Claims
- 1. An excavation system, comprising:
a shroud having a first opening and a second opening; a nozzle for directing an air stream in a first direction through the first opening of the shroud, the nozzle surrounded by the shroud; a first pump configured to apply a suction within the shroud in a second direction through the second opening of the shroud; and a collection area in fluid communication with the second opening of the shroud.
- 2. The excavation system of claim 1, wherein the nozzle is connected to a barrel, the barrel positioned in and extending from the shroud.
- 3. The excavation system of claim 2, wherein the shroud comprises a first chamber and a second chamber, the first chamber adjacent to the first opening of the shroud and the second chamber adjacent to the second opening of the shroud.
- 4. The excavation system of claim 3, further comprising a deflector plate received within the shroud, wherein the shroud defines a flow passageway adjacent to the deflector plate and an inner surface of the shroud.
- 5. The excavation system of claim 4, wherein the deflector plate is positioned between the first chamber and the second chamber of the shroud.
- 6. The excavation system of claim 5, wherein the deflector plate is substantially parallel to a ground area.
- 7. The excavation system of claim 6, further comprising a flexible seal member positioned adjacent the first opening of the shroud.
- 8. The excavation system of claim 7, wherein the flexible seal member comprises a plurality of bristles.
- 9. The excavation system of claim 1, further comprising a second pump in fluid communication with the barrel, the second pump configured to create the air stream to be delivered through the barrel.
- 10. The excavation system of claim 1, wherein the suction is sufficient to carry particles having a diameter of 2 millimeters or less.
- 11. The excavation system of claim 1, wherein the collection area is comprised of a container with lid, the container lined with a removable liner.
- 12. A method for excavating material from the ground, comprising the steps of:
directing an air stream in a first direction toward a material to be removed; causing the material to be dislodged by the air stream to move the dislodged material in a second direction; providing suction in the second direction to carry the dislodged material in the second direction; and collecting the removed material and directly depositing the collected material into a bag.
- 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:
providing a shroud having a first opening and a second opening; providing a nozzle for directing the air stream toward the ground through the first opening of the shroud; providing a first pump configured to apply the suction through the second opening of the shroud; and providing a collection area in fluid communication with the second opening of the shroud to receive the removed material.
- 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of providing a barrel positioned in and extending from the shroud, the barrel connected to the nozzle and a second pump.
- 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second pump is configured to create the air stream to be delivered through the barrel.
- 16. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of moving the nozzle over a ground area.
- 17. An excavator head, comprising:
a shroud having a first opening and a second opening; a nozzle for directing an air stream in a first direction through the first opening of the shroud, the nozzle surrounded by the shroud, wherein the nozzle is connected to a barrel, the barrel positioned in and extending from the shroud; and a flexible seal member positioned adjacent to the first opening of the shroud.
- 18. The excavator head of claim 17, further comprising a deflector plate received within the shroud, wherein the shroud defines a flow passageway adjacent to the deflector plate and an inner surface of the shroud for flow from the first opening to the second opening.
- 19. A collector for receiving contaminated material, the collector comprising:
a chamber for receiving an air stream having contaminated materials; an impact plate situated within the first chamber, the impact plate configured to remove the contaminated material from the air stream; a filter situated within the chamber; and means for cooperating with a bag suitable for collection and transportation of hazardous material.
- 20. The collector of claim 19, further comprising a rotary valve positioned between the chamber and the container, the rotary valve configured to discharge the contaminated material into the container.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application No. 60/416,638, filed Oct. 7, 2002, entitled “Excavator Head”, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60416638 |
Oct 2002 |
US |