Container for & method of disposing of wet cement

Abstract

A reusable cement receptacle is provided that stores and dries wet cement. The dried cement is then removed for disposal from the receptacle by inverting the receptacle, at least partially.

1 . A reusable container that receives wet cement comprising: 
 a rigid receptacle that holds the wet cement, said receptacle including an open top into which the wet cement is deposited into the receptacle, a bottom wall having an exterior bottom side, and a side wall extending from the bottom wall,    said side wall and bottom wall being made of solid material and not having any openings therein that allow water in the wet cement to seep from the receptacle through said walls, and    at least one sleeve affixed to the exterior bottom side that cooperates with a lifting mechanism for lifting the container to an elevated position,    
     
     
         2 . The reusable container of  claim 1  where the sidewall comprises four sides that taper outwardly from the bottom wall.  
     
     
         3 . The reusable container of  claim 1  further comprising at least one divider disposed within said receptacle.  
     
     
         4 . The reusable container of  claim 3  where the divider has a pair of opposed walls that taper from a top segment outwardly towards the bottom wall.  
     
     
         5 . The reusable container of  claim 1  where said walls comprise metal.  
     
     
         6 . The reusable container of  claim 5  where said walls comprise steel.  
     
     
         7 . The reusable container of  claim 6  where said steel walls have a thickness of at least {fraction (5/64)} inch.  
     
     
         8 . The reusable container of  claim 1  where said receptacle has a volume of at least 5 cubic feet.  
     
     
         9 . The reusable container of  claim 8  where said receptacle has a volume of from 5 to 750 cubic feet.  
     
     
         10 . The reusable container of  claim 1  where the bottom wall has a rectangular configuration with a longitudinal axis and the sleeve comprises an elongated tunnel that is substantially at a right angle with respect to the longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         11 . The reusable container of  claim 1  including an interior surface coated with a release agent.  
     
     
         12 . A reusable container that receives wet cement comprising: 
 a rigid, solid metal, box-type receptacle having a volume of from 5 to 750 cubic feet that holds the wet cement, said receptacle including 
 an open top into which the wet cement is deposited into an interior of the receptacle,  
 a bottom wall having an exterior bottom side, and  
 a side wall having opposed sides extending from the bottom wall and tapering outward from the bottom wall;  
   said side wall and bottom wall not having any openings therein that allow water in the wet cement to seep from the receptacle through said walls, and    a pair of spaced apart sleeves affixed to the exterior bottom side that cooperate in engaging a fork lift for lifting the container to an elevated position.    
     
     
         13 . The reusable container of  claim 12  further comprising at least one divider disposed within said receptacle.  
     
     
         14 . The reusable container of  claim 13  where the divider has a pair of opposed walls that taper from an upper end outwardly towards the bottom wall.  
     
     
         15 . The reusable container of  claim 12  where said walls comprise steel.  
     
     
         16 . The reusable container of  claim 15  where said steel walls have a thickness of at least {fraction (5/64)} inch.  
     
     
         17 . The reusable container of  claim 12  including an interior surface coated with a release agent.  
     
     
         18 . A reusable container that receives wet cement comprising: 
 a rigid box-type receptacle having a volume of from 5 to 750 cubic feet that holds the wet cement, said receptacle including 
 an open top having a rectangular configuration with a rigid reinforcing lip at an upper end of the top defining an opening into which the wet cement is deposited into an interior of the receptacle,  
 a bottom wall having an exterior bottom side, and  
 a side wall having opposed sides extending from the bottom wall and tapering outward from the bottom wall;  
   said side wall and bottom wall being made of steel having a thickness of at least {fraction (5/64)} inch and not having any openings therein that allow water in the wet cement to seep from the receptacle through said walls,    at least one divider disposed within the interior of said receptacle, said divider having a lower end at or near the bottom wall and an upper end near but not above the open top, said divider including a pair of opposed walls that taper from the upper end outwardly towards the bottom wall, and    a pair of spaced apart sleeves affixed to the exterior bottom side that cooperate in engaging a fork lift for lifting the container to an elevated position,    the bottom wall having a, rectangular configuration with a longitudinal axis and said sleeves each comprising an elongated tunnel that is substantially at a right angle with respect to the longitudinal axis.    
     
     
         19 . The reusable container of  claim 18  where at least a pair of opposed sides of the side wall each have a brace on exterior thereof.  
     
     
         20 . The reusable container of  claim 19  including an interior surface coated with a release agent.  
     
     
         21 . A method for storing and disposing of wet cement comprising: 
 depositing wet cement into an open end of a rigid receptacle to at least partially fill the receptacle, said receptacle having non-porous walls that prevent water in the wet cement from seeping from the receptacle and including at least one coupling mechanism that cooperates in engaging a lifting mechanism for lifting the receptacle to an elevated, at least partially inverted position, for removing cement contained within said receptacle,    drying said wet concrete in said receptacle;    elevating and at least partially inverting said receptacle with said lifting mechanism such that dried cement within said receptacle is removed from the said receptacle due to gravity.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  where said step of elevating and at least partially inverting said receptacle such that dried cement within said receptacle is removed from the said receptacle comprises: 
 engaging said receptacle with said lifting mechanism;  
 raising said receptacle above a supporting surface; and  
 turning said receptacle such that said open end substantially faces downwards, thereby allowing the dried cement to fall from the receptacle.  
 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  where said lifting mechanism comprises a forklift.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21  where said coupling mechanism is a sleeve on an exterior of a bottom wall.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21  where the receptacle has sides that taper outward from a bottom wall.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21  including coating an interior surface of the receptacle with a release agent prior depositing wet cement therein.  
     
     
         27 . A method for storing and disposing of wet cement comprising: 
 depositing the wet cement into an open top of a container with non-porous walls so that water from the wet cement does not seep from the container through said walls;    drying said wet cement in said container to produce therein dry concrete; and    inverting said container such that said dry concrete is removed by gravity from said container through the open top.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24  where said container comprises: 
 a bottom wall;  
 at least one side wall extending from said bottom wall to define the open top; and  
 at least one coupling mechanism that cooperates in engaging a lifting mechanism for lifting the container to an elevated position.  
 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  where said step of inverting said container such that said dry concrete is removed from said container comprises: 
 engaging said container with a lifting mechanism; and  
 raising said container above a supporting surface; and  
 inverting said container such that the open top of said container substantially faces downwards towards the supporting surface to allow the dry concrete to fall due to gravity from the container onto the supporting surface.  
 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 30  where said lifting mechanism is a forklift.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28  where said coupling mechanism is a sleeve coupled to said bottom wall.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 27  including coating an interior surface of the container with a release agent prior depositing wet cement therein.  
     
     
         33 . A reusable container that receives wet cement comprising: 
 a rigid receptacle that holds the wet cement, said receptacle including an open top into which the wet cement is deposited into the receptacle, a bottom wall having an exterior bottom side, and a side wall extending from the bottom wall having at least one pair of opposed sides,    said side wall and bottom wall being made of solid material and not having any openings therein that allow water in the wet cement to seep from the receptacle through said walls,    said open top having a rigid reinforcing lip at an upper end thereof, said reinforcing lip defining an opening into which the wet cement is deposited into the receptacle,    a pair of spaced apart sleeves affixed to the exterior bottom side that cooperates with a lifting mechanism for lifting the container to an elevated position, said sleeves each having opposed end portions that extend beyond the exterior bottom side, and    a pair of reinforcing braces on an exterior of each of the opposed sides of said side wall, each brace aligned with one end portion of each of the sleeves and extending between the lip and said aligned end portion, said braces having opposed ends respectively connected to the lip and aligned end portion.