Wet(plastic)and dry concrete reclamation/disposaldevice

Abstract

A device and method for residual concrete collection for disposal or reclamation of same, wherein a bag is formed, generally prismatic in structure, with an opening in the top. Suspension straps serve to attach the bag and support it below the outflow of concrete mixing or delivery equipment such that concrete and/or water will flow into the device, wherein water will subsequently pass therethrough. The device and collected concrete can then be moved and/or stored for disposal or reclamation of the concrete.

1 . A containment apparatus for collecting and disposing of a mixture of excess wet concrete and wash water from a discharge port of concrete-handling equipment, the apparatus comprising:
 a container including a bottom panel and at least one side panel, and defining at least one inlet, wherein the side panel is made of a flexible material so that the container is reconfigurable between a collapsed state and an expanded state; and   at least one strap or belt extending from the container and adapted to hang from the concrete-handling equipment, wherein a length of the at least one strap or belt is selected so that when the at least one strap or belt is hung from the concrete-handling equipment the container is expanded to the expanded state, wherein in the expanded state the container is at least partially supported in suspension from above by the at least one strap or belt and thereby retained in the expanded state and at the same time the container is at least partially supported from below by an underlying surface on which the bottom panel rests,   wherein in use the container is positioned with the inlet in communication with the concrete-handling equipment discharge port, the at least one strap or belt is hung from the concrete-handling equipment to expand the container from the collapsed state to the expanded state, the mixture of excess wet concrete and wash water is delivered from the concrete-handling equipment to the container while the container is in the expanded state, and the mixture of excess wet concrete and wash water is contained within the container for disposal.   
     
     
         2 . The containment apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a delivery tube coupled to the inlet that can be positioned in communication with the discharge port of the concrete-handling equipment. 
     
     
         3 . The containment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the container is made of a water impermeable material. 
     
     
         4 . The containment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the container has at least a portion that is made of a water permeable material so that the wash water can drain from the container while the concrete is retained in the container. 
     
     
         5 . The containment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one side panel comprises four side panels and wherein the at least one strap or belt comprises four straps or belts. 
     
     
         6 . The containment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the underlying surface is the ground. 
     
     
         7 . The containment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the container includes a top panel that extends inward from the at least one side panel and defines the inlet. 
     
     
         8 . The containment apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the inlet is positioned off-center in the top panel. 
     
     
         9 . The containment apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the container has a periphery at the junction of the at least one side panel and the top panel, wherein the at least one strap or belt extends from the top panel adjacent the inlet, and further comprising at least one second looped strap extending from the container at the periphery, wherein the at least one belt or strap extends through the at least one looped strap. 
     
     
         10 . The containment apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the container has a periphery at the junction of the at least one side panel and the top panel, and wherein the at least one belt or strap extends from the container at the periphery. 
     
     
         11 . The containment apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the container has a periphery at the junction of the at least one side panel and the top panel, and further comprising reinforcing strips at the periphery. 
     
     
         12 . The containment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one side panel includes at least one fold line about which the at least one side panel unfolds when expanding the container from the collapsed state to the expanded state. 
     
     
         13 . The containment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one strap or belt is adapted to be strong enough that it can be engaged to lift and transport the container holding the cured concrete. 
     
     
         14 . The containment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a height of the container in the expanded state is selected so that the container fits under the discharge port of the concrete-handling equipment. 
     
     
         15 . A containment apparatus for collecting and disposing of a mixture of excess wet concrete and wash water from a discharge port of concrete-handling equipment, the apparatus comprising:
 a container including a bottom panel, a top panel, and four side panels extending therebetween, wherein the top panel extends inward from the side panels and defines an inlet, wherein the side panels are made of a flexible material so that the container is configurable between a collapsed state and an expanded state, and wherein a height of the container in the expanded state is selected so that the container fits under the discharge port of the concrete-handling equipment; and   four straps or belts extending from the container and adapted to hang from the concrete-handling equipment, wherein the straps or belts are adapted to be strong enough that they can be engaged to lift and transport the container when holding the mixture of excess wet concrete and wash water after curing, wherein the straps or belts each have a length selected so that when they are hung from the concrete-handling equipment the container is expanded to the expanded state, wherein in the expanded state the container is at least partially supported in suspension from above by the straps or belts and thereby retained in the expanded state and at the same time the container is at least partially supported from below by ground on which the bottom panel rests,   wherein in use the container is positioned with the inlet in communication with the discharge port of the concrete-handling equipment, the straps or belts are hung from the concrete-handling equipment to expand the container from the collapsed state to the expanded state with the container at least partially supported in suspension from above by the straps or belts and at least partially supported from below by the ground on which it rests, the excess wet concrete is flushed from the concrete-handling equipment with the wash water thereby forming the mixture of excess wet concrete and wash water, the mixture of excess wet concrete and wash water is delivered from the discharge port of the concrete-handling equipment to the inlet of the container while the container is supported in the expanded state by the straps or belts hung from the concrete-handling equipment, and the mixture of excess wet concrete and wash water is retained within the container to cure to a solidified state for disposal.   
     
     
         16 . A containment apparatus for collecting and disposing of a mixture of excess wet concrete and wash water from a discharge port of concrete-handling equipment, the apparatus comprising:
 a container including a bottom panel and at least one side panel, and defining at least one inlet, wherein the side panel is made of a flexible material and includes a double-walled inflatable portion, wherein the container is reconfigurable from a collapsed state to an expanded state by at least partially inflating the inflatable portion, wherein in the collapsed state the container is compacted for transport, wherein in the expanded state the container is expanded for receiving therein through the inlet the mixture of excess wet concrete and wash water and retaining therein at least the excess wet concrete, wherein the container is retained in the expanded state by the inflated portion of the at least one side panel, and wherein a height of the container in the expanded state is selected so that the container fits under the discharge port of the concrete-handling equipment; and   at least one strap extending from the container and adapted to be strong enough that it can be engaged to lift and transport the container holding the mixture of excess wet concrete and wash water after curing,   wherein in use the container is positioned with the inlet in communication with the concrete-handling equipment discharge port, the inflatable portion is inflated to expand the container from the collapsed state to the expanded state and support the container in the expanded state, the mixture of excess wet concrete and wash water is delivered from the concrete-handling equipment to the container while the container is in the expanded state, and the mixture of excess wet concrete and wash water is disposed of.   
     
     
         17 . The containment apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the bottom panel and the at least one side panel are made of a polypropylene material, and further comprising a water impermeable liner that contains therein the mixture of excess wet concrete and wash water. 
     
     
         18 . The containment apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the inflatable portion of the container is inflatable with air, and wherein the container is reconfigurable from the expanded state to the collapsed state by at least partially deflating the inflatable portion. 
     
     
         19 . The containment apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one side panel including the inflatable portion forms an upper enclosure of the container, and further comprising at least one base wall that cooperates with the bottom panel to form a lower enclosure of the container. 
     
     
         20 . The containment apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one strap or belt has a length selected so that when the at least one strap or belt is hung from the concrete-handling equipment with the container in the expanded state, the container is at least partially supported in suspension from above by the at least one strap or belt and at least partially supported from below by an underlying surface on which the bottom panel rests.