Slag transport and dumping apparatus and method

A slag dumping pallet apparatus for use in dumping high temperature slag, said apparatus being for operative use with a transport vehicle that includes a front cab portion substantially enclosing an interior seating compartment, wheels adapted to rollably engage the ground, a rear transport bed having a pallet interface portion, and a container lifting mechanism securely mounted substantially adjacent to the rear transport bed;

• said apparatus comprising:
• a) a pallet support frame having at least two ground support members adapted to rest securely upon the ground in a substantially upright slag loading configuration, and a pallet deck that includes a rear deck portion and a transporter interface portion, with said rear deck portion provided with a container pivot portion, and with said transporter interface portion adapted for selective operative engagement with said pallet interface portion of said transport vehicle in a substantially secure slag transporting configuration;
• and
• b) a dump container securely supported upon said pallet support frame, said dump container having an outside portion, an inside portion that defines a slag reservoir, and a rear container portion that is provided with a frame pivot portion, with said frame pivot portion securely engaging said container pivot portion of said pallet support frame in selectively pivotable relation, such that said dump container is selectively pivotable about said container pivot portion between a slag retaining configuration whereat said slag reservoir is adapted to retain the slag therein, and a slag pouring configuration whereat said slag reservoir is adapted to permit release of the slag therefrom;
• wherein said dump container is adapted for operative and selective engagement with the container lifting mechanism to selectively pivot said dump container from said slag retaining configuration towards said slag pouring configuration;
• wherein in said slag loading configuration, said slag reservoir is adapted to receive the slag, said dump container is in said slag retaining configuration, and said pallet is adapted to be operatively removed from said transport vehicle;
• wherein in said slag transporting configuration, said dump container is in said slag retaining configuration, and said pallet is adapted to securely engage said transport vehicle, in substantially carrying relation, such as to enable selective operative transport of said pallet;
• and
• wherein said inside portion of said dump container is shaped to define a dump opening substantially adjacent to said rear container portion;
• with said pallet further comprising a tailgate mechanism that includes a rear door securely mounted on said dump container substantially adjacent to said rear container portion, with said rear door being slid ably movable between:
• (A) a closed configuration whereat said dump container is in said slag retaining configuration, whereat said rear door substantially occludes said dump opening, and whereat said rear door is adapted to retain the slag in said slag reservoir;
• and (B) an open configuration whereat said dump opening is substantially unobstructed by said rear door, and said dump container is in said slag pouring configuration;
• and
• wherein movement of the dump container to the slag retaining configuration causes the rear door to move to the closed configuration;
• and movement of the dump container to the slag pouring configuration causes the rear door to move to the open configuration.

A method of transporting and dumping high temperature slag, said method comprising the steps of:

• a slag pouring step of pouring the slag, from substantially adjacent to a steel making furnace, into a slag reservoir defined by an inside portion of a dump container that is securely supported upon a pallet support frame, with said slag reservoir receiving and retaining the slag therein in a slag retaining configuration;
• a slag transporting step of using a transport vehicle having a rear transport bed that securely engages said pallet support frame to substantially carry said pallet support frame and said dump container, and to transport the slag in said slag reservoir over ground to substantially adjacent to a slag dumping area;
• a slag dumping step of dumping the slag substantially adjacent to the slag dumping area;
• wherein in said slag dumping step, a container lifting mechanism, securely mounted substantially adjacent to said rear transport bed of said transport vehicle, pivots said dump container, about a pivotable engagement between said dump container and said pallet support frame adjacent respective rear portions thereof, from said slag retaining configuration towards a slag pouring configuration whereat said slag reservoir permits release of the slag therefrom;
• and
• further comprising a door opening step, occurring substantially contemporaneously with said slag dumping step as said dump container pivots as aforesaid from said slag retaining configuration towards said slag pouring configuration, wherein in said door opening step, a rear door of a tailgate mechanism, which is securely mounted on said dump container substantially adjacent to a rear dump opening thereof, is slidingly moved from:
• (A) a closed configuration whereat said dump container is in said slag retaining configuration, whereat said rear door substantially occludes said dump opening, and whereat said rear door is adapted to retain the slag in said slag reservoir;
• towards (B) an open configuration whereat said dump opening is substantially unobstructed by said rear door, and said dump container is in said slag pouring configuration;
• and
• wherein movement of the dump container to the slag retaining configuration causes the rear door to move to the closed configuration;
• and movement of the dump container to the slag pouring configuration causes the rear door to move to the open configuration.