Excavation aid

Abstract

A method for preparing ground for excavation comprises providing at least one excavation aid including a fluid inlet configured to receive fluid from a fluid source and at least one elongate member having a ground penetrating member configured to use the received fluid and gravity to penetrate the ground while dispersing the fluid into the surrounding ground. The excavation aid is placed on ground to be excavated with the ground penetrating member of the at least one elongate member resting on a surface of the ground and then connected to a fluid source. Once the at least one excavation aid has distributed an amount of fluid into the ground so as to allow the at least one elongate member to penetrate the ground to a predetermined depth, the at least one excavation aid is removed from the ground so that the area can be excavated manually.

1 . An excavation aid comprising: 
 an upper member including; 
 a fluid inlet configured to receive a fluid from a fluid source; and  
 at least two fluid pathways in communication with said fluid inlet; and  
   at least two elongate members operably connected to said upper member and projecting downward therefrom, said at least one elongate member including; 
 a hollow conduit including an inlet end and an outlet end, said inlet end fluidly connected to a corresponding one of said at least two fluid pathways; and  
 a ground penetrating member removably connected to said outlet end of said hollow conduit, said ground penetrating member having a fluid passageway connected to said outlet end of said hollow conduit and at least one opening for dispersing said fluid from said passageway outside said ground penetrating member.  
   
   
   
       2 . The excavation aid of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said upper member includes a substantially triangular platform member; and    said at least two elongate members includes an elongate member connected to each corner of said triangular platform member.    
   
   
       3 . The excavation aid of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said upper member includes a substantially elongate bridge member; and    said at least two elongate members include at least three elongate members connected to said bridge member and spaced along the length thereof.    
   
   
       4 . The excavation aid of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said upper member includes a hollow central hub fluidly connected to said fluid inlet;    said water distribution means includes; 
 an outer hollow circular member; and  
 at least one hollow conduit extending from said central hub to said outer circular member to distribute water from said central hub to said outer hollow circular member; and  
   said at least two elongate members include at least three elongate members fluidly connected to said outer circular member perpendicular to a horizontal plane of said outer circular member and spaced about a circumference of said outer circular member.    
   
   
       5 . The excavation aid of  claim 1 , wherein said ground penetrating member includes two cone-shaped sections connected together by an inset annulus section.  
   
   
       6 . The excavation aid of  claim 4 , wherein said ground penetrating member includes an axial passage leading to an axial opening for dispersing fluid axially from said ground penetrating member.  
   
   
       7 . The excavation aid of  claim 4 , wherein said ground penetrating member includes at least one radial passage extending from said axial bore, said at least one radial passage leading to a radial opening in the peripheral surface of the annulus section, said radial opening for dispersing fluid radially from said ground penetrating member.  
   
   
       8 . The excavation aid of  claim 1 , wherein said hollow conduit of said at least one elongate member includes a penetration stop configured to prevent said elongate member from penetrating ground past a predetermined distance.  
   
   
       9 . The excavation aid of  claim 7 , wherein said penetration stop is adjustable to varying positions along a length of said hollow conduit.  
   
   
       10 . A method for preparing ground for excavation, the method comprising: 
 providing at least one excavation aid including a fluid inlet configured to receive fluid from a fluid source and at least one elongate member having a ground penetrating member configured to use said fluid and gravity to penetrate the ground while dispersing said fluid into the surrounding ground;    placing said at least one excavation aid on ground to be excavated with said ground penetrating member adjacent a surface of said ground;    connecting said at least one excavation aid to a fluid source;    waiting for said at least one excavation aid to distribute an amount of fluid into the ground so as to allow said at least one elongate member to penetrate the ground to a predetermined depth;    removing said at least one excavation aid from said ground; and    manually excavating said ground from said area.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said providing at least one excavation aid step further comprises: 
 providing at least one excavation aid including a platform member having a substantially flat upper surface and including at least three elongate members, said at least three elongate members being operably connected to said platform member so as to allow said excavation aid to be freestanding.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 placing a weight on said flat upper surface of said platform member to aid ground penetration of said at least three elongate members.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the providing at least one excavation aid step further comprises providing a plurality of excavation aids, and 
 wherein the connecting said at least one excavation aid to a fluid source step further comprises operably connecting a fluid inlet of a first excavation aid to said fluid source and operably connecting a fluid inlet of each successive excavation aid to a fluid outlet of a previous excavation aid.