Mine clearing machinery, mine clearing system, method, and use to clear land mines and other energetic threats

Abstract

The present disclosure concerns landmine detection and destruction, preferably in avoidance of immediate detonation in fast and efficient way. Accordingly an embodied mine clearing machinery (200) of a mine clearing machinery system (300) comprises a rotatable flail (102) of a flail entity (102E) in a lightweight structure being energized by a prime mover used as an economic translatory motor (M) at a clearance distance (100) provided by beams (103), (104) coupled to the flail (102) of the flail entity (102E) and / or to a beam (104), (104B) supportive carriage (CAR) for the power transmission from the prime mover (M) as the translatory motor (M) to the flail (102), so to provide a sufficient clearing distance (100) between the flail (102) and the prime mover (M) as a part of the multilayered protection.

Description

[0001] MINE CLEARING MACHINERY, MINE CLEARING SYSTEM, METHOD, AND USE TO CLEAR LAND MINES AND OTHER ENERGETIC THREATS

[0002] Mines as well as other explosives in the field of military technology has been widely used in purpose of destruction, against the soldiers and vehicles in war or alike conditions, also in negligence, in the post-war state. However, as passive means of destruction landmines for example, as well as the duds as unexploded ordnances do not select the targets as such when exploding on assorted reasons on stochastic basis after the war time being over, as such explosives being left into the terrain remaining, and when so exploding, can cause injuries and suffering to harmless civilians.

[0003] As landmines for example, but also other ammunitions as duds in terrain are hidden because of their character and thus they are hard to identify and avoid. Thus they are extremely dangerous for the civilian life, also including livestock and wildlife, which means that the landmines have to be somehow detected and removed or made harmless otherwise, for returning to the everyday life of peacetime.

[0004] One approach to clear or remove land mines is the old-fashioned way to work manually one by one, by an expert deminer person. Also cluster munitions and their fragmented parts may be not detected efficiently and may remain in the terrain. Further downsides are that the time available in relation to the substantial number of mines and area, as well as the duds in the terrain makes the deminer's work slow and time consuming on large minefields, and also causes a considerable danger to the person in the duty and to any bystanders.

[0005] Another approach has been developed to manage the explosive removal by machines as such. In many approaches there are rotating flails or tillers or rollers as such being run by a special armored vehicle. The tillers and flails are assembled so that certain parts of them penetrate the soil to a certain depth, i.e. the mining depth, in which depth most of the land mines are buried from the sight, but still preserve the sensitivity for the detonation principle of mine- specific type. The detonation principle is often based on mechanical tripwire, direct pressure and / or magnetic field changes at the fuze, the detonation part of the landmine. However, the duds as unexploded ammunitions may have different kind of detonation principles, although for example mortar and artillery grenades in many cases are set to explode when hitting the target or ground, and are thus more unpredictable duds than mines as such.

[0006] However, it is not necessary always to dismantle the mining setup manually or simply explode a landmine to make it harmless, but sometimes it is sufficient to just break the landmine structure, although in such breaking, some parts of the landmine may still be able to explode. Because of such a danger probable and almost inevitable when working on large landmine fields, against explosions on stochastic basis, the vehicles used in such operations are armored, and are made of heavy steel parts to provide protection against the explosions and / or the following shrapnels from the landmines. Such combination of the flail or tiller or roller and the vehicle which is manufactured specifically for the purpose as explosion-proof, makes the structure very heavy, expensive, and consequently exceedingly rare. In addition to providing an effective width for the band being demined, the flails or tillers or rollers are corollary wide by design. A heavy weight entity has also demand for the soil load capacity, in order to not sink into the soil, which may result in the entity into a state beyond mobility.

[0007] Heavy weight and wide flail or tiller or roller also need inevitably heavy-duty transportation vehicles. Heavy steel structures make the manufacturing and material costs extensive, and the assembly may require special dedicated handling devices, in the manufacture as well as in transportation but also at the operation site, (i.e. for hoists etc.). In addition, the heavy transportation means makes the concept even further expensive, multiplied by the heavy- duty infrastructure to be transported and used. Consequently, the concept as such is expensive and only few entities can afford conventional mine clearing machinery, despite of the high importance of returning to a landmine free peacetime.

[0008] In practical operation, on the mine field, the flails and tillers or other drum-like parts in the operation make an airborne dust cloud suspension, which also hampers the visibility and the identification of the locations of the potential targets, but also detection of natural obstacles, such as trees, rocks, built structures etc.

[0009] Embodiments of the present disclosure of the invention aim to solve the problems of the known clearing of landmines and comparable explosives such as duds, however, to at least to mitigate the problems in a novel way.

[0010] SUMMARY

[0011] The problems of known techniques are solved or at least mitigated by a mine clearing machinery according to the embodiments of the invention embodied in the present disclosure.

[0012] A mine clearing machinery according to the present disclosure is characterized in that what has been indicated in the characterizing part of an independent claim directed to the embodied mine clearing machinery.

[0013] A mine clearing machinery system according to the present disclosure is characterized in that what has been indicated in the characterizing part of an independent claim directed to the mine neutralizer system.

[0014] A mine clearing machinery (i.e. demining) method according to the present disclosure is characterized in that what has been indicated in the characterizing part of an independent claim directed to the method using an embodied mine clearing machinery, as a part of a mine clearing machinery system that comprises such a mine clearing machinery according to an embodiment of the invention in the present disclosure.

[0015] Use of a mine clearing machinery system is characterized in that what has been indicated in the characterizing part of the independent use claim about the use of the mine clearing machinery system according to the embodiment of the invention in the present disclosure.

[0016] Such an embodied mine clearing machinery is light weight and is built on very robust parts so being made of parts that are available in an inexpensive way, even so that the structure makes tolerable losing parts of the mine clearing machinery or the whole device as such, if the mine clearing machinery would be destroyed in a large explosion, or being damaged.

[0017] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, although the mine clearing machinery is embodied lightweight and robust, the mine clearing machinery has shielding, to protect an internal operator as well as the apparatus of the mine clearing machinery in applicable extent, by following defense in depth principle in the shielding.

[0018] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure a mine clearing machinery comprises:

[0019] - an Ensemble of beams, forming a fork-structure of a flail entity that comprises a flail, -the flail of a flail entity, comprises a cylindrical flail-member drum with an ensemble of assembled flail members as mine breaking elements thereon, forming together said flail,

[0020] -a flail comprising a flail-member axle or drum having an ensemble of assembled flailmembers thereon, together to form said flail in a flail entity,

[0021] -the cylindrical flail-member drum or axle being suspended to a bearing assembly for rotational movement of the flail, around a rotation axle suspended between the bearings mount to respective beams forming a fork by an ensemble of beams, said axle being said flail-member axle or an axle of said flail-member drum,

[0022] -a coupler at a remote end of a pushing beam, coupled to said fork at its distal end part, of the flail entity, to couple to a prime mover for translatory movement of the flail entity, via the pushing on a pushing beam.

[0023] According to some embodiment of the present disclosure, the embodied mine clearing machinery comprises a blast breathable cylindrical flail drum.

[0024] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the mine clearing machinery comprises a beam attached on to a supportive carriage with rolling means such as wheels or tyres and / or tracked rolls in a tracked roll system. According to an embodiment such a carriage has a suspension at the rolling means which are powered to rotate by a transmission and a connected cardan axle connectable to a power connection point of the carriage from a mechanical output of motor, in a prime mover. The carriage can also carry the beams or parts thereof and the beam extension extensions between the flail entity and the prime mover.

[0025] According to some embodiments, the flail according to the disclosure can be made light weight as such. In some embodiments, the flail members can be attached to a mere rotatable axle to form a flail, so to provide a small projection area for the flail, when a potential explosion were about to occur. According to alternative embodiments, the flail can be embodied with a flail drum, or flail truss. According to an embodiment variant a flail can be embodied as a flail drum made with a cast cylinder. According to a further variant, such a cylinder can have an ensemble of through the cylinder and / or its mantle made holes as explosion gases passages.

[0026] According to an embodiment variant the flail drum can be made as a hollow cylinder, so that the material thickness of the mantle is advantageously over 1 cm, but below 2 / 3 of the radius of the cylinder, advantageously below 1 / 3 of the radius, even more advantageously below 1 / 6 of the radius of the cylinder. According to an embodiment the cylinder can have holes through the cylinder and / or the mantle so to provide a smaller projection area for blast gases and the shrapnels. According to an embodiment the cylinder is open at the axial ends, so guiding blast gases optionally also to sideways and through the through holes in the mantle. Alternatively, according to an embodiment variant the flail is embodied as a flail drum that is made as a truss, so to provide a small attachment area for the flail members, but a large area to allow blast gases to go through and so to decrease the blast destruction effect to the flail and its members.

[0027] According to an embodiment the fraction of blast through-area is less than 95% of the mantle circumference of the flail drum itself, alternatively less than 90 %, alternatively less than 80 %, alternatively less than 70 %, alternatively less than 50 %, alternatively less than 30 %, but any case over 10% of the mantle of the flail drum to which the flail members are attached. In the context, such a flail has been considered as a blast breathing flail. The flail can be embodied as a truss or alternatively as a cylinder with holes, in one alternative as hollow spaced with open ends, and in a further alternative as solid with through holes through the otherwise solid cylinder for the flail members.

[0028] According to an embodiment variant, operating power to the flail entity and its flail can be transferred from the prime mover power system in several alternative ways. In some embodiment s by mechanical axles, via a hydraulic or electric line for rotation providing respective motors in the carriage and / or the flail to rotate the flail and / or rolling means operable by a respective motor or motors in the carriage and / or in the flail of the flail entity. In embodiment alternative using the motors, they can be positioned into the forking beams, as protected against blasts. In some embodiment it is also possible to use pulleys and drive belts such as v-belts or cogged belts in avoidance to expose the motor to axle-relayed impulse of a blast directly from the axle, but still have the flail being power to rotate. The forking beams can be used to protect the drive belts such as v-belts or cogged belts, which can be replaced as inexpensive parts if damaged in a potential blast by a mine being detonated at the mine clearing operation.

[0029] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the mine clearing machinery comprises a lockable and releasable swivel at one or more beams. According to an embodiment a swivel can be situated between said flail and location of rolling means (a first beam) and / or said rolling means and the connection point of the carriage to the prime mover (a second beam). According to some embodiments, such a swivel facilitating compact transport position for beam in comparison to operative position in use for gaining clearing distance, a telescopic beam structure for a second beam with at least two parts lockable by locking means (i.e. pin and hole-system for example) to the operating position for the desired clearance distance can be used as an alternative solution to a swivel or an ensemble of swivels in suitable beams to fold such for transportation to smaller dimensions.

[0030] According to an embodiment variant, a swivel between the flail and the carriage can be fixed or adjustable to provide for the flail of a flail entity to operate at an angle, diverging from a horizontally diagonal position in respect to the normal of the propagation direction. According to an embodiment, the mentioned angle is below 45 degrees, alternatively below 30 degrees, further alternatively below 20 degrees, but anyhow over 5 degrees in such embodiment of angled flail embodiment. According to an embodiment variant, the angle is divergent from the perpendicular, so to provide a projection of the flail members to sweep the ground with a resulting lower number of individual flail hammer entities.

[0031] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the mine clearing machinery comprises, for the beams of the mine clearing machinery, one or more positions with a swivel implementation, such as being releasable and lockable, also to facilitate an operation position and a transportation position, so locking the swivel open and / or locked to correspond the operation and transportation positions, especially for the beam or its parts between the carriage and prime mover as a second beam.

[0032] Accordingly, in addition to the operation position of such a second beam for the use in mine clearing, the second beam includes in an embodied ensemble of positions at least a transportation position, in which transportation position the second beam is having the swivel in released state as unlocked so facilitating the bending of the second beam at the swivel and the cardan axle therein at the swivel to a shorter length during the transportation than in the operation position. However, the cardan axle can be disassembled into parts for the transportation, if / when mechanical power transmission is used in powering an embodied flail in its operation. According to some embodiments, there is a second beam that is lockable to operation position up to the full length of the beam as unfolded as telescopic and / or swivel-based extension. In mechanical powering of the flail and / or carriage, the cardan axle can have cross-axle swivels (by embodied conic gears) to change the directions of its parts for the carriage and / or the flail entity with the forking beam structure, and conical gears for transversal axle direction changes from the lengthwise directions.

[0033] According to some alternative embodiments, second beam can have a telescopic structure, so facilitating use for obtaining the transportation position and the operation position, and the change therebetween.

[0034] According to an embodiment variant of such, the cardan axle can also have a telescopic structure, in suitable extent, however in embodiments with swivels, cardan axle based mechanical transmission may need applicable reversible disassembly for the transportation position in applicable part.

[0035] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the mine clearing machinery comprises at least one explosion protection shield, as being positioned between the prime mover and the flail of the flail entity. As a first measure in defense of depth means for security the flail entity module comprises an initial mine blast shield near to the flail to shadow explosion gases and shrapnels. Such a blast shield can be kept in relatively small in dimensions, because of the small distance to flail and large distance to the prime mover, so that the projection geometry would guide the shrapnels to a path leading pass and / or over the prime mover. According to some embodiment variants, the flail entity can also have a rubber mat at the flail entity or the interface of the flail entity and carriage or at the rolling means of the carriage, to protect the under parts of the carriage and / or the rolling means. A rubber mat can operate also as a de-dust means to mitigate dust formation and dispersion into the air, so improving the sight quality to front. This way the shields are protecting the carriage, but also the power connection point of the coupling means, and in addition can protect the coupler as well as a driver (i.e. internal operator) of the prime mover. Thus, such a shield is advantageously between the flail and the carriage. According to some embodiments, there can be additionally another shield at said carriage and said power connection point.

[0036] According to an embodiment variant, mechanical operating power transmission to the flail in the fork structure of the flail entity is implemented by pulleys and drive belts such as v- belts or cogged belts, operable by such pulleys that are operable by a cardan axle, electric or hydraulic motor, in a power feed line from the prime mover. The power feed line can be inside a beam in cover against blasts.

[0037] According to an embodiment the mine clearing machinery comprises such coupling means that comprise coupling means to a prime mover for the power transmission connected to the beam. Mechanical power can be provided by a cardan axle as power transmission means to provide active rotation mechanical power feed, or alternatively by a hydraulic line and hydraulic motor at the flail and / or carriage, or by an electric line and electric motor at the flail and / or carriage to the respectively operable motor in the flail and / or carriage for the power feed to the flail and / or the carriage .

[0038] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the mine clearing machinery is further comprising one or more plougher means (i.e. plough) as a lifter to plough up mines and / or munitions from the soil / land, the plougher means having a quick attachment to the flail and / or a shield, wherein the quick attachment comprises an attachment of an excavator bucket at the plough side and its counterpart at the flail and / or an extension of a beam. The plough means can be also positioned at aside position in respect to the flail, in front, and / or at the rear part of the prime mover, in addition also optionally to an explosion shield, where applicable as based on the info as pre-estimated about the mine field.

[0039] According to an embodiment, the mine clearing machinery can have (for example at a secondary shield) a leveler blade at the ground to flatten or level the mechanically processed soils, but also to pick up potential plough-lifted mines or parts thereof or explosives preventing them to explode under the prime mover. Such a leveler blade can be considered also as an additional means of defense in multilayered protection.

[0040] According to an embodiment variant of the present disclosure, the mine clearing machinery in accordance with an embodied mine clearing machinery such further comprises a water tank and one or more atomizers to spray mist or a spraying nozzle to spray water droplets as a mist onto the ground at the flail entry area. The spraying nozzle can be at the front of the flail entity module, although the tank is lined with the water feed line to a position back of the prime mover. The nozzle can be selected according to the distribution of the mist and droplet sizes in the mist. Also other liquids and / or biochemical agents can be delivered by the mist.

[0041] The mist can be used for further dust handling to improve the sight for operator to the area ahead. According to an embodiment, the liquid can also comprise micro-organisms that eat or use explosives as a nutrient of at least one of the following explosive materials: RDX, TNT, Picric acid, hexogen, C4, and / or another organic molecule-based explosive.

[0042] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an embodied mine clearing machinery comprises a second atomizer or spraying nozzle and a second feed line arranged to spray micro-organisms in the liquid, to illuminate in UV-radiation when exposed to said explosive and UV (Ultraviolet) radiation, so to mark locations of the explosives, such as duds or landmines for later operations of mine clearing. According to an embodiment variant, such micro-organisms with UV-illumination property can be sprayed to the mine field beforehand of mine clearing, by a drone, which belongs to the mine clearing machinery system, so as a preparatory phase before the mine clearing machinery entry to the mine field for its operation.

[0043] According to an embodiment variant, the marking of the de-mined locations as such can be made instantly at the mine clearing machinery location by paint, in provision it were not important to keep the markings in a some degree of secrecy, or, ultraviolet visible paints or micro-organisms can be used, if the mine-layer has already meshed up the mine field with paints for a mask.

[0044] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, in an embodied mine clearing machinery it comprises such a flail that comprises at flail members an ensemble of rods or spikes to penetrate to the ground. Some parts of the flail members as alternative flail members can comprise transversal elements, and / or pivotable in certain sense loose parts to whip the soils at the rotating of the flail. According to an alternative embodiment flail member can be based entirely, or in suitable part thereon on a flat bar and / or hammer at an end of a chain.

[0045] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the mine clearing machinery comprises in the flail such rods or spikes that have a twisted sharpened head to form a spike at the direction of the flail rotation to which the flail rods with the spikes atop being attached.

[0046] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the mine clearing machinery comprises such an explosion shield that has a backside being supported to tolerate and direct an explosion pressure-wave in front of a blast directing the gases, and fragments front-upwards or alternatively front-downwards as an additional means of defense in multilayered protection.

[0047] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the mine clearing machinery comprises a remote controlled or self-driving prime mover with an engine. The engine can be connected to the carriage and / or the flail mechanically, hydraulically, or electrically. The remote controlling can be implemented by a communication network based on cellular radio, cable line and / or optical signal, with appropriate terminals and terminal devices as receivers and transmitters (i.e. in transceivers for example) as such. The signal can be sent and received as ciphered and / or encrypted by a respective encoder / decoder in the terminal devices in the communications between the mine clearing machinery system elements in the system for security measures being so gained.

[0048] According to an embodiment variant of the present disclosure, the mine clearing machinery comprises one or more magnets in suitable locations to collect metal. Such a magnetic collector can also be used to detonate a magnetic detonation -principle based fuses of magnetically detonatable mines, to be used as an external magnetic detonator. However, a fragment or shrapnel collector magnet can be embodied at the carriage at front or at a carriage at the back side carriage of the prime mover.

[0049] According to an embodiment variant of the present disclosure, the mine clearing machinery is adapted by its configuration to a mine clearing machinery standard (International Mine Action Standard on Mechanical Demining) compatible.

[0050] A mine clearing machinery system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a mine clearing machinery according to an embodied mine clearing machinery and further comprise a prime mover, which can be embodied even as an agricultural tractor with a connection to the power feed line at the connection point of the connector to an embodied mine clearing machinery.

[0051] According to an embodiment the wheels of a tractor can be replaced or provided by tracks to provide a reduced surface pressure to the ground, where applicable, according to the estimated need on the use on the mine field in question.

[0052] A mine clearing machinery system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can further comprise one or more drones in a functional communication therebetween said mine clearing machinery, a controller of the prime mover, its engine, the carriage, and / or an operator of the system. Such a drone can be provided with a detector package with suitable selection of detectors to detect metal and / or radioactive substances, as estimated about the mine field in question. Such a detector package can also have a camera, to provide via the network for the operator a sight over a dust that might be generated in the mine clearing operation. Also instant pictures and / or video about the de-mining as well as the area can be sent, also according to the selection, to remote stations / operators. According to an embodiment the mine clearing machinery can have re-charge station, so that the mine clearing machinery system can use seamlessly several drones in assistance, when one or more being in operation, and another one being re-charging.

[0053] A mine clearing machinery system can further comprise a sifter in connection to an embodied mine clearing machinery to pick up mines and / or their parts for removal and transportation, for the use in the operation of the mine clearing machinery of the mine clearing machinery system. Such a sifter can be used also in shrapnel recognition and / or picking with a suitable magnet.

[0054] A use according to an embodiment of the mine clearing machinery comprises a use of an agricultural tractor as a prime mover to move a carriage as a front carriage that can be at the front of the prime mover, and / or a carriage as a back carriage at behind the prime mover. A use of an embodied mine clearing machinery system in suspected mine field with nuclear mines is embodied. In such a use a remote control is preferred, optionally or in addition with self-driving configurations in suitable parts.

[0055] Further embodiments are indicated in the dependent claims and detailed description of the embodiments with reference to the related examples in the disclosure with the related Figures.

[0056] Expression "to comprise," also in the deflected forms, is used as an open expression.

[0057] Expression "a number of" is denoting to an integer number as starting from one, as for example 1, 2, 3,...

[0058] Expression "an ensemble" as well as "plurality of" are denoting to such several items or entities that are present more than one in the ensemble or plurality.

[0059] A DETAILED DESCRIPTION ON EMBODIMENT EXAMPLES OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE OF EMBODIED INVENTION

[0060] In the following, examples, and related details on exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are further disclosed with reference to the figures (Figs) that are comprised into the specification as a part attached as examples to the present disclosure of the embodiments of the invention.

[0061] LIST OF FIGURES

[0062] Fig 1 is illustrative of an example of an embodiment of a mine clearing machinery according to the present disclosure,

[0063] Fig 1A is illustrative of an example of a flail member as a part of a rotary flail in an embodied mine clearing machinery with an ensemble of flail members, also as alternatively as embodied as chain with hammer end, as its parts according to the present disclosure,

[0064] Fig IB is illustrative of an example of an alternative flail member alternative with a transversal part in an embodied mine clearing machinery according to the present disclosure,

[0065] Fig 1C is illustrative of an example of an alternative implementation of the mine clearing machinery with a flail, comprising an ensemble of embodied flail members mounted to a flail, and its suspension to guiding beams, as a part of an embodied simple mine clearing machinery according to the present disclosure,

[0066] Fig ID, IE are illustrative examples on a cylindrical flail drum that is blast breathable type, as embodied as a cross-truss composition of pipes and / or beams to form a circumferential cylindrical drum shape to which flail members are attached (Fig ID), and an alternative embodiment by a cylindrical flail drum with grater structure for through -breath channel for the blast gases,

[0067] Fig IF illustrates an example of a tilted flail embodiment,

[0068] Fig 1G illustrates an example of mechanical power transmission embodiment by drive belts such as v-belts or cogged belts and pulleys in a hollow space in a beam from prime mover to flail in a flail entity structure,

[0069] Fig 2 is illustrative of an alternative example of an embodied simple mine clearing machinery according to the present disclosure, provided with a carriage for one or more beams for the clearing distance and embodied peripherals, as an example in Fig 2 as a transceiver,

[0070] Fig 3 is illustrative of an example of an embodied mine clearing machinery system, comprising an embodied mine clearing machinery, and other system elements according to the present disclosure,

[0071] Fig 4 is illustrative of a further example of an embodied mine clearing machinery system according to the present disclosure, illustrating system elements and their communications in the embodied mine clearing machinery system,

[0072] Fig 4b is illustrative of an example of a mine clearing machinery system element embodied as a drone with detection package.

[0073] Fig 5 is illustrative of an example of a method to use an embodied mine clearing machinery in mine clearing machinery system in clearing mines according to the present disclosure,

[0074] Fig 6 is illustrative of an example of a detail of an embodied mine clearing machinery flail in a module as a flail entity with an embodied shield example, according to the present disclosure, and

[0075] Fig 6A is illustrative of an example of plougher means to plough mines from different mining depths as being applied in an embodied mine clearing machinery.

[0076] In the Figures, same reference numerals are used to denote to similar kind of objects, which do not necessarily need to be mutually identical, as a skilled person knows as based on the education and is thus able to notice and deduce from the disclosure in the context of the embodiments.

[0077] In Fig 1 embodiment of a mine clearing machinery has been illustrated for an exemplary implementation as disclosed in the present disclosure. The mine clearing machinery is arranged to follow several barriers of security according to the defense in depth for the security in safe action. With the reference numeral 100 in Fig 1 there has been illustrated an extended mine clearing distance to minimize the risk to the prime mover M, if a mine field mine, such as a landmine, which is to be neutralized, is about to detonate and endanger the prime mover M and / or the system elements as such equipment as the peripherals connected to the prime mover M itself or to a carriage CAR, 130 (as a back side carriage, also as CARb) to assists the mine clearing machinery, or the staff operators (such as Ope in Fig 4) operating with the prime mover M and the mine clearing machinery 200. The extended clearing distance is one of the measures in defense in depth for the security, in the multilayered protection.

[0078] The mine clearing machinery 200 can be embodied in several ways to follow the present disclosure and the associated alternative embodiments. The mine clearing machinery 200 in a first alternative embodiment comprises at the front end a rotary flail 102 (as having a shape of cylinder, even as an axle in some embodiments, but also called as a drum, but for brevity, preferably also called a flail, as a flail 102 part of a flail entity 102E), which flail 102 can be embodied by a tiller or other mechanical mine clearance means, for example. The flail 102 is provided with flail members 101, such as exemplified in illustrations in Figs 1A, IB and / or 1C, without intention to limit the structure of the flail members 101 or shapes only to the shown examples as such. According to an embodiment in Fig 1, the flail members 101 can be relatively long, and directly mounted to the flail as embodied by a rotational axle in some alternative embodiment variants. The flail members 101, extend from the mounting point each from the flail 102 to ground level and further, to the selected mining depth Md (cf. Fig 6A). The in embodiments apparent to Fig 1 example, flail members 101 are attached to the axle A as to form together a flail 102 in such an embodiment for quick change and replacement if flail members 101 were damaged in a potential blast.

[0079] Alternatively the flail members 101 can be mounted to a flail drum 102, that has a larger radius (also as in embodiments in Fig 1C, Fig D Fig IE and Fig 3) than the one of a mere rotational axle-type flail 102 in Fig 1 as such. Such a flail drum 102 is rotatable around an axle A as illustrated in Fig 1C, (in Fig 1C as a second alternative embodiment, with such a flail 102 therein). The axle is not shown as such in Fig IE, but the hollow cylindrical structure can have for axle centralization turret wheel or rudder guides for facilitating the rotation around a center axle.

[0080] The rotation direction in Fig 1 has been marked by a curved arrow with text 'rotation' to the arrowhead indicated rotation direction as a preference, in avoidance of throwing mines or parts thereof into the air, and consequently clusters mine clusters or fragments to fall onto the mine clearing machinery 200 or any parts of it.

[0081] In some embodiment variants the flail drum 102 as a flail-member mounting chassis, the flail drum 102 can be filled by water, sand or air, or such drum can be cast of metal, concrete or a combination of the two, depending on the desired surface pressure onto the mine field and type of mines therein to be neutralized, but depending also on that are the mines suitably sized in the field to be allowed to detonate or not while the mine clearing.

[0082] However, according to a preferred embodiment the surface pressure at the flails members 101 can be provided by the flail own weight and in suitable part by beams and a relayed torque at the flail location, achieved by a beam assembly extending from a prime mover M and / or one or more carriages, the beams being between the prime mover M and the flail entity 102E comprising the flail 102. The flail members 101 of an embodied flail 102 can be sharp ended in such embodiment, but in alternative embodiments the flail members 101 can have additional parts in accordance with Fig 1A and Fig IB.

[0083] According to some alternative embodiments, the flail 102 of the flail entity 102E can be embodied as a lightweight flail 102, so that there is the axle A to which the flail members 101 are attached directly, or as in Fig ID to a truss attached to the axle.

[0084] The circular density of the flail members 101 to stick into the ground may be low for small anti-infantry mines, depending on the axle radius and the flail member 101 length to reach a desired mining depth Md. As the flail 102 can be embodied as an axial cylindrical drum (i.e. as in Fig 1C, also as in Figs ID, IE) or by an axle as in Fig 1, the path of the flail member's sticking points can be optimized by densification, i.e. by pivoting the flail entitylO2E and / or the flail therewith, from the perpendicular direction of the propagation to an angle a as illustrated in Fig IF.

[0085] According to such an embodiment example variant disclosed in Fig IF, the flail entity 102E as such or a nearby beam (104, 103B) can have a swivel (cf. SWL in Fig 2, for example), also in some embodiments therebetween the flail and carriage, the swivel SWL (Fig 2) can be lockable to provide for the flail entity 102 and consequently to the flail therewith an angle a, into a diagonal position in respect to the normal of propagation direction (indicated by an arrow to left from prime mover M, in the Fig IF).

[0086] According to some embodiments, the angle a is below 45 degrees, alternatively below 30 degrees, further alternatively below 20 degrees, but anyhow over 5 degrees in such embodiment of angled flail entity embodiment. According to an embodiment variant, the locking to the position is adjustable in a horizontal plane, so to provide a projection of the flail members at the ground closer to each other and so to achieve a denser coverage for the de-mining effect, to be applicable for distinct size of mines or duds. The adjusting can be implemented by a stepwise pitch with an ensemble of holes and locking pin with mutual match. The flail of the flail entity can be an embodied flail according to the disclosed alternative examples as in Figs 1 to 3.

[0087] In addition, with pivoted flail entity 102E in Fig IF, in the rotation of the rotating direction directed further structures (i.e. parts 101B and / or 101D) according to the details in Figs 1A and IB can be used, for making the sticking effect denser or whipping effect on to the ground in the rotation direction of the flail members 101, while rotating with the flail 102 according to the position of the flail entity 102E, preferably to the same direction as illustrated in Fig 1 by the rotation movement in the example.

[0088] The mine clearing machinery 200 in Fig 1 example can have a quickly changeable flail entity module 102E having a rotary flail 102 according to an embodiment, further illustrated in Fig 1C, Fig ID, Fig IE, Fig IF, Fig 3 and / or Fig 6. In the and / or expression, the 'and' is referring to such an embodiment variant in which the flail or the whole flail entity module would be switched to another alternative module, because of destruction and changing to a new one, or better suitability to the prevailing ground level conditions and / or mines on the minefield.

[0089] In some embodiments, the flail 102 can be alternatively of a blast breathing -type (according to Figs ID and IE examples), i.e. composed of a cylinder formed by an ensemble of pipes or beams forming a cross-truss as a core-grid, so allowing a certain fraction of a blast of a mine go through the structure, so providing a blast breath effect. However, sometimes the explosion could be so strong that a flail 102 involved may twist beyond further use, and thus the flail 102 or an entire flail entity 102E (comprising a flail therein) could be replaced by a new one. The mine clearing machinery 200 can have also, electromagnetic shrapnel collector, plough / blade etc. as being further embodied in the disclosure and the illustrating examples therein (i.e. as in Fig 1C for example).

[0090] According to an embodiment in Fig 1 example, the mine clearing machinery 200 can comprise a rubber mat 102R, that can have double action, as a dust trap to reduce upwards dust / dirt ejection into the air for sight clearance as such and evens out the dirt moved by the rotary flail 102.

[0091] According to an embodiment in Fig 1 example, the mine clearing machinery 200 can comprise a steel ply rubber blast mat 105 as being used to absorb initial mine blast and shrapnel as the primary blast shield 105. According to an embodiment, the wheels 106 of the carriage CAR in Fig 1 can be implemented by water-filled pneumatic rubber tyres to support and stabilize the machinery. The carriage CAR in Fig 1 can be implemented in accordance alternatively as embodied with the peripherals indicated by the reference numerals 102R (rubber mat), 105 (initial mine blast shield), 106 (water-filled pneumatic rubber tyres), 107 (steering means), and 108 (cage of sandbags therein). The water-filled pneumatic tyres 106 can have additional functions such as a) to detonate possible ordnance missed by the rotary flail and its flail members 101, and b) act, as a secondary blast shield. The carriage CAR can comprise peripherals Ph illustrated in Fig 3 in suitable composition and location (for example in safe location behind the blast shield 105). These peripherals can be situated in carriage CARf and / or CARb (130) in suitable part according to the selection to each, or redundantly to both for maintaining operability after a destructive blast of the carriage CARf.

[0092] According to an embodiment example the mine clearing machinery 200 can have a steering 107 (pivoting or Ackermann) to facilitate maneuvering of the mine clearing machinery. The control of the steering 107 can be in the prime mover M and / or in a remote entity belonging to the mine clearing machinery system, by an operator and / or self-steering algorithm in suitable part when applicable.

[0093] According to the multilayered protection, the embodied mine clearing machinery 200 can have a cage 108 as a housing for sandbags or similar absorbers with the materials to absorb shrapnels for example, which can operate as another layer of protection and so adds mass to protect and absorb projectiles, but also increases the stability of the machinery. The case and the sandbags, also reduces the need to transport the sand for the bags from one destination to another. Accordingly also local soil can be used in suitable part in the sandbags where applicable to reduce the transportation weight but gain for the measure of security against shrapnels.

[0094] According to the embodiment variant illustrated in Fig 1 about the blast shield Sh, the embodiment comprises a flat but elongated and wide steel blast shield Sh as a further layer of protection from mine blast effects. The blast shield can be alternatively also curved in suitable part as indicated in the example of Fig 6 for the blast shield Sh, so smoothly directing the blast wave and shrapnel to front and up, but alternatively front and downwards gently curved, if / when secondary detonations are intended for benefitting in use in the mine clearing at the front area that is not already handled.

[0095] According to an embodiment example in Fig 1, clearing distance can be achieved by a telescopic frame / beam, comprising parts 104a and 104b, having the telescopic facility to reduced length for transportation in the transportation position in comparison to the operation position. The telescopic concept of parts 104a and 104b can be alternatively embodied also by one or more swivels to bend at the indicated exemplified vertical short line therebetween as illustrated in Fig 3, for example. The frame / beam is used to a) facilitate the extended mine clearing distance 100, but can provide b) action as a shock load disconnect from the prime mover M, and c) provide retractability for transport, but in suitable part, also to operate as a housing for a cardan axle for operating power delivery, and / or shock absorbers alongside the beam 104a-104b. According to an embodiment of the example in Fig 1, the mine clearing machinery 200 is provided with a Prime mover M that has an engine that is configured to move the mine clearing machinery 200. The prime mover M can be provided by a combustion engine and / or an electric motor with appropriate accumulator system to feed the motor respectively by fuel or electricity. The combustion engine and the electric motor can be both present for redundancy as a spare source of power, or for maximizing the torque of the electric motor at constant revolution rate per minute of the combustion engine at the optimum.

[0096] In the embodiment of example in Fig 1 the prime mover M is provided with rubber tracks 120 to replace tyres, for example such as pneumatic tyres 106 of a tractor, according to an embodiment, in order to a) lower the minimum velocity of the prime mover or facilitate mine clearing operations and / or b) lower the ground pressure to reduce risk of setting off land mines / ordnance at their mining depth. In Fig 1 the part 130 is denoting to a carriage CARb with a hydraulic power pack, which is operated by the power take-off (PTO) of the prime mover M in suitable part in some embodiments. That is used in powering the mine clearing machinery, for example the Prime mover M itself, one or more carriages and / or a flail of the flail entity. The power is conducted to the flail pneumatically, mechanically and / or hydraulically or electrically by a respective power transmission line. The power pack can comprise also electric supply with accumulator and / or generator. According to an embodiment variant, the peripherals (i.e. Ph, as also in Fig 4) can be mounted in suitable part to the part 130. When provided with wheels to have moved on them, the power pack 130 can also have the peripherals as a CAR embodied in the disclosure concerning the Fig 4. Accordingly to an embodiment the power pack 130 can be embodied as a carriage module CARb, where the 'b' denotes to the towing in the embodiment of Fig 1 context. Similar, or an additional one as the item CARb can be embodied as a module attached to the front carriage module CARf. Such can be behind the flail of the flail entity , but at the front of the prime mover M, at a suitable clearing distance and placement in respect to the shields (102R, 105, 108, Sh).

[0097] According to an embodiment variant the mine clearing machinery 200 can further comprise a metal detector 140 for documenting metallic ordnance, shrapnel etc. and, for example using GPS in a digital coordinate system to further recognize the geographic location and / or reporting to a remote station by the transceiver (T-R). Such a metal detector can have an X-ray or gamma ray detector to recognize the metals and the compositions, where applicable. In some embodiments the metal detector 140 can be provided in parallel by a Geiger counter (G) and / or a gamma radiation spectrometer, such as a sodium iodide (Nal) crystal with the reading electronics and computer, in order to further detect (also depleted) uranium and / or other radioactive substances, such as Trans-uranium substances or their fission products, to be marked accordingly the species present for action afterwards. The detected metals and / or radioactivity parts can be marked by a marking paint dispenser 150 for physical markings according to the metal detector 140 readouts for their species. The detected findings can be marked by a paint tag with a detection result specific color, and the GPS locations memorized (i.e. Fig 4). The marking paint dispenser 150 can also provide other aerosol based and related functionalities than mere marking as such, which are further disclosed within the example embodied in Fig 4. The markings made with the location can be added to a digital database for retrieval via a digital map on the mine field in question.

[0098] In Fig 1C an alternative embodiment detail of an embodied flail entity 102E of mine clearing machinery has been illustrated with a flail 102 in a flail entity 102E of the mine neutralizer according to the present disclosure. In addition, also an axle suspension point A has been included for the embodied flail 102 in the flail entity 102E, as there is a rotatable flail 102 as a flail embodied by using a drum for the flail 102 that has been disclosed as an alternative to a mere rotating axle of a flail 102 of Fig 1, to which the flail members 101 are attached in the embodiment examples according to Fig 1. According to an embodiment, the flail members 101 can have a screw-based mounting to the rotatable flail drum / axle at the corresponding end of the flail members 101, also as in Figs ID and IE. The flail members 101 can have a rod shape for pressing / sticking to ground in the embodiment example (blunt end in Fig 1 example to press and stick, a sharp end in Fig 3 to stick as an alternative example). In operation the flail members 101 stick to the ground during the rotation of the rotatable drum 102 of the flail 102 of an embodied flail entity 102E.

[0099] According to some embodiment variants, the flail members 101 have such a length that flail-member drum 102 or flail 102 rotates on the air as such or on ground, by its weight or position, but the flail members 101 are provided to stick to certain mining depth (Md, Fig 6A) and even further down, also through the mines in lower depths, to neutralize, to destroy, them in a mechanical way, preferably without detonation, by tearing the explosive parts and detonator apart while sticking and / or crushing. However, it is not always possible to avoid the detonation, and thus the parts of the flail 102 are preferably of explosion proof material, such as a suitable steel composition made, and / or the flail members as rods 101 as easily replaceable, when such needed. Operation of the flail 102 in the flail entity 102E is illustrated in accordance with the illustration in Fig 1 and also in an alternative way in Fig 3. Also blast breathable structures of a flail according to the alternative embodiments in Figs ID and IE can be used, where applicable in the mine field in question.

[0100] For illustrative reasons related to clarity in Fig 1C, only five l-shaped flail members 101 having the rod-shape that have been marked as such in the Fig 1C, but a skilled person in the art knows that the similar objects with same l-appearances of I as those provided with references by number 101 at the flail-member attached cylindrical flail drum 102 in Fig 1C, Fig ID, Fig IE or in Fig 1 flail members 101 are similar objects, even without the reference line and number, according to the shown context.

[0101] The radius or the diameter, nor the length of the rotatable flail 102 of the flail entity 102E or its drum 102 is not limited only to the relative measure of the diameter or radius to the flail 102 length on the drum 102 or flail members 101 in Fig 1, nor to the relative length of the beams 103, or the extension beam 103e, but can be different from the shown example and thus even considerably smaller or larger. Accordingly the lengths of the flail members 101 or the length of their parts in Figs 1, 1A, IB and / or 1C are not limited only to the shown examples, or to the mutually apparent relative measures in respect to each other, or to the rotating cylindrical drum 102 length in Fig 1C, Fig ID Fig IE, or the transversal radius or diameter, as a skilled person understand from the schematic examples.

[0102] According to an embodiment variant there can be also such flail members 101 on the rotating drum 102 mounted or on the flail of the flail entity 102E of Fig 1 or Fig 1C that can be formed by a bolt with a sleeve pipe and a spring both axially around the bolt so to provide a soft sticking effect until the spring being completely compressed. Such an effect can be applicable in special conditions, and such soft sticking effect providing flail members 101 can replace, if not all, the ordinarily embodied flail members in a suitable number of them, in suitable locations on the flail 102E at their mounting locations. However, such sleeves (and springs too) may be not durable in direct hit to a largish mine and the following explosion, but can be replaced accordingly quite quickly. According to favorable soil type and conditions, such flail members can also throw mines further ahead, if rotated in suitable direction and / or altered the rotation of the flail in control.

[0103] The reference numerals 103 and 104 are both denoting to parts embodied as beams in a forking-type alternative structure, to connect the flail entity 102E to the prime mover M by the coupling means C as the coupler. The flail entity 102E in Fig 1 example comprises a forking beam 103. The reference numerals 104a and 104b in Fig 1 denote to a telescopic beam example, with the parts 104a and 104b. The prime mover M as such can be embodied even by an agricultural tractor, for example, directly as the prime mover M as the translatory engine M for the power, so that the prime mover is used to push the beam 104 (also a telescopic beam or swiveled beam with parts 104a and 10b) as also as schematically shown in Fig 1C (also as in Fig 2), with or without the intermediate carriage CAR according to the respective embodiments. A carriage CAR as such can be placed into such a location that is in front of the prime mover M, as a front carriage CARf, or behind the prime mover as such as a back carriage CARb (130), as shown and explained in Fig 1).

[0104] Fig 1G is illustrating an example of an example on flail powering detail in an embodiment example, for a mechanical power transmission by drive belt such as v-belts or cogged belts and pulleys in a hollow space in a beam 103 from prime mover M to flail 102 in a flail entity structure. The power from prime mover (indicated as line to M) can originate to prime mover via a cardan axle powering in the fork structure of the flail entity beams, or a motor that can be hydraulic, electric, or pneumatic, in control of the prime mover M.

[0105] A carriage CAR can be embodied as in Fig 2 alternative example. In the embodiment in Fig 1C alternative, the connection is made directly to the primary mover M by the coupler C, to its (M) power transmission system, i.e. without the beam-supportive carriage CAR presence as such in this simplified embodiment.

[0106] Such an embodiment can be used in small infantry mine fields with relatively small explosive charges in the mines, as the beams 103 and / or 104 can have a relatively long length to provide a sufficient clearing distance 100 (i.e. in Fig 1), especially when there were a shield present (i.e. such as Sh in Fig 1 and Fig 6, also alternatively in flail entity 102E in Fig 1C). The length of the beams 103 and / or 104 is preferably maximized (also by utilization of one or more telescopic beam pairs such as 104a and 104b), especially in embodied cases where the shielding of the prime mover M is based mainly on its own structures.

[0107] However, with reference to Fig 6, shields Sh (i.e. Fig 6) can be used, preferably such shields Sh, that direct the explosion to front and slightly up and front to the propagation direction of the prime mover M. Accordingly the beams 103 and 104 can be even shorter than a certain mine type detonation occurrence associated lethal range, so to have a clearance distance even further from the shield to the prime mover.

[0108] Accordingly, in embodiments, the mine clearing is addressed to happen at a sufficiently long clearance distance (100) from the prime mover (M), so that for example anti-tank mines would not destroy the prime mover (M) or the operator of such. Although infantry mines as such are tolerated better, even with a shorter clearance distance, however, composite explosives having anti-tank mines alone or in a combination of small explosives and / or several anti-tank mines can be so powerful, that prime mover (M) needs protection in form of shields (Sh) and sufficient clearance distance (100) against the blast wave and the shrapnels.

[0109] In addition, embodied flail members 101, as embodied as alternative flail members illustrated in Fig 1A and in FiglB, as such to form monotype flails 102 of the flail entities 102E by using just one type of flail members 101 in the flail entity 102E according to the embodied alternative flail members 101. Figs 1A and IB illustrate examples of alternative flail members 101. A skilled person knows from his / her education and the context of the disclosure of embodiments, that also mixed type of flail members in the flail entities 102E can be formed by using flail members from the Figs 1, 1A and / or IB in suitable part in the mixture. Accordingly, it is possible to select mixed type flail members 101 to special types of minefields, provided that the minefield has a structured design suitable for the demining with mixed flail members on the flail entity 102E. One potential example could be antivehicle type-land mines on a road or passage, and at the roadsides with anti-infantry mines.

[0110] According to an embodiment variant a flail member can comprise a hammer at an end of a chain attached to the flail. A skilled person knows that the number of flail members 101 is not limited only to the number of flail members disclosed in the example of Fig 1C, but in the angular and / or axial direction the number density can be even higher to provide denser flail member 101 distribution. In an analogous way, the related pitch per revolution, i.e. rotational length on the mantle of the rotating drum 102 or cylinder or truss, circumference of the flail of a flail entity 102E, in the rotation direction, can be selected according to the dimensions of landmines to be detected and / or cleared. Accordingly, the placement can vary, also in angular radial position of the flail members 101 that can be different and vary from a flail to another, so that there would be provided a coverage in an optimum way to meet the landmines in the ground, without leaving shadowed areas from flail member sticking to the cleared area by the flail of a flail entity 102E, when being rotated and the mine clearing machinery 200 being used.

[0111] Several drones Dr, Dr2 as elements of mine neutralizer system can be used with the mine neutralizer 200 indicated in Fig 1.

[0112] In Fig 1A an alternative flail member 101 as flail entity 102E part configuration 101 has been illustrated. According to an embodiment illustrated in Fig 1C, the flail 102 has a flail member 101 that has been indicated as a rod 101 or tiller. In Fig 1A, the flail member 101 has a rod 101A as its part 101A, but also a leg part 101B with length L. During the flail's 102 rotation the leg part 101B of the flail member 101 can penetrate to the ground by its length with the rotation direction determined direction, and so lift soil and potentially mines or parts thereof along the path, out of the ground, in applicable extent. The heel part H of the rod 101B with its length H can penetrate the ground in direction of the normal of the ground, but can also tackle to trip wires. Thus a double layered mine assemblies can be reached, also wired traps can be detonated, the leg part to the near surface, and the heel part to the deeper mining distance immersed mines, as dependent on the penetration depth into the ground. Alternatively hammer on a chain as flail member can be embodied for a rotating flail as attached thereto.

[0113] In Fig IB, an alternative flail member part configurations 101 has been illustrated. According to an embodiment variant, the rod 101A of an embodied flail member 101 can have swivel 101C at the ground end side of the flail member 101, so that the flail member part can pivot and bend during the operation of the flail 102E, when the hitting part 101B hits the ground during the rotation of the flail 102E rotation. Such operation can be useful in a wired minefield to simply hit the wires and so to detonate the mines away by the explosions, which may be mainly anti-infantry mines with relatively small number of explosives. However, such use of such flail members in the flail entities 102E may be carefully made, especially when large and / or anti-vehicle or anti-tank mines could be suspected being present in the minefield. According to an embodiment variant, as a flail member (101) can comprise as the hitting part 101B a hammer, being attached to the flail (102) by a chain. However, a bar or a flat bar can be used in applicable extent in the flail members (101).

[0114] This movement of the parts has been indicated by the double-sided arrows of the arc. According to embodiment variants, the pivoting hitting part 101B or the rod 101A can have an extension part 101D similar as a heel (H) to stick into the ground when hitting the ground during the flail 102 rotation and the flail member 101 therewith (i.e. in an alternative embodiment at the end of the flail member 101 as such or a hammer with a chain thereat to hit the ground). The extension part 101 D can also hook to the wires if such wires were present. The extension parts 101D are not necessarily embodied with the same penetration length, but can be selected to penetrate to different depths according to the length H into the ground to reach different mine deployment depths (i.e. Md, also as in Fig 6A) via the corresponding length H in the flail member 101 part. For improved hooking, the shape may be also like letter J, i.e. with a hook at the part 101D, if not at the end, somewhere in the rod of the part 101D, or in several directions to improve the hooking, so to hit the ground in a tangential direction of a flail rotation.

[0115] Fig ID is an illustrative example on a flail 102 drum that is blast breathable type to be used in embodied flail entities 102E, as embodied as a cross-truss composition of pipes and / or beams illustrated by the lines drawn in a crisscross way to illustrate the to form a circumferential cylindrical drum shape so implemented, and to which the flail members 101 are being attached. The flail members 101 can be attached to co-axial beams or pipes (i.e. as indicated by a dashed line example) at the circumferential mantle marking locations for the purpose. According to a further embodiment variant of a blast breathable flail 102 that can be alternatively embodied by a cylindrical grater shaped flail 102, having a hollow interior with holes through the cylindrical mantle for the explosion gases passage. According to an embodiment variant such a cylinder can be an open ended (except the bearings and / or rudders inside for centering the rotation axle), so to provide a discharge a further channel to the explosion gases also to sideways, in some applicable part. The flail members 101 can be attached to the mantle locations between the holes. According to an embodiment variant, such an axle can be alternatively directed co-axially of that of the cylinder, but eccentrically to provide a wobbling or beating rotational movement, to intensify the weight and pressure to the mines in the soils.

[0116] Such lightweight blast breathable flails 102 (Fig ID, Fig IE) can have the flail members 101 as attached to the flail drum 102 or cylinder 102 with the holes or other open structures, so to provide a small projection area for the flail 102 material for providing a wide passageway for explosion gases. According to an embodiment, such a flail 102 can be embodied with a flail drum as a cylinder or flail truss as illustrated in Figs ID and IE. According to an embodiment variant a flail can be embodied as a flail drum made preferably with a hollow interior and rudder pins for rotation axle mount and placement for the bearings to the center or eccentric but co-axially of the cylinder length axis.

[0117] According to an embodiment variant such the material thickness of the mantle (i.e. the cylinder wall thickness) is advantageously over 1 cm, but below 2 / 3 of the radius of the cylinder, advantageously below 1 / 3 of the radius, even more advantageously below 1 / 6 of the radius of the cylinder. According to an embodiment the cylinder can have holes through the cylinder so to provide a smaller projection area for blast gases and shrapnels. According to an embodiment the cylinder is open at the axial ends, so guiding blast gases sideways and through the holes in the mantle. According to an embodiment variant the flail is embodied as a flail drum that is made as a truss, so to provide a small attachment area for the flail members, but a large area to allow a blast to go through.

[0118] According to an embodiment the fraction of blast through area is less than 95% of the mantle circumference of the flail drum itself, alternatively less than 90 %, alternatively less than 80 %, alternatively less than 70 %, alternatively less than 50 %, alternatively less than 30 %, but any case over 10% of the mantle of the flail drum to which the flail members are attached. In the context, such a flail has been considered as a blast breathing flail.

[0119] Fig IE illustrates an alternative implementation of a blast breathable flail 102. The dashed line circles and ellipses are indicative breading holes (Hole(s)) through which explosion gases are channeled for a blast, to avoid hitting by the whole force to the embodied flail 102. In such an embodiment the blast breathing channels go through the cylinder mantle at one side but also at the opposite side, so to provide a straight through channel as possible for the explosion gases and so minimum damage to the flail 101. Two flail members 101 are illustrative of a plurality of flail members 101, like such in Fig 1C flail 102, or optionally embodied at flails in Figs 1A and / or IB.

[0120] Fig 2 is illustrating in a schematic way an embodiment of the mine clearing machinery 200 according to the present disclosure. The flail 102 of a flail entity 102E can be embodied by a monotype flail 102 in accordance with the respective flail member variants 101 shown in Figs 1, 1A, IB and 3. However, a skilled person knows, it is possible to embody the flail 102 also as a mixed-type flail 102, such comprising a number of different types of flail member 101 variants (cf. Fig 1A, Fig IB) in accordance with flail members 101 as being selected from Figs 1, 1A IB and 3, according to the terrain and mines in the mine field, if / when applicable. Also flail members 101 comprising a hammer and a chain therewith can be used.

[0121] The symbol "A" in Fig 2 is illustrating axle and the related bearings of the rotating flail 102 of the flail entity 102E. Such a bearing A as the flail suspension can comprise also an axle for the rotation, however, may be difficult to provide a shielded motor as such to the position so near potential explosions, to survive and continue the operation without damage, without special protection against explosions, but could be an advantageous position with such protection. However, pulleys and drive belts such as v-belts or cogged belts can be used to provide distance and shielding for motors as such in embodiments using such in the powering the flail rotation.

[0122] According to an embodiment the flail 102E has been suspended by the beams 103 and 103B to provide a fork structure as illustrated in the Fig, but the fork structure can be embodied alternatively also by a Y-geometry as an alternative U-geometry in the example of the Fig 2. Although illustrated by one flail entity 102E, there can be in a mine clearing machinery 200 also parallel side-by side flails of a flail entity 102E, also parallel flail entities 102E and in depth (in the propagation direction) to cover the suspected areas of potential clearance shadows. The flail member 101 types can vary between the flails of the flail members 102E in such a dispersed partitioned flails of flail entities 102E.

[0123] In Fig 2 there is embodied a swivel at the location SWL indicated by a dashed reference line, so indicating an alternativity to solid attachment of the beam 103B to beam 104. In such an alternative, the swivel SWL can be lockable and in control by a microprocessor onboard on the carriage CAR, and / or in a further location of a further controller via the transceiver T-R.

[0124] According to an embodiment variant, there can be a similar swivel SWL also on the beam part 104a and 104b to form a similar beam as the item 104, as illustrated in Fig 3. At the swivel location SWL there can be therein as an alternative structure a telescopic joint. The joint can be set and secured by a hole and a pin pair, like sockets used in agriculture. However, the pins can be of wood or similar weakened material, in respect of the parts 104a and 104b made of steel for example, in order to mitigate the potential explosion forces acting on at occurrence to the beams 104a and 104b, so avoidance of the full force to meet the primary mover M.

[0125] According to some embodiment examples, the mine clearing machinery 200 can have a connection means C, so to provide a mechanical connection to the prime mover M. Accordingly, an agricultural tractor can be used as such as the prime mover M as such that is so able to provide the rotational movement to the carriage CAR (CARf, CARb in suitable part) wheels or tracks and / or to the flail 102 of the flail entity 102E, by a cardan axle system, or by hydraulic or electric line from the prime mover M to a respective motors, where applicable by the help of the power pack 130. Such a system can provide the operating power to the wheels or tracks of the carriages such as the CAR, but in another embodiment directly to the flail 102 of an entity 102E via the suspension and axle A, when there can be two branches of cardan axles (or motor feeding lines) to the sides of the flail entity 102E, in such an embodiment variants. The cardan axles can be covered in suitable part in such embodiments by the beams 103, 103B, 104, 104a and 104b. According to an embodiment variant, the operating power to the flail 102 can be delivered by drive belts such as v-belts or cogged belts and the respective pulleys, which are cheaper than the corresponding cardans to replace if a mine detonates and destroys the flail 102 or other parts of the flail entity 102E. Alternatively or in addition, in suitable positions of a mechanical power transmission line, at direction-change positions, a number of conical gears can be used for the power transmission throughput in such a mechanical operating power feed to flail of the flail entity 102E and / or the carriage CAR, (CARf) where applicable.

[0126] The cardan axle in mechanical power transmission embodiments can be also of a telescopic design in the beams 104a and 104b, preferably of together re-mountable type.

[0127] The lengths of the beams 103, 104, or the beam parts 104a and 104b are not limited only to the shown example in Fig 2. The ratio of the dimensions is neither limited to that what is apparent in the Fig 2 or other illustrative Figs.

[0128] The symbol W is illustrative of translatory means as such, which can be embodied by wheels, but also alternatively by a crawling-track system and / or pneumatic or water filled tires. According to an embodiment the wheels 106 are like wheels W as such. The wheels in carriages like carriage CAR can be filled with salt water, so to provide a damping effect in case of a detonation occurs at the wheel in question.

[0129] According to an embodiment variant, the beam 104b, at the end close to the prime mover M can have an extension as a bottom armor to reach the bottom part of the prime mover, apart from the bottom. The bottom armor can have a V-shape, for directing a potential blast front to the sideways, if a mine explodes under the prime mover despite of the de-mining missed mine so protecting a potential operator inside the prime mover. According to an embodiment such a bottom armor can have also springs and / or compressible material layers and / or a bifold structured members at the sides of the V-shape to twist and so damp the blast front to the sides of the prime mover and / or to the rear part behind the operator location so protecting the operator inside. The bifold structure is addressed to bend and so to dissipate the blasting energy pulse, with additionally present suitable parts of sands in the structures of the V-shaped part to disperse and absorb the detonation front. Such a V- shape part can be perforate for the sand dispersion to sideways to dissipate the blast energy. According to an embodiment variant, the bottom V-shape armor can be provided at a lockable / releasable swivel, so that the attachment can adapt to the turns in course of the prime mover operation. Alternatively, the armor is attached to the prime mover as an attachment part of the bottom without the mount to the beams of the carriage or the flail if the flail and / or carriage needs a further mobility in curves.

[0130] According to an embodiment variant, the mine clearing machinery 200 in Fig 1C can be used as a module in the Fig 2 mine clearing machinery, by connecting the carriage CAR to the mine clearing machinery of Fig 1C by the beam 104, and further by the parts 104a and 104b to the prime mover M , as illustrated in Fig 1 and also in Fig 3. Also the peripherals indicated in the Figs 3 and 4 can be modularly jointed to the mine clearing machinery 200 to facilitate versatility to the minesweeping actions accordingly.

[0131] Fig 3 is illustrative of an embodied mine clearing machinery system 300 to detect and demine landmines from the ground (Ground). According to an embodiment, such a mine clearing machinery system 300 comprises an embodied mine clearing machinery 200 as illustrated directly in Fig 1, or Fig 2, or by an embodied variant of a mine neutralizer 200, with a flail 102 of a flail entity 102E according to the present disclosure, with flail members in accordance of the disclosure to the flail members 101 in Figs 1, 1A and / or IB.

[0132] Further peripherals Ph has been disclosed in a further detail in Fig 3 illustrating an alternative embodiment with a carriage CAR to carry a longer beam 104 to provide a further clearing distance 100 between the flail entity 102E and the prime mover M. In the embodiment, the peripherals have been illustrated as drawn by a dashed line to indicate an alternative presence according to the optionality to select in the alternatives according to the very selection by the operator, in the embodiment, in accordance with the Fig 4 and the accompanied disclosure of the peripherals. Also the coupling means C to the prime mover M has been indicated optional in Fig 1C by the dashed line, the way of drawing so indicative that the functionalities further illustrated in Fig 4 may be not all present in all embodiments in addition to the bare mechanical connection facility. In some alternative options, according to illustration of embodiments in Fig 3 the coupling means C has been used at the carriage CAR at the prime mover side of the beam 104 or its part 104a and 104b from the carriage CAR instead of the side at the flail 102E. The shielding (shield Sh and / or the casing 108 with the sandbags) according to the Fig 6 related embodiments can be also used in protection of the peripherals and the coupler with the coupling lines.

[0133] According to an embodiment, such a mine clearing machinery system 300 comprises in an embodiment a prime mover M. According to an embodiment the prime mover can be embodied as an agricultural tractor, as a prime mover M to provide a lightweight solution to de-mine a minefield. Although as drawn the mine clearing machinery's 200 actual de-mining operative parts (flail of the flail entity 102E and the supportive beams 103, 103b, 104, 104a, 104b as in the shown illustrations for embodiments) at the front of the prime mover M, as to be pushed ahead, such a mine clearing machinery 200 can be however positioned to the backward side of the prime mover M as such, so to be pushed backwards but ahead to the translatory direction (i.e. as reversing), as the prime mover M could detonate mines by its weight or magnetic properties, if embodied as pulling the mine clearing machinery through the minefield. Thus pushing the flail 104E at the front of the prime mover M is preferred in the mine clearing / destroying actions to neutralize the mines.

[0134] According to some embodiments the prime mover M as such can be provided by rubber tracks 120 (Fig 1, as an alternative) as replacement of pneumatic tyres W. Such a replacement can be advantageous in some embodiments in order a) to lower the minimum velocity of the prime mover or facilitate mine clearing operations and / or b) to lower the ground pressure for reducing the risk of setting off land mines / ordnances.

[0135] The rectangular areas indicated by the dashed lines are used indicative to the embodiment variants and the parts of the system composition in the Fig 3, but also in an illustrative manner for them in their mutual positions in schematic examples.

[0136] According to an embodiment variant, the flail 102E can be provided with a plough Pig, Plg2 or several ploughs Pig, Plg2, so to bring up near the soil surface laid mines and / or the remains of such. Such a flail with one or more ploughs Pig, Plg2 can have a beam 103e to provide further clearing distance from the flail 102E and / or the prime mover M as it is apparent from the example in Figs 1, 3 and 6.

[0137] The prime mover M can be connected in the mine clearing machinery system 300, via beams

[0138] 103 103B, 104, 104a and 104b to the mine clearing machinery 200, but also by a coupling means C, which has therefore a power connection to a cardan axle in the beams for the mine clearing machinery operating power in mechanical power transmission, in the beams

[0139] 104 at the end of the side of the beam part 104a and 104b, so to provide the operation power for the carriage CAR and its translatory means W, but according to an embodiment variant directly to the flail of a flail entity 102E (i.e. in Fig 1C). In addition the connector C can provide also pneumatic, hydraulic and / or electric lines for supplying the flail entity 102E and / or the carriages CAR for the corresponding resources according to the needs in the carriages CAR, CARb, CARf and / or the flail 102 of the flail entity 102E.

[0140] The transceiver means as illustrated in the Figs by the acronym T-R comprises a radiofrequency transmitter and receiver for communication to control the mine clearing machinery and its carriage CAR, the controlling operation implemented by a carriage-borne computer with a microprocessor, which are illustrated by the symbol pP at the carriage CAR. The transmitter and Receiver can be a together integrated peripheral, or aggregated by separate corresponding parts.

[0141] In such communication, especially in two directional communications, also the state of the mine clearing machinery 200 can be communicated to a remote-station-located operator Ope or a controller or an ensemble of such, especially in such a use of the mine clearing machinery 200 in which the prime mover M is unmanned and so remotely operated, selfdriven alone directly, or via an alternative drone Dr in the system as an up- and downlink. Accordingly, as in an embodiment, the mine clearing machinery system 300 can comprise one or more drones Dr, (i.e. Dr2 as in Fig 1 in addition to the mine clearing machinery 200 in co-operation) as an optional system element thereof, which can be used as a communication link between the controller or operator Ope of the mine clearing machine system 300 by the radiofrequencies configured to drone, so to be enabled in the controlling but also for the communication via the transceiver T-R for the mine clearing machinery 200 operation in the system 300, but also to the prime mover M for its control by a suitable operator, even from outside the mine clearing machinery or the system's physical location as such, via a drone-borne camera.

[0142] According to an embodiment variant a carriage like a CAR can comprise an atomizer or a nozzle with a water tank (ATM, referring to mist production by a nozzle, pressurized water, and air) to provide water spray for de-dusting operation at the de-mining.

[0143] According to an embodiment variant, such a spraying can also be implemented with microbes in the sprayed liquid. In an embodiment the microbes are such that eat or use the explosives as nutrients, and / or provide fluorescence light for glow to indicate mined locations at the suspected mine fields as tracers, so that the explosive locations can be detected roughly, from the air for example, by a drone-borne camera and the mines neutralized or destroyed later, in a delayed way of clearing, i.e. even afterwards a first operations on the minefield.

[0144] Such an embodiment can be also used to make nuclear mines inoperative, as they often need conventional explosives to operate by an initial detonation. When the conventional explosives are being eaten away, the nuclear devices cannot provide the critical mass or mass density to the nuclear reaction for the operation.

[0145] Fig 4 is illustrative of an embodied operation of the mine clearing machinery system 300 and examples of variants of such to include peripherals (Ph) as options in the system 300. Such peripherals Ph can comprise the connection C, to connect the mine clearing machinery 200 and the prime mover M together by at least the mechanical connection as illustrated by the box titled Meeh, so that the flail 102E as a simple mine clearing machinery 200 as illustrated in Fig 1C as well as in Fig 2 alternative can be provided with the operating power in a related ensemble of embodiments, but also in further alternative embodiments illustrated in Figs 1, 2 and 3, with a carriage CAR for a longer beam to separate the flail 102 of the flail entity 102 from the prime mover M (such as a prime mover in Fig 3) to sufficiently far to an extended clearing distance 100 (Fig 1).

[0146] The connecting means C can also act as a connector to connect the mine clearing machinery 200 and the prime mover M to utilize its electricity (Ele), pressurized air system (Pneu), Hydraulic system (Hyd) according to that what is available and what would be needed for a peripheral operation as such in an embodied mine clearing machinery 200 alternatives in suitable part as applicable, to the movements and / or other needs of respective power for electricity and / or spraying for example.

[0147] According to an embodiment the mine clearing machine system 300 can comprise an atomizer or nozzle ATM (with a water tank) to provide mist against dusting of the soils as well as small washing or flushing of the parts. According to embodiment variants, the water as well as the pressurized air can be delivered by the prime mover M as the supply for them, or by the carriage CAR itself, taking the power from the prime mover M, for example.

[0148] The item T-R is illustrative of communication means for two-sided communication by a transmitter and receiver actions. The antenna illustration sign at the left in Fig 4 is illustrative as an access point (Acc), to illustrate functional communication, preferably wirelessly (radio frequencies, optically, by laser, Lidar or by a suitable combination thereof), but in some alternative embodiments, implemented by via wires, where applicable, if electromagnetic communication is not possible or could detonate mines in the field beyond control. At the left if Fig 4, the communication has been illustrated via the access point to several entities, by the lightning symbols with double-sided arrow heads to indicate two directional communication facility. The communication messaging can comprise data messages or flood, parameters, and overheads, but also instructions and commands, in suitable part to communicate and control the operation of the mine clearing system and the mine clearing machinery in it as a system element.

[0149] Operator Ope of the mine clearing machine system 300 can be internal operator Ope, i.e. a driver of the prime mover M (prime mover in Figs 1, 2 and / or 3), or a remote operator outside the system vicinity as such, in a further physical location as illustrated by the operator Ope drawn outside the system, as illustrative dashed lined box for the system 300, although being operating the system 300 from the location that can be in location not further than 5 seconds away from the system 300 as measured by the propagation time of the electric or optical communication signal delivered between the Operator Ope and prime mover M. Such an embodiment may be useful, if extremely powerful explosives or even tactical nukes are suspected being present in the minefield. The delivery time may comprise also time consumed by the electronics in the used communication channel.

[0150] A drone Dr (also Drl in Fig 1) can be embodied to communicate with any other system element or operator of the mine clearing machinery system 300, to provide data (video, photos, lidar data etc.,) as well as to operate as a link between the access point Acc and an operator Ope and / or the prime mover M, for data acquisition as well as for remote controlling the prime mover M, and / or ta carriage like the CAR, to push and guide the flail in the flail entity 102E.

[0151] For the safety reasons, the mine clearing machinery system 300 can be provided by a Geiger-counter, pressurized ionization chamber, or other radiation detector (even for neutrons), which is illustrated by the symbolic item G representative of such as a peripheral in the system as a system element. In an embodiment variant, also a simple gamma spectrometer can be obtained, such as a Sodium Iodide Crystal (Nal), or other crystal-based detector, which is illustrated by the symbol Nal, without any intention to limit the crystal composition only to Sodium Iodide detector type. The metal detector can be integrated with the radiation detection equipment in suitable part, into a detector package comprised in the mine clearing machinery 200, according to an embodiment, preferably in carriage CAR (optionally in CARb or CARf, or as distributed therebetween in suitable part). A skilled person in the art knows from the embodiments and the context also that the infrastructure to belong to the mentioned peripherals as being present in such embodiments for the operation.

[0152] The item pP is illustrative of a microprocessor of a computer or a comparably operable microcontroller being present to be used in the controlling of the peripherals that are present in the mine clearing machinery 200 of the mine clearing machinery system 300, as such, or via a placement to a carriage like the CAR, but alternatively also to the prime mover M side, also in a further alternative to a back carriage CARb.

[0153] According to an embodiment, the mine clearing can be made in accordance with the method 500 illustrated in Fig 5. The method 500 comprises providing 501 an embodied mine clearing machinery 200. The method also comprises providing 502 a prime mover M, for the connection 503 of such to the mine clearing machinery 200 of a mine clearing machinery system 300. The connection is made 503, and power transmission coupled 504, if used in the embodiment variant (like in Figs 1, 2 and / or 3 associated embodiments). The flail 102 of a flail entity 102E of the mine clearing machinery 200 is pushed and directed 505 to the suspected minefield according to the method 500. The flail members 101 of the mine clearing machinery 200 penetrate (101, 101B, 101D) and / or beat (101B, 101C) the ground while the mine clearing machinery 200 being pushed ahead by the prime mover M, the dust forming as such being neutralized by water spraying (i.e. Fig 3, item ATM), if needed. Optionally, microbes that eat explosives are sprayed 506 within the water. Optionally, the radiation level of the site is monitored and / or gamma spectrum measured to detect 507 potential presences of radionuclides.

[0154] Optionally, the environment is observed 509 by a drone from air, to provide video, photos and / or lidar data to see through vegetation, such pictorial data to be used in driving of the prime mover M for / by an operator Ope. The method 500 being repeated according to the phases 501 to 509 during studying through the suspected area as a minefield, and so as being treated to the predetermined set mining depth (Md, Fig 6A fir example).

[0155] In case of signs of nuclear material-based radioactivity being encountered, the area will be evacuated to a safety distance, so that if the mine detection must be continued further by the mine clearing machinery system 300 as remote controlled and / or autonomously, at least the human beings being in safe location.

[0156] In Fig 6 a shield Sh is illustrated to protect the operator, prime mover M as well as peripherals Ph of the mine clearing machinery 200 which would be at the left (but not shown in whole in Fig 6 as such), similarly as illustrated in Fig 1, 1C, 2 and 3, but is not further shown in Fig 6 as such. The shield Sh protection is set to direct the explosion front, upwards and front to the propagation direction of the mine clearing machinery 200, for avoidance of ballistic mine remains to fall on the prime mover M or carriage CAR, if a land mine detonation were occurred, as the propagation direction in Fig 6 were to right in the Fig 6 example, (if there were the prime mover M connected to the beam 104, as at left to the beam 104, as in Fig 3, or via a carriage CAR). This directing effect is achieved by the curved form of the shield Sh and its placement at the location near or at the beam 103B (the position being apparent from the Fig 2 fork), in a forking structure as illustrated in Fig 2 about the beam 103B. The curvature of the shield Sh is mild at the upper parts, so to allow the explosion residual gases to spread effectively by giving space for expansion of the residual explosion gases, but directed to up and front, especially to forward directions, because of the curvature of the shield Sh guiding by the concave side the gases, to directions that are not so dangerous for the devices or peripherals themselves, or to the potential operators behind the shield Sh at the convex side of the shield.

[0157] One or more ploughs such as Pig and Plg2 (Figs 6, 6A) can be used at alternative placements as indicated in the example of Fig 6A, to correspond with various mining depths Md. According to the terrain and the specific mine field therein, the ploughs can be, diversified in direction as spread in perpendicular direction to the propagation direction.

[0158] Alternatively such a shield Sh can be placed to the front of the carriage CAR (compared to Fig 6, as the carriage CAR would be left, as embodied in example in Fig 3), so to protect the peripheral devices, too, in such an embodiment that also uses the carriage CAR to suspend the beam between the flail 102E and the prime mover M as an entity to comprise translatory motor with the power engine. It is also possible to use double shielding in an embodiment, i.e. shield in both locations, as illustrated by the locations in Fig 1 and in Fig 6. According to an embodiment variant the beams 103 and the beam 104 as respective front beam and back beam can be provided, with several locations for shield Sh that location correspond explosion forces of different mines by the material strength to tolerate such explosion forces at such explosion to occur at the flail 102E.

[0159] According to an embodiment, the beam parts 104a and 104b (also 103 as a composition of similar parts as the parts 104a and 104b) can be telescopic parts. According to a further variant, such parts 103 and / or 104 can operate as a housing for a shock absorber, or mechanical power transmission tunnels, if applicable.

[0160] Although the schematic Fig 6 does not explicitly show supporting beams from the shield- back surface to the beams 103, 103B 104, 104B, as such, a skilled person in the art knows, that the shield Sh can have such supports to make and improve the shield Sh to tolerate moderate explosions without considerable damage, especially as it is assumed that the flail's 102E rotating drum 102 particularly, with the flails in action to get involved into detonation, would receive the major part of the explosion forces in an event of detonating a landmine directly. According to an embodiment variant the shield Sh can be provided with a magnet to pick up small fragments from the soil. According to an embodiment, such a magnet can be embodied to the shield Sh, to the side that would receive the explosion forces. The embodiment is beneficial in that as there can be small parts of mines that can still detonate as secondary explosives, as parts of clustered explosives of a prime mine for examples. Also a magnetic detonation can occur, and consequently one could be more in safety at the rear side than at the frontal side of shield when an explosion occurs. The item 608 can be embodied as a shock absorber container, i.e. as a cage of sandbags (i.e. like 108 in Fig 1), water container or other holder of explosion shock absorber material to be used as shock absorber, shrapnel and / or fragment stopper. The position can vary, depending on the mines in the minefield.

[0161] Fig 6A illustrates mining depths Md as such in a mine field, where landmines according to the acronyms Landmine and Landmine2 are illustrated respectively to surface with zero mining depth for the Landmine, and with deeper mining depth Md for the Landmine2. As illustrated schematically the plough Pig can be set for the mining depth for the Landmine, (at the surface with zero mining depth), and the Plough Plg2 for the mining depth for the Landmine2, in accordance with the embodied details of Fig 6. The order of the ploughs can be chosen according to the available information of the mine field and the consequential mining depths of the mines used in the field in question. According to some embodiments, in the mine clearing machinery, several ploughs can be used in side-by-side configuration to achieve a certain ploughing width, potentially at the track positions of the wheels or tracks of the prime mover, so to avoid running over a mine in certain mining depths that could be left into the shadows of the mine clearing.

[0162] List of reference numerals

[0163] 100 Extended mine clearing distance to minimize risk to the prime mover M,

[0164] M Prime mover,

[0165] 101 A rod as a flail-member of an ensemble of flail-members of a flail,

[0166] 101A A rod part of a flail, also in alternative flail configurations with extension part length H,

[0167] 101B A rod part as a spike, with its length L, alternatively a primary chain with length L, with a hammer end

[0168] 101C A pivoting member of a flail, to enable to pivot flail parts in respect to each other,

[0169] 101D A rod part as a spike, as a flail part extension at the position in question at the flail part, alternatively embodied by a hammer, 102E A flail entity comprising quickly replaceable / changeable module (comprising for example rotary flail, electromagnetic shrapnel collector, plough / blade etc.)module comprising the(entity),

[0170] 102 A flail as a rotary flail, tiller, or other mechanical mine clearance device, having flail members directly attached to the rotary axle or flail-member drum, cylinder, or truss, as a part of the flail 102 of a flail entity,

[0171] 102R A rubber mat, as a dust trap, the rubber mat as to double as a dust trap to reduce upwards dust / dirt ejection and can also even out the dirt that has moved by the rotary flail,

[0172] 103 A beam, embodied as a front beam, comprising optionally cardan axle and / or tunnel for such and / or a tunnel for a motor operable hydraulically or electrically. The beam can alternatively have a chassis for a drive belt such as v-belts or cogged belts and the pulleys for the power transmission to the flail entity and its flail rotation,

[0173] 103e A mechanical extension to a beam 103 for a plough system comprising one or more ploughs,

[0174] 103B, A beam, transversal to beam 103, comprising optionally cardan axle with conical gear wheels,

[0175] 104, A beam as a back beam and its respective part, comprising optionally cardan axle and / or shock absorber in suitable part, can be composed of parts 104a and 104b for a swiveled and / or telescopic structure,

[0176] 104a, 104b Telescopic frame / boom, to a) facilitate the extended mine clearing distance, b) function as a shock load disconnect from the prime mover, and c) be retractable for transport, d) housing for an absorber to absorb land mine detonation-based shock caused to the flail preventing the shock being relayed to the prime mover,

[0177] 105 an initial mine blast shield against shrapnels explosion shock and gases etc.

[0178] 106 Water-filled or pneumatic rubber tyres, to support and stabilize the machinery. Additional functions can comprise a) to detonate possible ordnance missed by the rotary flail, and b) function as a secondary blast shield,

[0179] 107 Steering by steering means (pivoting or Ackermann steering) to facilitate maneuvering of the mine clearing machinery,

[0180] 108 a cage as a housing for sandbags, as the third blast shield and adds mass and hence stability (reducing the need to transport sand from one destination to another),

[0181] 109 Smoothing blade at a shield Sh location, to smoothen the terrain after the de-mining action of the flail 102, simultaneously also preventing lifted mines or parts thereof to drift to the prime mover M or underneath,

[0182] 120 tracks of a track system, can be implemented by rubber tracks to replace pneumatic tyres where applicable in order to a) lower the minimum velocity of the prime mover to facilitate mine clearing operations, and / or b) lower the ground pressure to reduce risk of setting off land mines / ordnance,

[0183] 130 Hydraulic power pack, with the peripherals in accordance with Fig 4, the hydraulic power pack can be operated by the power take-off (PTO) of the prime mover M that is used power the mine clearing machinery,

[0184] 140 Metal detector for documenting metallic ordnance, shrapnel etc. for example using GPS in a digital coordinate system, Metal detector can be embodied as a member of detector package,

[0185] 150 Marking paint dispenser for physical marking of the metal detector readouts, the detected findings can be marked by a tag with a detection result specific color,

[0186] 200 A mine clearing machinery in accordance with the embodiments of the present disclosure,

[0187] 300 A mine clearing machinery system comprising a mine clearing machinery in accordance with the present disclosure,

[0188] 608 A shock absorber container,

[0189] A A bearing assembly for the flail 102E, with in a beam 103 for the rotation axle through the flail's flail-member drum,

[0190] Acc An access point for the communication between the mine clearing machinery system elements, wirelessly for radiocommunication, optical communication, lidar, or wired communication from a distance,

[0191] ATM An atomizer or a spraying nozzle to spray water, tracers and / or micro-organisms in solution, to operate as a de-dusting means, as an optional system element of a mine clearing machinery system, similar can be comprised for paint disperser, ATM can be operable electrically and / or pneumatically.

[0192] C Coupling means, A Coupler, to couple mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic and / or electric parts of the mine clearing machinery to a source of power in such form,

[0193] CAR A carriage, with wheels or tracked rolls,

[0194] CARb A carriage like CAR, comprising peripherals according to the position at the back (-b) of the prime mover M, also alternatively or in addition behind the CAR or CARf, also alternatively as suspended to the prime mover M as prime mover -borne, i.e. without tracked rolls or wheels,

[0195] CARf A carriage as CAR, can comprise peripherals, also those according to the position at the front (-f) of the prime mover M, but behind the flail and preferably behind at least one shield,

[0196] Dp Detection package with peripherals illustrated further in association to Fig 4 and accompanied disclosure thereof, Dr, Dr2 A drone as an optional system element as a part of the mine clearing machinery system 300 embodiment. The drone can comprise a detection package Dp (i.e. as in Dr2 as a system element, too)

[0197] Ele Connection in C for electricity, for the electronic peripherals in CAR (also CARb, CARf),

[0198] G Geiger counter

[0199] GPS A satellite position system, an access to such.

[0200] Ground a schematic ground level, also as Ground level,

[0201] Hole(s) A plurality of through breath channels as embodied as holes for a blast breathable flail cylindrical drum,

[0202] Hyd Connection in C for hydraulic line, for hydraulic peripherals in CAR (also CARb, CARf),

[0203] Landmine a landmine, like Landmine2 as another one,

[0204] M A prime mover, Motor, Prime mover as a motor engine to provide translatory movement to the mine clearing machinery, can be embodied as a tractor. Provider for the power of flail rotation directly or indirectly,

[0205] Md Mining depth,

[0206] Meeh Connection in Coupler C for providing mechanical power, for rotational movement of axles relayed by CAR (also CARb, CARf in suitable part), and further to flail in some embodiments,

[0207] Mine A landmine, like Landmine,

[0208] Ope An operator location, with a remote controller at the site, for an operator,

[0209] Ph Peripherals, as system elements to support the mine clearing machinery in the system, pP Microprocessor of a computer in the mine clearing machinery system to control the system operation and the parts thereof.

[0210] Pig, Plg2 A plougher, as a lifter to lift landmines from soils as an option, also as in optional positions,

[0211] Pneu Connection in C for pneumatic line, for pneumatic peripherals in CAR (also CARb, CARf),

[0212] Sh A blast shield against explosion, to shield and / or guide explosions front, can be implemented as a steel blast shield as the fourth layer of protection from mine blast effects, as implemented for example by a Steel ply rubber blast mat, so to absorb initial mine blast and shrapnels as the primary blast shield,

[0213] SWL A lockable swivel, with an open and / or closed locked position,

[0214] W Rolling system, such as tyres / wheels or tracked rolls. Tyres or wheels can be salt water filled or pneumatic.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A mine clearing machinery (200) comprising:- an ensemble of beams (103), (103B), (104) forming a fork-structure of a flail entity (102E), the flail entity (102E) comprising a flail (101, 102),-the flail (102), of a flail entity (102E), comprising a cylindrical flail-member drum with an ensemble of assembled flail members (101) as mine breaking elements (101) thereon, forming together said flail (102),-the cylindrical flail-member drum (102) being suspended to a bearing assembly (A), (103) for rotational movement of the flail (102) of the flail entity (102E), around a rotation axle between the bearings (A) mount to respective beams (103) forming said fork structure (103, 103B) by an ensemble of beams (103, 103B) of the flail entity (102E),-a coupler (C) at a remote end of a pushing beam (104), coupled to said fork (103, 103B) at its (104) distal end part (104B) of the flail entity (102E), to couple to a prime mover (M) for translatory movement of the flail entity (102E), via the pushing on the pushing beam (104), (104a), (104b).

2. The mine clearing machinery (200) according to claim 1, comprising a blast breathable cylindrical flail drum (102).

3. The mine clearing machinery (200) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein it comprises such coupling means (C) that comprise coupling means to a prime mover (M) for the power transmission connected to the beam with a cardan axle therein (103), (104), (104a), (104b), (104B) as power transmission means to provide active rotation mechanical power feed.

4. The mine clearing machinery (200) according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the mine clearing machinery (200) comprises a carriage (CAR) with rolling means (W) such as tyres / wheels and / or tracked rolls in a tracked roll system (W), being suspended to said carriage (CAR) and powered to rotate by said transmission and cardan axle via the connection of the coupling means (C), or via a hydraulic line or an electric line to the respectively operable motor in the carriage (CAR).

5. The mine clearing machinery (200) according to anyone of the previous claims comprising a lockable and releasable swivel or telescopic coupling point (Swl) at the beam (103), (103B), (104), (104B), between said coupler (C) and said flail entity 102E and / or between the said carriage (CAR) and said prime mover (M).

6. The mine clearing machinery (200) according to anyone of the previous claims that comprises for the beams (103), (103B), (104), (104a), (104b), (104B) one or more positions with a swivel (Swl) implementation, such that in addition to the operationposition for the beams (103), (103B), (104), (104a), (104b), (104B) straight in duty for the clearing distance, includes at least one folded transportation position for at least one of said beams as folded and locked at at least one of the swivels (SWL).

7. The mine clearing machinery (200) according to anyone of the previous claims that comprises at least one explosion protection shield (Sh), as being positioned between flail (102) of the flail entity (102E) and the carriage (CAR), and / or between carriage (CAR) and the coupling means (C), advantageously at least one protection shield (Sh) between the flail (102) of the flail entity (102E) and the carriage (CAR).

8. The mine clearing machinery (200) according to anyone of the previous claims, further comprising a plougher means (Pig, Plg2) as lifter to plough up mines from the land, the plougher (Pig, Plg2) having a quick attachment to the flail entity (102E), wherein the quick attachment comprises an attachment of an excavator bucket at the plough (Pig, Plg2) side and its counterpart at the flail entity (102E) and / or the beam (103), (103B).

9. The mine clearing machinery (200) according to anyone of the previous claims, further comprising at least one of the following:- a water tank and an atomizer (ATM) to spray mist or a spraying nozzle to spray water droplets onto the ground at the flail drum (102) entry area to minefield for de-dusting.-an atomizer (ATM) or spraying nozzle (ATM) and a liquid feed line of water from a water tank with micro-organism suspension, said atomizer or spraying nozzle (ATM) arranged to spray the liquid that comprises micro-organisms that eat at least one of the following: RDX, TNT, Picric acid, hexogen, C4, another organic molecule-based explosive,- a paint marking means, such as a spray can, for marking detected and neutralized land mine locations, and- a detector package (Dp) comprising at least one of the following: metal detector(140), Geiger counter (G) and / or Spectrometer (Nal),- a second atomizer (ATM) or spraying nozzle (ATM) and a second feed line arranged to spray water with such micro-organisms in the liquid, which illuminate in UV- radiation when exposed to said explosives and UV-radiation, so to mark locations of the explosives such as duds or landmines, to be detected by a drone from the air above.

10. The mine clearing machinery (200) according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the flail (102) of the flail entity (102E) comprises at flail members (101) an ensembleof spikes (101B), (101D), (H) to stick to the land in transversal or second positional direction to said flail-members (101).

11. The mine clearing machinery (200) according to anyone of the previous claims, wherein the mine clearing machinery (200) comprises a remote controlled operational (Ope) terminal and / or a self-driving prime mover (M).

12. The mine clearing machinery (200) according to anyone of the previous claims, wherein the mine clearing machinery (200) comprises a magnet to collect metal as a magnetic collector and / or to detonate a magnetic igniter of a magnetically detonatable mines, as a magnetic detonator.

13. The mine clearing machinery (200) according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the mine clearing machinery is adapted to a mine clearing machinery standard (International Mine Action Standard on Mechanical Demining).

14. Mine clearing machinery system (300), comprising a mine clearing machinery according to anyone of the previous claims and further at least one of the following:-a drone (Dr) in functional communication via an access point (Acc) with the mine clearing machinery (200)- a controller (pP) of the prime mover (M).

15. Use of an agricultural tractor as the prime mover for the prime mover (M) within the mine clearing machinery system (300) according to claim 14 comprising a mine clearing machinery (200) according to anyone of the claims 1 to 13.

16. Use of the mine clearing machinery system (300) according to claim 14 in suspected mine field with nuclear mines.

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