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US 3,963,275 AGranted
Method of breaking free-standing rock boulders
AssigneePhysics International Company
InventorsCharles S. Godfrey, John D. Watson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Free-standing boulders or rocks are fractured and broken down into many smaller pieces by impacting the boulder with a high velocity projectile. The impact energy is delivered to the rock by a blunt nosed projectile in a time which is less than the transit time of a sound signal across the average diameter of the rock.
Claims9
The method of fragmenting a free-standing boulder comprising
- determining the average diameter of said boulder to determine the time required for sound to traverse said average diameter
- determining the compressive strength of said boulder,
- selecting a projectile having a mass which will establish an impact stress within said boulder greater than the compressive strength of the boulder, when impacted upon said boulder with a velocity which causes an energy transfer to said boulder within a time less than said determined time,
- loading said cannon with said selected projectile,
- loading said cannon with a charge which when detonated will cause said projectile to impact upon said boulder with said velocity, aiming said cannon at said boulder, and detonating said charge.
2 more elements
The method of fragmenting a free-standing boulder comprising
- selecting a projectile having a mass on the order of 10 pounds, and a diameter and length on the order of 5 inches,
- loading a cannon with said projectile,
- loading said cannon with a charge which, when detonated causes said projectile to impact said boulder with a velocity on the order of 5000 ft/sec.,
- aiming said cannon at said boulder,
- detonating said charge to apply a compressive stress to said boulder by said projectile when it impacts, which exceeds the compressive strength of said boulder.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.