Mine Detonating Apparatus

Abstract

A steerable mine detonation apparatus is adapted to be pushed by a steered vehicle. The apparatus comprises a frame and at least two spaced apart ground engaging members adapted to support the apparatus and adapted to exert a force on mines in the apparatus' path of sufficient to cause detonation thereof. At least one ground engaging member is steerable, and at least one steerable ground engaging member is attached to the frame so as to pivot with respect thereto about a substantially vertical axis and is connected to a steering linkage, the apparatus further comprising a steering mechanism operatively connected to the steering linkage and, in use, to the pushing vehicle. An actuator adapted to vary the configuration of the steering mechanism, is controlled to provide that, in use, the turning radius of at least a part of the innermost ground engaging member is less than or equal to the turning radius of the innermost wheel of the pushing vehicle, and the turning radius of at least a part of the outermost ground engaging member is greater than or equal to the turning radius of the outermost wheel of the pushing vehicle.

1 . A steerable mine detonation apparatus adapted to be pushed by a steered vehicle, the apparatus comprising a frame, at least two spaced apart ground engaging members adapted to support the apparatus and adapted to exert a force on mines in the path thereof sufficient to cause detonation thereof, wherein at least one ground engaging member is steerable, and wherein the at least one steerable ground engaging member is attached to the frame so as to pivot with respect thereto about a substantially vertical axis and is connected to a steering linkage, the apparatus further comprising a steering mechanism operatively connected to the steering linkage and including an actuator adapted to vary the configuration of the steering mechanism, and a control means including a controller configured to receive an input signal related to the turning radius of a pushing vehicle and to generate an actuator control signal related to the input signal, and to control the actuator according to the actuator control signal, wherein the so controlled actuator configures the steering mechanism to adjust the steering linkage such that the at least one steerable ground engaging member is positioned to follow a path which provides that, in use, the turning radius of at least a part of the innermost ground engaging member is less than or equal to the a turning radius of the innermost ground engaging member of the pushing vehicle, and the turning radius of at least a part of the outermost ground engaging member is greater than or equal to the a turning radius of the outermost ground engaging member of the pushing vehicle. 
     
     
         2 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising at least two spaced apart steerable ground engaging members. 
     
     
         3 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the actuator is selected from the group comprising a fluid operated ram, a fluid operated motor, an electrically operated ram, and an electrically operated motor. 
     
     
         4 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the steering mechanism includes a feedback system adapted to measure deviation of the apparatus from the path, generate a feedback signal and to adjust the steering linkage according to the feedback signal to return the apparatus to said path. 
     
     
         5 . Apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the feedback signal is generated mechanically. 
     
     
         6 . Apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the feedback signal is generated electronically. 
     
     
         7 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , the steering mechanism further comprising at least one member arranged to pivot about a substantially vertical axis. 
     
     
         8 . Apparatus according to  claim 7 , comprising first and second members each arranged to rotate about substantially vertical axes, wherein the actuator is adapted to adjust the relative position of the first member with respect to the second. 
     
     
         9 . Apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the first and second members are mounted to rotate about the same substantially vertical axis independently of each other. 
     
     
         10 . Apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein one of the first and second members is operatively connected to the steering linkage. 
     
     
         11 . Apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the other of the first and second members is operatively connected to the pushing vehicle. 
     
     
         12 . Apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the steering mechanism comprises a linkage, the linkage including a tie member pivotably attached at one of its ends to one of the first and second members and operatively attached to the steering system at its other end. 
     
     
         13 . Apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the linkage further includes a tie member pivotably attached at one of its ends to the other of the first and second members at its other end to a pushing vehicle. 
     
     
         14 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the steering linkage includings a connector rotatably mounted on the frame and operatively connected to the or each steerable ground engaging member, and wherein the steering mechanism is operatively attached to the connector. 
     
     
         15 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one ground engaging member adapted to follow the path of the apparatus set by the at least one steerable ground engaging member. 
     
     
         16 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , further including a steering lock providing locked and unlocked configurations of the or each steerable ground engaging members. 
     
     
         17 . Apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the steering lock includes at least one element movable between a locked configuration in which said element engages with a part of the steerable ground engaging member and an unlocked configuration in which the said element is disengaged from the steerable ground engaging member. 
     
     
         18 . Apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the actuator is provided with a neutral setting in which the actuator configuration changes according to passive forces exerted thereon. 
     
     
         19 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein ground engaging members are mounted to pivot about a substantially horizontal axis. 
     
     
         20 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each steerable ground engaging member includes a plurality of individual ground engaging elements, each element being mounted to move independently in a substantially vertical plane. 
     
     
         21 . The combination of a pushing vehicle and connect thereto a steerable mine detonation apparatus adapted to be pushed by a steered vehicle, the apparatus comprising a frame, at least two spaced apart ground engaging members adapted to support the apparatus and adapted to exert a force on mines in the path thereof sufficient to cause detonation thereof, wherein at least one ground engaging member is steerable, and wherein the at least one steerable ground engaging member is attached to the frame so as to pivot with respect thereto about a substantially vertical axis and is connected to a steering linkage, the apparatus further comprising a steering mechanism operatively connected to the steering linkage and including an actuator adapted to vary the configuration of the steering mechanism, and a control means including a controller configured to receive an input signal related to the turning radius of a pushing vehicle and to generate an actuator control signal related to the input signal, and to control the actuator according to the actuator control signal, wherein the so controlled actuator configures the steering mechanism to adjust the steering linkage such that the at least one steerable ground engaging member is positioned to follow a path which provides that, in use, the turning radius of at least a part of the innermost ground engaging member is less than or equal to the a turning radius of the innermost ground engaging member of the pushing vehicle, and the turning radius of at least a part of the outermost ground engaging member is greater than or equal to the a turning radius of the outermost ground engaging member of the pushing vehicle.