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US 5,860,232 AGranted
Mobile safe excavation system having a deflector plate and vacuum source
AssigneeConcept Engineering Group, Inc.
InventorsRichard D. Nathenson, Jerome Apt, Jr., Paul M. Brumbaugh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An integrated safe excavation apparatus utilizing supersonic air jets coupled with high flow, pneumatic vacuum transport and a unique separation system to excavate earth and other like material for the purpose of repairing, replacing or installing buried utility lines, remediating contaminated soils, uncovering buried objects containing discarded hazardous waste, safely exposing unexploded ordnance and other like operations.
Claims46
An excavator, comprising:
- an excavator head having an inlet port and an outlet port;
- a conduit fluidly coupled to said inlet port;
- and
- a separator fluidly coupled to said conduit, wherein said outlet port is adapted to exit high speed air toward a target to dislodge material therefrom, said inlet port adapted to suck the dislodged material via a vacuum source, said separator comprising a rotating vane and a body defining a plenum chamber having a deflector plate spaced from an exit end of said conduit and adapted to deflect the sucked dislodged material, said separator defining an exit port through which the dislodged material can pass, wherein said exit port is separate from said inlet port, said rotating vane contained within said plenum chamber and adapted to direct the dislodged material to said exit port.
1 more element
An excavator, comprising:
- an excavator head having an inlet port and an outlet port;
- a conduit fluidly coupled to said inlet port;
- and
- a separator fluidly coupled to said conduit, wherein said outlet port is adapted to exit high speed air toward a target to dislodge material therefrom, said inlet port adapted to suck the dislodged material via a vacuum source, said separator comprising a rotating vane and a body defining a plenum chamber having a deflector plate spaced from an exit end of said conduit and adapted to deflect the sucked dislodged material, said separator defining an exit port through which the dislodged material can pass, wherein said exit port is separate from said inlet port, said rotating vane positioned adjacent said deflector plate and adapted to dislodge the material from the deflector plate.
1 more element
An excavator, comprising:
- an excavator head having an inlet port and an outlet port;
- a conduit fluidly coupled to said inlet port;
- and
- a separator fluidly coupled to said conduit, wherein said outlet port is adapted to exit high speed air toward a target to dislodge material therefrom, said inlet port adapted to suck the dislodged material via a vacuum source, said separator comprising a body defining a primary plenum chamber having a deflector plate spaced from an exit end of said conduit and adapted to deflect the sucked dislodged material, said separator defining an exit port through which the dislodged material can pass, wherein said exit port is separate from said inlet port, said separator includes a primary separator and a secondary separator, wherein said primary separator includes said deflector plate and said secondary separator is fluidly coupled to said primary separator, said secondary separator comprises an air filter adapted to be fluidly coupled to a vacuum source and a body defining a secondary plenum chamber, wherein said air filters are contained within said secondary plenum chamber, said secondary plenum chamber body including a plate defining a plurality of perforations whereby said perforations are in fluid communication with said primary plenum chamber and are adapted to permit any dislodged material prevented to pass through said air filter to pass through said perforations into said primary separator.
1 more element
An excavator, comprising:
- an excavator head having an inlet port, an outlet port, a flowing blocking member, a stationary member and a rotating member rotatably coupled to said stationary member, wherein said outlet port is positioned in said rotating member and comprises a nozzle for directing a stream of compressed air toward a target, said stationary member includes a compressed air inlet fluidly coupled to an annular region which is fluidly coupled to a passageway defined in said rotating member, said passageway fluidly coupled to said nozzle, said flow blocking member contained within said annular region and secured to said rotating member, whereby said flow blocking member periodically blocks said annular region and said passageway to periodically prevent the flow of compressed air to said nozzle thereby resulting in pulsing of air passing through said nozzle;
- a conduit fluidly coupled to said inlet port, wherein said conduit passes through said rotating member;
- and
- a separator fluidly coupled to said conduit, wherein said outlet port is adapted to exit high speed air toward the target to dislodge material therefrom, said inlet port adapted to suck the dislodged material via a vacuum source, said separator comprising a body defining a plenum chamber having a deflector plate spaced from an exit end of said conduit and adapted to deflect the sucked dislodged material, said separator defining an exit port through which the dislodged material can pass, wherein said exit port is separate from said inlet port.
1 more element
An excavator, comprising:
- an excavator head having an inlet port and an outlet port;
- a conduit fluidly coupled to said inlet port;
- and
- a separator fluidly coupled to said conduit, wherein said outlet port is adapted to exit high speed air toward a target to dislodge material therefrom, said inlet port adapted to suck the dislodged material via a vacuum source, said separator comprising a body defining a plenum chamber having a deflector plate spaced from an exit end of said conduit and adapted to deflect the sucked dislodged material, said separator defining an exit port through which the dislodged material can pass, wherein said exit port is separate from said inlet port and a longitudinal axis passes through said excavator head, said conduit and said separator so that the material sucked into said separator travels a substantially straight path before contacting said deflector plate.
1 more element
A method for excavating material, comprising the steps of:
- A. directing an airstream toward a target material;
- B. dislodging the target material by the airstream;
- C. sucking the dislodged material and air into a plenum chamber;
- D. contacting the dislodged material with a deflector to cause the dislodged material to remain in a plenum chamber while permitting sucked air to pass through the plenum chamber;
- and
- E. directing the dislodged material remaining in the plenum chamber to an exit port via a rotating vane.
3 more elements
An excavator, comprising:
- means for directing an airstream toward a target material for dislodging material by the airstream;
- means for sucking the dislodged material and air into a plenum chamber;
- means for contacting the dislodged material with a deflector to cause the dislodged material to remain in a plenum chamber while permitting the sucked air to pass through the plenum chamber;
- and
- means for directing the remaining material in the plenum chamber via a rotary vane into an exit port.
2 more elements
An excavator head, comprising:
- a stationary member;
- a rotating member rotatably coupled to said stationary member;
- a nozzle for directing a stream of air toward a target, said nozzle secured to said rotating member;
- a compressed air inlet defined in said stationary member;
- a conduit passing through said stationary member and said rotating member and having a conduit inlet which is radially spaced from said nozzle, an annular region is defined by said conduit and said stationary member which is coaxial with said conduit, said compressed air inlet is fluidly coupled to said annular region which is fluidly coupled to said nozzle;
- and
- a flow blocking member contained within said annular region and secured to said rotating member whereby said flow blocking member is adapted to periodically block fluid communication between said annular region and said nozzle to periodically prevent a flow of compressed air to said nozzle thereby resulting in pulsing of air passing through said nozzle.
4 more elements
A separator for use with a suction conduit used in an excavator, comprising:
- a body defining a plenum chamber, an inlet port adapted to be fluidly coupled to a suction conduit, an outlet port adapted to be fluidly coupled to a vacuum source, the suction conduit adapted to transport dislodged material to said plenum chamber, said body defining an exit port for dislodged material to pass;
- a vane rotatably secured to said body and contained within said plenum chamber for directing the dislodged material toward the exit port;
- and
- a vacuum lock fluidly coupled to said exit port which is adapted to permit the dislodged material to pass.
1 more element
An excavator, comprising:
- an excavator head having an inlet port and an outlet port;
- a conduit fluidly coupled to said inlet port;
- a separator fluidly coupled to said conduit, wherein said outlet port is adapted to exit high speed air toward a target to dislodge material therefrom, said inlet port adapted to suck the dislodged material via a vacuum source, said separator comprising a body defining a plenum chamber having a deflector plate spaced from an exit end of said conduit and adapted to deflect the sucked dislodged material, said separator defining an exit port through which the dislodged material can pass, wherein said exit port is separate from said inlet port;
- and
- a rotary valve fluidly coupled to said separator, said rotary valve comprising a plurality of rotating vanes contained within a rotary valve body, and said separator exit port is in fluid communication with said rotary valve, said rotary valve body defining an exit opening which is separated from said exit port by at least two of said rotary valve vanes so as to maintain the plenum chamber at a pressure below atmospheric pressure when a vacuum source is fluidly coupled to said separator.
2 more elements
An excavator, comprising:
- an excavator head having an inlet port, an outlet port, a stationary member and a rotating member rotatably coupled to said stationary member, wherein said outlet port is positioned in said rotating member and comprises a nozzle for directing a stream of air toward a target, said outlet port having a plurality of nozzles spaced circumferentially about said inlet port in said rotating member, wherein said rotating member is adapted to rotate about an axis and said nozzles are spaced at differing radii from the axis;
- a conduit fluidly coupled to said inlet port;
- and
- a separator fluidly coupled to said conduit, wherein said outlet port is adapted to exit high speed air toward the target to dislodge material therefrom, said inlet port adapted to suck the dislodged material via a vacuum source, said separator comprising a body defining a plenum chamber having a deflector plate spaced from an exit end of said conduit and adapted to deflect the sucked dislodged material, said separator defining an exit port through which the dislodged material can pass, wherein said exit port is separate from said inlet port.
1 more element
An excavator, comprising:
- an excavator head having an inlet port, an outlet port, a skirt, a stationary member and a rotating member rotatably coupled to said stationary member, wherein said outlet port is positioned in said rotating member and comprises a nozzle for directing a stream of compressed air toward a target, said skirt axially extends beyond said nozzle port and said inlet port;
- a conduit fluidly coupled to said inlet port;
- and
- a separator fluidly coupled to said conduit, wherein said outlet port is adapted to exit high speed air toward the target to dislodge material therefrom, said inlet port adapted to suck the dislodged material via a vacuum source, said separator comprising a body defining a plenum chamber having a deflector plate spaced from an exit end of said conduit and adapted to deflect the sucked dislodged material, said separator defining an exit port through which the dislodged material can pass, wherein said exit port is separate from said inlet port.
1 more element
An excavator, comprising:
- an excavator head having an inlet port and an outlet port;
- a conduit fluidly coupled to said inlet port;
- a separator fluidly coupled to said conduit, wherein said outlet port is adapted to exit high speed air toward a target to dislodge material therefrom, said inlet port adapted to suck the dislodged material via a vacuum source, said separator comprising a body defining a plenum chamber having a deflector plate spaced from an exit end of said conduit and adapted to deflect the sucked dislodged material, said separator defining an exit port through which the dislodged material can pass, wherein said exit port is separate from said inlet port;
- and
- an excavator support body for supporting said excavator head and said separator, said excavator support body having means for moving said excavator head relative to a target, wherein said means for moving said head relative to a target causes said outlet port to move in a curtate trochoid path.
2 more elements
A method for excavating material, comprising the steps of:
- A. directing an airstream toward a target material;
- B. dislodging the target material by the airstream;
- C. sucking the dislodged material and air into a plenum chamber;
- D. contacting the dislodged material with a deflector to cause the dislodged material to remain in a plenum chamber while permitting sucked air to pass through the plenum chamber;
- and
- E. directing the dislodged material remaining in the plenum chamber to an exit port via a moving member.
3 more elements
An excavator, comprising:
- an excavator head having an inlet port and an outlet port;
- a conduit fluidly coupled to said inlet port;
- and
- a separator fluidly coupled to said conduit, wherein said outlet port is adapted to exit high speed air toward a target to dislodge material therefrom, said inlet port adapted to suck the dislodged material via a vacuum source, said separator comprising a moving member and a body defining a plenum chamber having a deflector plate spaced from an exit end of said conduit and adapted to deflect the sucked dislodged material, said separator defining an exit port through which the dislodged material can pass, wherein said exit port is separate from said inlet port, said moving member contained within said plenum chamber and adapted to direct the dislodged material to the exit port.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.