GB2483927A

GB2483927A - Hand operable excavator with frame for lateral excavation

Info

Publication number: GB2483927A
Application number: GB1016199.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Eric Morson
Original assignee: BASEMENT MASTERS Ltd
Current assignee: BASEMENT MASTERS Ltd
Priority date: 2010-09-24
Filing date: 2010-09-24
Publication date: 2012-03-28
Also published as: GB201016199D0

Abstract

A hand operated excavator 202 for removing earth from a mass 20 such as trench wall comprising a housing 204, a cutter or cutters 206 extending from the housing and a collector for the waste material connectable to the housing. The cutter 206 is preferably a rotatable shaft with a drill bit or router. The housing is manoeuvrable by an operator 200 and may include a fixing point allowing the housing to be attached to a frame 212 which acts as a guide for the excavator when the device is used to excavate laterally. The collector comprises a hose 208 attachable to the housing and a vacuum source to draw material through the hose. The apparatus may include a screw threaded component to draw material away from the cutter. The collector may comprise a housing containing a vacuum source and a vent for depositing material (fig2).

Description

An improved method_pf excavatingparth and an apparatus for excavating earth The present invention resides in the field of excavating earth during building work. In particular, the invention provides an improved method of and apparatus for excavating earth from around and underneath a building structure, for example.

In high density population areas such as city centres, it is often impossible to construct any significant external extensions to houses due to the severely limited space available. Moreover, planning restrictions -particularly in respect of older properties or properties built in conservation areas -often forbid the construction of any extensions which affect the external appearance of a house.

Accordingly, occupants of houses with limited potential for external extension have been forced to choose between puffing up with the space available in their property and moving to a larger property further away from the city centre.

A solution to this problem which has become popular with home owners is to renovate a property's attic space, thereby maximising the useful space within a property's existing structure. However, the situation of the attic is such that this space cannot be used for certain desirable purposes, such as a garage or a swimming pool, for example. In any case, occupants of houses with attic conversions are likely to desire still more space over time, and thus an attic conversion simply delays rather than solves the above-described problem of limited space.

In view of the above, it is becoming increasingly attractive to build new basements in urban properties or convert existing basements into usable living spaces within an existing property. Such basements and basement conversions are an attractive solution to the above-described problem because they have little if any effect on the external appearance of a house, and may provide more space and more useful space than an attic conversion could. In particular, basements may extend across the entire footprint of the property (including the garden, for example) and may extend several floors down. Basements are also ideal locations for garages and swimming pools, for

example.

A significant problem with new basements and basement conversions is the difficulty of their construction. In particular, the process of excavating (that is, digging and removing) earth from beneath a building in order to create space for a basement is an extremely labour intensive process. For the avoidance of doubt, here and throughout the description of the invention which follows, earth' should be understood as encompassing any composition of matter in the ground. Typical compositions might include clay, sand, or loam, for example, but all are herein referred to as earth' for convenience.

The typical excavation process, described below, is both arduous and time consuming for a skilled labourer, and accordingly adds considerable expense to a new basement or basement conversion. Unfortunately, this expense can often place basements and basement conversions out of reach of some people.

Accordingly, an improved method of constructing a basement, in particular for excavating earth, and an improved apparatus for excavating earth are desired.

In a typical excavation process during a basement conversion, it is first necessary to underpin the existing foundations of a building, because those foundations will be too shallow to accommodate the additional depth required by the basement. The underpinning process requires a trench to be dug adjacent the side wall of the property, past the feet of the original foundations, to the depth of the new foundations. Since the trench is immediately adjacent the property wall, and space is usually very confined in such trenches, pneumatic excavators (i.e. diggers') typically cannot be used.

Accordingly, the trench must be dug manually using pneumatic drill (i.e. jackhammer'), for example, and the earth must be brought up out of the trench manually using a barrow or large sacks.

Once a trench has been dug, it is then necessary to remove earth from immediately beneath the existing foundations. Since, due to the restricted space in the trench, it is likely to be impossible to use diggers for this process, the removal of earth from beneath the existing foundations must also be done manually (for example, by digging sideways using a jackhammer) and the earth must be brought up out of the trench manually.

It is known to use flat belt conveyors to move dug-out earth away from a work site in order to deposit it elsewhere. In limited circumstances it is possible to arrange a conveyor, or series of conveyors, to assist a skilled labourer in removing earth from a trench in a basement conveyor. Ideal conveyor systems would allow a skilled labourer to place dug-out earth onto a conveyor in the trench, transport the earth up and out of the trench, and deposit the earth at a remote location, such as in a skip. However, due to the limited space, such conveyor systems are difficult to set up. In particular, earth must be often be moved a long way upwards within a confined area, and flat belt conveyors cannot do this effectively.

In any case, the above-described digging processes are very labour intensive and would usually take two skilled labourers two or three days to complete, with or without a conveyor.

Once the digging processes are complete, it is necessary to back-fill the void underneath the existing foundations with concrete. Since it is typically impossible to use concrete truck mixers to help fill the void, again due to the restrictions on space, this process must also be done by hand. Concrete must be mixed, brought down into the trench, and placed into the void underneath the existing extension, manually. This process is also very labour intensive, and would usually take two skilled labourers one or two days to complete.

The building industry is replete with tools which are designed to make a labourer's job easier and quicker to complete, both to benefit the labourer and reduce the cost of performing manual work. In the above-described processes, for example, the pneumatic drill or jackhammer' has replaced the pick and shovel; the power mixer has replaced the wooden board and spade; and the conveyor has replaced the barrow.

Other tools have been conceived which would reduce a labourer's work in this field. For example, Reehwitzer Saugbagger Produktions GmbH (RSP) manufacture a suction excavator. This excavator is provided in the form of a lorry having a powerful fan which generates a vacuum strong enough to suck loose detritus such as separated pieces of earth and other debris through a long hose. The hose extends from the rear of the lorry and is suspended by an arm. A labourer may direct the hose toward the detritus to be removed, and the vacuum will draw the detritus through the hose and collect it within the lorry. The machine is effectively a very large vacuum cleaner.

Whilst RSP's suction excavator may be suitable for removing loose detritus, it first requires earth to be separated from a mass before it can be removed. Accordingly, in the context of basement conversions, the skilled labourer would still need to dig the mass manually before removing the separated pieces of earth using the suction excavator. In this sense, the suction excavator is simply a slight less unwieldy alternative to the conveyor. Moreover, since the suction excavator is mounted to a lorry, it is just as impractical to use in basement projects as the concrete truck mixer.

What is needed, therefore, is an improved apparatus for excavating earth from walls, and the like, particularly in confined spaces such as trenches, for example, such as those which are dug-out as part of an underpinning process in a basement conversion.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a hand-operable excavation apparatus for removing earth from a mass such as a wall of a trench dug alongside a building, the excavation apparatus comprising: a housing manoeuvrable by an operator of the hand-operable excavation apparatus; and a cutter extending from the housing for cutting into the mass and separating pieces of earth from the mass; wherein the housing is connectable to a collector for receiving and transporting the separated pieces of earth away from the cutter to a location remote from the mass of earth being excavated.

By providing just such a hand-operable excavation apparatus, a skilled labourer is able to replace both the jackhammer and barrow with a single tool comprising a cutter for separating pieces of earth and a collector for transporting the separated pieces away.

By using the apparatus, the labourer's workload is significantly reduced. It is envisaged that one skilled labourer may perform the work of two in half the time.

The hand-operable excavation apparatus is portable, in the sense that it may be manoeuvred and controlled manually by a skilled labourer. However, preferred embodiments comprise at least one fixing point attachable to a frame constructed adjacent the mass of earth being excavated. The frame may be configured to guide the hand-operable excavation apparatus during use, and the invention even contemplates automating the movement along the frame and operation of the apparatus, such that direct manual control is not necessary.

The present invention also provides a method of removing earth from a mass such as a wall of a trench dug alongside a building, the excavation method comprising: providing a hand-operable excavation apparatus comprising a cutter and a collector; cutting into the mass with the cutter to separate pieces of earth from the mass; receiving separated pieces of earth in the collector and transporting the separated pieces of earth away from the cutter to a location remote from the mass of earth being excavated.

The invention shall now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 a illustrates a skilled labourer using an embodiment of the present invention to dig a trench adjacent a property to construct a basement conversion; Figure lb illustrates a skilled labourer using an embodiment of the present invention to excavate earth from a trench wall to form a void underneath existing foundations to construct a basement conversion; Figure 2 illustrates the collector of the embodiment of Figure la or lb depositing the separated earth into a skip; Figure 3a illustrates a front view of the housing of the embodiment of Figure la orlb; Figure 3b illustrates a side view of the housing of the embodiment of Figure 1 a or tb; Figure 4 illustrates the frame of the embodiment of Figure ib; Figure Sa illustrates a method and apparatus for introducing concrete into a void underneath an existing foundation during an underpinning operation; and Figure 5b illustrates a foundation having undergone an underpinning operation.

As illustrated in Figure 1 a, a skilled labourer 100 is able to manipulate an embodiment of the hand-operable excavation apparatus 102 according to the present invention manually. As will be discussed in more detail later, the hand-operable excavation apparatus 102 comprises a housing 104 from which two cutters 1 06a, 106b extend. The cutters are configured to cut into the mass of earth 10 surrounding the skilled labourer 100 and separate smaller pieces of earth from the mass.

For the purposes of the present invention, any number of cutters may be used. If one cutter were used, that embodiment of the invention would be particularly light weight and easy to manipulate. On the other hand, the greater the number of cutters, the greater the rate of separation of pieces of earth from the mass 10. For example, an embodiment comprising four cutters might be expected to separate twice the amount of earth from the mass 10 than an embodiment comprising two cutters, and so on.

The cutters of the embodiment of Figure 1 a are each approximately 300mm in diameter. However, for the purposes of the present invention, a cutter may be any diameter, dependent on the diameter which is most appropriate for cutting into the earth.

For example, the diameter of a cutter may be between 10mm and 1000mm, more specifically between 50mm and 800mm, and even more specifically between 100mm and 500mm. If embodiments of the invention comprise more than one cutter, the plurality of cutters may be the same diameter or different diameters.

The cutters of the embodiment of Figure la are each approximately 300mm in length. However, for the purposes of the present invention, a cutter may be any length, dependent on the length which is most appropriate for cutting into the earth. For example, the depth of a cutter may be between 10mm and 1000mm, more specifically between 50mm and 800mm, and even more specifically between 100mm and 500mm. If embodiments of the invention comprise more than one cutter, the plurality of cutters may be the same length or different lengths.

The larger the diameters and depths of the cutters, the greater the volume of earth the cutters will be able to remove. Thus, larger cutters would provide the benefit of reducing the time required to excavate a given mass. On the other hand, the smaller the diameters and depths of the cutters, the smaller the separated pieces of earth will be.

Thus, smaller cutters would provide the benefit of reducing the space required to store the excavated earth, since the smaller the separated pieces are, the less space is wasted between the pieces.

As shown in Figure 1 a, the cutters 1 06a, 1 06b are connected to the housing 104.

The housing contains driving means to drive the cutters. The driving means is preferably pneumatic, but may be electric or powered by fossil fuels such as petrol. The driving means is preferably a motor. The motor may drive each cutter directly, or the cutters may be connected to the motor via a gearing arrangement. Thus, in situations where the removal of earth requires a particularly fast or slow cutter rotation, the gearing arrangement may adjust the speed transferred to the cutters from the driving means accordingly.

In embodiments where a plurality of cutters is provided, one motor may be used to drive all cutters. Alternatively, any number of motors may be used to drive any number of cutters. If the plurality of cutters are geared, the gearing arrangement may be such that one or more cutters of the plurality are driven at a different speed to another one or more cutters of the plurality. For example, one cutter may be driven particularly quickly, whereas another might be driven particularly slowly.

As shown in Figure la, the housing 104 is attachable to a hose 108, the first end of which is shown in the Figure as attached to the housing 104. As explained in more detail below, the hose 108 forms part of a collector which is adapted to receive pieces of earth separated from the mass 10 by the cutters 1 06a, lOOb and transport the pieces away from cutters 106a, 106b to a location (not shown) remote from the hand-operable excavation apparatus 102. Such a location may be a skip, for example.

An alternative means and method of receiving separated pieces of earth and transporting them away from the cutters comprises the following. The housing may discharge earth which has been separated from the mass by the cutters into a hopper.

The hopper may be comprised in the housing of the hand-operable excavation apparatus, or may be separate from but adjacent to or in the vicinity of the housing. For example, the hopper may be located in the trench along with the hand-operable excavation apparatus during an excavation process. The hopper may be connectable to the housing by a connecting means such as a tube or slide, for example.

Separated earth may be collected in the hopper and transported from the hopper to a location remote from the hopper, such as a skip outside the trench, for example. As mentioned above, a hose might be used to effect transport of the earth from the hopper.

The hose 108 may be made of plastic, rubber, fabric or any other suitable material. In some embodiments, the material from which the hose is made is flexible.

However, the hose should be sufficiently stiff to maintain a continuous open passageway along its length to allow pieces of earth to travel along it. The hose may include stiffeners, for example circular or cylindrical metal bands, at intervals along its length to maintain a continuous open passageway.

A vacuum source operating at a second end (not shown) of the hose 108 draws material through the hose. The vacuum must be strong enough to transport pieces of earth removed from the mass 10 away from the cutters 1 06a, I 06b and along the hose 108.

Alternatively, a pump may be provided at the hand-operable excavation apparatus, or at the hopper (if one is provided), so as to pump the separated earth from the apparatus or hopper through the hose to a location remote from the apparatus or hopper. Liquid or other lubricant may be supplied to the apparatus or hopper to enable the pump to transport the earth more effectively.

As illustrated in Figure la, a skilled labourer 100 may manipulate the hand-operable excavation apparatus 102 with the cutters lOóa, 1 06b oriented vertically downwards to separate pieces of earth from the mass 10 in order to dig a trench 15. As the pieces of earth are separated from the mass 10 by the cutters 106a, 106b, the separated pieces of earth are collected by the hose 108 and transported away from the cutters 1 06a, lO6b along the hose 108 to a location remote from the trench 15.

Alternatively, as illustrated in Figure ib, a skilled labourer 200 may manipulate the hand-operable excavation apparatus 202 manually with the aid of a frame 212 constructed adjacent the mass of earth 20 being excavated. In the illustrated case, the apparatus and cutters are oriented horizontally such that walls of a trench may be excavated, but a frame may be used to dig in any direction including vertically downwards or upwards. As will be discussed in more detail below, the hand-operable excavation apparatus 202 is attached to the frame 212 by at least one fixing point (not shown) such that the frame is able to support the weight of the hand-operable excavation apparatus 202.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure lb, the skilled labourer 200 is able to move the hand-operable excavation apparatus 202 manually, as he is able to do without the frame 212. However, for the purposes of this invention, the hand-operable excavation apparatus 202 may be moveable on the frame 212 automatically. For example, either the hand-operable excavation apparatus 202 or the frame 212 may comprise means for moving the hand-operable excavation apparatus 202. Such means may comprise one or more wheels rotatably mounted on either the apparatus or the frame, the wheels being adapted to run within one or more tracks mounted on the other of the apparatus and the frame. Alternatively, one or more chains or belts might be coupled to the machine and driven by rollers or gears rotatably attached to the frame, or vice versa. These mechanisms are two possible implementations of suitable means for moving, and a skilled person will appreciate that any suitable means may be provided to allow the hand-operable excavation apparatus 202 to move along the frame 212.

The frame may be such that the hand-operable excavation apparatus 202 is movable only along one axis (such as toward and away from the mass being excavated; or along an axis parallel to the surface of the mass being excavated, such as vertically upwards and downwards, or horizontally side to side), with the other axes fixed.

Alternatively, the hand-operable excavation apparatus 202 may be movable along two axes (such as along the two axes parallel to the surface of the mass being excavated); or along three axes. Any of the means for movement described above may be used to effect movement along one, two or three axes in any of the directions described.

A particularly preferred embodiment might provide two belt drive systems for allowing movement of the hand-operable excavation apparatus 202 along two axes parallel to the surface of the mass being excavated, and wheels and tracks for allowing movement toward and away from the surface.

In embodiments where the hand-operable excavation apparatus 202 is moved automatically along the frame, the movement may be controlled by the skilled labourer using a control panel 220. Alternatively, the movement may be computer controlled using well known technology similar to that which is used for computer aided manufacture (CAM). In summary, a route may be plotted using the CAM system along which the machine is directed travel. A processor may then direct the means for moving the hand-operable excavation apparatus 202 to follow the plotted route.

The frame 212 comprises one or more supports which are parallel to the face of the mass 20 being excavated. Braces 216, 218 attached to the support are used to brace against a surrounding structure. The structure may be provided by any means or object; in the illustrated case, the wall and floor of the trench 25 are used.

In all other respects, the hand-operable excavation apparatus 202 of Figure lb is identical to that illustrated in Figure 1 a.

Depending on the particular use, the hand-operable excavation apparatus 102, 202 according to the invention may be provided with other features. For example, if lubrication (such as water or oil) would benefit the cutting or collection of the earth, the hand-operable excavation apparatus 102, 202 may be provided with a supply of such lubrication. The hand-operable excavation apparatus 102, 202 may comprise an internal reservoir containing such lubrication, or the lubrication may be pumped via a hose from an external reservoir to the housing 104, 204 of the hand-operable excavation apparatus 102, 202. The lubrication may be directed onto the cutters or at the surface of the mass being excavated, as desired.

Figure 2 illustrates the remaining portion of the collector not shown in Figures la or lb. As shown in this figure, a second end 310 of a hose 308 (the first end of which is attachable to the hand-operable excavation apparatus of Figures 1 a and ib) is attached to a collector housing 300. The collector housing 300 comprises a vacuum source (not shown) adapted to draw pieces of earth separated from the mass by the cutters, from the cutters through the hose 308.

The housing further comprises a vent 302 on the underside of the housing 300.

In use, pieces of earth drawn through the hose 308 by the vacuum source are deposited through the vent 302. In the illustrated embodiment, the collector housing 300 is supported by one or more legs 304 over a skip 306, such that the earth deposited through the vent 302 falls directly into the skip 306.

Of course for the purposes of the invention, it is not necessary to deposit the pieces of earth in a skip. The collector may be supported over a barrow for subsequent transport, for example, or the earth may simply be deposited on an area of ground away from the work site.

Figures 3a and 3b illustrate the hand-operable excavation apparatus of Figures la and lb in more detail.

As illustrated in Figure 3a and 3b, the hand-operable excavation apparatus 402 comprises first and second cutters 406a, 406b. As with the apparatus of Figures 1 a and lb, the cutters of the hand-operable excavation apparatus 402 may be of any diameter and length, and may be of any number, depending on the preferred arrangement. The cutters 406a, 406b have cutting blades which are adapted to remove earth as the cutters are rotated clockwise, when the apparatus is viewed from the cutting side. The direction of rotation of the cutters 406a, 406b is shown by the arrows 410a, 4 lOb. Of course, this arrangement is merely optional. The cutters may instead have cutting blades which are adapted to remove earth as the cutters are rotated anti-clockwise, or as the cutters are moved toward and/or away from the surface of the mass being excavated. Blades which are adapted to cut in each of these manners would be familiar to a skilled person. The cutting blades may be formed as auger bits (or auger blades), drill bits or router bits (or router blades) or collets, for example, which may cut axially with respect to their axis of rotation; orthogonally with respect to their axis of rotation, or both.

The hand-operable excavation apparatus 402 comprises a threaded screw-type component 412. This component 412 may be an auger, or Archimedes screw, for example, which is configured to draw earth separated by the cutters away from the cutters and towards the collector, as the component 412 rotates. In the illustrated example, the component 412 is adapted such that it draws separated earth away from the cutters when it rotates anti-clockwise, when the apparatus is viewed from the cutting side. The direction of rotation of the component 412 is shown by the arrow 414. Of course, this arrangement is merely optional. The component 412 may instead be adapted such that it draws separated earth away from the cutters when it rotates clockwise. In operation, the component 412 may rotate in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation of the cutters, or it may rotate in the same direction as the cutters.

As can be seen in Figures 3a arid 3b, the housing 404 of the hand-operable excavation apparatus 402 comprises four fixing points 416, each in the form of a hook.

Of course, any number of fixing points or hooks may be provided. The hooks are adapted to hook over a frame such as that illustrated in Figures lb and 4. The hand-operable excavation apparatus 402 comprises a handle 422, which may be used by a skilled labourer to manoeuvre the hand-operable excavation apparatus 402, whether it is mounted on a frame by virtue of the fixing points 416 or not.

The frame 212 of Figure lb is shown in more detail in Figure 4. The frame comprises two vertical supports 2 l4a, 2 14b which arc connected at each end to horizontal supports 222a, 222b such that the frame forms the perimeter of a quadrilateral; preferably a rectangle or a square. The quadrilateral formed by the frame supports 214a, 214b, 222a, 222b faces the surface of the mass of earth being excavated.

Each of the vertical supports 214a, 2 14b is attached to two braces 216, 218 which maintain the position of the frame. The braces 216, 218 brace the frame against the floor or an opposing wall. Of course, any number of braces may be used.

Movably attached to the frame 212 is a carriage 230 comprising two carriage bars 224a, 224b extending along the length of the carriage 230. In the illustrated embodiment, the carriage 230 is moveably attached to the vertical supports 2l4a, 214b of the frame such that the carriage 230 may be moved vertically upwards and downwards with respect to the mass of earth being excavated. Alternatively, the carriage 230 may be movably attached to the horizontal supports 222a, 222b of the frame such that the carriage 230 may be moved from side to side horizontally with respect to the mass.

Movably attached to the carriage bars 224a, 224b is an apparatus mount 226, to which the hand-operable excavation apparatus according to the invention may be mounted. The apparatus mount 226 may move along the length of the carriage bars 224a, 224b such that, in cooperation with the movement of the carriage, the apparatus mount may be positioned anywhere within a two-dimensional plane, limited only by the dimensions of the frame.

Of course, the frame may be constructed in any suitable alternative manner. For example, if movement of the hand-operable excavation apparatus along only one axis were required, the carriage could be omitted such that the apparatus mount could be connected directly to either the vertical or horizontal supports of the frame, thereby permitting vertical or horizontal movement of the hand-operable excavation apparatus, respectively.

Moreover, the hand-operable excavation apparatus may be attached to the apparatus mount in any conventional manner. The hand-operable excavation apparatus may be pivotally mounted, using a ball and socket joint, for example, such that the cutters of the apparatus may be oriented in a direction other than perpendicular to the surface of the mass to be excavated. The apparatus mount may comprise tracks, or the like, for enabling movement of the hand-operable excavation apparatus toward and away from the mass, or the apparatus mount may itself be attached to such tracks on the carriage to enable such movement. The above-described mechanisms are merely some of a number of possible implementations and a skilled person will appreciate that any suitable means may be provided to allow the hand-operable excavation apparatus to move about the frame, as desired by the skilled labourer.

Finally, Figures 5a and Sb illustrate a method and apparatus for filling a void, such as a void created a trench 500 which has been excavated adjacent a building to underpin existing foundations.

The illustrated apparatus comprises vertically extending shuttering 502, which is erected at a distance away from a trench wall and is supported by braces 504a, 504b and 504c against an opposing trench wall, or a floor. The braces 504a, 504b and 504c may be adjustable to suit the distance between the shuttering 502 and the opposing trench wall, or floor.

The shuttering 502 may be formed of a single piece having a given height and length or comprise a plurality of pieces such as slats coupled together to build a structure having a given height and length.

The apparatus further comprises means for introducing concrete into the void defined by the shuttering 502 and the trench wall. In the illustrated case, the means comprises a hose 506 through which concrete may be poured or pumped. A pump (not shown) to which the hose 506 may be attached is configured to pump concrete from a reservoir through the hose 506 and into the void. The reservoir may be a tank, a power mixer or the like.

A method of filling a void formed by a trench dug out underneath existing foundations of a building to underpin those foundations comprises the following steps.

Firstly, shuttering 502 is erected at given distance from the trench wall to form a void directly underneath the existing foundations. The distance from the trench wall to the shuttering 502 is preferably greater than or equal to the thickness of the existing foundations, such that the new foundations are capable of supporting the existing foundations adequately.

Once erected, the shuttering 502 is supported by braces 504 which may be coupled to the shuttering 502 and arranged to bear against an opposing trench wall or a floor such that the shuttering 502 is maintained in place, and in particular is not pushed back under the weight of the concrete introduced into the void. The length of the braces 504 may be adjusted to achieve the appropriate position of the shuttering 502 and the correct amount of support.

Once the shuttering 502 is adequately placed and supported, a hole is drilled through the existing foundations such that air may escape from the void to the atmosphere as concrete is introduced into the void. The concrete may then be poured or pumped from a reservoir through a hose 506.

Once the void is ftill of concrete and the concrete has solidified to an extent that its shape will not change, the braces 504 and shuttering 502 may be removed. Figure Sb illustrates the final underpinned foundation.

It will be understood that the present invention has been described by way of example and that modifications of detail can be made within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A hand-operable excavation apparatus for removing earth from a mass such as a wall of a trench dug alongside a building, the excavation apparatus comprising: a housing manoeuvrable by an operator of the hand-operable excavation apparatus; and a cuff er extending from the housing for cutting into the mass and separating pieces of earth from the mass; wherein the housing is connectable to a collector for receiving and transporting the separated pieces of earth away from the cutter to a location remote from the mass of earth being excavated.
2. The hand-operable excavation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises at least one fixing point attachable to a frame constructed adjacent the mass of earth being excavated to guide the hand-operable excavation apparatus during use.
3. The hand-operable excavation apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the collector comprises a hose attachable, at a first end, to the housing; and a vacuum source adapted to draw the separated pieces of earth from the cutter through the hose.
4. The hand-operable excavation apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising a threaded screw-type component adapted to draw the separated pieces of earth away from the cutter upon rotation of the component toward the collector.
5. The hand-operable excavation apparatus according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the collector comprises a housing to which a second end of the hose is attachable, the housing containing the vacuum source and comprising a vent for depositing the separated pieces of earth drawn through the hose by the vacuum source.
6. The hand-operable excavation apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the cutter comprises a rotatable shaft extending along an axis and at least one of: a router-style bit adapted to remove earth from the mass by cutting orthogonally with respect to the rotatable shaft; a drill-style bit adapted to remove earth from the mass by cutting axially with respect to the rotatable shaft; or a bit adapted to remove earth from the mass by cutting orthogonally and axially with respect to the rotatable shaft.
7. A method of removing earth from a mass such as a wall of a trench dug alongside a building, the excavation method comprising: providing a hand-operable excavation apparatus comprising a cutter and a collector; cutting into the mass with the cutter to separate pieces of earth from the mass; receiving separated pieces of earth in the collector and transporting the separated pieces of earth away from the cutter to a location remote from the mass of earth being excavated.
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of guiding the hand-operable excavation apparatus along a frame constructed adjacent the mass of earth being excavated.
9. The method of claim 7 of claim 8, wherein the steps of receiving and transporting the separated pieces of earth further comprise receiving the separated pieces of earth at a first end of a hose and drawing the separated pieces of earth from the cutter through the hose.
10. The method of any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the step of receiving the separated pieces of earth further comprises drawing the separated pieces of earth away from the cutter toward the collector using a threaded screw-type component by rotating said component.
11. The method of claim 9 or claim 10, further comprising the step of depositing the separated pieces of earth drawn through the hose by the vacuum source through a vent in a collector housing attached to a second end of the hose.
12. The method of any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the step of cutting the earth comprises rotating a rotatable shaft extending along an axis and at least one of: removing earth from the mass by cutting the mass orthogonally with respect to the rotatable shaft using a router-style bit; removing earth from the mass by cutting the mass axially with respect to the rotatable shaft using a drill-style bit; or removing earth from the mass by cutting the mass orthogonally and axially with respect to the rotatable shaft using a bit.
13. An apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
14. A method substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.