U.S. patent number RE33,810 [Application Number 07/571,141] was granted by the patent office on 1992-02-04 for portable isolation enclosure for use in cleaning contaminated environments.
Invention is credited to Jerome F. Strieter.
United States Patent |
RE33,810 |
Strieter |
February 4, 1992 |
Portable isolation enclosure for use in cleaning contaminated
environments
Abstract
A sealed portable isolation enclosure for use in removing
asbestos material from ceiling or other elevated
asbestos-containing structures including a booth and an adjustable
ceiling-contacting plenum for accommodating ceiling of various
heights. Disposed between the booth and the plenum is a flexible
transparent film for enclosing and sealing the spaced formed
therebetween regardless of the elevation of the plenum relative to
the booth. The enclosure is equipped with EPA approved vacuum and
ventilation systems for filtering and ventilating the contamainated
air therein. A disposable bagtrap door system is provided for the
disposal of the asbestos-containing materials. In addition, the
enclosure may also include a shower system within the
enclosure.
Inventors: |
Strieter; Jerome F. (Silver
Spring, MD) |
Family
ID: |
26757327 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/571,141 |
Filed: |
August 23, 1990 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
75827 |
Jul 17, 1987 |
04765352 |
Aug 23, 1988 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
134/99.1;
134/104.4; 134/172; 135/900; 15/301; 454/63; 52/63; 55/385.2;
55/DIG.29; 95/273 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B08B
15/026 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B08B
15/00 (20060101); B08B 15/02 (20060101); B08B
007/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;134/99,104.4,172,201,21,22.1,25.4 ;15/301,345 ;98/115.1,115.4
;312/1,3 ;55/97,385.2,DIG.29 ;52/27,63 ;135/106,900 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
Nilfisk Brochure NIL-4002, Nov. 1986..
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Primary Examiner: Coe; Philip R.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Irons; Edward S.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A portable isolation enclosure, primarily useful for cleaning
contaminated environments, particularly for removing ceiling tile
or other asbestos-containing elevated structures, comprising:
an open top booth having a bottom wall and at least one vertically
extending side wall to form a closed walled structure sufficiently
large to comfortably enclose a worker;
a height adjustable and open top ceiling-contacting plenum above
and in open communication with said open top booth and vertically
slidably connected thereto;
plenum position locking means, integral with said booth, for
locking said plenum at various predetermined elevations relative to
said booth;
telescoping means for enclosing and sealing a space formed between
said plenum and said booth regardless of the elevation of said
plenum relative to said booth;
a waste disposal means for discharging asbestos from said booth,
said waste disposal means being in communication with said side
wall;
a first vacuum filtering means for continuously evacuating the
interior of said booth, for filtering asbestos particles .[.form.].
.Iadd.from .Iaddend.the atmosphere within said booth, and for
discharging clean air to the exterior of said booth; and
a second vacuum and filtering means having a movable nozzle for
vacuuming the interior of said booth including said bottom wall,
the area adjacent said waste disposal means and a worker within
said booth.
2. A portable isolation enclosure in accordance with claim 1,
further including shower means for washing the interior of said
booth and a worker therein, said shower having a water discharge
nozzle within said booth.
3. A portable isolation enclosure in accordance with claim 2,
wherein said shower system includes a flexible hose and a valve to
regulate the flow of water therethrough.
4. A portable isolation enclosure in accordance with claim 1,
further comprising a plurality of castor wheels beneath said bottom
wall.
5. A portable isolation enclosure in accordance with claim 1,
wherein said first vacuum and filtering means is supported by a
plurality of castor wheels.
6. A portable isolation enclosure in accordance with claim 1,
wherein said first vacuum and filtering means comprises a high
efficiency particulate air system.
7. A portable isolation enclosure in accordance with claim 1,
wherein said height adjustable ceiling-contacting plenum includes a
plurality of upwardly and outwardly diverging walls whereby the top
of said plenum has a perimeter substantially larger than the
perimeter of the bottom thereof.
8. A portable isolation enclosure in accordance with claim 7,
wherein said bottom end of said telescoping means comprises a
flexible impervious curtain having an upper edge supported by said
plenum.
9. A portable isolation enclosure in accordance with claim 1,
wherein said contaminated waste disposal means includes a chute, a
normally closed trap door within said chute, and a flexible
disposal bag having an opening secured about said chute.
10. A portable isolation enclosure in accordance with claim 9,
wherein said trap door is hinged to said chute so as to open
outwardly from said booth, whereby atmospheric pressure outside
said booth biases said trap door closed.
11. A portable isolation enclosure in accordance with claim 10,
wherein said trap door includes a seal about its periphery.
12. A portable isolation enclosure in accordance with claim 9,
wherein said chute is integrally formed in said side wall of said
booth.
13. A portable isolation enclosure in accordance with claim 1,
wherein said plenum position locking means comprises a plurality of
vertically extending spaced apart parallel bars connected between
said booth and said plenum, said bars being received in
corresponding spaced-apart parallel guide recesses in said at least
one vertically extending side wall, said recesses and said bars
having a plurality of spaced apart vertically arranged apertures
therethrough for receiving locking pegs when the apertures in said
bars are aligned with the apertures in said guide recess.
14. A portable isolation enclosure in accordance with claim 1,
wherein a portion of said side wall is provided with an air tight
door for permitting a worker access to the interior of said
booth.
15. A portable isolation enclosure in accordance with claim 1,
wherein said booth is substantially rectangular comprising four
vertically extending side walls.
16. A portable isolation enclosure in accordance with claim 1,
wherein said telescoping means is formed of a transparent
material.
17. A portable isolation enclosure in accordance with claim 16,
wherein said telescoping means comprises a flexible plastic film
having an upper edge supported by said plenum.
18. A portable isolation enclosure in accordance with claim 1,
further comprising a gasket at and surrounding the top of said
plenum.
19. A portable isolation enclosure in accordance with claim 1,
wherein said first vacuum and filtering means is capable of drawing
1000 to 1500 cubic feet of air per minute.
20. A portable isolation enclosure in accordance with claim 1,
wherein said plenum is foldable and/or removable. .Iadd.
21. A portable isolation enclosure, useful for cleaning
contaminated environments, comprising:
an open booth having a bottom wall and at least one vertically
extending side wall to form a closed walled structure sufficiently
large to comfortably enclose a worker;
a height adjustable and open top ceiling-contacting plenum above
and in open communication with said open top booth, said plenum
being connected to said top booth for vertical movement with
respect thereto;
plenum position locking means, integral with said booth, for
locking said plenum at various predetermined elevations relative to
said booth;
telescoping means for enclosing and sealing a space formed between
said plenum and said booth regardless of the elevation of said
plenum relative to said booth;
a waste disposal means for discharging waste from said booth, said
waste disposal means being in communication with said side wall;
and
a vacuum and filtering means for continuously evacuating the
interior of said booth, for filtering waste particles from the
atmosphere within said booth, and for discharging clean air to the
exterior of said booth. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. A portable isolation
enclosure in accordance with claim 21, further including shower
means for washing the interior of said booth and a worker therein,
said shower having a water discharge nozzle within said booth.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.23. A portable isolation enclosure in accordance
with claim 22, wherein said shower system includes a flexible hose
and a valve to regulate the flow of water therethrough.
.Iaddend.
.Iadd.24. A portable isolation enclosure in accordance with claim
21, further comprising a plurality of castor wheels beneath said
bottom wall. .Iaddend. .Iadd.25. A portable isolation enclosure in
accordance with claim 21, wherein said vacuum and filtering means
is supported by a plurality of castor wheels. .Iaddend. .Iadd.26. A
portable isolation enclosure in accordance with claim 21, wherein
said vacuum and filtering means comprises a high efficiency
particulate air system. .Iaddend. .Iadd.27. A portable isolation
enclosure in accordance with claim 21, wherein said height
adjustable ceiling-contacting plenum includes a plurality of
upwardly and outwardly diverging walls whereby the top of said
plenum has a perimeter substantially larger than the perimeter of
the bottom thereof. .Iaddend. .Iadd.28. A portable isolation
enclosure in accordance with claim 27, wherein said bottom end of
said telescoping means comprises a flexible impervious curtain
having an upper edge supported by said plenum. .Iaddend. .Iadd.29.
A portable isolation enclosure in accordance with claim 21, wherein
said contaminated waste disposal means includes a chute, a normally
closed trap door within said chute, and a flexible disposal bag
having an opening secured about said chute. .Iaddend. .Iadd.30. A
portable isolation enclosure in accordance with claim 29, wherein
said trap door is hinged to said chute so as to open outwardly from
said booth, whereby atmospheric pressure outside said
booth biases said trap door closed. .Iaddend. .Iadd.31. A portable
isolation enclosure in accordance with claim 21, wherein said
plenum position locking means comprises a plurality of vertically
extending spaced apart parallel bars connected between said booth
and said plenum, said bars being received in corresponding
spaced-apart parallel guide recesses in said at least one
vertically extending side wall, said recesses and said bars having
a plurality of spaced apart vertically arranged apertures
therethrough for receiving locking pegs when the apertures in said
bars are aligned with the apertures in said guide recess. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.32. A portable isolation enclosure in accordance with claim
21, wherein a portion of said side wall is provided with an air
tight door for permitting a worker access to the interior of said
booth. .Iaddend. .Iadd.33. A portable isolation enclosure in
accordance with claim 21, wherein said booth is substantially
rectangular comprising four
vertically extending side walls. .Iaddend. .Iadd.34. A portable
isolation enclosure, primarily useful for cleaning contaminated
environments, particularly for removing ceiling tile or other
asbestos-containing elevated structures, comprising:
an open top booth having a bottom wall and at least one vertically
extending side wall to form a closed walled structure sufficiently
large to comfortably enclose a worker;
a height adjustable and open top ceiling-contacting plenum above
and in open communication with said open top booth and vertically
slidably connected thereto;
plenum position locking means, integral with said booth, for
locking said plenum at various predetermined elevations relative to
said booth;
telescoping means for enclosing and sealing a space formed between
said plenum and said booth regardless of the elevation of said
plenum relative to said booth;
a waste disposal means for discharging asbestos from said booth,
said waste disposal means being in communication with said side
wall; and
a vacuum and filtering means for continuously evacuating the
interior of said booth, for filtering asbestos particles from the
atmosphere within said booth, and for discharging clean air to the
exterior of said booth. .Iaddend.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to sealed portable isolation
enclosures for use in cleaning contaminated environments, more
specifically sealed portable isolation enclosures particularly
suited for the safe removal of asbestos ceiling tile or other
asbestos-containing elevated structures.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various types of environment work enclosures are known for
isolating dangerous environments or the like from ambient
environments, or vice versa. Conventional isolation enclosures are
frequently employed in hospitals for the handling of human patients
under controlled microbiological conditions, and in laboratories
for providing germ-free environments, or conversely for isolating
dangerous microorganisms in a restricted local. These isolators are
adapted to isolate germs from entering the ambient environment, or
vice versa, e.g. to prevent germs of the ambient environment from
entering the isolated environment. For example, U.S. Pat. No.
3,051,164 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,335,712, both of Trexler, disclose
such isolation enclosure systems specifically suited for hospital
and laboratory use. The worker accesses the interior of the
isolator by means of inwardly projecting integral gloves. Such U.S.
Pat. No. 4,335,712 shows a portable wheeled isolator which
facilitates the movement of a patient, positioned within the
isolator, about a hospital.
Other isolation enclosures have been provided to protect workers
from other types of hazardous environments by isolating the worker
from the environment by only permitting the arms and hands of the
worker to penetrate into the hazardous zone. Thus, as in the
Trexler patents discussed above, the worker is outside the isolated
zone and uses flexible arm and hand gloves which penetrate the
rigid walls of the enclosure and at the same time provide a
protective barrier. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,108,509 to Piet et
al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,190 to Fink et al and U.S. Pat. No.
4,626,291 to Natale all disclose portable protective isolation
enclosures which permit the arms and hands of a worker access to
the interior of the enclosure. The patents to Fink et al and Natale
both show protective enclosures which are suited for surrounding a
contaminated area and isolating it from the ambient
environment.
The Natale patent is particularly directed to a portable protective
enclosure adapted for the removal of asbestos insulation from
asbestos covered pipes and valves. While this device may operate to
overcome the polluting of the surrounding environment, such device
has no facility for cleaning large areas, nor has it the capability
of providing an isolated environment during removal of asbestos or
the like from ceilings.
Isolation enclosures have also been utilized to furnish workers
with protection by isolating the ambient environment from a work
environment which poses some dangers to the ambient environment and
possibly the worker as well. These generally include a facility for
protecting the worker from the contaminated material in the
isolation enclosure while the worker is within the enclosure
itself. Generally, these isolated enclosures serve to primarily
protect the surrounding environments from the materials being used
or during the disposal thereof; in other words the enclosure
confines the potentially dangerous materials to a specific
predetermined area. Preferably the isolated workplaces or
enclosures should be large enough to accommodate at least one
worker therein, so that he can carry out the desired work
function.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,657,991 to Oberg and U.S. Pat. No.
4,297,940 to Hainline both show isolated workplaces which are large
enough to accommodate at least one worker therewithin. Both of
these patents show protective enclosures which also include
ventilation and filtering systems primarily to protect the worker
from noxious fumes and the like, and aids in cleaning of the air
reintroduced to the ambient atmosphere. However, neither of these
patents disclose portable protective enclosures, i.e. the enclosure
disclosed in these patents are stationary structures, and these
devices are not suitable or adapted for providing an isolated
workplace for removal of asbestos from ceilings of buildings. Thus,
these systems are of no use when it is required to clean large
contaminated areas due to the necessity of having to transport the
hazardous materials from a remote region of the isolation enclosure
by way of an unprotected and exposed route.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
No portable isolation enclosure has previously been available for
cleaning large contaminated ceiling areas, particularly for safely
removing asbestos ceiling tile or asbestos-containing ceiling
coatings. There is a great need for a sealed portable isolation
enclosure for removing asbestos ceiling tile and other asbestos
material from ceilings which includes a region for housing a worker
and his tools and a worker-protection system therein, and having
the capability of accommodating all the necessary filtering and
ventilation systems therefor. Furthermore, such a portable
isolation enclosure needs to have an adjustable ceiling-contacting
plenum so as to accommodate ceilings of various heights. It is an
object of the invention to provide such an apparatus.
Accordingly, it is also an object of the present invention to
eliminate the deficiencies of the prior art, such as those set
forth above.
It is another object of the invention to improve the safety and
efficiency of asbestos removal from ceilings.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an
improved apparatus for safely removing asbestos ceiling tile or
other asbestos containing materials from structures, without
contaminating the ambient environment.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a
sealed portable isolation enclosure within which a worker may
remove asbestos material from ceilings or the like or asbestos
ceiling tiles, which enclosure includes a region large enough to
position an active worker therein.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a
portable isolation enclosure for removing asbestos ceiling material
and tiles which is equipped with a worker-protection system
therein.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an
adjustable plenum for use with a portable isolation enclosure so
that the plenum may be adjusted to accommodate ceilings of various
heights.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a
portable isolation enclosure having a trap door for disposing of
contaminated or hazardous materials.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable
isolation enclosure equipped with air ventilation and filtering
systems.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a
portable isolation enclosure for removing asbestos ceiling
materials and tiles, which is safe, substantially pollution-free,
and easily manufactured and assembled.
Still other objects, features and attendant advantages of the
present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art
from a consideration of the following detailed description of
embodiments constructed in accordance therewith, taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a partially schematic elevational view in cross-section
of a portable isolation enclosure of the present invention, the
arrows generally indicating the direction of air flow; and
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the contaminated material
disposal system employed in the present invention, the arrow
indicating the force of atmospheric pressure.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Presently preferred embodiments of the present invention are
illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings, wherein an environmentally
sealed and portable isolation enclosure 10 comprises the
combination of an open top booth 12, an adjustable
ceiling-contacting plenum 14, a high-efficiency particulate air
(HEPA) filter vacuum system 16 capable of strong suction, e.g.
1000-1500 CFM, a secondary vacuum system 20, a shower unit 18, and
a contaminated material disposal system 22.
The open top booth 12 is desirably of rectangular configuration and
includes a bottom or floor wall 13 and four vertically extending
walls including walls 12a, 12b and 12c which are substantially
positioned and secured perpendicular to the floor wall 13, the
secured edges of the walls being sealed to provide an enclosure
which, except for the top and outlets, is air tight so as to
prevent the passage of air and particulates therethrough. The booth
12 is preferably formed of metallic materials, such as lightweight
aluminum or other alloys which possess lightweight and sturdy
properties, although other suitable materials, such as rigid
plastic materials, or even wood or fiberboard or the like, may also
be employed.
Wall 12a of the booth 12 is provided with an air-tight door 24
which permits a worker 26 access to the interior of the booth 12.
The bottom wall 13 includes on its bottom surface a plurality of
castor wheels 40,40 for allowing the booth 12 to easily move from
one location to another. It should be understood that while the
illustrated booth 12 is manually pushed from one location to
another, a motor (not shown) may be provided in conjunction with
suitable wheels and a steering system (not shown) to provide a
self-propelled unit, e.g. one which is movable while the worker is
within the booth.
The open top region of the booth 12 is provided with an adjustable
ceiling-contacting plenum 14 for generally enclosing the space
between the booth and a ceiling tile 11. The plenum 14 is
essentially of an inverted truncated pyramidal configuration, and
includes a bottom end having a rectangular perimeter substantially
equal to the perimeter of the booth 12, and a top end having a
rectangular perimeter substantially greater than the booth
perimeter, the greater perimeter of the top end serving to expose a
large area of the ceiling 11 to a worker within the booth 12. The
plenum 14 is also desirably formed of a metallic material, such as
a light-weight aluminum or other lightweight alloys which are of
adequate strength and resistance.
The plenum 14 is also preferably formed of four separate wall
panels desirably connected along their edges so that the plenum can
be collapsed or adjusted to a smaller size for movement of the
enclosure 10 through narrow doorways. Also, or alternatively, the
plenum 14 may be made easily removable from the booth 12 for the
same purpose. In either case the plenum walls are desirably
supported on a rectangular frame 13. An optional gasket or seal 15
may be provided at the upper end of the plenum for better control
of air flow as described below.
The plenum 14 is vertically adjustably mounted to booth wall 12a
and an opposing wall (not shown) through at least two spaced-apart
and parallel supporting bars 32,32 which extend between the bottom
end of the plenum, where they may be mounted on the frame 13, and
below the top open end of the booth. The bars 32,32 are received
within guide recesses 38,38, e.g. in the form of slots or grooves,
formed within the wall 12a, which are also parallel and
spaced-apart so as to correspond to the distance between the bars
32,32. The recesses or guides 38,38 permit the bars to easily slide
vertically therein so that the plenum 14 can be raised or lowered
relative to the booth 12.
Each bar 32 is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart vertically
arranged apertures 34. Likewise, recesses 38,38 are also provided
with a plurality of spaced-apart vertically arranged apertures 35,
which are generally spaced vertically so as to correspond with the
spacing of the apertures 34 in the bars 32,32, the apertures 34,35
being primarily suited for the reception or lodgement therein and
therethrough of locking pegs 36,36 after the alignment of the
apertures in the bars with the apertures in the guide recesses.
This arrangement provides a locking means for locking the bars
32,32 and the plenum 14 at various predetermined heights. It should
be understood as noted above that the plenum 14 may be totally
removed from the booth 12, particularly when maneuvering the booth
through doorways and the like, by simply removing the pegs and
sliding out the bars from their corresponding recesses. Regardless,
the plenum 14 can be raised to contact ceilings of various heights
so as to prevent the escape of asbestos dust as a worker scrapes or
removes asbestos material from the ceiling.
Disposed between the plenum 14 and the top open end of the booth 12
is a flexible plastic film 30 for substantially isolating the space
between the plenum and the booth, particularly when the plenum 14
is raised substantially above the booth. The top end of the film 30
is securely connected to the plenum 14 by means of a hanger seal 28
mounted on the lower end of the plenum, the film 30 merely hanging
downwardly. In other words, the film 30 freely hangs from plenum to
the interior of the booth regardless of the position of the plenum
relative to the booth, and it is unnecessary to secure the lower
end of the film 30 to the walls of the booth 12. The film 30 is
desirably a disposable transparent flexible plastic material so as
to permit a worker within the booth to view the ambient
surroundings, although an impervious curtain can alternatively be
used. Regardless, the curtain, be it plastic film or impervious
fabric, effectively seals the area between the plenum and the booth
from the ambient environment.
The hanger seal 28 may merely be a rectangular hanger formed of
rigid supporting material and sealed to the interior of the plenum
14 in such a way as to prevent leakage between the hanger seal 28
and the interior of the plenum 14. In place of the curtain 30 there
can be used any other type of telescoping construction, e.g.
wherein the walls are rigid such as aluminum, fiberglass or
transparent plastic.
The booth 12 is provided with a portable HEPA filter vacuum system
16 which is connected to the booth at an opening 46 provided in
wall 12b, via an air tight air intake hose 44. The HEPA filter
vacuum system 16 includes wheels, e.g. castor wheels 17,17, for
portability, as well as an outlet conduit 42. The HEPA filter
vacuum system 16 generally includes a disposable filter bag, a
prefilter and a HEPA filter for properly cleaning the
asbestos-containing air introduced within the booth 12 and finally
exhausted as clean air through the outlet conduit 42 to the
atmosphere. The HEPA filter vacuum device 16 is provided to
ventilate air through the booth and filter air directed to the
atmosphere and/or ambient environment. The HEPA system operates
continuously during use of the apparatus to draw air into the booth
from the top of the plenum 14, especially after removal of the
first ceiling tile 11 and even upon its movement to the position
shown in phantom in FIG. 1, the air flow being generally in the
directions shown by the arrows. Hence, the entire enclosure is
always ventilated and air filtered, and the device allows air
introduced to the enclosure 10 to exhaust only through the HEPA
system 16. Scraps of asbestos and asbestos dust 47 fall to the
bottom of the booth 12 or are entrained in the air flow and
filtered out by the HEPA unit 16.
Referring now to FIG. 2, a contaminated material disposal system is
provided for disposing of the materials removed from the ceiling.
The disposal system, generally structured with the wall 12a,
includes a chute 22a in direct communication with the booth 12, a
normally closed trap door 50 pivoted about a hinge 52 connected
between the door 50 and chute 22a, and a disposable impervious
flexible bag 22 for the disposal of hazardous materials 48
introduced therein. The hinge 52 is so placed that the door 50
opens only outwardly from the booth 12, and ambient atmospheric
pressure outside the booth keeps the door closed unless it is
forced open by the worker.
The mouth of the flexible disposal bag is secured by a band 54
which may be elastic so as to provide an air tight connection
between the mouth of the bag about the chute 22a. In place of the
band 54, the bag mouth can itself be provided with closure means,
e.g. elastic material formed integrally with the mouth of the bag.
Chute 22a generally extends normal to booth wall 12a, the trap door
50 disposed therein being positioned normal to the chute 22a and
parallel to wall 12a. The perimeter of the trap door 50 may include
an elastomeric seal 56 so as to achieve an air tight seal about the
perimeter of the trap door 50. In use, the worker removes asbestos
from above and deposits the chunks 48 thereof through the chute 22a
and into the bag 22.
In addition, a shower unit 18 may be provided to wash and
decontaminate a worker and the internal regions of the booth 12
after completion of a given stage of the asbestos removal
operation. The shower 18 can be easily mounted to booth wall 12b
through the use of bolts or screws, and includes a valve 18a and a
flexible hose 18b extending between the shower reservoir and the
interior of the booth through the wall 12b. The hose 18b includes a
nozzle 18c which permits a worker to regulate the flow of fluid
therethrough. While the reservoir 18 and valve 18a are shown as
mounted on the exterior of wall 12b, it will be understood that
they can alternatively be mounted within the booth 12.
A secondary vacuum system 20 (see FIG. 1), preferably a wet vacuum,
is also provided as part of the apparatus. The secondary vacuum 20
has a hose 20a which is terminated with a vacuum nozzle 20b. The
secondary vacuum system 20 facilitates the removal of asbestos dust
which might remain in the booth 12 after completion of a phase of
the asbestos removal from the ceiling, and particularly dust which
may reside in the mouth of the chute 22a left after introduction of
materials through the trap door 50. The secondary vacuum unit 20 is
also used to vacuum asbestos dust, fibers and larger particles
which have fallen to the floor, and also to vacuum dust from the
worker's protective clothing before the worker leaves the
booth.
In operation, the portable isolation enclosure of the present
invention is wheeled to a predetermined site for the removal of
asbestos-containing ceiling tile or the like. A worker, equipped
with protective apparel, enters the booth 12 through the door 24
provided in wall 12a and closes the door. The worker then raises
the plenum 14 to a height wherein the plenum upper end contacts the
ceiling directly above the booth, and locks same via bars 32,32 and
locking pegs 36,36. The HEPA filter vacuum system 15 is then turned
on by the worker via a switch within the booth (not shown) or by an
assistant outside to commence the ventilation and filtering of air
drawn downwardly through the plenum and the booth. As the worker
either removes the tile completely or the asbestos coated on the
ceiling and places the chunks in the bag 22, the particles and dust
therefrom are directed to the opening 46 of the HEPA vacuum unit
16. Large pieces of the tile are disposed in the disposal bag 22
through the trap door 50 of the chute 22a. After completion of the
removal of the asbestos tile, the worker will wash himself and the
internal regions of the booth with the use of the shower system 18.
The residue is wet or dry vacuumed by means of the secondary vacuum
unit 20. The operation is repeated until all the ceiling tile
within a room is removed by simply pushing the booth 12 and HEPA
unit 16 to predesired locations within the room.
It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other
changes and modifications may be made without departing from the
scope of the invention and the invention is not to be considered
limited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the
specifications.
* * * * *