Pneumatically powered pole saw

A pneumatically powered pole saw, comprising:na fluid valve assembly having a generally hollow cylinder coupled to an axially aligned piston chamber of the pole saw, the cylinder defining an internal void extending from one side of the cylinder to another side of the cylinder, wherein the cylinder includes at least one fluid inlet path and at least one fluid outlet path;a shuttle arranged within the internal void of the cylinder, the shuttle being slidable between a first position and a second position around an axially located piston rod of the piston chamber, wherein a sealed chamber exists between a portion of the shuttle and the cylinder and when the shuttle is in the second position, the chamber is fluidly coupled to the fluid inlet path and the fluid outlet path to provide a controllable fluid flow into and out of the cylinder; anda blade operatively coupled to the piston rod.

A pneumatically powered pole saw, comprising:na pilot valve assembly for actuating the pneumatically powered pole saw, the pilot valve assembly having a generally hollow cylinder coupled and axially aligned with a piston chamber of the pole saw, the piston chamber having a piston movably received therein and the piston is coupled to a piston rod which moves as the piston is moved within the piston chamber, wherein the piston is operatively coupled to a blade of the pole saw and wherein the generally hollow cylinder defines an internal void that extends from one side of the cylinder to another side of the cylinder, wherein the cylinder includes at least one fluid inlet path and at least one fluid outlet path; andwherein the pilot valve assembly further comprises a shuttle arranged within the internal void of the cylinder, the shuttle being slidable between a first position and a second position around the piston rod, wherein the piston rod is axially aligned with and extends completely through the cylinder, wherein a sealed chamber exists between a portion of the shuttle and the cylinder and when the shuttle is in the second position, the chamber is fluidly coupled to the fluid inlet path and the fluid outlet path to provide a controllable fluid flow into and out of the cylinder.

A method of operating a pneumatically powered pole saw, comprising:naxially aligning a pilot valve assembly with a piston chamber of the pole saw, the piston chamber having a piston movably received therein and the piston is coupled to a piston rod which moves as the piston is moved within the piston chamber, wherein the piston rod is operatively coupled to a blade of the pole saw and wherein the pilot valve assembly has a generally hollow cylinder coupled to and axially aligned with piston chamber, wherein the generally hollow cylinder defines an internal void that extends from one side of the cylinder to another side of the cylinder, wherein the cylinder includes at least one fluid inlet path and at least one fluid outlet path; andwherein the pilot valve assembly further comprises a shuttle arranged within the internal void of the cylinder, the shuttle being slidable between a first position and a second position around the piston rod, wherein the piston rod is axially aligned with and extends completely through the cylinder, and wherein a sealed chamber exists between a portion of the shuttle and the cylinder and when the shuttle is in the second position, the chamber is fluidly coupled to the fluid inlet path and the fluid outlet path to provide a controllable fluid flow into and out of the cylinder.