Concrete washout and water recycling apparatus

Abstract

A concrete washout and water recycling apparatus has a water tank with a capacity of at least 250 gallons, having an input aperture in a top portion of the water tank, and an outlet aperture on a bottom portion of the water tank, which has a release valve. The apparatus further includes a mounting structure for mounting the water tank on the cement truck, and a water channeling system. The system has a first pipe and a second pipe, the first pipe having a proximal end, a distal end, and a diameter, the proximal end being connected to the input aperture of the water tank. The second pipe has first end, a second end, and a diameter, the first end being connected to the distal end of the first pipe, and the second end having a connector valve.

Claims

1. A method for performing a concrete washout while recycling water used in the washout, the method comprising the steps of: providing a concrete washout and water recycling apparatus comprising: a water tank having a capacity of at least 250 gallons, and comprising an input aperture in a top portion of the water tank, and an outlet aperture on a bottom portion of the water tank, the second aperture having a release valve; a mounting structure adapted for mounting the water tank on a cement truck; a water channeling system connected to the input aperture of the water tank and extending to a connector valve; providing the cement truck having a mixing drum; providing a washout hook having a top end, a bottom end, and a middle hook-shaped portion; providing a concrete pump having a discharge conduit that extends to a discharge end; mounting the water tank on the cement truck via the mounting structure; attaching the discharge end of the discharge conduit of the concrete pump to the bottom end of the washout hook; hanging the washout hook on the cement truck so that the top end is operably positioned adjacent a mixing drum; operably connecting the concrete pump to a water source; pumping concrete from the concrete pump into the mixing drum until water begins to flow from the discharge end; removing the discharge end of the discharge conduit from the bottom end of the washout hook; attaching the discharge end of the discharge conduit to the connector valve of the water channeling system; and pumping water from the water source through the concrete pump to clean the concrete pump so that waste water from the concrete pump flows through the water channeling system, and into the water tank.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: driving the cement truck to a water recycling facility; and opening the release valve to allow the waste water in the water tank to flow into the water recycling facility.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention. In such drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cement truck having a concrete washout and water recycling apparatus installed thereupon, illustrating a discharge conduit of a concrete pump operably connected to a washout hook of the cement truck;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view thereof, illustrating the discharge conduit operably connected to a water channeling system of the concrete washout and water recycling apparatus; and

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention, showing a bladder mounted on a cement truck for receiving any waste water.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) The above-described drawing figures illustrate the invention, a concrete washout and water recycling apparatus 10 for use in cleaning a concrete pump 20 and in association with a cement truck 30.

(6) FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of one embodiment of the concrete washout and water recycling apparatus 10 installed on the cement truck 30. FIG. 1 illustrates the concrete pump 20 operably attached to the washout hook 40, for an initial pumping operation for pumping any concrete remaining in the concrete pump 20 into the cement truck 30. FIG. 2 illustrates the concrete pump operably attached to the concrete washout and water recycling apparatus 10 (hereinafter, the apparatus), for a second pumping operation for pumping waste water through the concrete pump into a water tank 60 of the apparatus 10.

(7) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cement truck 30 has standard features known to those in the art, as needed for functionality in concrete mixing and transportation. The cement truck 30 includes a mixing drum 32 operably mounted on a body frame 34 that extends from a front end 36a attached to a cab 38, to a back end 36b operably supported on tires 42. Since the general construction of the cement truck 30 is well known, it is not described in greater detail herein.

(8) The concrete pump 20, also generally known in the art, includes a pump housing 22 with a receiver/grate 28 for receiving a flow of concrete from the cement truck 30. The pump 20 includes a discharge conduit 24 for directing the flow of concrete to the worksite, where a slab is being poured. In this embodiment, the concrete pump 20 further includes a discharge valve 25 at a discharge end 26 of the discharge conduit 24 for enabling regulation of the flow of the concrete and/or waste water from the concrete pump 20.

(9) As shown in FIG. 2, the apparatus 10 includes a water channeling system 50 and a water tank 60 operably mounted on the cement truck 30. In this embodiment, the water channeling system 50 includes a first pipe 54 having a proximal end 56a and a distal end 56b, and a second pipe 58 having a first end 62a and a second end 62b.

(10) In this embodiment, the water channeling system 50 is constructed longitudinally along the length of the cement truck 30, with the proximal end 56a of the first pipe 54 being attached to the water tank 60, which in this embodiment is mounted adjacent the proximal end 36a of the body frame 34. In this embodiment, the proximal end 56a is operably connected to an input aperture 66 on a top portion 68 of the water tank 60.

(11) The distal end 56b of the first pipe 54 is secured to the first end 62a of the second pipe 58, and the second end 62b of the second pipe 58 has a connector valve 64 mounted and adapted for removably attachment to the discharge conduit 24 of the concrete pump 20. In this embodiment, the first pipe 54 is larger in diameter than the second pipe 58. Furthermore, the water tank 60 further has an outlet aperture 72 with a release valve 74 on a bottom portion 76, for draining the water tank 60 at a water recycling facility. The water tank 60 preferably holds a volume of at least 250 gallons, and may include larger volumes (e.g., 300 gallons, 350 gallons, or more). A mounting structure 78 such as a bracket and/or other mounting hardware known in the art is used to secure the water tank 60 in place on the cement truck 30. In this embodiment, the water tank 60 is attached to the body frame 34 of the cement truck 30, adjacent the front end 36a of the body frame 34.

(12) In use, the apparatus 10 is typically used following use of the concrete pump 20 for pumping concrete from the cement truck 30. Following this use, it is necessary to rinse the concrete pump 20 so that the concrete does not cure within the pump 20. As shown in FIG. 1, the discharge conduit 24 is first operably connected to the washout hook 40, which is positioned in the cement truck 30 so that concrete flowing from the washout hook 40 falls into the mixing drum 32 of the cement truck 30. The concrete pump 20 is operably connected to a water source 29 for pumping water through the concrete pump 20 so that concrete and waste water flow through the discharge conduit 24.

(13) The discharge conduit 24 of the concrete pump 20 may include a connector valve 25 which may be used to open or close the conduit 24, for regulating the flow of materials therethrough. The connector valve 25 is initially connected to a bottom end 44 of the washout hook 40. The discharge valve 25 may be attached to the bottom end 44 of the washout hook 40 with a clamp 46 or other form of connecting or locking mechanism may be used to connect the two components. The washout hook 40 further comprises a top end 48 for directing the water and cement into the mixing drum 32. A middle hook-shaped portion 52 is positioned between the ends for hanging the hook 40 on the cement truck 30 so that the top end 48 is operably positioned adjacent the mixing drum 32 for directing the flow of concrete from the connected discharge conduit 24 into the concrete mixing drum 32.

(14) In the configuration of FIG. 1, a user pumps concrete from the concrete pump 20 into the mixing drum 32 until water begins to flow from the discharge end 26 of the discharge conduit 24, at which time the user will close the connector valve 25 and remove the discharge end 26 from the bottom end 44 of the washout hook 40, thus preventing overhydration of the concrete within the cement truck 30 and enabling potential use of said concrete.

(15) As shown in FIG. 2, the discharge end 26 of the discharge conduit 24 is then attached to the water channeling system 50 so that waste water from the pump 20 may flow from the discharge conduit 24 into the water tank 60 that is mounted on the cement truck 30. In the configuration of FIG. 2, the user has attached the discharge end 26 of the discharge conduit 24 to the closed connector valve on the second end of the second pipe 58. The connector valve is then opened to allow water to flow from the concrete pump 20, through the water channeling system 50, into the water tank 60 for temporary storage.

(16) FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the invention, showing a bladder 80 mounted on the cement truck 30 having a volume of at least 250 gallons and including an entrance aperture 82 and an exit aperture 84 located on a top surface 86 and a bottom surface 88, respectively. As shown in FIG. 3, the bladder 80 serves the same function as the water tank of the first embodiment. After pumping concrete through the washout hook 40, the user connects the discharge conduit 24 to the entrance aperture 82 of the bladder 80, to properly store water and waste without overhydrating the concrete within the cement truck 30.

(17) Using either embodiment of the present invention, water disposal may include driving the cement truck 30 to a water recycling facility, and opening the release valve 74 of the water tank 60 or the bladder 80 to allow waste water to dispense safely into the water recycling facility. The concrete in the mixing drum 32 may either be used on another job site, or poured at a recycling site where it may quickly cure and be recycled.

(18) As used in this application, the words a, an, and one are defined to include one or more of the referenced item unless specifically stated otherwise. The terms approximately and about are defined to mean +/10%, unless otherwise stated. Also, the terms have, include, contain, and similar terms are defined to mean comprising unless specifically stated otherwise. Furthermore, the terminology used in the specification provided above is hereby defined to include similar and/or equivalent terms, and/or alternative embodiments that would be considered obvious to one skilled in the art given the teachings of the present patent application. While the invention has been described with reference to at least one particular embodiment, it is to be clearly understood that the invention is not limited to these embodiments, but rather the scope of the invention is defined by claims made to the invention.