Method and apparatus for rendering safe unexploded ordnance

A method for rendering safe an unexploded military ordnance item, which method comprises:

• a) providing:
• i) a source of compressed air, ii) a source of hydraulic power, iii) a system for delivering abrasive material to a high pressure waterjet cutting head, iv) a source of electrical power, v) a source of fresh water, vi) a control system;
• and vii) an apparatus for deploying a tool package containing a plurality of tools for accessing and recovering internal material from said ordnance item;
• b) locating an unexploded military ordnance item to render safe;
• c) lowering a tool package into place above said targeted military ordnance item, which tool package containing a circular base plate having an annular through-hole of a size that will allow each tool of said tool package to reach through said through-hole to perform its intended work on a targeted military ordnance item under said through-hole, which circular base plate is supported by two legs, 180 degrees apart, and which legs, at their opposite ends are secured at opposite ends of a cross beam, which tool package contains a plurality of tools radially positioned about a moveable turntable wherein the tools of said tool package are positioned in an array about said turntable, and which turntable also contains an annular through-hole for each tool, which though-holes are of substantially the same size as the through-hole in said circular base plate, which tools including:
• i) a high pressure waterjet cutting tip capable of cutting a plug of casing out of said ordnance item;
• ii) a tool capable of removing said plug of casing material;
• iii) a waterjet head having at least one jet capable of delivering an effective jet of water at a pressure capable of washing out at least a portion of any material from the interior of said military ordnance item, which tool package, at its bottom contains a curved ordnance item holding structure having a radius of curvature substantially that of the targeted military ordnance item;
• and which tool package contains a waterjet cleaning head which is moved over the length of said ordnance item and activated to deliver a jet of water of sufficient pressure to remove any contaminant material, such as bioencrustacean growth on the surface of said ordnance item;
• d) maneuvering said tool package over the targeted ordnance item so that the ordnance item holding device is directly over the targeted ordnance item;
• e) lowering the tool package so that the ordnance item holding device makes contact with and secures said ordnance item;
• f) rotating the turntable until the high-pressure abrasive waterjet cutting head tool is aligned with the annular through-hole in both the turntable and said circular base plate;
• g) lowering the abrasive cutting head through said annular through-hole in said base plate to the surface of the casing of said targeted ordnance item,
• h) activating said abrasive waterjet cutting head and cutting a predetermined diameter plug out of the casing of said ordnance item;
• i) deactivating said abrasive waterjet and raising the cutting head to its resting position;
• j) rotating the turntable until the plug-removal tool is aligned with said annular through-hole of the circular base;
• k) lowering said removal tool through the annular through-hole and removing the plug, thereby exposing the internal material within the ordnance item casing;
• l) raising the plug removal tool to above said circular base;
• m) rotating the turntable until the wash-out waterjet head is directly over the annular through-hole of the base plate;
• and
• n) lowering the waterjet wash-out head into the interior of said ordnance item and activating the washout waterjet and washing out and recovering at least a portion of the internal material from the interior of said ordnance item.