Patent ID: 6976287

Claim:
A vacuum nozzle apparatus comprising: a vacuum pipe for having one end for connection to a vacuum source and an outer end; a nozzle at the outer end of the pipe defining a suction slot into which material is drawn by a suction in the vacuum source for drawing the material through the pipe and into the source for collection; a transport cart for moving the nozzle and the pipe relative to the vacuum source across a surface from which the material is to be removed by the nozzle while the vacuum source remains at a fixed location separate from said transport cart; the cart including; a frame; ground wheels for supporting the frame for movement across the surface; a motor for driving one or more of the ground wheels; a support on the frame for receiving an operator supported on the frame for movement therewith; and a manually operable control arrangement carried on the frame and operable by the operator while the operator is carried on the frame, the control arrangement being operable to control forward and rearward movement of the cart and steering movements of the cart to each side for guiding the cart and the nozzle over the surface; wherein the cart has four wheels each of which is driven.