Apparatus for cleaning pipes having pumping and vacuuming capability

Abstract

An apparatus for cleaning waste collection systems of solid materials. The apparatus is capable of cleaning waste systems in two known ways. First, a pumping method uses normal and injected water flow to suspend the solids in a slurry. A submersible pump moves the slurry from a collection point up to a pressurized container where the water content of the slurry is decanted and reused as injection water while the particulate material settles to the bottom of the pressurized container. Second, a vacuum system may be used to move the slurry from the waste system to the waste container. The vacuum system creates a negative pressure differential, causing material to be pulled through a vacuum tube and into the waste container. When the container becomes substantially full of solid particles, it may be emptied at a dumpsite.

1 . An apparatus for cleaning waste collection systems of solid material by suspending the material in a water slurry and moving the slurry to a waste container where the solids separate from the water and drop to the bottom of the waste container, comprising: 
 a source of water;    means to pressurize water;    means to direct the pressurized water against solid materials contained in a waste collection system, whereby the solid material is suspended in a water slurry;    means to control the movement of the means to pressurize water through the waste collection system;    means for pumping a slurry comprised of liquids and solids from the waste collection system, said means for pumping located downstream of said means to pressurize water;    means for vacuuming a slurry comprised of liquids and solids from the waste collection system, said means for vacuuming located downstream of said means to pressurize water;    a waste container; and    means for decanting water from said waste container.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the waste container is permanently affixed to the apparatus.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the waste container is removable from the apparatus.  
   
   
       4 . An apparatus for cleaning waste collection systems of solid material by suspending the material in a water slurry and moving the slurry to a waste container where the solids separate from the water and drop to the bottom of the waste container, comprising: 
 a source of water;    a water hose in communication with said source of water;    a water pressurizer;    a submersible pump adapted for pumping a slurry comprised of liquids and solids from the waste collection system and located downstream of said water pressurization means, said pump being powered from a remotely located power source;    a vacuuming system which may be used in place of the submersible pump, said vacuuming system adapted for vacuuming a slurry comprised of liquids and solids from the waste collection system and located downstream of said water pressurization means, said vacuuming system being powered from a remotely located power source;    a waste container;    a slurry hose for use in conjunction with said submersible pump, said slurry hose having first and second ends, said slurry hose first end in communication with said waste container and said second end in communication with said submersible pump or vacuuming system for transmitting the pumped slurry to the waste container;    a decant water outlet in said waste container; and    a decant water hose having first and second ends, said decant water hose first end in communication with said waste container water decant outlet and said second end in communication with the waste collection system upstream of said submersible pump or vacuum system.    
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the water pressurizer is a high-pressure nozzle.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the water pressurizer is a funnel-shaped kite, the kite having an opening in the narrowest part of the funnel in which high pressure water flows and directing the high pressure water into and cleaning a waste collection system and suspending solid material contained therein in a water slurry.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the means to pressurize water is a Wayne ball, the Wayne ball having helical grooves cut into its surface and in which high pressure water flows and suspends solid material contained in the waste collection system in a water slurry.