Removal of hardened concrete from ready mixed drum interiors using upwardly directed high pressure water

An apparatus for removing residual concrete from a rotatably mounted ready mixed concrete truck drum, comprising:

• an elongate boom;
• a torpedo-shaped nozzle housing hingedly connected to a leading end of said elongate boom so that said torpedo-shaped nozzle housing is positionable in an infinite number of angular positions relative to said elongate boom;
• a high-pressure water nozzle lance mounted within said torpedo-shaped nozzle housing;
• an elongate hose extending between a source of water under high pressure and said high-pressure water nozzle lance;
• said truck adapted to have a plurality of helical fins mounted within said drum, each of said helical fins having a leading side and a trailing side, and said high pressure water nozzle lance being adapted to clean concrete from both sides of each helical fin as said torpedo-shaped nozzle housing is retracted from an interior of said drum;
• said high pressure water nozzle further adapted to clean residual concrete from said interior drum shell of said drum between said helical fins;
• a float control that maintains said high pressure water nozzle in very close proximity to said helical fins and said interior drum shell as said torpedo-shaped nozzle housing is retracted;
• said float control enabling said torpedo-shaped nozzle housing to contact and slide over each helical fin as it is encountered and further enabling said torpedo-shaped nozzle housing to return to said very close proximity to said interior drum shell upon clearing each helical fin, said close proximity substantially increasing the blasting and removing capability of said high-pressure water nozzle lance;
• an upstanding tower;
• a hydraulic motor mount housing, having a hollow interior, positioned in surmounting relation to said upstanding tower;
• a boom housing of straight configuration having a hollow interior and open ends, said boom housing mounted in surmounting relation to said hydraulic motor mount housing;
• said boom housing being pivotally mounted with respect to said hydraulic motor mount housing;
• said boom housing having a position of repose where a longitudinal axis of said boom housing is disposed normal to a longitudinal axis of said upstanding tower;
• said elongate boom disposed at least in part within said hollow interior of said boom housing;
• said elongate boom having a leading end extending from a leading end of said boom housing, a trailing end extending from a trailing end of said boom housing, and a medial extent disposed within said boom housing;
• said elongate boom having a retracted position where said leading end of said elongate boom is disposed close to said boom housing and where said trailing end of said elongate boom is disposed remote from said boom housing;
• said elongate boom having an extended position where said leading end of said elongate boom is remotely disposed relative to said boom housing and where said trailing end of said elongate boom is disposed close to said boom housing;
• said torpedo-shaped nozzle housing having a storage and insertion position where said torpedo-shaped nozzle housing is disposed in axial alignment with said elongate boom;
• an interconnecting means for interconnecting said torpedo-shaped nozzle housing and said elongate boom;
• control means for controlling the angular position of said torpedo-shaped nozzle housing relative to said elongate boom;
• a transportable trailer system that may be stationary including truck mounted for supporting said elongate nozzle boom, said upstanding tower, said torpedo-shaped nozzle housing, said upstanding post, and said motor mount housing;
• a back-up assistance assembly that facilitates interconnection of said transportable trailer and a ready mixed concrete truck;
• said back-up assistance assembly including a longitudinal rod having a first end pivotally secured to a trailing end of said trailer;
• a transverse rod connected to said longitudinal rod to form a “T” -shaped connection therewith;
• a first pair of truncate rods mounted to and extending longitudinally from a first half of said transverse rod;
• a second pair of truncate rods mounted to and extending longitudinally from a second half of said transverse rod;
• a first flat plate having an upwardly protruding first wheel chock formed thereon;
• said first flat plate being positioned between but not connected to said first pair of truncate rods;
• a second flat plate having an upwardly protruding wheel chock formed thereon;
• and
• said second flat plate being positioned between but not connected to said second pair of truncate rods formed in said second half of said transverse rod;
• whereby a driver of a ready mixed concrete truck backs onto the first and second flat plates until the wheels are stopped by the wheel chocks;
• and
• whereby the length of said longitudinal rod is preselected to ensure that the truck will be properly spaced from the novel apparatus when the wheels of the ready mixed concrete truck abut said wheel chocks.