US3000303A - Mine clearing device - Google Patents

Description

Sept- 1961 L. R. LITTLETON 3,000,303

MINE CLEARING DEVICE Original Filed April 29. 1953 IN V EN TOR.

Lecllli cfas RLiPtlE- on Z Z-Malay 4ZJM 3,000,303 MINE CLEARING DEVICE ir States Patent Leonidas R. Littleton, Emory, Va., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Original application Apr. 29, 1953, Set. NO. 352,066. Divided and this application May 29, 1959, Ser. No.

1 Claim. (Cl. 102-22) (Granted under Title 35, Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The present invention relates to a detonating cable or line charge and is a division of my copending application Serial No. 352,066, filed April 29, 1953.

Various methods and devices have been proposed for clearing mine fields, for cutting pathways through dense forests and underbrush. Among some of the mechanical devices used for these purposes may be numbered bombs, snakes, hose filled with liquid explosives, explosive sprays, projected line charges etc.

So also in ground warfare it is frequently desirable to have available a device that can quickly and easily be laid out in any desired pattern to function as an antipersonnel weapon. To this end it is necessary that the assembly be light, easily, and safely handled, and positive in action so that a very flexible and versatile ordnance mechanism is produced.

Detonating cables and line charges in present use generally include a plastic explosive charge which is first wrapped around a nylon rope, then encased in a pliable plastic envelope, and the whole then covered with a plurality of nylon sleeves. This device is then tied tightly at regular distances to simulate -a sausage shape, wherefore the explosive is separated into short segments to make the cable flexible.

The aforementioned nylon sleeves are expensive and the method of loading, assembling and tying the devices is laborious, tedious and consequently excessively costly.

It is accordingly a primary object of this invention to provide a detonator cable in which the materials and elements are relatively cheap and readily available, and can easily be assembled to provide an inexpensive device.

Another object of this invention is to provide a flexible detonator cable in which solid cylindrical blocks of preformed explosives are strung along a flexible rope to produce an ordnance weapon which is easily handled, easily shipped, stored and used, and inexpensive.

A further object is to provide a detonator cable for clearing mine fields, underbrush, wooded areas, and for anti-personnel use, in which the separate explosive blocks are capable of assembly to produce an inexpensive line charge of greater flexibility to facilitate handling and storing.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel detonating cable, having the foregoing recited characteristics, which will be positive in action and of decreased risk in handling.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following specification, and of the drawing wherein the figure is a view in elevation of the device of the instant invention wherein several of the explosive blocks are shown joined together to form a flexible cable, one of the blocks being shown in section.

Referring more particularly to the drawing 1 design-ates a series of rigid, cylindrical blocks of explosive, each preformed to have at least one rounded end 2 to prevent fouling of the device and to decrease resistance while being projected over land or water. The blocks are Patented Sept. 19, 1961 strung together in equally spaced relation by short lengths of flexible rope or cable 3 of suitable material such as nylon, sisal, hemp or any other kind of rope, which may or may not be reinforced by metal as desired. Also connecting each of the blocks 1 together is a length of Primacord 4 looped as at 5 between the. blocks. The loops 5 are provided in order to prevent breaking of the Primacords upon misalignment of the blocks 1 .andare retained in loop form by the coiled, reinforcing,.spring i e p U H 1.

Each explosive block has provided at opposite ends thereof preformed central cavities 7 and preformed radially displaced cavities 8. Press fitted or otherwise secured with the cavities 7 are the threaded sleeves or sockets 9 while the cavities 8 are provided with press fitted sleeves or sockets 10, These sleeves are preferably made of plastic material. The rope sections 3 have rigidly secured to opposite ends thereof the threaded sleeves or ferrules 11 which are received in the sleeves 9. The lengths of Primacord are flared at their ends as shown at 12 and rotatably carry the threaded ferrules 13.

It will be seen that with this mode of construction of the blocks 1, ropes 3 and Primacord 4, the parts may be boxed and shipped unassembled and assembled prior to use. In this manner the length of each line charge may be limited to depend on its particular use. The line charge is simply assembled by screwing the rope 3 with fitting 11 into one block and then screwing the next block on the rope until the desired length has been attained. The Primacord sections are then assembled between the blocks by screwing the rotatable ferrules 13 into the sleeves 10.

In making the explosive block forming a part of this invention, the explosive may either be extruded or pressed with a binder, or molded with a thermosetting plastic, proper means also being included to preform the flexible rope and Primacord cavities, and the rounded block end. Examples of the type of explosive utilized to form the blocks are the Well known explosives commonly designated as RDX, PETN, or compositions containing a proper mixture of both. Any suitable binder such as a resin or wax may be used, which will combine with the explosive to form a rigid mass. Any suitable thermosetting plastic with a proper accelerator which does not react with the explosive may also be used to preform the block.

It can readily be seen, therefore, that the above description discloses a flexible detonating cable or line charge, which is made of explosive blocks that are rigid and may be stored, shipped, and handled with ease and facility, and without the need for the usually provided expensive inner envelope and outer sleeves. The cable is flexible and can be quickly laid out in any desired length or pattern by a minimum of personnel. It can be fired or set off by a trip wire, step on attachments, or by remote control by an operator. It can be buried, laid on the ground, hung in trees or on poles, along road sides, in mine fields, planted on beaches, or hedgerows and in any pattern depending on its intended use, For antipersonnel work the Weapon may be made more effective by encircling each explosive block with fracturable metal rings.

Thus a simple, flexible, compact, reliable, inexpensive and easily handled detonating cable has been described. Other modifications and alterations to the structure disclosed will be apparent to one skilled in the art, and it is obvious that the same may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention defined in the following claim.

I claim:

In a mine clearing device, the combination comprising a plurality of aligned, equally spaced, preformed, cylindrical blocks of explosive, each of said blocks having a round end, means for flexibly connecting the adjacent opposed ends of said blocks comprising a threaded socket in each block end centrally thereof, a plurality of short flexible rope sections, each section having an externally threaded cap secured to each adjacent opposed end, each of said ends being screw threadedly received in a corresponding socket in each respective block end, a plurality of looped Primacord sections, means connecting the opposed ends of each looped section to adjacent ends of a preceding and succeeding explosive block comprising at least one threaded socket in each block end eccentrically of said rope receiving socket, said Primacord sections having an externally threaded cap at each opposed end, each capped Primacord end being screw threadedly received in a corresponding eccentric socket in each respective block end, and a coiled wire encircling each said looped section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 231,348 Nobel Aug. 17, 1880 292,642 Freund Jan. 29, 1884 2,171,384 Young Aug. 29, 1939 2,377,151 Huber May 29, 1945 2,433,875 Walker et al. Jan. 6, 1948 2,748,700 Breza et al. Jan. 5, 1956

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