Land mine clearing tool

• US 5,844,160 A
• Filed: 05/23/1997
• Issued: 12/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Cieszkiewicz, Anthony F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jordan, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): MONTGOMERY, CHRISTOPHER KEITH
• Application Number:
  US08/862,502
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 171/105, 89/1.13, 102/402
• US Class Current: 89/1.13
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/26 the elements being rotary ground-penetrating elements

Abstract

A forwardly-rotatable, driven-drum, land mine clearing tool has a plurality of robust, easily-repairable tool spokes extending radially from the outer surface of the drum. The land mine clearing tool is connected to the front end of a tracked vehicle and is operatively raised and lowered from the tracked vehicle. The drum and tool spokes engage the earth of a land mine field in a milling action, which grinds and destroys some land mines while triggering detonation of other land mines.

Claims

1. A land mine clearing tool comprising:

a drum having an outer surface and being rotatable on a longitudinal axis, and

a plurality of tool spokes each having a tool base, a tool holder and a tool head, said tool base being attached to said outer surface and extending radially outwardly from said outer surface, said tool holder being removably connected to said tool base, said tool head having a bit, and said tool head being removably connected to said tool holder, said tool base having a first pocket portion, and said tool holder having a first projecting portion, said first projecting portion being matingly engageable with said first pocket portion;

said first pocket portion having a conically-shaped first pocket side and said first projecting portion having a conically-shaped first projecting side, said first pocket portion being matingly engageable with said first projecting portion.

2. The land mine clearing tool according to claim 1, wherein each of said tool spokes has a longitudinal spoke axis, and said first pocket side being at a preselected angle (α

) relative to said spoke axis, and said first projecting side being at a preselected angle (β

) relative to said spoke axis.

3. The land mine clearing tool according to claim 2 wherein said angle (α

) and said angle (β

) have a magnitude of between three and twelve degrees.

4. The land mine clearing tool according to claim 1 wherein said tool holder has a second pocket portion, and said tool head has a second projecting portion;

said second projecting portion being matingly engageable with said second pocket portion;

said second pocket portion having a conically-shaped second pocket side and said second projecting portion having a conically-shaped second projecting side, said second pocket portion being matingly engageable with said second projecting portion.

5. The land mine clearing tool according to claim 4, wherein each of said tool spoke has a longitudinal spoke axis, and said second pocket side being at a preselected angle (α

) relative to said spoke axis, and said second projecting side being at a preselected angle (β

) relative to said spoke axis.

6. The land mine clearing tool according to claim 5 wherein said angle (α

) and said angle (β

) have a magnitude of between three and twelve degrees.

7. A land mine clearing machine, comprising:

a front-end portion;

a tool carrier pivotally connected to said front-end portion;

a land mine clearing tool having a drum and being rotatably connected to said tool carrier, said drum having an outer surface; and

a plurality of tool spokes each having a tool base, a tool holder and a tool head, said tool base being attached to said outer surface and extending radially outwardly from said outer surface, said tool holder being removably connected to said tool base, said tool head having a bit, said tool head being removably connected to said tool holder, and said tool holder and said tool head each having a selected one of a plurality of different lengths,

said tool base having a pocket portion, and said tool holder having a first projecting portion, said first pocket portion having a conically-shaped first pocket side and said first projecting portion having a conically-shaped first projecting side, said first pocket portion being matingly engageable with said first projecting portion,

each of said tool spokes having a longitudinal spoke axis, and said first pocket side being at a preselected angle (α

) relative to said spoke axis, said first projecting side being at a preselected angle (β

) relative to said spoke axis, and said angle (α

) and said angle (β

) having a magnitude of between three and twelve degrees.

8. The land mine clearing machine of claim 7 wherein said tool holder has a second pocket portion, and said tool head has a second projecting portion, said second pocket portion having a conically-shaped second pocket side and said second projecting portion having a conically-shaped second projecting side, and said second pocket portion being matingly engageable with said second projecting portion,

each of said tool spokes having a longitudinal spoke axis, and said second pocket side being at a preselected angle (α

) relative to said spoke axis, said second projecting side being at a preselected angle (β

) relative to said spoke axis, and said angle (α

) and said angle (β

) having a magnitude of between three and twelve degrees.