Anti-personnel mine clearing system

A system for clearing mines from a mine field, comprising:

• a vehicle;
• a forward surface of the vehicle;
• mounting brackets on the forward surface;
• a first arm;
• a second arm;
• means for pivotably and releasably connecting the arms to the vehicle, the arms able to swing upward about their connections to the vehicle;
• means for minimizing side to side swing of the arms about the connecting means while allowing the arms to swing up and down relative to each other;
• and
• a roller wheel subassembly connected to the arms;
• wherein the minimizing means comprises a first cross member connected diagonally between the first arm and the second arm, the minimizing means further comprising a second cross member connected diagonally between the first arm and the second arm, the second cross member crossing over and spaced above the first cross member.

A system for clearing anti-personnel land mines from a mine field, comprising:

• a vehicle;
• a forward surface of the vehicle;
• mounting brackets on the forward surface;
• a blast shield at the forward surface;
• adapter elements fixed to the blast shield, engaged to the brackets and having surface contact with the forward surface;
• a first arm;
• a second arm;
• means for pivotably and releasably connecting the arms to the blast shield, the arms able to swing upward on the blast shield;
• means for minimizing side to side swing of the arms about the connecting means while allowing the arms to swing up and down relative to each other, the minimizing means comprising a first flexible cross member connected diagonally between the first arm and the second arm, the minimizing means further comprising a second flexible cross member connected diagonally between the first arm and the second arm, the second cross member crossing over and spaced above the first cross member;
• a boom on the vehicle;
• an eye on the boom;
• first nonrigid means for connecting the arms to the boom, the nonrigid means passing slidably through the eye;
• a roller wheel subassembly;
• second nonrigid means for connecting the roller wheel subassembly to the arms;
• an axle of the roller wheel subassembly;
• a set of roller wheels surrounding the axle, the roller wheels having inner wheel diameters greater than an axle diameter and;
• annular spacers surrounding the axle and alternated with the wheels, diameters of the spacers being larger than the inner wheel diameters but smaller than outer wheel diameters, wherein the wheels and spacers move independently of one another angularly and radially relative to the axle.