Apparatus and method for recovering, cleaning, and recycling animal bedding contaminated with manure and urine

Abstract

A method, an apparatus, a plant, and business method are provided for recovering, cleaning, and recycling dirty crumb rubber bedding used in barns and stables which house animals such as horses and cows that produce manure. The dirty bedding includes bedding which is contaminated with animal manure and urine produced by the animals, and other waste materials such as straw, dirt, and sand. The method includes the steps of washing the dirty bedding on a pulse washer which washes and separates straw from the bedding, followed by washing on a vibratory washer which loosens and washes away any remaining solid particles clinging to the bedding. Dirty water in from the pulse washer is filtered and reused, while a filtered out a sludge primarily of manure is subsequently packaged for use as fertilizer. The recycling plant includes a pulse washer and vibratory washer fed with stockpiled dirty by an input conveyor. A water filtration device filters the dirty water, and an output conveyor move the cleaned bedding to a stockpile of cleaned bedding. The stockpiled cleaned bedding is packaged for re-use, the sludge of manure is packaged for use as fertilizer, and the other contaminates are filtered out as a sludge that is disposed of.

I claim as my invention:  
     
         1 . A method for recovering, cleaning, and recycling dirty bedding used in barns and stables which house animals such as horses and cows that produce manure, the dirty bedding including bedding which is contaminated with animal manure and urine produced by the animals, and other waste materials such as straw, dirt, and sand, comprising the steps of: 
 portioning a desired amount of dirty bedding onto a first screen of a pulse washer;    pulse washing the dirty bedding to form initially cleaned bedding by circulating the dirty bedding on the first screen to wash manure, urine, dirt, and sand therefrom through the first screen to produce primary dirty water in a tank of the pulse washer, and physically separating on the first screen the initially cleaned bedding from lighter contaminates such as straw;    transferring the initially cleaned bedding separated from the lighter contaminates onto a second screen of a vibratory washer;    final washing the initially cleaned bedding to produce finally cleaned bedding by vibrating and simultaneously spraying the initially cleaned bedding with a plurality of sprays of high pressure water to remove any primary dirty water remaining from the pulse washing, any loose pieces of solid material of the initially cleaned bedding, and any light straws and other remaining contaminates clinging to the initially cleaned bedding to produce secondary dirty water; and    unloading the finally cleaned bedding from the vibratory washer.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the desired amount of dirty bedding is portioned into a feed hopper which feeds the dirty bedding onto the first screen of the pulse washer.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein water is added into the feed hopper as the dirty bedding is portioned to form a slurry fed onto the first screen of the pulse washer.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the slurry is vibration fed from the feed hopper onto the first screen of the pulse washer.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the dirty bedding is portioned into the feed hopper by an input conveyor which includes an input hopper into which the dirty bedding is dumped.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the unloading of the finally cleaned bedding from the vibratory washer includes placing the cleaned bedding onto an output conveyor that transports the cleaned bedding to a desired location.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the finally cleaned bedding transported to the desired location is stockpiled.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , additionally comprising the step of bagging the finally cleaned bedding stockpiled at the desired location for subsequent shipment.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the unloading of the finally cleaned bedding from the vibratory washer includes passing the finally cleaned bedding through a outlet screen prior to placing onto the output conveyor.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , additionally comprising the steps of: 
 collecting the dirty bedding from at least one customer's site which houses animals that deposit manure onto the bedding to produce the dirty bedding;    loading the dirty bedding into a transport vehicle;    transporting the dirty bedding to a cleaning facility; and    unloading the dirty bedding from the transport vehicle at the cleaning facility and loading the dirty bedding into the input hopper of the input conveyor.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the dirty bedding is stockpiled prior to loading into the input hopper of the input conveyor.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , additionally comprising the step of filtering the primary dirty water to remove the manure and other contaminates, producing cleaned filtered water and a primary sludge comprised primarily of manure.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the primary sludge is deposited into containers for later shipment to farms as a fertilizer.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the primary filtered water is used to wash the dirty bedding.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , additionally comprising the step of filtering the secondary dirty water to remove solid particles shaken free from the initially cleaned bedding and other solid contaminates such as straw, producing cleaned filtered water and a secondary sludge comprised primarily of the solid particles.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , additionally comprising the step of disposing of the secondary sludge.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dirty bedding is sprayed with water during pulse washing to assist in washing manure, dirt, and sand therefrom through the first screen to produce the primary dirty water in a tank of the pulse washer.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the initially cleaned bedding is manually dumped by hand onto the vibratory washer.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the initially cleaned bedding is automatically pushed by pulsing of the pulse washer onto the vibratory washer.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bedding comprises crumb rubber.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , additionally comprising the step of feeding water into a cleaning facility from an outside water source for washing the dirty bedding.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , additionally comprising the step of recycling a portion of the cleaned filtered water by combining with the water from the water source to wash the dirty bedding and returning another portion of the cleaned filtered water directly to the water source after filtering.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein water is added to the dirty bedding being portioned onto the first screen of the pulse washer to form a slurry.  
     
     
         24 . A method for recovering, cleaning, and recycling dirty crumb rubber bedding used in barns and stables which house animals such as horses and cows that produce manure, the dirty bedding including the crumb rubber bedding which is contaminated with animal manure and urine produced by the animals, and other waste materials such as straw, dirt, and sand, comprising the steps of: 
 feeding water into a cleaning facility from an outside water source for washing the dirty bedding;    portioning a desired amount of dirty bedding into a feed hopper which feeds the dirty bedding onto a first screen of a pulse washer, water being added into the feed hopper as the dirty bedding is portioned to form a slurry fed onto the first screen of the pulse washer;    pulse washing the dirty bedding to form initially cleaned bedding by circulating the dirty bedding on the first screen to wash manure, urine, dirt, and sand therefrom through the first screen to produce primary dirty water in a tank of the pulse washer, and physically separating on the first screen the initially cleaned bedding from lighter contaminates such as straw, the dirty bedding being sprayed with water during pulse washing to assist in washing the manure, dirt, and sand therefrom through the first screen to produce the primary dirty water in a tank of the pulse washer;    filtering the primary dirty water to remove the manure and other contaminates, producing cleaned filtered water and a primary sludge comprised primarily of manure, the primary sludge which is deposited into containers for later shipment to farms as a fertilizer, at least a portion of the cleaned filtered water which is used to wash the dirty bedding;    transferring the initially cleaned bedding separated from the lighter contaminates onto a second screen of a vibratory washer;    final washing the initially cleaned bedding to produce finally cleaned bedding by vibrating and simultaneously spraying the initially cleaned bedding with a plurality of sprays of high pressure water to remove any primary dirty water remaining from the pulse washing, any loose pieces of solid material of the initially cleaned bedding, and any light straws and other remaining contaminates clinging to the initially cleaned bedding to produce secondary dirty water;    filtering the secondary dirty water to remove solid particles shaken free from the initially cleaned bedding and other solid contaminates such as straw, producing cleaned filtered water and a secondary sludge comprised primarily of the solid particles;    disposing of the secondary sludge; and    unloading the finally cleaned bedding from the vibratory washer.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , additionally comprising the steps of: 
 collecting the dirty bedding from at least one customer's site which houses animals that deposit manure onto the bedding to produce the dirty bedding;    loading the dirty bedding into a transport vehicle;    transporting the dirty bedding to the cleaning facility;    unloading the dirty bedding from the transport vehicle and stockpiling at the cleaning facility;    loading the dirty bedding into an input hopper of an input conveyor which portions the dirty bedding into the feed hopper;    recycling a portion of the water from the water source after filtering by combining the portion with the water from the water source to wash the dirty bedding and a portion is returned directly to the water source after filtering; and    wherein the slurry is vibration fed from the feed hopper onto the first screen of the pulse washer, the initially cleaned bedding is moved from the pulse washer to the vibration washer by a method chosen from the set consisting of manually dumping by hand and automatically pushed by pulsing of the pulse washer, the unloading of the finally cleaned bedding from the vibratory washer includes passing the finally cleaned bedding through an outlet screen onto an output conveyor that transports the cleaned bedding to a desired location, and the finally cleaned bedding transported to the desired location is stockpiled.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , additionally comprising the step of bagging the finally cleaned bedding stockpiled at the desired location for subsequent shipment.  
     
     
         27 . An apparatus for cleaning recovered dirty bedding for recycling as used in barns and stables which house animals such as horses and cows that produce manure, the dirty bedding including bedding which is contaminated with animal manure and urine produced by the animals, and other waste materials such as straw, dirt, and sand, comprising in combination: 
 a pulse washer, including;    a main frame;    a feed hopper mounted on said main frame;    a screen assembly having a first screen mounted on an upstanding peripheral frame and adapted for receiving dirty bedding from said feed hopper;    an open topped tank having a bottom wall which is inwardly tapered toward a drain hole of said tank, and at least one upstanding peripheral wall, said screen assembly being supported over said tank by said main frame, said tank having a vertically disposed divider wall disposed above said drain hole which forms said tank into separate pool portions;    pulse generating device which includes a movable diaphragm is disposed within a housing through said divider wall that is reciprocally driven by a drive device operatively connected thereto, said pulse washer which initially washes the dirty bedding using a pulsing action imparted to water contained within said tank creating a differential height which alternates between said pool portions to alternately wash over said first screen and the dirty bedding to simultaneously wash the manure, urine, dirt, and sand from the dirty bedding which is washed into said tank to produce primary dirty water and initially cleaned bedding, and to physically separate the heavier initially cleaned bedding from the lighter waste material on said first screen;    a water filtration system including piping leading from said drain hole of said tank, through a pump which moves the primary dirty water through the water filtration system, and a primary filter which removes the manure, dirt, and sand from the primary dirty water as a primary sludge and produces cleaned filtered water, to said feed hopper such that the cleaned filtered water is circulated back to said feed hopper to moisten the dirty bedding into a slurry prior to being received on said first screen of said screen assembly;    a vibratory washer, including; 
 a support frame;  
 a funnel having a large inlet and a small outlet mounted to said support frame;  
 a vibrator assembly having a second screen adapted for receiving the initially cleaned bedding from said pulse washer, being supported by a peripheral frame resiliently mounted on said support frame above said funnel on a plurality of resilient mounts, said vibrator assembly being vibrated by a vibrator device mounted thereto;  
 an overhead spray system including a first water pipe disposed generally above said vibrator assembly and connectable to a water supply pipe for supplying pressurized water, and a plurality of downwardly oriented high pressure spray nozzles operatively associated with said first water pipe for providing a plurality of sprays of rinsing water onto the initially washed bedding on said second screen of said vibrator assembly; and  
 wherein said vibratory washer finally washes the initially cleaned bedding to produce finally cleaned bedding by vibrating and simultaneously spraying the initially cleaned bedding with a plurality of sprays of high pressure water from said high pressure spray nozzles to remove any primary dirty water remaining from pulse washing, any loose pieces of solid material of the initially cleaned bedding, and any light straws and other remaining contaminates clinging to the initially cleaned bedding to produce secondary dirty water.  
   
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the second screen is slight longitudinal downwardly inclined from an inlet edge to outlet edge thereof such that the finally cleaned bedding is automatically offloaded from the vibratory washer by vibration of said second screen.  
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , additionally comprising an outlet screen affixed to the vibrator assembly adjacent the outlet edge of the second screen through which the finally cleaned bedding passes during offloading adapted to retain any remaining straw.  
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the overhead spray system further includes a second water pipe disposed generally above the screen assembly of the pulse washer and connectable to the water supply pipe for supplying pressurized water, and a plurality of downwardly oriented spray nozzles operatively associated with said second water pipe for providing a plurality of sprays of washing water onto the dirty bedding on the first screen of said pulse washer.  
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the first and second water pipes comprise a single longitudinally extending main water pipe disposed laterally above and along the screen assembly and the vibrator assembly, said main water pipe being connectable to the water supply pipe, and further including a plurality of capped end transverse water pipes which extend laterally from said main water pipe over the first and second screens, the pluralities of downwardly oriented spray nozzles and high pressure spray nozzles being affixed to said transverse pipes for providing the pluralities of sprays and high pressure sprays.  
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the piping of the water filtration system is connectable to a water supply pipe for supplying pressurized water through a water valve for adding replacement wash water.  
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the feed hopper is of a vibratory type which vibrates to feed the slurry onto the first screen of the pulse washer.  
     
     
         34 . A recycling plant for cleaning recovered dirty bedding for recycling as used in barns and stables which house animals such as horses and cows that produce manure, the dirty bedding including bedding which is contaminated with animal manure and urine produced by the animals, and other waste materials such as straw, dirt, and sand, comprising in combination: 
 a cleaning apparatus which includes a pulse washer connected to a water supply for supplying pressurized water and adapted for receiving dirty bedding and water from a water source to form a slurry, said pulse washer which initially washes the dirty bedding using a pulsing action to simultaneously wash the manure, dirt, and sand from the dirty bedding to produce primary dirty water and initially cleaned bedding, and to physically separate the heavier initially cleaned bedding from the lighter waste material, said cleaning apparatus further including a vibratory washer connected to said water supply and adapted for receiving the initially cleaned bedding from said pulse washer, said vibratory washer which finally washes the initially cleaned bedding to produce finally cleaned bedding by vibrating and simultaneously spraying the initially cleaned bedding with a plurality of sprays of high pressure water to remove any primary dirty water remaining from pulse washing, any loose pieces of solid material of the initially cleaned bedding, and any light straws and other remaining contaminates clinging to the initially cleaned bedding to produce secondary dirty water;    an input conveyor for transporting and portioning the dirty bedding onto the pulse washer;    a primary water water filtration device adapted for receiving and filtering the primary dirty water from said pulse washer to remove the manure, dirt, and sand, producing cleaned filtered water and a primary sludge comprised primarily of manure which is periodically removed from said primary water filtration device for use as fertilizer, and a portion of the cleaned filtered water which is pumped back to the water source and a portion of the cleaned filtered water which is pumped back to said pulse washer to form the slurry; and    an output conveyor for transporting the finally cleaned bedding from said vibratory washer to a stockpile area for the finally cleaned bedding.    
     
     
         35 . The recycling plant of  claim 34 , additionally comprising a secondary water filtration device adapted for receiving and filtering the secondary dirty water from the vibratory washer to remove solid particles shaken free from the initially cleaned bedding and other solid contaminates such as straw, producing cleaned filtered water and a secondary sludge comprised primarily of the solid particles which is periodically removed from said secondary water filtration device and disposed of.  
     
     
         36 . The recycling plant of  claim 34 , wherein the pulse washer includes a feed hopper into which dirty bedding is portioned by the input conveyor.  
     
     
         37 . The recycling plant of  claim 34 , wherein the input conveyor includes an input hopper into which the dirty bedding may be dumped for transport on said input conveyor.  
     
     
         38 . The recycling plant of  claim 37 , wherein the input hopper is accessible for loading with dirty bedding from outside the recycling plant such that the dirty bedding is stockpiled outside of the recycling plant prior to loading into said input hopper.  
     
     
         39 . The recycling plant of  claim 34 , additionally comprising a bagging machine for bagging the finally cleaned bedding for subsequent shipment.  
     
     
         40 . The recycling plant of  claim 34 , additionally comprising a water pumping system for pumping water for washing the dirty bedding into the recycling plant from an outside body of water.  
     
     
         41 . The recycling plant of  claim 40 , wherein the water pumping system is adapted to recycling a portion of the cleaned filtered water by combining the portion with the water from the outside body of water to wash the dirty bedding and to return a portion of the cleaned filtered water to the outside body of water.  
     
     
         42 . A business method for recovering, cleaning, and recycling dirty bedding used at customer sites in barns and stables which house animals such as horses and cows that produce manure, the dirty bedding including bedding which is contaminated with animal manure and urine produced by the animals, and other waste materials such as straw, dirt, and sand, comprising the steps of: 
 negotiating a bedding cleaning and replacement service contract with customers such as stable owners and farmers to remove the manure contaminated dirty bedding and replace with clean bedding;    picking up the dirty bedding at a customer's site;    transporting the dirty bedding to a cleaning apparatus for cleaning;    cleaning the dirty bedding to form clean bedding; and    transporting cleaned bedding to a customer's site to replace the dirty bedding.    
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the bedding comprises crumb rubber.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 42 , additionally comprising the step of negotiating a contract with a bedding supplier to furnish new bedding as needed.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 42 , additionally comprising the step of ordering and receiving new bedding from a bedding supplier when needed.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , additionally comprising the step of paying for the new bedding received from the supplier.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 42 , additionally comprising the steps of: 
 receiving periodic customer payments for the bedding cleaning and replacement service; and    paying operational expenses from the periodic customer payments.    
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 42 , additionally comprising the steps of: 
 negotiating a contract with a bedding supplier to furnish new bedding as needed;    ordering and receiving new bedding from a bedding supplier when needed;    paying for the new bedding received from the supplier;    receiving periodic customer payments for the bedding cleaning and replacement service;    paying operational expenses from the periodic customer payments; and    wherein the bedding comprises crumb rubber.