IP Library Granted Patent US 6,851,845
Granted Patent B2
US 6,851,845 · App. 10/131,086 · Granted Feb 8, 2005

Method and apparatus for processing waste material

Assignee: The Maitland Company, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 6,851,845
App. No.
10/131,086
Granted
Feb 8, 2005
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are provided to process material contained in one or more drums. In one exemplary method, waste material is transferred from one or more drums to a first tank. Waste material in the first tank is agitated with an agitator contained in the first tank, and the waste material is passed from the first tank to a second tank on a mobile wheeled chassis. The method also includes transporting the second tank from a location where the first tank is located.

Claims (43)

1. A method of processing waste material, comprising:

transferring waste material from at least one drum to a first tank located at a location, wherein the first tank contains an agitator;

agitating the waste material in the first tank with the agitator;

passing the waste material from the first tank to a second tank, wherein the second tank is on a mobile wheeled chassis; and

transporting the second tank away from the location,

wherein the passing comprises passing the waste material from the first tank to the second tank using vacuum force.

2. A method of processing waste material, comprising:

transferring waste material from at least one drum to a first tank located at a location, wherein the first tank contains an agitator;

agitating the waste material in the first tank with the agitator;

passing the waste material from the first tank to a second tank, wherein the second tank is on a mobile wheeled chassis; and

transporting the second tank away from the location,

wherein the location is an industrial area where the waste material is generated.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the transferring comprises transferring waste material from a plurality of drums to the first tank.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the waste material is transferred from each of the drums to the first tank one drum at a time.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the transferring comprises dumping waste material from each of the drums into the first tank.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the agitating comprises mixing together waste material from the plurality of drums.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the transferring comprises dumping waste material from the at least one drum into the first tank.

8. The method of claim 2 , wherein the transferring comprises transferring the waste material from the at least one drum to the first tank using vacuum force.

9. The method of claim 2 , wherein the transferring comprises transferring the waste material directly from the at least one drum to the first tank.

10. The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one drum has a volume of about 55 gallons.

11. The method of claim 2 , wherein the waste material transferred from the at least one drum to the first tank comprises liquid waste material.

12. The method of claim 2 , wherein the waste material transferred from the at least one drum to the first tank comprises a combination of liquid waste material and at least one of solid material and semi-solid material.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the agitating comprises blending the liquid waste material and said at least one of solid and semi-solid material so as to form a slurry.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the passing comprises flowing the slurry to the second tank.

15. The method of claim 2 , further comprising placing the at least one drum in a drum processing area where the transferring takes place.

16. The method of claim 2 , wherein the waste material comprises waste material generated during an industrial process.

17. The method of claim 2 , wherein at least part of the waste material is flammable.

18. The method of claim 2 , wherein the agitator contained in the first tank comprises at least one rotatable set of blades, and wherein the agitating comprises rotating the rotatable set of blades.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the rotating of the rotatable set of blades directs liquid in the first tank toward a floor of the first tank.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the agitator further comprises at least one rotatable auger, and wherein the agitating further comprises rotating the rotatable auger.

21. The method of claim 2 , wherein the agitator comprises a rotatable auger, and wherein the agitating comprises rotating the rotatable auger.

22. The method of claim 2 , further comprising sensing the amount of material in the first tank.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the sensing of the amount of material in the first tank comprises sensing when the level of material in the first tank reaches a predetermined level, and wherein the method further comprises providing an indication that the sensed level of material in the first tank has reached the predetermined level.

24. The method of claim 22 , further comprising providing an indication of the sensed amount, wherein the providing comprises transmitting information via a network.

25. The method of claim 24 , further comprising transporting the second tank to the location.

26. The method of claim 2 , wherein the second tank comprises an agitator configured to agitate waste material passed to the second tank, and wherein the method further comprises agitating waste material in the second tank.

27. The method of claim 2 , wherein the transporting further comprises transporting the second tank to a facility configured to provide at least one of disposal and incineration of waste material, and wherein the method further comprises off-loading material from the second tank at the facility.

28. The method of claim 2 , further comprising transporting the second tank to a second location where a third tank is located, wherein the third tank contains waste material from at least one drum, and wherein the method further comprises passing waste material from the third tank to the second tank.

29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the third tank contains an agitator, and wherein the method further comprises agitating waste material in the third tank with the agitator contained in the third tank.

30. The method of claim 2 ,

wherein the method further comprises scraping, with a scraper, waste material in the at least one drum.

31. The method of claim 30 , further comprising removing the scraper from the drum.

32. The method of claim 2 , wherein the transporting does not include transporting the first tank.

Assignments (4)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 3, 2019
From: COMERICA BANK, AS AGENT
To: THE MAITLAND COMPANY, LLC; SUMTER TRANSPORT COMPANY
Reel/Frame 049662/0835 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 2, 2015
From: THE MAITLAND COMPANY, LLC; SUMTER TRANSPORT COMPANY
To: COMERICA BANK, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 035974/0684 →
CONVERSION OF A CORPORATION TO A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY Recorded Jul 2, 2015
From: THE MAITLAND COMPANY, INC.
To: THE MAITLAND COMPANY, LLC
Reel/Frame 036055/0814 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 30, 2002
From: RUMPH, ROBERT
To: MAITLAND CORPORATION, THE
Reel/Frame 013245/0326 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation In Part 0952337600 · Mar 10, 2000
Related Publication 20020196703A1 · Dec 26, 2002