Tank mounted mine-field clearing apparatus

A tank having a selectably operated mine clearing capability comprising:

• a tank;
• a frame mountable onto said tank for selectable positioning in a raised or lowered orientation;
• apparatus mounted onto the frame for raising and shunting aside mines along the entire width of tank including:
• a plow section disposed in front of the tank and extending along the entire width of the tank and generally perpendicular to the direction of movement of the tank;
• a conveyor apparatus located directly behind the plow section, extending generally in a horizontal plane along the length thereof and generally coextensive therewith;
• a protective plate underlying said conveyor apparatus;
• said plow section defining a plurality of spaced plow teeth including a forwardly extending lower portion which, in a operation extends from below the ground surface to the conveyor surface, and a sharply slanted upper portion which leads to the conveyor surface, said protective plate separating said upper portion of said teeth from said lower portion of teeth, said plow section including said plow teeth and said conveyor apparatus cooperating to convey the contents of the earth raised by the plow section to one side of said vehicle.