Batch processing of material collected by a vacuum excavation unit
AssigneeThe Charles Works, Inc.
InventorFloyd R. Gunsaulis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for converting material within a vacuum tank that contains a mixture of liquid and solid material into a solidified batch of material. The method utilizes various devices to measure different features and properties of the tank and its contents to determine an amount of drying agent to be added to the tank. The method further utilizes various devices and methods for adding the drying agent to the tank and mixing the drying agent with the material within the tank. The method described herein may be completed automatically in response to human input on a handheld display device.
Claims20
A method for processing material contained within an interior of a vacuum tank, the method comprising the steps of:
- determining a weight of the material within the tank;
- determining an amount of open volume within the tank;
- after the preceding step, calculating a moisture content of the material using the determined weight of the material and the determined amount of open volume;
- after the preceding step, calculating an amount of drying agent needed to convert the material within the tank into a solidified batch of material using the calculated moisture content;
- after the preceding step, adding the calculated amount of drying agent to the tank;
- and
- after the preceding step, rotating a shaft supported within the vacuum tank between opposed ends of the tank, thereby mixing the drying agent with the material.
A method for processing material contained within an interior of a vacuum tank, in which the vacuum tank has opposed ends;
- in which the tank is pivotable at one of its ends about a pivot point, the method comprising the steps of:
- determining a weight of the material within the tank;
- in which the step of determining the weight of the material contained within the tank comprises:
- using a vertical load measuring device to measure a vertical force applied to the tank at the pivot point;
- and
- calculating the weight of the material contained within the tank using the measured vertical force and a known weight of the tank;
- determining an amount of open volume within the tank;
- after the preceding step, calculating a moisture content of the material using the determined weight of the material and the determined amount of open volume;
- after the preceding step, calculating an amount of drying agent needed to convert the material within the tank into a solidified batch of material using the calculated moisture content;
- after the preceding step, adding the calculated amount of drying agent to the tank;
- and
- after the preceding step, mixing the drying agent with the material.
A method for processing material contained within an interior of a vacuum tank, the method comprising the steps of:
- determining a weight of the material within the tank;
- determining an amount of open volume within the tank;
- after the preceding step, calculating a moisture content of the material using the determined weight of the material and the determined amount of open volume;
- after the preceding step, calculating an amount of drying agent needed to convert the material within the tank into a solidified batch of material using the calculated moisture content;
- after the preceding step, adding the calculated amount of drying agent to the tank;
- after the preceding step, mixing the drying agent with the material;
- measuring an amount of torque required to mix the drying agent with the material;
- and
- stopping the mixing of the drying agent and the material upon the measured amount of torque reaching a predetermined value.
A method for processing material contained within an interior of a vacuum tank, the tank being pivotable about first and second pivot points, the method comprising:
- measuring an amount of vertical force applied to the tank at the first and second pivot points;
- communicating the measured amounts of vertical force to a processor;
- using the processor to calculate a weight of the material within the tank using the measured amounts of vertical force;
- recording an amount of time required for air pressure within the interior of the tank to move between two predetermined values;
- communicating the recorded amount of time to the processor;
- using the processor to calculate an amount of open volume within the tank using the recorded amount of time;
- using the processor to calculate a moisture content of the material within the tank using the previously calculated values;
- using the processor to calculate an amount of drying agent needed to convert the material within the tank into a solidified batch of material;
- displaying the values calculated by the processor on a display device in communication with the processor;
- and
- adding the calculated amount of drying agent to the tank.
A system, comprising:
- a vacuum tank having opposed ends and pivotable at one of its ends about a pivot point;
- a material contained within the tank;
- a vertical load measuring device configured to be supported at the pivot point;
- a pipe section having a known diameter and in selective communication with the interior of the tank;
- one or more sensors in communication with the interior of the tank;
- a processor in communication with the vertical load measuring device and the one or more sensors, the processor configured to calculate a weight of the material within the tank using a value measured by the vertical load measuring device, configured to calculate an amount of open volume within the tank using values measured by the one or more sensors and the known diameter of the pipe section, and configured to calculate a moisture content of the material within the tank using the previously calculated values;
- and
- a display device in communication with the processor and configured to display the values calculated by the processor for a human user of the system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.