Vacuum excavator
AssigneeAqua-Vac Locators, Inc.
InventorsBilly R. Simons, Ben K. Turner, James T. Brell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An excavation apparatus includes a suction system with a suction tank pneumatically connected to a blower through a filter subassembly. A suction hose is pneumatically connected to the suction tank. A liquid jet system includes a liquid reservoir fluidically connected to a liquid pump, which in turn is fluidically connected to a spray wand. The suction and liquid jet systems are mounted on a vehicle. An excavation method includes the steps of dislodging earthen material with a liquid jet from the spray wand and sucking it into the suction tank with the suction system.
Claims20
An excavation apparatus, which comprises:
- (a) vehicle means adapted for transporting said excavation apparatus and including an engine;
- (b) a liquid jet system including:
- (1) liquid source means;
- (2) a liquid pump mounted on said vehicle and drivingly connected to said vehicle engine;
- and
- (3) a liquid spray wand connected to said pump and including a spray nozzle;
- (c) a suction system including:
- (1) a blower subsystem drivingly connected to said engine;
- (2) a suction tank having an outlet pneumatically communicating with said blower and an inlet;
- and
- (3) a suction hose connected to said suction tank and communicating with said inlet;
- and
- (d) said suction tank including a first end, an open second end, a hatch adapted for selectively covering the storage tank second end, and said suction tank being tiltable with respect to said vehicle means whereby said storage tank first end is raised for discharging the contents of said suction tank through its open second end.
An excavation method, which comprises the steps of:
- (a) forming a liquid jet by pumping a liquid through a liquid dispenser;
- (b) dislodging ground material with said liquid jet;
- (c) creating a partial vacuum in a suction tank;
- (d) drawing at least a portion of said dislodged material and at least a portion of said dispensed liquid into said suction tank;
- (e) mounting said suction tank on a vehicle;
- and
- (f) selectively opening said suction tank and tilting said suction tank with respect to said vehicle and discharging the contents of said suction tank.
An excavation apparatus, which comprises:
- (a) vehicle means adapted for transporting said excavation apparatus and including an engine;
- (b) a liquid jet system including:
- (1) liquid source means;
- (2) a liquid pump mounted on said vehicle and drivingly connected to said vehicle engine;
- and
- (3) a liquid spray wand connected to said pump and including a spray nozzle;
- (c) a suction system including:
- (1) a blower subsystem drivingly connected to said engine;
- (2) a suction tank having an outlet pneumatically communicating with said blower and an inlet;
- and
- (3) a suction hose connected to said suction tank and communicating with said inlet;
- (d) said liquid source means comprising a liquid tank mounted on said vehicle;
- and
- (e) said liquid jet system including heater means adapted for heating the liquid contents of said liquid tank and comprising an exhaust pipe from said vehicle engine connected to said liquid tank in a heat exchange relationship with the contents thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.