the sidewalls meet, such that water can seep out during the wash out process, while larger particulate matter remains within receptacle  202 . Similarly, when hinged bottom  205  is in the closed position, spaces or gaps around its periphery similarly allow water and small particulate matter to seep out of bin  104   a - 104   c , while larger particulate matter is retained. 
       FIG. 3A  is a front cross-sectional view of base  101  and filter  103 .  FIG. 3B  provides a corresponding cross-sectional and view. In particular, filter system  103  includes a set of baffles  303   a - 304   f , which define a set of separation tanks  304   a - 304   f . Water with particulate matter enters at first settlement tank  304   a  through pipe  107  and exits separation tank  304   f  through pipes  302   a  and  302   b  during the filtering operations described below. Each settlement tank  304   a - 304   f  is used to collect particulate matter  305 , such as sand and concrete. Additional filters  306   a - 306   e , for example broom filters or sponges, remove particles from the water-waste mixture cascading over baffles  303   a - 303   e . Filter system  103  is bolted or fastened to base  101  and can therefore be removed for cleaning through cover  309 . 
     The internal floors  307  of base  101  slope to a sump area  308 . Base portion  101  also houses a clean water pump  309 , for pumping water through a hose to a user, and a sump pump  310 , each of which is respectively accessible through a removable cover  311   a - 311   b . (While one clean water hose is shown in  FIG. 1A  as an example, clean water pump  309  can support multiple hoses for simultaneous wash-out of multiple pieces of concrete pouring equipment.) Wheels  312  allow wash-out system  100  to be easily moved around the jobsite. 
     During wash-out, for example wash-out of the chute of a ready-mix concrete truck, a worker rinses the chute, as shown in  FIG. 1A , using clean water pumped from clean water tank  301  by clean water pump  309 . The resulting mixture of water and waste concrete products are swept into the corresponding bin  104   a - 104   c . The larger particulate matter, such as large pieces of concrete and rock, are retained within the given bin  104   a - 104   c . The water and smaller particulate matter drains through the gaps along the edges of the bin sidewalls and bottom and into the corresponding receptacle  102   a - 102   c.    
     Water and particulate matter draining into the corresponding receptacle  102   a - 102   c  flows down the sloped inner floors  307  of base  101  to sump  308 . The water and small particulate matter accumulating in sump  308  are pumped by sump pump  310  through pipe  107  into first settlement tank  304   a . At least some of the particulate matter  305  settles out to the bottom as settlement tank  304   a  fills. As the water and remaining particulate matter reach the top of settlement tank  304   a , they cascade through filter  306   a  and into second settlement tank  304   b , which begins to fill as additional particulate matter  305  settles to the bottom. 
     This process continues with the progressively cleaner water-waste mixture cascading through settlement tanks  304   c - f  and corresponding filters  306   c - 306   e . At end settlement tank  304   f , the remaining clean water flows through pipes  302   a  and  302   b  into underlying clean water tank  301 , where it is available for recycling. 
     Advantageously, wash-out system  100  not only protects the environment from exposure to polluted waste water, it also allows significant amounts of water to be recycled. Moreover, removable bins  104   a - 104   c  allow the user to quickly and easily remove extracted waste concrete materials for recycling, for example as road bed. Furthermore, wash-out system  100  is scalable and therefore can be adapted to include as few as one wash-out station to five or more wash-out stations. Additionally, wash-out system  100  is easily transportable, inexpensive to maintain on the jobsite, and relatively easy to construct. 
     Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, these descriptions are not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments of the invention, will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed might be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 
     It is therefore contemplated that the claims will cover any such modifications or embodiments that fall within the true scope of the invention.

Technology Category: 4