Patent Grant
11365593
The present invention relates an improved vacuum device to be used with tools for making bore holes such as post holes into soil beneath the surface of the ground. Specifically, the present invention includes a more powerful vacuum device enabled by a novel configuration of vacuum suction fan motors. Because of the novel motor configuration, this improved vacuum device provides more powerful vacuum suction force than other available canister/“Shop-Vac” devices that utilize household 110V AC current. This improved vacuum device, combined with various post hole digger tools utilizing boring heads to sever soil and remove such severed soil by vacuum provide improved post hole digging capability. The present invention includes features such as powered and manual devices for breaking up soil such as a thrasher bar, a hammer bar and various configurations of unclogging bars. This powerful vacuum device and improved soil cutting and removal capabilities improve the digging time and effort needed to create post holes and other round shaped holes in soil and/or mud.
The present invention relates to a vacuum powered post hole digging apparatus. Applicant holds patents previously issued in this art, specifically U.S. Pat. No. 8,944,187 titled “Vacuum Assisted Post Hole Digger Tool and Apparatus with Rotary Clog Breaker” and U.S. Pat. No. 9,556,692 also titled “Vacuum Assisted Post Hole Digger Tool and Apparatus with Rotary Clog Breaker.” These patents provide novel vacuum powered post hole digger tools and are incorporated by reference.
The present invention relates primarily to an improved vacuum device to be used with such post hole digger tools. The above-mentioned patents are to be used with a vacuum device that removes soil severed or broken by the included bore heads. While applicant's prior patents can be utilized with any vacuum source, the preferred embodiment uses a canister type wet-dry or “Shop-Vac” type vacuum. This type of vacuum device typically includes a round shaped canister with an open top as a base that also serves as a receptacle for materials collected by the device. An airtight cover typically covers the open top of the canister and includes the mechanical elements of such a vacuum device. The cover typically includes two inlets, an external vacuum inlet that collects materials from the vacuum hose and a motor suction inlet from the motor creating the suction. The suction created by the motor is generally filtered through an air filter designed to prevent debris from entering the fan blades of the motor. A flexible vacuum hose is attached to the external vacuum inlet and provides the external suction to collect debris. Typically, these types of vacuum devices include one motor and run on 120V AC household current. The suction power of such vacuums is limited by the size of the electric suction motor. The dual motor configuration of the present invention provides much improved suction performance over prior art configurations.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved vacuum device for use with post hole digger apparatuses.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved vacuum device with dual suction motors configured in a parallel configuration providing improved suction performance.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved vacuum device that provides improved suction performance and is powered by 120V AC household electric power.
It is an object of the invention to provide a vacuum assisted post hole digger apparatus for boring post holes in soil for use with the improved vacuum device.
It is an object of the invention to provide a vacuum assisted post hole digger apparatus for boring post holes in soil that includes a thresher bar for breaking up soil.
It is an object of the invention to provide a vacuum assisted post hole digger apparatus for boring post holes in soil that includes a hammer bar for breaking up soil.
It is an object of the invention to provide a vacuum assisted post hole digger apparatus for boring post holes in soil that includes an unclogging bar for removing mud and soil clogs.
It is an object of the invention to provide a vacuum assisted post hole digger apparatus for boring post holes in soil that includes a hammer bar for breaking up soil.
It is an object of the invention to provide a vacuum assisted post hole digger apparatus for boring post holes in soil that includes both manual operation and powered operation of the thresher bar, hammer bar and unclogging bar.
It is an object of the invention to provide a vacuum assisted post hole digger apparatus for boring post holes in soil that a variety of boring head configurations.
Various other objects and advantages of the present invention, and its most novel features, will become apparent to those skilled in the art by perusing the accompanying specification, drawings and claims.
The present invention relates to an improved vacuum device for use with a vacuum assisted post hole digger tool. The post hole digger is an apparatus for boring relatively deep, longitudinally elongated holes such as post holes into soil. The improved vacuum device is similar in design to existing canister, wet-dry or “Shop-Vac” type vacuums but includes a novel improvement that provides improved suction performance while still being able to utilize household 120V AC electrical power. The novel configuration includes two suction providing motors with their suction outlets connected in a parallel fashion directly to a filter box. The dual motor configuration provides significantly improved suction power over existing vacuum devices but is still able to be powered on household 120V AC power.
The improved vacuum device is paired with a post hole digger apparatus which includes an elongated hollow tubular tool housing comprising two ends, the first end connected to the improved vacuum device via a flexible tube and the second end comprising a vacuum inlet at the base of the apparatus. The second end, at the base of the apparatus, further comprises a bore head for breaking up soil. Once the soil is broken up, the vacuum device removes it via suction to the attached canister. The improved performance of the vacuum device provides much improved performance over previous vacuum configurations utilizing standard canister/wet-dry vacuums.
The present invention also includes multiple configurations of bore heads. The post hole digger tool according to the present invention includes a pair of transversely aligned cylindrically-shaped turnstile-type handles which protrude perpendicularly outwards form opposite sides of the tubular housing. The handles are located in a horizontal plane a short distance below the upper transverse end of the housing below the vacuum inlet coupler tube.
The present invention further includes a variety of devices for breaking up soil or removing clogs around the bore head. These devices each are disposed down the hollow housing from the upper end of the tool to the base. They have different shapes for different tasks including a thrasher bar, a hammer bar and an unclogger bar. Each of these devices are designed to be activated either manually by the user by application of force at the upper end of the tool or by application of rotary force by a motor disposed at the top of the housing.
The present invention relates to a vacuum powered post hole digger tool for digging generally circular holes in the earth. The system comprises two main elements: 1) an improved vacuum device and 2) a vacuum assisted post hole digger tool. In the preferred embodiment, the vacuum device is similar in shape to a canister, wet-dry or a “Shop Vac” type vacuum. The improved vacuum device utilizes a novel two motor configuration that provides increased suction while being able to be powered by standard 120 volt AC household power. The post hole digger tool is a vertical tubular device with a cutting head and suction outlet at one end and a suction connection to the improved vacuum device at the other end. The post hole digger tool further includes an opening at the top of the tubular connection for insertion of two unclogger bars for removing clogs at the cutting head. In an alternate preferred embodiment, the cutting head includes air gaps around the head to allow suction to escape the head and prevent clogging.
Filter box 5 contains an air filter to prevent any large particles of material to be drawn into the motor. The filter is formed of any suitable vacuum filter known in the art. The preferred embodiment uses a metal reinforced reusable air filter manufactured by McMaster-Carr, Model Number 2072K22. This filter has a MERV rating of 4 and filters particles down to 10 microns in size. Lid 12 sits on tank 6 which collects the matter captured by the vacuum device. In the preferred embodiment, the diameter of the tank 6 and lid 12 is 20″ but tanks and lids of any suitable size comport with the claims of the present invention. In the preferred embodiment, tank 6 has a 16.5″ vertical height. Lid 12 is secured to tank 6 with latches 7 (in the preferred embodiment, three latches total) that are lockable to provide a secure attachment between lid 12 and tank 6. Main suction hose 4 comprises two ends, with the first connecting to base suction inlet 13 with an airtight fluid connection through lid 12. The first end of main suction hose 4 latches to base suction inlet 13 with cam lock 8 for a secure attachment. The second end of main suction hose 4 connects to the vacuum post hole digger.
Post hole digger tool 20 further includes a vacuum inlet tube 24, which preferably has the shape of a tubular right-angle elbow, that has a lower vertical section and an upper horizontal section which protrudes laterally outwards from the upper end of the vertical section. Post hole digger tool 20 includes a coupler 25 for coaxially coupling the vertical section of vacuum inlet tube 24 in a vacuum connection to the upper open end 32 of tubular housing 27, thus forming a smooth, hermetically sealed passageway between the elongated straight bore of housing 27 and the curved bore 24 of the vacuum inlet elbow.
Housing 27 of vacuum assisted post hole digger tool 20 has a pair of straight, horizontally oriented left and right handlebars 26, located vertically below the upper end of housing 24. Handlebars 26 are attached to and protrude perpendicularly outwards the housing 24. Preferably, as shown in the figures, handlebars 26 have insulating tubular rubber handle grips 32 fitted over them. Housing 27 of tool 20 has disposed through its length a uniform diameter, circular cross-section bore which has an upper opening 32 and a lower opening 29.
Bore head 42 of bore head assembly 83 includes a cylindrically-shaped base ring 43 that has attached to the outer cylindrical wall surface thereof a plurality of wedge-shaped cutting teeth 45. Although the number and spacing of cutting teeth 45 may be varied, in an embodiment of tool 20 bore head 42 had four cutting teeth spaced circumferentially apart at 90-degree intervals.
Isolation collar 40 is attached to an inner connector sleeve 52 and the lower end of tubular housing 24 in a manner which creates an annular ring-shaped air gap 52U between the upper transverse annular end wall of the sleeve 52 and the lower transverse annular end wall 41 of tubular housing 24. Air gap 52U electrically isolates bore head 42 from tubular housing 24. Bore head 42 has longitudinally through its length a central coaxial bore 42B which preferably has a diameter at least as large as the diameter of bore 82 through housing 27, bore 42B communicating at an upper end with bore 82, and having a lower entrance opening 42D.
Mud and clay unclogger bar 65 has a zig-zag shape formed by a series of flat sections which angle outwardly and inwardly with respect to the common longitudinal center lines of mud and clay unclogger bar coupler 66 and drive shaft 67, to form a zig-zag shape.
The location of cutting teeth 45 on the outer cylindrical wall surface of base ring 43 forms a longitudinally disposed, annular arc-shaped gap between circumferentially spaced apart longitudinal edges of each pair of adjacent teeth. These gaps enable free flow of severed soil from the bore hole into the bore 81 of housing 27, thus minimizing the possibility of forming a vacuum blockage of bore 81, which would require withdrawing the housing vertically upwards in a bore hole being formed to clear the vacuum blockage.
Bore head 242 has attached to the outer cylindrical wall surface 244 of lower tooth support section 232 thereof a plurality of cutting teeth, including a first set of four axial cutting teeth 245A, 245B, 245C, 245D, which are spaced circumferentially apart at 90-degree intervals. Axial cutting teeth 245 are approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of cutting tooth anchor body 243. Each axial cutting tooth 245 has a short, rectangular bar-shaped, upper root section 246, which is fastened to a flat 296 to the outer cylindrical wall surface 244 of the lower tooth support section 232. It may be seen that bore head 242 also has attached to outer cylindrical wall surface 244 of the bore head a second set of four angled cutting teeth 265A, 265B, 265C, 265D, which are located circumferentially midway between each pair of axial cutting teeth 245, and hence are also spaced apart circumferentially at 90-degree intervals. Each angled cutting tooth 265 has a relatively long, radially inwardly bent upper root section 266, which is fastened to both a flat 296 of the lower part of outer cylindrical wall surface 244 of lower tooth support section 232, at an intermediate longitudinal location of each tooth, and to an upper arcuately inwardly curved wall surface 297 of outer wall surface 298 of tooth support section 222 at an upper location of each tooth, each tooth having at an outer lateral edge thereof an acutely angled, wedge-shaped cutting point.
It may be seen that each cutting tooth 245, 265 has a similar symmetrical shape. Thus each cutting tooth 245, 246 has circumferentially spaced apart, longitudinally disposed straight, parallel left and right sides 247, 249 which are coextensive with left and right sides of upper tooth section 246 of each tooth. Each tooth 245, 265 has a lower transverse edge 250 which is spaced longitudinally below the lower transverse annular end wall 248 of lower tooth support section 232 of bore head 242. Lower transverse edge 250 has extending longitudinally upwards therein a symmetrically shaped notch 270 having the shape of an isosceles triangle, thus forming left 271 and right 272 cuspids of a bicuspid-shaped tooth, each having at an outer edge thereof an arcuately angled, wedge-shaped cutting point. Each tooth 245, 265 has in transverse section the shape of regular prism, including a central section having flat and parallel inner and outer longitudinally disposed rectangular sides 272, 273, and left and right triangular cross-section side section 274, 275, the outer longitudinally vertices 276, 277 of which form longitudinally disposed, wedge-shaped knife edges.
Tool 321 includes a tubular coupling clamp 334 for coaxially coupling the open lower end of the vertical in-line section 332 of vacuum inlet coupler Tee 331 in a vacuum-tight connection to the open upper end 329 of an elongated tubular tool housing 324, thus forming a smooth, hermetically sealed passageway between the elongated straight bore 328 of the tool housing 324 and the bore 335A through the vertical section 332 of the vacuum inlet Tee 331. Coupler 334 has through its length a longitudinally disposed circular cross-section bore 337 which has an upper opening that insertably receives the lower end of vertical in-line section 332 of inlet coupler Tee 331. Bore 337 of coupler 334 also has a lower opening which insertably receives the upper end of tool housing 324.
Tool 321 includes a pair of circular ring-shaped upper and lower hose clamps 334U, 334L which are tightenable onto the cylindrical outer wall surface of coupler 334 to secure the coupler to in-line section 332 of vacuum inlet coupler Tee 331 and tool housing 324. Optionally, coupler 334 may be replaced with a rotatable union type coupler of the type depicted in
Mud and clay unclogger bar 365 has an elongated drive shaft 367 which is disposed longitudinally upwards through the center of bore 328 through tool housing 324. The upper end of unclogger bar drive shaft 367 is rotatably mounted in the center of a bearing cap 368 which is joined by a stepped diameter cylindrical adapter coupling 368A to the upper opening of vertical in-line section 332 of vacuum inlet coupler Tee 331. Bearing 368 is coaxially aligned with the longitudinal center line of tool housing 324, and forms a vacuum-tight seal with upper end 369 of in-line section 332 of vacuum inlet coupler Tee 331. With this construction, air cannot leak from the exterior of the vacuum inlet coupler Tee 331 into the bore 335 through the Tee, when air pressure in the bore is reduced below ambient atmospheric pressure by coupling the side tube section 333 of the Tee to a vacuum source such as improved vacuum source 1, in the manner shown in
It may be envisioned that the upper end of unclogger bar drive shaft 367 extends upwardly through a central coaxial bore 370 which is disposed through bearing cap 368. The upper end of the unclogger bar drive shaft has attached to its outer surface an enlarged diameter, elongated coaxial collar 371. Collar 371 is joined at its upper end to radial spokes 372 which are joined at the outer ends thereof to circular ring-shaped hand wheel 380. Hand wheel 380 has extending perpendicularly upwards from an upper surface thereof a crank handle 373, which may bed grasped in a person's hand and orbited by wrist motion to thus rotate hand wheel 380 and attached unclogger bar 365. Optionally, hand wheel 380 may be removably fastened to collar 371 so that the collar 371 at the upper end of the unclogger bar drive shaft 367 may be coupled to and rotatably driven by a motor 22 in the manner shown in
Air gap bore head 400 is comprised of cutting teeth 401. These cutting teeth 401 are similar to those described in other embodiments disclosed herein. Vacuum bore 402 is created by vacuum housing 405. Air gap 403 surrounds vacuum housing 405 and has a dimension of ⅛″ in the preferred embodiment. Other air gap 403 dimensions are anticipated in alternate embodiments. Cutting teeth 401 are attached to blade housing 404 by welding or other suitable attachment means. Air gap bore head 400 is manufactured from materials similar to other bore heads disclosed herein.
The present figures and detailed description disclose the preferred embodiment of the claimed invention and are not meant to limit the scope of the claims. Many other configurations and embodiments are possible within the scope of the present claims.
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