ON-SITE LAND MINE REMOVAL SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A method of exposing and deactivating land mines that are covered by material including ground and vegetation comprising projecting high-pressure water jets into two distinct directions at various times in performance of the method, a first direction comprising at the ground material to remove at least some of the material and to expose a land mine, and cutting through at least one land mine that had been covered, the cutting of the land mine reducing the performance of the land mine, and the second direction being at vegetation that is at least in part above ground to provide a cutting action against the vegetation, the cutting action comprising swiveling a waterjet head in two directions to cut through vegetation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of deactivating land mines buried in ground comprises projecting high-pressure water jets into ground, cutting through ground with the high-pressure water jets, and making at least one cut through a land mine or cutting through at least one land mine that had been under the ground, the cutting of the land mine reducing the performance of the land mine. The method may reduce the performance of the land mine by rendering the land mine inactive to normal detonation procedures for the land mine. To reach as many surface areas on the buried landmines, it is preferable that at least two high-pressure water jets are spaced apart are used to cut through the ground. The method may be practiced with the high-pressure water jet being carried on a vehicle and cutting is done in a line that is formed at least in part by movement of the vehicle over the ground while the high-pressure water jet is cutting ground. An apparatus for the reduction in effectiveness of land mines buried in ground may comprise a self-contained push-cart unit or a unit attached or attachable to a vehicle. A complete system could comprise a vehicle having a source of liquid, a high-pressure pump to move the liquid under high pressure, a nozzle directing a liquid jet path for the liquid, a support for the nozzle, abrasive delivery system, and nozzle being controllable to direct the liquid towards the ground while the nozzle is fixed relative to the vehicle.
95 Citations
22 Claims
- 1. A method of exposing and deactivating land mines that are covered by material including ground and vegetation comprising projecting high-pressure water jets into two distinct directions at various times in performance of the method, a first direction comprising at the ground material to remove at least some of the material and to expose a land mine, and cutting through at least one land mine that had been covered, the cutting of the land mine reducing the performance of the land mine, and the second direction being at vegetation that is at least in part above ground to provide a cutting action against the vegetation, the cutting action comprising swiveling a waterjet head in two directions to cut through vegetation.
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6. (canceled)
- 7. A method of exposing and deactivating land mines that are covered by material comprising ground by projecting high-pressure water jets from waterjet heads comprising orthogonally gyroscopically stabilized waterjets heads wherein waterjets are directed into two distinct directions at various times in performance of the method, a first direction comprising at the ground material from gyroscopically stabilized waterjet heads to remove at least some of the material and to expose a land mine, and cutting through at least one land mine that had been covered, the cutting of the land mine reducing the performance of the land mine, and the second direction being at vegetation that is at least in part above ground to provide a cutting action against the vegetation, the cutting action comprising swiveling a waterjet head in two directions to cut through vegetation.
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11. (canceled)
- 12. An apparatus for the reduction in effectiveness of land mines buried in ground comprising a vehicle having a source of liquid, a high-pressure pump to move the liquid under high pressure, a nozzle directing a liquid jet path for the liquid, a support for the nozzle and nozzle being directable to direct the liquid towards the ground while the nozzle is fixed relative to the vehicle, the nozzle having at least two gyroscopes stabilizing the nozzle against vibration wherein at least two gyroscopically stabilized nozzles are provided on the vehicle so that they direct the liquid towards the ground while the at least two nozzles are fixed relative to the vehicle.
Specification