Utility valve access and performance evaluation means

• US 7,604,023 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vac-Tron Equipment LLC (VAC-TRON Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vac-Tron Equipment LLC (VAC-TRON Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Buckner, Don M. Sr., Buckner, Lynn A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rivell; John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schneider; Craig M
• Application Number:
  US10/683,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20050076965A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,198 Days
• Field of Search: 137/899.4, 137/355.12, 137/272, 731/68
• US Class Current: 137/899.4
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/2245 Adaptations for loading or unloading
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/227 Methods for tracing the load
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6914 Vehicle supports fluid compressor and compressed fluid storage tank

Abstract

A vacuum container mounted on a vehicle, a trailer, or skid mounted with options chosen from an articulating boom, a liquid pressure dissipater, a utility valve actuator, having a drive motor for the valve actuator being either hydraulic, air, or electric powered, a global positioning system to determine and log the position of work, service or hardware, controls and measuring devices and de-chlorinator. Dirt or debris are made vacuum able by using a pressurized water nozzle, air pressure nozzle, or tools powered by the auxiliary power supply.

Claims

1. A mobile utility valve actuator and vacuum excavation method for accessing and opening or closing an in ground utility valve, comprising the steps of:

having a mobile platform means wherein said mobile platform is chosen from one or more of a group consisting of a trailer, a skid, a truck, a zero turn radius vehicle, a fork lift, and a skid steer, and further comprising the steps of having a vacuum container adjacently mounted on said mobile platform, and said vacuum container having a vacuum producing means to create a vacuum within said vacuum container, and further comprising the step of having a vacuum hose to vacuum a liquid or solids into said vacuum container, and further comprising the step of having a boom means, and said boom means having two or more arms, and said boom means having a first end pivot ably mounted on said mobile platform, and said pivot ably mounted boom means having a second end connected to said valve actuator and further comprising the step of said valve actuator having a rotate able shaft, and said rotate able shaft further comprising the step of having an attachment means of adjacently mounting said rotate able shaft to a valve stem of said in ground utility valve.

4. A mobile utility valve actuator and vacuum excavation method for accessing and opening or closing an in ground utility valve, according to claim 1 wherein said mobile utility valve actuator comprises an additional step of said rotate able shaft having an extension means for connecting said rotate able shaft of said valve actuator to the valve stem of said in ground utility valve.

5. A mobile utility valve actuator and vacuum excavation method for accessing and opening or closing an in ground utility valve, according to claim 1 wherein said mobile utility valve actuator and vacuum excavation method comprises an additional step of:

mounting a measuring means adjacent to said valve actuator whereby said measuring means can measure the torque required to rotate said rotate able shaft.

6. A mobile utility valve actuator and vacuum excavation method for accessing and opening or closing an in ground utility valve, according to claim 1 wherein said mobile platform comprises an additional step of:

mounting a liquid pressure dissipater means adjacent to said mobile platform and wherein said liquid pressure dissipater further comprises the steps of having an inlet to accept water under pressure from a water fire hydrant, a water flow deflector to absorb energy in the form of pressure, and an outlet to allow water to exit said water pressure dissipater.

7. A mobile utility valve actuator and vacuum excavation method for accessing and opening or closing an in ground utility valve, according to claim 1 wherein said mobile platform comprises an additional step of:

mounting a liquid pressure dissipater means adjacent to said vacuum excavation means and wherein said liquid pressure dissipater further comprises the steps of having an inlet to accept water under pressure from a water fire hydrant, a water deflector to absorb energy in the form of pressure, and an outlet to allow water to exit said liquid pressure dissipater, and further comprises the step of, mounting a de-chlorinator means adjacent to said liquid pressure dissipater means.

8. A mobile utility valve actuator and vacuum excavation method for accessing and opening or closing an in ground utility valve, according to claim 1 wherein said mobile platform comprises an additional step of:

mounting a liquid pressure dissipater means adjacent to said mobile platform and wherein said liquid pressure dissipater means further comprises the steps of having an inlet to accept water under pressure from a water fire hydrant, whereby a water hose can have a first end attached to said inlet of said liquid pressure dissipater means and a second end of said water hose can be attached to water fire hydrant outlet, and said liquid pressure dissipater means further comprises the steps of having a water flow deflector to absorb energy in the form of pressure, and said liquid pressure dissipater means further comprises the steps of having an outlet to allow water to exit said water pressure dissipater means and further comprising the step of adjacently mounted to said mobile platform means, one or more of a group chosen from the group consisting of, a water flow measuring means, a temperature measuring means, a pressure measuring means, a rotation counting means, a torque measuring means, a controller means, a monitor, a Global Positioning System signal receiver means, a transmitter, a computer, a mapping program, and a data logging documenting means, whereby information associated with the performance or mechanical condition of a utility valve can be collected, and transmitted to a data documentation means such as a computer with a utility mapping program.

9. A mobile utility valve actuator and vacuum excavation method for accessing and opening or closing an in ground utility valve, according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said mobile utility valve actuator and vacuum excavation method comprises an additional step of mounting a rotation counter means adjacent to said utility valve actuator whereby said rotation counter means can count the revolutions of said rotate able shaft.

10. A mobile utility valve actuator and vacuum excavation method for accessing and opening or closing an in ground utility valve, according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said mobile utility valve actuator and vacuum excavation method comprises an additional step of:

mounting a controller adjacent to said valve actuator and said controller further comprising the step of reversing the direction of rotation of said rotate able shaft.

11. A mobile utility valve actuator and vacuum excavation method for accessing and opening or closing an in ground utility valve, according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said mobile utility valve actuator and vacuum excavation method comprises an additional step of:

mounting a Global Positioning System signal receiver adjacent to said valve actuator.

12. A mobile utility valve actuator and vacuum excavation method for accessing and opening or closing an in ground utility valve, according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said mobile utility valve actuator and vacuum excavation method comprises an additional step of:

mounting one or more measuring means adjacent to said valve actuator and further comprising the step of adjacently mounting a transmitter in communication with said measuring means and further comprising the step of transmitting information, collected by said measuring means, to a computer.

13. A mobile utility valve actuator and vacuum excavation method for accessing and opening or closing an in ground utility valve, according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said mobile utility valve actuator and vacuum excavation method comprises an additional step of:

said vacuum conduit means vacuuming vacuum able liquid or solids from an in ground casing access means to said in ground utility valve.

14. A mobile utility valve actuator and vacuum excavation method for accessing and opening or closing an in ground utility valve, according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said mobile utility valve actuator and vacuum excavation method comprises an additional step of:

mounting a water tank, water pump, and water hose adjacent to said mobile platform, and further comprising the step of jetting water onto earthen material, whereby said jetted water can make vacuum able said earthen material found adjacent to said valve stem of said in ground utility valve.

15. A mobile utility valve actuator and vacuum excavation method for accessing and opening or closing an in ground utility valve, according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said mobile utility valve actuator and vacuum excavation method comprises an additional step of:

mounting an air tank, air compressor means, air hose and air nozzle adjacent to said mobile platform, and further comprising the step of directing air under pressure onto an earthen material, whereby said pressurized air can make vacuum able earthen material found adjacent to said valve stem of said in ground utility valve.

16. A mobile utility valve actuator and vacuum excavation method for accessing and opening or closing an in ground utility valve, according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said valve actuator is chosen from one or more of a group consisting of a hydraulic drive motor, an electric drive motor, an air driven motor, and an air cylinder.

17. A mobile utility valve actuator and vacuum excavation method for accessing and opening or closing an in ground utility valve, according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said mobile platform comprises an additional step of:

mounting a power plant adjacently to said mobile platform and said power plant consisting of one or more components chosen from a group consisting of a gas engine, a diesel engine, a vacuum pump, a water pump, an air compressor, a generator, a battery, a hydraulic pump, a goose neck coupler, and a hydraulic power circuit to power hydraulically powered tools.

19. A mobile utility valve actuator and vacuum excavation method for accessing and opening or closing an in ground utility valve, according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said mobile platform means further comprising the step of adjacently mounting to said mobile platform one or more of a group chosen from the group consisting of a water flow measuring means, a temperature measuring means, a pressure measuring means, a rotation counting means, a torque measuring means, a controller means, a monitor means, a metering means, a Global Positioning System signal receiver means, a transmitter means, a computer means, a fire hydrant tester means, a utility valve performance documenting means, a utility valve mechanical maintenance documenting means, a valve a mapping program, and a data logging documenting means, whereby information associated with data collection, geographic location, elevation, date, time, and performance or mechanical condition of a utility valve can be collected, monitored, and transmitted to a data documentation means such as a computer with a utility mapping program.

2. A mobile utility valve actuator and vacuum excavation method for accessing and opening or closing an in ground utility valve, comprising the steps of:

having a mobile platform means, and said mobile platform having a vacuum container adjacently mounted to said mobile platform, and said vacuum container having a vacuum producing means to create a vacuum within said vacuum container, and said vacuum container having a vacuum conduit means to vacuum a liquid or solids into said vacuum container, and further comprising the step of having a boom means, and said boom means having two or more arms, and said boom means having a first end pivot ably mounted adjacent to said mobile platform, and said pivot ably mounted boom means having a second end pivot ably connected to said valve actuator means, and further comprising the step of said valve actuator having a rotate able shaft and further comprising the step of said rotate able shaft having an adapter means for connecting said rotate able shaft to the valve stem of said in ground utility valve, and further comprising the step of having a pressure measuring means adjacently mounted in communication with said valve actuator means whereby said pressure measuring means can be used in monitoring the torque required to rotate said rotate able shaft.

18. A mobile utility valve actuator and vacuum excavation method for accessing and opening or closing an in ground utility valve, according to claim 2 wherein said mobile platform means is chosen from one or more of a group consisting of a trailer, a skid, a truck, a zero turn radius vehicle, a fork lift, and a skid steer.

3. A mobile utility valve actuator and vacuum excavation method for accessing and opening or closing an in ground utility valve, comprising the steps of:

having a mobile platform means, wherein said mobile platform is chosen from one or more of a group consisting of a trailer, a skid, a truck, a zero turn radius vehicle, a fork lift, and a skid steer, and further comprising the step of mounting a power plant adjacent to said mobile platform and said power plant consisting of one or more components chosen from a group consisting of a gas engine, a diesel engine, a vacuum pump, a water pump, an air compressor, a generator, a battery, a hydraulic pump, and a hydraulic power circuit to power hydraulically powered tools, and further comprising the step of having a vacuum container adjacently mounted to said mobile platform, and said vacuum container having a vacuum producing means to create a vacuum within said vacuum container, and further comprising the step of said vacuum container having a vacuum hose means to vacuum liquid or solids into said vacuum container, and further comprising the step of having a boom means, and said boom means having two or more arms, and said boom means having a first end pivot ably mounted adjacent to said mobile platform, and said pivot ably mounted boom means having a second end adjacently mounted to said valve actuator, wherein said valve actuator is chosen from one or more of a group consisting of a hydraulic drive motor, an electric drive motor, an air driven motor, and an air cylinder, and further comprising the step of said valve actuator having a rotate able shaft and further comprising the step of said rotate able shaft having an adapter means for adjacently connecting said rotate able shaft to a valve stem of said in ground utility valve, and further comprising the step of rotating said valve stem of said in ground utility valve in order to open or close said in ground utility valve, and further comprising the step of mounting a pressure measuring means adjacent to said valve actuator, whereby said pressure measuring means can be used in monitoring the torque required to rotate said rotate able shaft, and further comprising the step of mounting a rotation counting means adjacent to said valve actuator whereby said rotation counting means can count the rotations of said rotate able shaft, and further comprising the step of having a transmitter adjacently mounted in communication with said pressure measuring means and rotation counting means and further comprising the step of said transmitter, transmitting data from said pressure measuring device and rotation counting device to a computer.