# US 5,704,988 A · Flexible "throw-away" sheet of trough for wet removal of asbestos > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,704,988 A - Document ID: US5704988A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/422,959 - Filed: 1995-04-17 - Granted: 1998-01-06 - Earliest claimed: 1995-04-17 - Inventors: William G. Lyons - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5704988A ## CPC - B09B 3/70: Chemical treatment, e.g. pH adjustment or oxidation (involving an extraction step B09B3/80) - B08B 15/026: {Boxes for removal of dirt, e.g. for cleaning brakes, glove- boxes} - B09B 3/35: Shredding, crushing or cutting - B09B 2101/35: Asbestos - B09B: DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL ## Abstract A trough soaking device for use in a process for complete wet removal of asbestos insulation covering from pipes, joints, and valves comprising: a flexible waterproof sheet material having disposed at its shortest ends a strip of sealing means for placement about pre-formed outermost adherent contact points on an asbestos covered pipe, and sleeve means at its longest ends to accommodate insertable support rods; a pair of support rods for insertion into a portion of said sleeve means; and at least a pair of saddles containing arched-out semi-circles for placement over pre-formed innermost adherent contact points on an asbestos covered pipe; said saddles containing slot means disposed at its lengthwise ends to accommodate press-fitting of support rods disposed in said sleeve means when said sealing means of said shortest ends of said waterproof sheet material are sealed together over said pre-formed outermost adherent contact points on said asbestos covered pipe. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A trough soaking device for use in a process for complete wet removal of asbestos insulation covering and hazardous materials from pipes, joints, and valves comprising: a flexible waterproof sheet material having disposed at its shortest ends, sealing means for placement about pre-formed outermost adherent contact points on an asbestos covered pipe, and sleeve means at its longest ends to accomodate insertable support rods; a pair of support rods for insertion into a portion of said sleeve means; and at least a pair of saddles containing arched-out semi-circles for placement over pre-formed innermost adherent contact points on an asbestos covered pipe; and saddles containing slot means disposed at it length wise ends to accomodate press-fitting of support rods disposed in said sleeve means when said sealing means of said shortest ends of said waterproof sheet material are sealed together over said pre-formed outermost adherent contact points on said asbestos covered pipe. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The trough soaking device of claim 1, wherein said flexible waterproof sheet material is rectangular in shape. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The device of claim 2, wherein a two-sided adhesive material is positioned along an inside radius of said arched-out semi-circles of said saddles. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3, wherein said sealing means for placement about outermost adherent contact points on said asbestos covered pipe is two-sided adhesive tape. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The device of claim 4, wherein said innermost adherent contact points and said outermost adherent contact points on said asbestos covered pipe are two-sided adhesive tape. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5, wherein a spot beneath said preformed adherent contact points are treated with an encapsulant prior to formation of said preformed adherent contact points. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) In combination, the device of claim 1 sealed around an asbestos covered pipe. ### Claim 8 A process for complete wet removal of asbestos insulation covering and hazardous materials from pipes, joints and valves comprising: providing pre-formed adherent material as contact points on an asbestos covered pipe; placing two-sided adhesive material over said contact points; inserting a pair of support rods into a portion of sleeve means disposed at the longest ends of a waterproof sheet material; placing a piece of two-sided adhesive material along an inside radius of an arched-out semi-circle in at least a pair of saddles to be placed over innermost adherent contact points on said asbestos covered pipe; press-fitting said sleeve covered support rods into slots disposed at lengthwise ends of said saddles; placing the inside radius of said arched-out semi-circle in each saddle to fit over a pair of pre-formed adherent contact points on said asbestos covered pipes; placing sealing means disposed at the shortest ends of said waterproof sheet material over a different pair of pre-formed adherent contact points on said asbestos covered pipe to secure the waterproof sheet material in a trough arrangement about said asbestos covered pipe; placing a sufficient volume of water containing an emulsifier into the sealed, in place, lightweight, flexible, "throw-away" trough to completely immerse the asbestos covered pipe; soaking the asbestos covered pipe for a period sufficient to loosen the asbestos; slitting the asbestos covering longitudinally along the pipe length to allow the asbestos to fall-off into the trough; and vacuuming or siphoning off excess water so that only soaked asbestos remains for disposal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The process of claim 8, wherein said soaked asbestos remains is removed by: placing a disposal bag underneath said trough sheet; slitting the trough sheet along the bottom from the inside to allow said soaked asbestos to drop into said disposal bag; wiping the pipe substantially free from asbestos with a moist or wet rag; removing the saddles and support rods from the empty trough; wiping the saddles and support rods clean with a wet cloth and preserving them for future use; and disposing of the bag containing the soaked asbestos.