WO2001071271A1

WO2001071271A1 - Device for clearing landmines

Info

Publication number: WO2001071271A1
Application number: PCT/FR2001/000751
Authority: WO
Inventors: Naoki Yamamoto; Yves Riberon
Original assignee: Furukawa Equipement S.A.
Priority date: 2000-03-20
Filing date: 2001-03-13
Publication date: 2001-09-27
Also published as: EP1266183B1; DE60104997D1; DE60104997T2; JP2003528286A; US20030145717A1; FR2806470A1; AU4424001A; ATE274180T1; CA2406052A1; FR2806470B1; EP1266183A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a device mounted on a carrier vehicle equipped with at least a support (4) whereon a frame (6) is mounted in articulation, with interposed a pressure actuator (8), the frame being equipped at its bottom end with a plurality of vertical bars (24) whereof the lower ends (26) are provided with feet (28) and whereof the upper ends are provided each with a piston (15) mounted sliding into a cylinder (13). A mechanical component (10) called a proportioning unit, wherein are arranged the cylinders (13) used for fixing the pistons (15) disposed at the upper ends of the bars (24), and comprising a chamber (14) communicating said cylinders, is mounted sliding between stop elements (12, 13) in the frame, parallel to the axes of the cylinders (13), the mechanical component forming a proportioning unit (10) is directly subjected to the action of the thrust forces of the actuator (8) via the frame stops (12).

Description

DEVICE FOR SECURING A MINE GROUND

The present invention relates to a device for securing mined land, and in particular land which may contain anti-personnel mines.

Securing or cleaning up land consists of removing mines from the land or destroying them on site.

Among the methods used, it is possible to cite destruction by mechanized devices in easily accessible areas, and manual detection in areas with more difficult access. The latter method is slow and dangerous.

Document WO / JP99 / 01 909 relates to a device for securing a mined site comprising a carrying machine, such as a loader or a hydraulic shovel, equipped with at least one support on which is articulated a chassis with interposition of 'a pressure cylinder, the chassis being equipped at its lower end with a plurality of bars, the lower ends of which are provided with feet. The different feet arranged, for example, along a rectangle bear on the ground, and there is a compaction of the material covering the mine or mines, if a mine is present, thus leading to their destruction by explosion. According to one embodiment of the device described in the aforementioned document, the vertical bars have upper ends each provided with a piston mounted sliding in a cylinder, the different cylinders communicating and being filled with an incompressible fluid. A vibration generator, such as a piston provided with a reciprocating movement, vibrates the fluid, thus transmitting these vibrations to the bars carrying the various feet resting on the ground. The pressure of the jack mounted between the support and the chassis is also transmitted to the bars and the feet via the incompressible fluid. The efficiency of such a device is average, insofar as all the forces are transmitted by the incompressible fluid, and this device is quite ill-suited to uneven ground, insofar as all the bars are parallel without any possibility of orientation relative to each other. The object of the invention is to provide a device for securing a mined site making it possible to transmit effectively to the feet taking support on the ground, the forces of pressure and vibration to obtain the destruction in a safe way of a mine buried in this ground, and to allow the adaptation of the position of the bars and feet to the configuration of the ground, in the case where the terrain is irregular. To this end, the device which it relates to, of the type mounted on a carrying machine equipped with at least one support on which is articulated a chassis, with the interposition of a pressure cylinder, the chassis being equipped at its lower end of a plurality of vertical bars, the lower ends of which are provided with feet and the upper ends of which are each provided with a piston mounted sliding in a cylinder, the various cylinders communicating and being filled with an incompressible fluid subjected to the action of a vibration generator contained in the chassis, is characterized in that a mechanical part called a distributor, in which are formed the cylinders used for mounting the pistons arranged at the upper ends of the bars, and incorporating a chamber for establishing communication these cylinders, is slidably mounted between stops in the chassis, parallel to the axes of the cylinders, the part m canique forming distributor being subjected directly to the action of the forces of pushing of the jack, via the stops of the frame.

The distributor can slide freely between stops integral with the chassis in the same axial direction as the bars. Therefore, the axial thrust force produced by the cylinder is transmitted directly to the chassis, then to the distributor and finally to the pistons, bars and feet via the fluid contained in the cylinders of the distributor.

According to another advantageous characteristic of the invention, the distributor is in direct contact with the vibration generator which transmits vibrations parallel to the axis of the cylinders. The fact that the vibrations produced by the generator are transmitted directly to the distributor improves the efficiency of the device.

The combination of vibrations and the generated thrust force produces the desired settlement of the material covering the mine (s), leading to their destruction by explosion.

According to a characteristic of the invention, each piston rod is articulated by means of a universal joint at the upper end of a bar, longitudinal elastic blades fixed on the rod taking support on the bar, to keep it in alignment with the rod, in the absence of external constraints. The feet being themselves mounted at the lower end of a bar by means of a universal joint, it is possible at the lower part of the bars to tilt relative to the upper part thereof to adapt to the shape of the terrain.

In addition, each bar carrying a foot is produced in two rigid parts, that is to say an upper part mounted on the piston rod and a lower part or rod which, rigidly fixed and removable in alignment with the upper part is made of an easily breakable material and of low cost.

These characteristics protect the device from the destructive effects of the explosion. Indeed, in the case of the explosion of a mine, only the lower part or rod of the bar will be destroyed, all the more that the inclination of the rod carrying a foot, relative to the corresponding bar, reduces the transmission to the piston of the destructive effects of the explosion, since in this inclined position relative to the main direction of the explosion the rods are easily ruptured. These lower rods which are made, for example, of synthetic material or bamboo, are wearing parts which can be replaced very easily, even on the ground to be secured.

According to another characteristic of the invention, each piston rod is locked in rotation relative to the cylinder in which the piston which it carries is displaceable.

Preferably, each piston rod is subjected to the action of a spring exerting on the rod a vertical action from bottom to top, in order to align the feet of the different bars, when no stress is exerted on them. this. This realignment is important when the chassis is raised to move from an area that has just been secured to an adjacent area.

According to one embodiment of this device, the feet are connected to each other by flexible links, the feet arranged at the periphery being themselves connected by such links to a frame or a casing extending the chassis downwards.

When the ground conditions allow it and the execution speed can be increased, it is possible to slide the feet on the ground in an overall movement of the device generated by the movement of the arm or the machine carrier while maintaining the thrust of the cylinder and generating vibrations. The joining of the different feet, at least in the direction of movement by the flexible attachment means allows this movement while retaining the independence of the feet in a vertical direction. Depending on the geography of the terrain, it is possible to juxtapose several modules like the one just described, in order to increase the speed of security. In this case, several frames can be juxtaposed and connected to each other by known quick-coupling systems.

The effectiveness of securing a site depends on the operator who could, by omission, leave unpolluted areas. To assist the operator in his task, it is possible to know the position of the feet using sensors connected to a computer in order to record the angular and linear quantities representative of the position parameters of the articulated arm. Subsequent control operations can be facilitated by markings on the ground delimiting the areas that have been secured.

In any case, the invention will be clearly understood with the aid of the description which follows, with reference to the appended schematic drawing representing, by way of nonlimiting examples, two embodiments of this device:

Figure 1 is a view of a device according to the invention mounted at the end of the arm of a carrier;

Figure 2 is a side view, partially in section, of a first device; Figure 3 is a detail view on an enlarged scale, partially in section, showing the guidance of a rod associated with a bar end in a cylinder;

Figure 4 is a detail view on an enlarged scale and partially in longitudinal section of a bar equipped with a support leg on the ground; Figure 5 is a partial view in longitudinal section of a second device.

FIG. 1 represents a carrying machine 2 equipped with an articulated arm 3, the end of which comprises a support 4 intended for mounting a device according to the invention designated by the general reference 5. The device according to the invention comprises a chassis 6 mounted on the support 4 by means of arms 7 forming a deformable parallelogram. A cylinder 8 is mounted between the support 4 and the chassis 6. The chassis 6 includes slides 9, in which a mechanical part 10, called a distributor, is slid vertically mounted, this sliding being carried out axially with respect to the chassis, with limitation of the stroke by the 'intermediate stops 1 1, 1 2. In the distributor 10 are formed a number of cylinders 1 3 parallel, and extending axially relative to the frame opening out downward. These cylinders are, for example, twelve in number being arranged in four rows of three cylinders. These cylinders communicate via an upper chamber 14. The cylinders are filled with an incompressible fluid, such as a hydraulic fluid. Inside each cylinder is slidably mounted with sealing a piston 1 5 disposed at the end of a rod 1 6. Means are provided to prevent pivoting of the rod 1 6 and of the piston 1 5 inside of the cylinder 1 3. In the embodiment shown in the drawing, these rotation locking means consist of a longitudinal groove 1 7 formed in the rod 1 6, in which is engaged a finger 1 8 carried by the element of closing 1 9 of the lower end of the cylinder. This element 1 9 has a hole for the passage of the rod 1 6. On this closing element 1 9 rests a helical spring 20 whose other end is supported under the head of the piston 1 5. Thus, the piston rods 1 6 are all aligned when no external stress is exerted on the piston rods.

The chassis 6 also contains a vibration generator, for example constituted by a hydraulic percussion device of known type, the piston 22 of which is shown in the drawing, this piston 22, axially displaceable, imparting shocks to the distributor 10.

Each piston rod 1 6 is articulated by means of a universal joint 23 on the end of a bar 24, longitudinal elastic blades 25, fixed on the rod 1 6, bearing on the bar 24 to maintain the latter in alignment with the rod, in the absence of external constraints.

Each bar 24 is provided, at its lower end, with a rod 26 rigidly fixed and removable, in alignment with the bar 24. This rod, which is tubular, in the embodiment shown in Figure 4 , is made of an inexpensive material and is easily broken. It can be, for example, synthetic material or even bamboo. At the lower end of each rod 26 is articulated, using a universal joint 27, a flat foot 28, for example of rectangular shape, and intended to bear on the ground. It may be noted that a casing 29 integral with the chassis 6 extends the latter downwards and protects the cylinders 13, the pistons 1 5, the piston rods 1 6 and partially the bars 24.

FIG. 5 represents an alternative embodiment of the device described above, in which the same elements are designated by the same references. In this case, the different feet 28 are connected to each other by flexible links 30, and the feet situated on the periphery are connected by links 32 to a frame 33 which extends the casing 29 downwards.

It follows from the structure which has just been described that the axial thrust force produced by the jack 7 is transmitted directly to the chassis 6 then to the distributor 10 via the stops 1 2, this pressure then being transmitted to the feet 28 by through the incompressible fluid contained in the cylinders 1 3, bars 24 and rods 26. As regards the vibrations produced by the generator whose piston 22 is shown in the drawing, they are transmitted directly to the distributor 10 and to the fluid that it contains, then successively to the pistons 1 5, to the bars 24, 26 and to the feet 28.

As shown in the drawing, and in particular in Figure 4, the articulation of the bars 24, 26 with respect to the piston rods 1 6 allows the bars to be tilted with a view to adapting to the nature of the terrain. It is thus possible, thanks to this device, to intervene in much more hectic terrain than in the case where the bars are permanently aligned with the piston rods. In addition, in the case of the device shown in Figure 5, it is possible to move the device on the ground during operation, that is to say by continuing to exert pressure through the cylinder 1 8 and vibrations thanks to the vibration generator.

As it goes without saying, the invention is not limited to the sole embodiments of this device, described above by way of examples, on the contrary it embraces all variants. Thus, in particular, that several devices could be juxtaposed, or that the means for locking in rotation of the pistons and the return means elastic up pistons mounted in the cylinders 13 could be different without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Device for securing a mined site, of the type mounted on a carrier equipped with at least one support (4) on which is articulated a chassis (6), with the interposition of a pressure cylinder (8), the chassis being equipped at its lower end with a plurality of vertical bars (24), the lower ends (26) of which are provided with feet (28) and the upper ends of which are each provided with a piston (1 5) slidably mounted in a cylinder (1 3), the various cylinders communicating and being filled with an incompressible fluid subjected to the action of a vibration generator (22) contained in the chassis, characterized in that a mechanical part (1 0) called distributor, in which the cylinders (1 3) are used for mounting the pistons (1 5) arranged at the upper ends of the bars (24), and integrating a chamber (14) for communication between these cylinders, is mounted sliding between goals es (1 1, 1 2) in the chassis, parallel to the axes of the cylinders (1 3), the mechanical part forming a distributor (10) being subjected directly to the action of the thrust forces of the jack (8), by the intermediate of the stops (1 2) of the chassis.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the distributor (10) is in direct contact with the vibration generator (22) which transmits vibrations parallel to the axis of the cylinders.

3. Device according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that each piston rod (1 6) is articulated by means of a universal joint (23) at the upper end of a bar ( 24), longitudinal elastic blades (25) fixed on the rod (1 6) bearing on the bar (24), to maintain the latter in alignment with the rod (1 6), in the absence of external constraints.

4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each piston rod (1 6) is locked in rotation relative to the cylinder (13) in which is movably mounted the piston (1 5) it door.

5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that each piston rod (1 6) is subjected to the action of a spring (20) exerting on the rod a vertical action from bottom to top, in order to align the feet (28) of the different bars (24, 26), when no stress is exerted on the bars.

6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that each bar (24, 26) carrying a foot (28) is made in two rigid parts, that is to say an upper part (24) mounted on the piston rod (1 6) and a lower part (26) or rod which, rigidly fixed and removable in alignment with the upper part, is made of an easily ruptible material and of low cost.

7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the feet (28) are connected to each other by flexible links (30), the feet (28) arranged at the periphery being themselves connected by such links (32) to a frame (33) or a casing extending the chassis (6) downwards.