Combustion apparatus for generating repetitive explosions
AssigneeSouthwest Research Institute
InventorsRosser B. Melton, Jr., John W. Colburn, Jr., Charles D. Wood, III
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Abstract
Staged combustion apparatus is disclosed for generating repetitive explosions. The apparatus includes a first chamber in which a gas under pressure is ignited by an ignition source, such as a spark plug, and a second chamber in which gas under pressure is ignited by gas discharging from the first chamber. The second chamber includes a discharge outlet and a dump valve is provided responsive to the gas pressures in the two chambers for permitting the discharge of gas under pressure from the second chamber when it is ignited. The gas discharge, for example, may be conducted about the tooth of a ripper plow to aid in earth fracture.
Claims5
Apparatus employing repetitive explosions for earth fracture, comprising, in combination:
- a tractor;
- ripper means mounted on said tractor and adapted to penetrate the earth;
- staged combustion apparatus for generating repetitive explosions in the earth adjacent said ripper means, said staged combustion apparatus comprising a first chamber including an inlet in said chamber adapted to be connected to a source of combustible fluid, ignition means mounted in said first chamber for igniting fluid therein, a second chamber adjacent said first chamber and including an outlet for repetitive discharge of ignited fluid under pressure, means providing for fluid communication from said first chamber to said second chamber, and valve means disposed in said second chamber for preventing the passage of fluid under pressure from said second chamber into said outlet except when the pressure in said second chamber exceeds the pressure in said first chamber by a predetermined amount;
- and
- duct means connected to said outlet for conducting gas under pressure externally of said ripper means from said outlet for dicharge into the earth adjacent an end of said ripper means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.