US 12,110,653 B2
Underwater excavation apparatus
Kenneth Roderick Stewart, Aberdeen Aberdeensire (GB); and Donald Stewart, Aberdeen Aberdeensire (GB)
Assigned to Rotech Group Limited, Aberdeen Aberdeensire (GB)
Filed by Rotech Group Limited, Aberdeen Aberdeen (GB)
Filed on Oct. 25, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/973,241.
Application 17/973,241 is a division of application No. 16/327,822, granted, now 11,649,607, previously published as PCT/GB2017/052490, filed on Aug. 23, 2017.
Claims priority of application No. 1614460 (GB), filed on Aug. 24, 2016; and application No. 1702866 (GB), filed on Feb. 22, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2023/0138350 A1, May 4, 2023
Int. Cl. E02F 3/92 (2006.01); E02F 3/00 (2006.01); E02F 3/88 (2006.01); E02F 5/02 (2006.01); E02F 5/10 (2006.01); E02F 5/28 (2006.01); E02F 9/00 (2006.01); F04D 29/18 (2006.01); F04D 29/52 (2006.01); F04D 29/66 (2006.01)
CPC E02F 3/9243 (2013.01) [E02F 3/00 (2013.01); E02F 3/88 (2013.01); E02F 3/8858 (2013.01); E02F 3/92 (2013.01); E02F 3/9206 (2013.01); E02F 5/107 (2013.01); E02F 5/108 (2013.01); E02F 9/00 (2013.01); F04D 29/181 (2013.01); F04D 29/528 (2013.01); F04D 29/669 (2013.01); E02F 5/02 (2013.01); E02F 5/28 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An underwater excavation apparatus comprising:
a housing comprising an inlet and an outlet;
a rotor wholly provided within the housing and having a rotor rotation axis,
wherein the rotor comprises a first body and a plurality of blades, the rotor configured such that, in use, flow of fluid past or across the rotor is at a first angle from the rotor rotation axis, the first angle diverging away from the rotor rotation axis in a direction away from the inlet and towards the outlet; and
a stator provided within the housing between the rotor and the outlet,
wherein the stator comprises a second body and a plurality of blades, the stator configured such that, in use, flow of fluid past or across the stator is at a second angle from the rotor rotation axis, the second angle converging towards the rotor rotation axis in said direction away from the inlet and towards the outlet,
and wherein a portion of the inside of the housing in which the plurality of blades of the stator are provided converges towards the rotor rotation axis in said direction away from the inlet and towards the outlet,
wherein:
in a first mode of operation, comprising an excavation mode, the apparatus is configured so that the outlet faces an area to be excavated and the inlet is provided above the outlet; and
in a second mode of operation, comprising a suction mode, the apparatus is configured so that the inlet faces an area which has been excavated and/or requires to be cleared, and the inlet is provided lower than or below the outlet.