US 11,946,221 B2
Ground excavation shield apparatus with guide rails
Ryan DeWind, Zeeland, MI (US); and Gregory Allen DeWind, Zeeland, MI (US)
Assigned to One Pass Innovators, LLC, Zeeland, MI (US)
Filed by DeWind One-Pass Trenching, LLC, Zeeland, MI (US)
Filed on Sep. 24, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/031,145.
Prior Publication US 2022/0090354 A1, Mar. 24, 2022
Int. Cl. E02F 5/10 (2006.01)
CPC E02F 5/10 (2013.01) 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A ground excavation shield, structurally configured to be dragged by a ground excavator during trenching, the ground excavation shield comprising:
a first wall disposed on a first side of the ground excavation shield;
a second wall disposed on a second side of the ground excavation shield;
a third wall disposed on a third side of the ground excavation shield and coupled at a first end to the first wall and at a second end to the second wall thereby spanning between the first and second walls, the third wall having a central portion that is substantially perpendicular to the first and second walls, and the third wall further including a first side wall portion disposed obliquely between the central portion of the third wall and the first wall, with a second side wall portion disposed obliquely between the central portion of the third wall and the second wall;
a first guide rail coupled to a bottom of the first wall, the first guide rail comprises an outward “V” shape with a centrally located peak;
a second guide rail coupled to a bottom of the second wall, the second guide rail comprises an outward “V” shape with a centrally located peak; and
a third guide rail, coupled to a bottom of the third wall, the third guide rail comprises an outward “V” shape with a centrally located peak, wherein the third wall is fixedly coupled to the first end of the first wall and the second end of the second wall by at least one of welding and bonding.