Pneumatic excavator and methods of use

Abstract

A pneumatic excavator configured to be pneumatically actuated includes an actuator; a flow valve fluidly coupled to the actuator an air actuation conduit; and a barrel coupled to an egress of the flow valve, where the barrel defines an outlet of the pneumatic excavator. Actuating the actuator causes compressed air to be transmitted from the actuator through the an air actuation conduit to a first port of the flow valve to open the flow valve and compressed air from a supply of compressed air passes through the flow valve and the outlet of the pneumatic excavator. Releasing the actuator causes the compressed air to be transmitted from the actuator through the at least one air actuation conduit to a second port of the flow valve to cause the flow valve to close and the flow valve prevents the compressed air from the supply of compressed air from passing therethrough.

1 - 77 . (canceled) 
     
     
         78 . A pneumatic excavator, comprising:
 a secondary actuator fluidly coupled to a primary actuator;   a shuttle valve comprising a first inlet port fluidly coupled to a delivery port of the primary actuator and a second inlet port fluidly coupled to a delivery port of the secondary actuator;   a flow valve comprising a first port and a second port, the second port fluidly coupled to an exit port of the shuttle valve,   wherein actuating the primary actuator and the secondary actuator causes compressed air to be transmitted from the secondary actuator to the primary actuator and through at least one air actuation conduit to the first port of the flow valve to cause the flow valve to move to an open position, and   wherein actuating one of the primary actuator or the secondary actuator and not actuating the other causes the compressed air to be transmitted to the exit port of the shuttle valve fluidly coupled to the second port of the flow valve to cause the flow valve to move to a closed position.   
     
     
         79 . The pneumatic excavator of  claim 78 , further comprising a constant pressure conduit, wherein a first end of the constant pressure conduit is coupled to the pneumatic excavator upstream from the flow valve, and a second end of the constant pressure conduit is coupled to the secondary actuator. 
     
     
         80 . The pneumatic excavator of  claim 79 , wherein the secondary actuator is fluidly coupled to the primary actuator by a conduit, and wherein when the secondary actuator is actuated, the conduit is fluidly coupled to the constant pressure conduit. 
     
     
         81 . The pneumatic excavator of  claim 80 , wherein as the secondary actuator is actuated and the primary actuator is not actuated, the delivery port of the primary actuator fluidly couples the conduit to the first inlet port of the shuttle valve. 
     
     
         82 . The pneumatic excavator of  claim 79 , wherein when the primary actuator is actuated and the secondary actuator is not actuated, the delivery port of the secondary actuator is configured to fluidly couple the constant pressure conduit to the second inlet port of the shuttle valve. 
     
     
         83 . The pneumatic excavator of  claim 78 , wherein when neither the primary actuator nor the secondary actuator are actuated, the secondary actuator is configured to transmit the compressed air via the delivery port to the second inlet port of the shuttle valve such that the flow valve is retained in the closed position or caused to move to the closed position, wherein in the closed position, the flow valve prevents the compressed air from the supply of compressed air from passing therethrough. 
     
     
         84 . The pneumatic excavator of  claim 78 , wherein at least one of the primary actuator or the secondary actuator comprises a spool valve including a spool biased by a biasing mechanism. 
     
     
         85 . The pneumatic excavator of  claim 84 , wherein the biasing mechanism comprises a return spring. 
     
     
         86 . The pneumatic excavator of  claim 78 , wherein in the closed position of the flow valve, a piston of the flow valve seals against a valve seat. 
     
     
         87 . The pneumatic excavator of  claim 78 , further comprising at least one vent port configured to vent compressed air from the flow valve, the at least one vent port is defined in the primary actuator or the secondary actuator. 
     
     
         88 . The pneumatic excavator of  claim 78 , wherein the flow valve is free of a biasing mechanism such that the flow valve requires the compressed air to move the flow valve to the open position and to the closed position. 
     
     
         89 . The pneumatic excavator of  claim 78 , wherein the primary actuator is configured to be actuated by one hand of a user and the secondary actuator is configured to be actuated by a different hand of the user. 
     
     
         90 . The pneumatic excavator of  claim 78 , wherein the secondary actuator is arranged on the pneumatic excavator in a separate location from the primary actuator such that actuating the primary and the secondary actuators requires using separate hands. 
     
     
         91 . A method of pneumatically actuating a pneumatic excavator, comprising:
 supplying compressed air to a primary actuator and a secondary actuator, each fluidly coupled to a shuttle valve,   actuating the primary actuator and the secondary actuator to cause compressed air to be transmitted from the secondary actuator via a fluid coupling to the primary actuator and through at least one air actuation conduit to a first port of a flow valve to cause the flow valve to move to an open position such that the compressed air passes through an outlet of the pneumatic excavator to break apart soil, and   actuating one of the primary actuator or the secondary actuator and not actuating the other such that the compressed air is caused to be transmitted to an exit port of the shuttle valve fluidly coupled to the second port of the flow valve to cause the flow valve to move to a closed position such that the compressed air is prevented from passing through the outlet.   the flow valve fluidly coupled to the primary actuator and to the shuttle valve,   a shuttle valve comprising a first inlet port fluidly coupled to a delivery port of the primary actuator and a second inlet port fluidly coupled to a delivery port of the secondary actuator;   a flow valve comprising a first port and a second port, the second port fluidly coupled to an exit port of the shuttle valve.   
     
     
         92 . The method of  claim 91 , wherein during the supplying of compressed air, further comprising constantly delivering the compressed air to a constant pressure conduit fluidly coupled to an intake port of the secondary actuator. 
     
     
         93 . The method of  claim 91 , wherein during the actuating of one of the primary actuator or the secondary actuator and not actuating the other, the shuttle valve allows air to enter an entry port from an actuated actuator of the primary actuator or secondary actuator and prevents air from entering the shuttle valve from the other actuator. 
     
     
         94 . The method of  claim 91 , wherein the flow valve is free of a biasing mechanism such that the flow valve requires the compressed air to move the flow valve to the open position and to the closed position. 
     
     
         95 . A pneumatic excavator, comprising:
 at least one actuator;   a shuttle valve comprising a first inlet port fluidly coupled to a delivery port of the at least one actuator and a second inlet port fluidly coupled to another delivery port of the at least one actuator;   a flow valve comprising a first port and a second port, the second port fluidly coupled to an exit port of the shuttle valve; and   a constant pressure conduit, wherein a first end of the constant pressure conduit is coupled to the pneumatic excavator upstream from the flow valve, and a second end of the constant pressure conduit is coupled to the at least one actuator,   wherein actuating the at least one actuator causes compressed air from the constant pressure conduit to be transmitted from the at least one actuator and through at least one air actuation conduit to the first port of the flow valve to cause the flow valve to move to an open position, and   wherein when the at least one actuator is not actuated, the compressed air is transmitted from the constant pressure conduit to the exit port of the shuttle valve fluidly coupled to the second port of the flow valve to cause the flow valve to move to a closed position.   
     
     
         96 . The pneumatic excavator of  claim 95 , wherein the flow valve is free of a biasing mechanism such that the flow valve requires the compressed air to move the flow valve to the open position and to the closed position.