AU783060B2 - Concrete pump bin - Google Patents

Description

-1- TITLE: CONCRETE PUMP BIN FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus and process for collecting concrete waste at the end of a concrete pour.

More particularly, one aspect of the invention relates to a concrete pump bin adapted to be placed under a concrete pump hopper to collect concrete waste at the end of a concrete pour. A further aspect of the invention relates to an associated process for collecting concrete waste at the end of a concrete pour.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 10 Whenever concrete is poured, the subsequent clean up process creates both solid and liquid waste problems. Most construction sites lack proper facilities to collect concrete waste at the completion of a concrete pour.

Currently in the building industry there are several methods of disposing of concrete wastes at the end of a concrete pour: 1. The concrete pump is driven to the concrete batching plant, from where the concrete was supplied. The concrete is dropped from the pump, by a trap door S* located underneath the hopper of the pump, onto the ground in a designated area, and the hopper and pump washed clean. The liquid waste and concrete is collected in a holding tank for disposal. If the pump vehicle is delayed in reaching the concrete 20 batching plant, the concrete can set in the hopper and the hopper would need to be replaced, which is an expensive exercise in monies and down time.

2. The concrete can simply be dropped from the hopper onto a plastics sheet placed on the ground, and the concrete manually shovelled into a bin; this has the risk of back injuries to workers. Additionally, if the plastics sheet tears and/or concrete wastes enter the storm water system, and subsequently the waterways, this may give rise to an actionable offence under the prevailing environmental protection laws of the relevant jurisdiction.

3. On other sites where there is sufficient area to wash on the ground, the containment of the water run off is a problem. This is particularly so as water with a pH above 12 is classed as a hazardous waste as it is harmful to the environment.

-2- 4. There also is a bin for attachment to a forklift, which is used to collect the waste from the concrete pump. However this only has a holding capacity of up to cubic metres and needs to be emptied into a larger bin. Further there is no means for containing the wash water.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To this end a first aspect of the present invention provides a concrete pump bin comprising: S 10 an outer bin having side walls; an inner bin adapted to fit within the outer bin, and having side walls which are splayed outwardly from the base, and being of lesser height than the side walls of the S. outer bin; and drainage means located in the outer bin to allow liquids to drain out of the outer bin.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and S: the claims, the words 'comprise', 'comprising', and the like are to be construed in an S"inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the o* sense of"including, but not limited to".

20 A second aspect of the present invention provides a method of collecting concrete waste from concrete pumps utilising a concrete pump bin according to the S"first aspect of the present invention.

A third aspect of the present invention provides a system for collecting concrete waste from concrete pumps, comprising: collecting the concrete waste and water from a concrete pump hopper in a concrete pump bin comprising: an outer bin having side walls; an inner bin adapted to fit within the outer bin, and having side walls which are splayed outwardly from the base, and being of lesser height than the side walls of the outer bin; and drainage means located in the outer bin to allow liquids to drain out of the outer bin; wherein the concrete is retained in the inner bin; -3placing the concrete pump bin onto the back of a collection truck; and opening the drainage means on the outer bin, to allow the liquids to drain into a holding area in the truck, while the concrete is retained in the inner bin where it sets.

Preferably there is a valve associated with the drainage means, to selectively open or close the drainage means, to drain the liquid from the bin or to contain the liquid in the bin.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 illustrates, schematically, a plan view of an inner bin of a concrete pump bin according to one embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 illustrates, schematically, a side elevation view of the inner bin as shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 illustrates, schematically, an outer bin of a concrete pump bin according to one embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 4 illustrates, schematically, a vehicle to transport the concrete pump bins and to collect the waste liquids according to the present invention; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an alternative concrete pump bin according to a 0: further aspect of the present invention.

20 PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION A concrete pump bin according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises an inner bin as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and an outer bin as shown in Fig. 3.

In plan view the inner bin is substantially rectangular in shape and comprises a base and outwardly sloping side walls which in this example is at 300, but may be of any suitable angle. The inner bin is provided with lifting lugs preferably located on the inner surface of the walls of the bin and more preferably located at the inner corners of the bin. Additional lifting lugs (18) may be provided on the outer surface of the walls of the bin, preferably at the outer corners of the bin.

-4- The outer bin is also substantially rectangular in shape and comprises side walls and a base with triangular bracing members welded between the side walls and the base At least one drainage point is located in the side wall In a preferred embodiment, two drainage points are provided in opposing walls of the outer bin Each drainage point has a removable cap or opening valve, to allow the liquid in the outer bin to be retained therein or to be drained.

A filter mesh (not shown) may be located inside the outer bin surrounding the drainage point to filter out solid particles from the liquids; preferably a water permeable geofabric (not shown) could cover the filter mesh to improve the filtering 10 of the waste liquid to remove even smaller solid particles. However in most circumstances this filter will not be necessary.

The outer bin has four crane lifting lugs and four supports (12).

These could be made adjustable to compensate for uneven ground below the concrete pump hopper. In a preferred embodiment, the members (12) are sized and spaced so as to receive the tynes of a forklift to facilitate the lifting of the bin.

The inner bin preferably having a volume of 0.6 cubic metres, sits within the outer bin and the sloping sides are supported on the bracing members which also help to centre the inner tray within the outer tray having a gross volume of 0.8 cubic metres, leaving the net volume of the outer bin as 0.2 cubic o• metres. The height of the sides of the outer inner tray is lower than the height of the side walls of the outer bin also the inner bin is smaller in dimensions than the outer bin such that there is a gap around the inner bin and the walls (6) of the outer bin to allow liquids to slosh into the outer bin from the inner bin In use the concrete pump bin is placed on the ground and the concrete pump is reversed over the concrete pump bin, and the contents of the hopper is emptied through the trap door into the inner bin Generally, the volume of the concrete pump hopper is 0.4 cubic metres. The hopper is then washed and the excess water flows over the concrete in the inner bin into the outer bin the general amount of wash water is between 150 200 litres.

The concrete pump bin is then lifted on the lifting lugs by a crane (13), which is mounted on the rear of a collection truck and placed on the truck (14) on top of a liquid storage tank A forklift could also be used to lift the concrete pump bin. The removable cap or valve is opened and the liquid drained from the outer bin into the liquid storage tank (15) and later taken to a liquid recycling depot for discharge and treatment.

The truck (14) has preferably side walls (16) which can be 1 metre high and has a liquid storage capacity of 3000L. Baffles (17) are positioned in the liquid storage tank (15) to prevent water surges while driving and to support the floor.

In one method, to remove the concrete for recycling the inner bin is lifted out of the outer bin using the lifting lugs (11) located on the inner side of the bin.

S. 10 To remove the material from the inner bin the bin turned over and picked up utilising the lifting lugs (18) located on the outside of the bin.

In an alternative method, after the water has been drained from the outer bin both bins (1 2) are tipped upside down on the ground. The outer bin is S"lifted off the inner bin and then the inner bin is lifted by a pair of lifting lugs (18) on its four comers, springing the inner bin which ejects the concrete, which usually at this stage has begun to set. The concrete is then transported for recycling.

Fig. 5 illustrates a further embodiment of a concrete waste bin according to the present invention. This embodiment comprises a bin (20) for capturing concrete o 0waste. The bin (20) is substantially rectangular in shape and comprises a base (21) 20 and outwardly sloping side walls Lifting lugs (23) are provided on the outer surface of the walls of the bin, preferably at the corners of the bin. The underside of the bin (20) is provided with a pair of hollow members (24a, 24b) which perform the dual function of bracing the bin as well as being sized and spaced such that the open ends (not shown) of the members can receive the tynes of a forklift to facilitate the lifting of the bin.

The bin is provided with a complementary lid (25) which covers the upper open section (26) of the bin. In Fig. 5, the lid (25) is shown positioned above the bin for illustrative purposes, but in practice, the lid (25) fits over the upper open section of the bin. Centrally located in the lid is an aperture (27) which is sized to receive the outlet end of a concrete delivery hose (not shown). The aperture is sized so as to provide a clearance of the order of 25 mm around the outside of the concrete delivery hose.

This embodiment of the concrete pump bin is particularly adapted for use in cleaning out the inside of a concrete delivery hose at the end of a concrete pour. A body of compliant material, such as a sponge, is placed in the inlet end of the concrete delivery hose. The body of compliant material is sized so as to fit neatly within the bore of the hose. A supply of compressed air, preferably from a compressed air tank carried on the concrete truck, is then fed into the inlet end of the delivery hose so to force the compliant body through the hose. In passing through the hose, the body acts to force any remaining concrete material through the hose. The outlet end of the concrete delivery hose is located in the aperture (27) of the lid and the waste material 10 is captured in the bin. The lid (27) acts to retain the concrete material within the bin.

Once the delivery hose has been cleared, the outlet of the hose is removed from the and the bin is removed and emptied at a suitable site.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific S"examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

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Claims (6)

1. A concrete pump bin comprising: an outer bin having side walls; an inner bin adapted to fit within the outer bin, and having side walls which are splayed outwardly from the base, and being of lesser height than the side walls of the outer bin; and drainage means located in the outer bin to allow liquids to drain out of the outer bin.

2. 'A concrete pump bin according to claim 1, wherein the outer bin has side walls 10 and a base with triangular bracing members welded between the side walls and the base, said triangular bracing members supporting the side walls of the inner bin.

3. A concrete pump bin according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the drainage means has a removable cap or opening valve, to allow the liquid in the outer bin to be S•retained therein or to be drained.

4. A system for collecting concrete waste from concrete pumps, comprising: collecting the concrete waste and water from a concrete pump hopper in a concrete pump bin comprising: an outer bin having side walls; an inner bin adapted to fit within the outer bin, and having side walls which are splayed outwardly from the base, and being of lesser height than the side walls of the *--.outer bin; and .i •drainage means located in the outer bin to allow liquids to drain out of the outer bin; wherein the concrete is retained in the inner bin; placing the concrete pump bin onto the back of a collection truck; and opening the drainage means on the outer bin, to allow the liquids to drain into a holding area in the truck, while the concrete is retained in the inner bin where it sets.

A concrete pump bin substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

6. A system for collecting concrete waste from concrete pumps substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.