Patent ID: 11905677
Assignee: VERMEER MANUFACTURING COMPANY
Field: Chemical engineering (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC E  B  F | IPC B  E  F

Claim 12:
13. A hydro excavation vacuum apparatus for excavating earthen material comprising:
a wand for directing pressurized water toward earthen material to cut the earthen material at an excavation site;
a vacuum pump for removing cut earthen material and water from the excavation site in an airstream, the vacuum pump being a positive displacement pump;
a separation vessel for removing cut earthen material and water from the airstream;
a conduit for conveying water and cut earthen material from the excavation site to the separation vessel, the conduit having a diameter D1; and
an airlock that receives material from the separation vessel and discharges the material through an airlock outlet, the airlock comprising vanes with pockets and pocket sidewalls that contact and rotate with the vanes, the pockets being disposed between adjacent vanes and the pocket sidewalls, the vanes being sized to receive particles equal to or greater than the diameter D1.