Abstract:
This invention is about the art, science and technology of smoke screening. The three “areas of importance” are sea, land and air uses. During World War II military strategy was forever changed by the numerous offensive and defensive advantages created by the first ever effective large area smoke screen. Smoke screens were also used extensively during the Vietnam War. In wars since the Vietnam War there have been several military disasters—totally or partially—for not using smoke screens, it has been reported. This invention will eliminate leaking tanks, plugged up exhaust nozzles, loose control values, inaccurate gauges and regulators found in earlier and present smoke screen delivery systems. No new technology is required.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     This invention is about the art, science and technology of smoke screening. Smoke screen three “areas of release” are AIR, LAND and SEA. The “three areas of importance” of smoke screening tactics are at SEA, perhaps LAND use and surely AIR being last. This is my personal opinion for today&#39;s U.S. Military need for smoke screening during conflicts. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     Smoke screen development was tried for over 2,000 years by the greatest armies: the Romans, Vikings, Germans, British, Americans and others. It was a World War II invention that made a smoke screen a meaningful component in military planning. One of the earliest recorded uses of smoke screen in combat was the burning of green vegetation by the Romans. In all early smoke screen attempts the method employed was direct flame contact with combustible materials; these combustion methods were mostly uncontrollable. 
     An important improvement during World War I was the smudge pot that allowed the burning of oil by contact with a heated metal plate; this avoided direct flame contact. It was more controllable and it produced a much thicker smoke. However, large amounts of oil were required to make the amount of smoke needed. During World War II the Alonzo Patterson system was developed, and military strategy was forever changed by the numerous offensive and defensive advantages created by the first ever effective large area smoke screen; there have never been any complaints from the troops about health problems when using the Patterson smoke screen system. 
     Smoke screens were used extensively during the Vietnam War. In wars since the Vietnam War there have been several military disasters—totally or partially—for not using smoke screens. There is no training in the use of smoke screening in any of today&#39;s U.S. Military Forces, at least to my knowledge. However, some of the Marines&#39; assault amphibious vehicles (AAV7s), has an engine-generating smoke screen capability; they never use them for smoke screening. 
     This invention will eliminate leaking tanks, plugged up exhaust nozzles, loose control values, inaccurate pressure gauges and regulators found in earlier and present smoke screening systems. No high-pressure containers are required. No massive and bulky structures are needed. This invention is effective and relatively economical. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The four “basic methods of smoke production” for screening: (a) burning phosphorus in air; (b) burning pyrotechnic compositions; (c) vaporization and re-condensation of oils; and (d) dispersion of reactive liquids. In warfare screening smokes have three major functions: blinding, covering and deception. Smoke screening compositions have remained basically unchanged since World War II. However, methods of delivery have been improved to keep up with the rapid rise in the technology of modern weapons; at least up to the end of the Vietnam War. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of a portable smoke screen delivery system. 
         FIG. 2  is a rear view of the system. 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view of  FIG. 2  and with the exhaust equipment added. 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of a portable electric heater. 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the heater. 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view of a holding compartment of the system. 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of the smoke screen delivery system. 
         FIG. 8  is a block diagram of an electrical system of the smoke screen delivery system. 
         FIG. 9  is a side view of the smoke screen delivery system mounted on a flatbed truck. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the system mounted in a helicopter. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     First, there is PHOSPHORUS SMOKES (WHITE), the mostly used and effective screening smokes formed by burning elemental phosphorous in air. Phosphorous smoke clouds are very efficient. Phosphorous smokes can be delivered from mortar rounds, rockets, grenades and artillery projectiles. 
     Second, the aerosols formed by burning PYROTECHNIC COMPOSITIONS generally are composed of hydrated chloride salts. These mixtures are also found in smoke pots and grenades. 
     Third, OIL SMOKES (BLACK) are used when large areas must be screened for long periods of time. In general they are much less expensive than other methods. Oil smokes are produced by spraying diesel oil on the exhaust manifold of a vehicle and allowing the exhaust gas pressure to push the cloud from the vehicle or by using fog oil, a specially produced smoke oil, with mechanical smoke generators. 
     During World War II, the U.S. and its Allies used simultaneous operation of many fog oil generators to screen several square miles of port areas, staging zones and terrain from air observation. Farmers have used oil smoke for many years to prevent their fruit trees and other crops from freezing. 
     Fourth, there are the REACTIVE LIQUID SMOKES. The most common reactive smokes are chlorosulfonic acid that produces sulfuric acid smoke. Reactive liquids are highly corrosive and dangerous; they are no longer used by the Military. 
     This system  10  comprises 5 major sections: ( 1 ) AIR UNIT; ( 2 ) MIXING CONTAINER; ( 3 ) HOLDING COMPARTMENT; ( 4 ) EXHAUST EQUIPMENT; and ( 5 ) CONTROL PANEL ASSEMBLY. The sections can be separated, cleaned and stored. 
     Refer to  FIG. 1 , a front view. The air unit ( 1 ) is comprised of a right air intake  22 A and a left air intake  22 B, a right large electric fan  24 A and a left large electric fan  24 B. The unit is mounted on one front removable steering wheel  82  and two rear fixed wheels  84 . The holding compartment ( 3 ) is comprised of a front servo motor  42 A and a front rectangular-shaped bucket  44 A. The bucket  44 A is used for pouring any smoke making compound or element. There are four lifting handles  46  for the four top doors and twelve total tie-down rings or lifting rings  74  for three major sections. The control panel assembly ( 5 ) is comprised of a portable control panel  92  and its lifting handles  92 A, and a heavy-duty electric cable  94  that can be connected to a portable or fixed electric power supply. 
     Refer to  FIG. 2 , a rear view. The mixing container ( 2 ) is comprised of a mixing chamber  32  and a plurality of outlet holes  34 . The chamber  32  is where the smoke making composition, heat and air meet; then the smoke is forced out. For rapid discharge of the screening smoke there are eight holes  34 , four upper ones and four lower ones. The container is mounted on steerable rear wheels  88 . The holding compartment ( 3 ) is comprised of a rear servo motor  42 B, a rear rectangular shaped bucket  44 B and a chute  40 . The chute  40  has a rectangular opening. 
     Refer to  FIG. 3 , a sectional view. The exhaust equipment ( 4 ) has been added to this view and is comprised of discharge hoses H and their mounting and support parts. The screening smoke can be discharged up U and down D. The hoses H can be of any length and configuration. The holding compartment ( 3 ) is comprised of a chute  40  with a hole protruding into the mixing chamber  32 . Front and rear buckets  44 A and  44 B can hold any smoke making compound or element, two front and two rear top doors  48 , handles  46  for lifting the doors  48  and a divider  50  between the doors  48 . The mixing container ( 2 ) has a mixing chamber  32  and its outlet holes  34 . The container is mounted on steerable rear wheels  88  and fixed front wheels  86 . The air unit ( 1 ) produces an air-flow A and creates a pressure within the chamber  32 . A fan  24 B is shown. 
     Any number of fans, motors or buckets can be used, 1 to 10. The buckets can have any shape such as cylindrical, cubical or trapezoidal. 
     Refer to  FIGS. 4 and 5 : a top view and a side view of a heavy-duty heater  60 , respectively. The heavy-duty electric heater  60  is powered through a heavy-duty electric cable  60 A. The heater  60  is portable and is placed on the floor of the mixing chamber  32  under the chute  40 , see  FIG. 3 . It should provide very high temperature quickly. The cable  60 A can pass through a hole adjacent the fan  24 A and can be plugged into the portable control panel  92 , see  FIG. 8 . 
     Refer to  FIG. 6 : a sectional view of the holding compartment ( 3 ) removed from the system  10 . The buckets  44 A and  44 B are in their pouring positions. They can be operated together or one at a time. The buckets  44 A and  44 B can be filled by way of the top doors  48 , their lifting handles  46  are shown, and the divider  50  is between the doors  48 . The chute  40  is below. 
     Refer to  FIG. 7 : a top view of the system  10 . The wheels  82 ,  84 ,  86  and  88 , lifting rings or tie down rings  74 , servo motors  42 A and  42 B, outlet holes  34 , top doors  48  and their lifting handles  46 , the divider  50  and the chute  40  are shown. The wheels  82 ,  84 ,  86  and  88  should be solid, non-pneumatic tires. This would make the system  10  more durable and reliable. The portable control panel  92 , with its handles  92 A and input power cable  94 , are shown as well. 
     Refer to  FIG. 8 : a block diagram of the electrical system of this delivery system  10 . The fans  24 A and  24 B are located in the air unit ( 1 ) at the front of the system  10 , see  FIG. 7 . The motors  42 A and  42 B are located on the right side of the holding compartment ( 3 ). The electric heater  60  can be placed inside the mixing container ( 2 ) and connected to the control panel  92  by its cable  60 A. The panel  92  is powered through its input electric cable  94  from a portable or fixed power supply. 
     The control panel  92  should be designed to control each bucket  44 A or  44 B, each fan  24 A or  24 B and the heater  60 , separately and manually. For emergency—fast acting—one switch would automatically activate a fast sequence of: (1) very high temperature from the heater  60 , (2) a pouring of a bucket  44 A or  44 B or both, and (3) both fans  24 A and  24 B on a moderate speed. The air flow A should be just fast enough to blow the smoke out but not too fast as that could cause the temperature of the heater  60  to be lowered too much. A servo motor  42 A or  42 B should be able to turn a bucket  44 A or  44 B respectively, into several positions between upright and maximum pouring and back. 
     Refer to  FIGS. 1 and 2  again. The system  10 , if reduced to approximately half its size, will be able to fit on many vehicles. A MEANS FOR GENERATING AN AIR FLOW through the smaller system. Only one fan  24 A or  24 B will be used for this smaller size. A MEANS FOR HOLDING A SMOKE SCREENING COMPOSITION before pouring it, here will be two buckets like buckets  44 A and  44 B shown; but each will be approximately half their ordinary width W. The system  10  can have several sizes. Review  FIG. 3 . 
     A suggested method would be to add pepper spray to the smoke making composition. It would greatly annoy an adversary without killing them. This portable smoke screen delivery system  10 , I feel, would be excellent for ships that has high speeds (30 plus knots), but has light armor and/or light arms; a ship such as the Joint-High-Speed-Vessel (JHSV). A smoke screen would be a big help against a “swarm attack” of many small hostile boats as well. In addition it has the potential to be a helper in controlling unruly crowds. 
     In  FIG. 9 : a smaller version  10 A of the system  10  that can eject smoke up U and down D is shown on a flatbed truck FT. The front wheel has been removed. An even smaller version  10 B of the system  10  is shown in  FIG. 10 . The helicopter HC is a CH-53. The ramp R will be up and partially closed with the hoses HH hanging down when in flight. 
     Either phosphorus—heat—air (white smoke) or oil combustion (black smoke) for generating a smoke screen can be made with this delivery system  10 . White smoke is preferred over black smoke; it is a much more opaque protective screen. However, either smoke screen is good when your adversaries are close by. This smoke screen delivery system  10  is a great improvement over the past ones. 
     However, precautions still have to be observed:
         a) filling operations should be done in the open air;   b) all equipment should be thoroughly dry and cool before starting the filling operations; and   c) equipment should be thoroughly washed and dried after using to prevent corrosion.       

     Advantages of the present invention are the elimination of complicated operational instructions, low maintenance for the equipment, safer to operate, fast generation of a smoke screen, good effectiveness of the smoke screen and the portability of the system. No new technology is needed for this smoke screen delivery system.