DEVICE; ESPECIALLY FOR CLEARING OF LAND MINES

摘要

An apparatus, especially for clearing landmines, wherein there is arranged on a carrier machine (1) a flail unit (11) connected to an engine to power a flail rotor (12) equipped with chains and weights, which unit (11) comprises two flail arms (13) which at a first end support the flail rotor (12) and at a second end are made in the form of a frame (14), where the arms (13) are pivotally supported at a pivot point (17), so that when the flail rotor (12) is in operation the unit (11) will be maintained in a floating position relative to the surface of the terrain, which apparatus is equipped with a protective shield (15) between the flail rotor (12) and the carrier machine (1). The impacts of the chains and weights against the ground provide an uplift equal to the weight of the flail rotor (12), including the flail arms (13) up to the support point (17), and the protective shield (15) is arranged on the flail unit (11), preferably on the flail frame (14), so that it floats therewith and is thus capable of bending backwards when the unit (11) is raised or lowered as a consequence of, e.g., a detonation. The shield (15) is preferably arranged at an angle so that it inclines slightly forward. It is preferably pivotally supported and held under tension against a suitable force, e.g., by one or more springs (27). An optimal effect is obtained in order to ensure that mines found in an undulating terrain are detonated, whilst as a part of the detonation force is transmitted to the mine clearance apparatus as a downward force so that its position is stabilised. A second embodiment of the apparatus is especially intended to be capable for use also in clearing vegetation such as brush and scrub. In this version, the flail has a special support to allow it to sweep across the desired area with the rotor oriented in an optional angle plane.