Pneumatic excavator and methods of use

A pneumatic excavator configured to be pneumatically actuated, comprising:

• an actuator;
• a flow valve fluidly coupled to the actuator by at least one air actuation conduit;
• and
• a barrel coupled to an egress of the flow valve, wherein an egress of the barrel defines an outlet of the pneumatic excavator,
• wherein a primary flow passage is defined at least by the flow valve and the barrel, wherein actuating the actuator causes compressed air to be transmitted from the actuator through the at least one air actuation conduit to a first port of the flow valve to cause the flow valve to move to an open position such that the compressed air from a supply of compressed air passes through the primary flow passage and exits through the outlet of the pneumatic excavator, and wherein releasing the actuator causes the compressed air to be transmitted from the actuator through the at least one air actuation conduit to a second port of the flow valve to cause the flow valve to move to a closed position, wherein in the closed position, the flow valve prevents the compressed air from the supply of compressed air from passing therethrough, and
• wherein the flow valve is free of a biasing mechanism such that the flow valve requires the compressed air to move the flow valve to the open position and to the closed position.

A method of pneumatically actuating a pneumatic excavator, comprising:

• supplying compressed air to a pneumatic excavator from a compressed air supply, the pneumatic excavator comprising an elongated barrel, an actuator and a flow valve, the elongated barrel having an ingress and an egress, the ingress configured to be fluidly connected to the compressed air supply, the egress defining an outlet of the pneumatic excavator, the actuator comprising at least a first air actuation conduit and a second air actuation conduit configured to be fluidly connected to the compressed air supply, the flow valve fluidly coupled to the actuator via the first and second air actuation conduit, wherein a primary flow passage is defined at least by the flow valve and the barrel;
• actuating the actuator to cause the compressed air to be transmitted from the actuator through the first air actuation conduit to the flow valve to cause the flow valve to move to an open position, wherein in the open position of the flow valve, the compressed air from the compressed air supply passes through the primary flow passage and exits through the outlet of the pneumatic excavator;
• and
• releasing the actuator to cause the compressed air to be transmitted from the actuator through the second air actuation conduit to the flow valve to cause the flow valve to move to a closed position, wherein in the closed position, the flow valve prevents the compressed air from passing therethrough,
• wherein the pneumatic excavator further comprises a constant pressure conduit, and wherein the compressed air is constantly delivered to the constant pressure conduit and to the actuator during the supplying of compressed air.