Wash Rack System with Side Trough

Abstract

A cleaning system is provided which includes a wash floor, a side trough adjacent the wash floor, which is positioned to receive waste from the wash floor and is attached to a filtering system. A method of using this cleaning system is also provided.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A cleaning system comprising:
 a wash floor comprising a deck and being adapted to allow waste to escape the wash floor;   a side trough adjacent the wash floor, the side trough positioned to receive waste from the wash floor, the side trough sized to accommodate a skid-steer loader;   a guide rail operatively associated with the wash floor and provided at least partly across a length of the cleaning system to guide the skid-steer loader when the skid-steer loader is used to clean out the side trough; and   a filtering system attached to the trough, comprising a pump for pumping liquid from the trough to the filtering system.   
     
     
         23 . The cleaning system of  claim 22 , wherein the wash floor is sloped at an angle other than horizontal to assist in waste escaping the wash floor. 
     
     
         24 . The cleaning system of  claim 23 , wherein the trough comprises one or more fittings for attachment to the filtering system to allow liquid to be pumped from the trough to the filtering system. 
     
     
         25 . The cleaning system of  claim 24 , wherein the wash floor will hold at least 10,000 pounds of weight without permanently deforming. 
     
     
         26 . The cleaning system of  claim 25 , wherein the wash floor is comprised of a plurality of modular wash racks, each modular wash rack adjacent at least one other modular wash rack. 
     
     
         27 . The cleaning system of  claim 26 , wherein each modular wash rack is coupled to at least one other modular wash rack. 
     
     
         28 . The cleaning system of  claim 27 , further comprising a frame and at least one wall extending upwardly from the frame. 
     
     
         29 . The cleaning system of  claim 28 , wherein the trough comprises one or more fittings for attachment to the filtering system to allow liquid to be pumped from the trough to the filtering system. 
     
     
         30 . The cleaning system of  claim 22 , wherein the wash floor will hold at least 10,000 pounds of weight without permanently deforming. 
     
     
         31 . The cleaning system of  claim 22 , wherein the wash floor is comprised of a plurality of modular wash racks, each modular wash rack adjacent at least one other modular wash rack. 
     
     
         32 . The cleaning system of  claim 31 , wherein each modular wash rack is coupled to at least one other modular wash rack. 
     
     
         33 . The cleaning system of  claim 22 , wherein the guide rail is provided at an intersection between the wash floor and the side trough. 
     
     
         34 . A cleaning system comprising:
 a wash floor;   a side trough adjacent the wash floor being sized to accommodate a mechanical cleaning means, wherein the side trough includes a guide rail operatively associated with the side trough to guide the mechanical cleaning means when the mechanical cleaning means is provided adjacent thereto, the side trough comprising a drainage fitting; and   a filtering system comprising a tube and a pump, the tube attached to the pump and to the drainage fitting.   
     
     
         35 . The cleaning system of  claim 34 , wherein the wash floor is sloped at an angle other than horizontal to assist in waste escaping the wash floor. 
     
     
         36 . The cleaning system of  claim 35 , wherein the wash floor will hold at least 10,000 pounds of weight without permanently deforming. 
     
     
         37 . The cleaning system of  claim 36 , wherein the wash floor is comprised of a plurality of modular wash racks, each modular wash rack adjacent at least one other modular wash rack. 
     
     
         38 . The cleaning system of  claim 37 , further comprising a frame and at least one wall extending upwardly from the frame. 
     
     
         39 . A method of cleaning an object, comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a cleaning system having a wash floor with a deck that facilitates waste removal from a wash rack; a side trough adjacent the wash floor being sized to accommodate a skid-steer loader and having a guide rail at operably associated with the wash; and a filtering system attached to the trough having a pump for pumping liquid from the trough to the filtering system;   (b) placing an object on the wash floor;   (c) cleaning the object such that water and waste are eschewed into the side trough by way of the deck;   (d) pumping liquid from the side trough to the filtering system; and   (e) removing the remaining matter from the side trough using a skid-steer loader.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the wash floor is sloped at an angle other than horizontal to assist in waste escaping the wash floor.