US 12,264,453 B2
Pneumatic excavator and methods of use
Timothy Meschke, Carver, MN (US); Ian Taylor, Inver Grove Heights, MN (US); Nathan Schlueter, Bloomington, MN (US); Chris Schuelke, Elk River, MN (US); and Dave Rohrbach, Troy, OH (US)
Assigned to Sonny's HFI Holdings, LLC, Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed by Sonny's HFI Holdings, LLC, Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed on Jan. 18, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/416,112.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/441,954, filed on Jan. 30, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0254726 A1, Aug. 1, 2024
Int. Cl. E02F 3/92 (2006.01); E02F 3/88 (2006.01); E02F 5/00 (2006.01)
CPC E02F 3/9206 (2013.01) [E02F 3/8891 (2013.01); E02F 5/003 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A pneumatic excavator, comprising:
an elongated barrel having an ingress and an egress, the ingress configured to be fluidly connected to a supply of compressed air, the egress defining an outlet of the pneumatic excavator;
an actuator comprising an actuation switch;
a releasable coupling configured to releasably couple the actuator to the barrel in a plurality of locked positions along a length of the barrel, such that the actuator is movably coupled to an exterior of the barrel; and
a flow valve fixedly arranged to the barrel, wherein the flow valve is in a communicative coupling with the actuator by an actuation conduit,
wherein the actuation conduit comprises a first flexible tubing and a second flexible tubing, the first tubing extending between a first port of the actuator and a first port of the flow valve, the second tubing extending between a second port of the actuator and a second port of the flow valve,
wherein the actuation conduit is configured to be slaved by an adjustment movement of the actuator relative to the flow valve along the length of the barrel to thereby maintain the communicative coupling therebetween such that when the actuator is actuated, the actuation conduit sends a signal of compressed air emitted from the actuator, via the first tubing, to the flow valve to move to an open position and the supply of compressed air passes through the flow valve and the barrel and exits the pneumatic excavator through the outlet, and when the actuator is released, the actuation conduit sends a signal of compressed air, via the second tubing, to the flow valve to move to a closed position to prevent the supply of compressed air from passing through the flow valve.