STORY OF AIR JET SHOVEL CREATION
Brian Nagamatsu with Development Air Jet Shovel
Air Jet Shovel Attached to Leaf Blower transforming the Leaf Blower into a Snow Removal Tool
Picture of one of the prototype Air Jet Shovels
BEGINNING OF STORY
The story of the Air Jet Shovel started when I wanted to know if a Leaf Blower would be able to blow snow. The first test happened when I stuck the outlet end of the leaf blower into a good sized snow bank. The end of the leaf blower burrowed right into the snow back with no trouble, however, I got a BIG SURPRISE. I was turned into a SNOWMAN and the LEAF BLOWER INTAKE was instantly CLOGGED WITH SNOW. The snow expelling from the snow bank blew right back towards me and the leaf blower. The leaf blower sucked the snow right into leaf blower intake immediately clogging the blower with snow.
I WAS TURNED INTO A SNOWMAN
The great thing was that the air blast from the leaf blower was strong enough to blow a hole into a pile of snow. My wife Felicia and I then had the idea of putting the outlet end of the leaf blower through a hole in a flat board. We figured the board would prevent the snow from blowing back towards the leaf blower. This worked very well in keeping the snow from blowing back towards the leaf blower.
OUTLET PORT HOLE IN FLAT BOARD
The next step was using a curved shovel blade with an air exhaust port cut into the blade.
ONE PORT IN AIR JET SHOVEL BLADE
The next step was building a Two Port Air Jet Shovel
TWO PORTS IN AIR JET SHOVEL BLADE
We also tried Air Jet Shovels with a plurality of ports such as this four port unit.
FOUR PORTS IN AIR JET SHOVEL BLADE
We noticed that the front edge of the Air Jet Shovel blade was catching on grooves in decking and grooves in concrete sidewalks. Therefore small wheels were installed near the front edge of the blade so that the Air Jet Shovel could glide right over decking grooves or sidewalk grooves. When a leaf blower is lifted a first distance above a surface, the front edge of the blade is in contact with the surface. When the leaf blower is lowered to a second distance above the surface, the front edge of the blade is lifted above the surface so that the front edge does not catch on any deck or sidewalk grooves.
WHEELS INSTALLED NEAR FRONT EDGE OF THE AIR JET SHOVEL BLADE
SIDE VEW OF WHEELS INSTALLED NEAR FRONT EDGE OF THE AIR JET SHOVEL BLADE
To simplify manufacturing, the wheels were replaced with skids on a production unit. These skids work great in allowing the Air Jet Shovel to glide right over grooves in decks or concrete sidewalks.
SKIDS ON UNDERSIDE OF PRODUCTION AIR JET SHOVEL BLADE
To prepare for a production Air Jet Shovel a Tapered Inlet Tube was attached to the blade. This Tapered Inlet Tube allowed a Leaf Blower Exhaust tube to be pressed into the Tapered Inlet Tube. Through testing it was found that Velcro tape worked well for attaching the Air Jet Shovel to the Leaf Blower. Testing showed that the leaf blower should have a least about a 400 cfm air flow rate. Typically, leaf blowers with at least about 400 cfm have round shaped outlet tubes that are received very well into the Tapered Inlet Tube of the Air Jet Shovel. The Air Jet Shovel invention has been patented. Air Jet Technologies Inc is manufacturing and selling the Air Jet Shovel. The Air Jet Shovel is manufactured in the United States.
PROTOTYPE AIR JET SHOVEL WITH TAPERED INLET TUBE
PRODUCTION AIR JET SHOVEL WITH TAPERED INLET TUBE
NOTICE RESILIENT FOAM SEALING MATERIAL WRAPPED AROUND LEAF BLOWER OUTLET TUBE
Note: That the production unit now uses Velcro Tape for securing the Air Jet Shovel to the Leaf Blower Outlet tube.
PRODUCTION AIR JET SHOVEL WITH LEAF BLOWER ATTACHED
OPERATING TIPS
KEEP THE LEAF BLOWER BLOWING AT FULL THROTTLE AT ALL TIMES. The powerful air jet is blowing snow when the Air Jet Shovel is going in a forward direction or backward direction. Notice how the Air Jet Shovel further clears snow from the surface even when backing away from the edge of a driveway. Remember you only have a conventional shovel without the air blasting. IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT YOU USE A LEAF BLOWER THAT SUPPLIES AT LEAST ABOUT 400 CFM OF AIR FLOW.
KEEP THE AIR JET SHOVEL IN CONTACT WITH THE SURFACE AT ALL TIMES. There is no need to lift and toss the snow. Let the air jet do the work. Notice how the air currents carry snow over snow banks.
IN LIGHT SNOW use a back and forth pattern keeping the air jet blast from the shovel always pointed towards the edge of the driveway. Watch the videos for driveway clearing with light snow.
IN HEAVY SNOW push the Air Jet Shovel towards the side of the driveway and then pull the Air Jet Shovel away from the side of the driveway. (Use a back and forth action similar to if you were vacuuming a floor with a floor vacuum cleaner). Remember to keep the leaf blower running at full throttle while backing the Air Jet Shovel away from the side of the driveway. Watch the videos showing the Air Jet Shovel in heavy snow.
Click on the Link Below to View the Air Jet Shovel Assembly and Operating Instructions