Patent ID: 7867323
Filing Date: 2011-01-11
Classification: B07B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for picking up and cleaning rock comprising: a) an intake having a head at one end and an outlet at the other end; b) a chamber having a bottom, an inside and an outside and a chamber inlet fluidly connected to the outlet end of the intake and disposed to receive an airstream from the intake and to direct at least a portion of the airstream from the intake into the chamber, the airstream capable of entraining rock and debris within the airstream, the chamber having a chamber exhaust outlet for discharging air and debris from the chamber, the chamber having a chamber discharge outlet located on the bottom of the chamber for discharging rocks falling by gravity through and from the chamber; c) a vacuum source for producing vacuum, the vacuum source fluidly connected to the chamber, whereby an airstream is drawn into the chamber by vacuum applied through the intake to the head end of the intake; wherein rock and debris are vacuumed into the intake at the head end of the intake forming an airstream with entrained rock and debris and wherein the airstream is transported to the chamber whereafter the rock and debris enters the chamber at the chamber inlet and the velocity of the airstream slows thereby allowing the rock to fall under gravity to the chamber discharge outlet while the debris exits the chamber through the chamber exhaust outlet.