METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR MOUNTING CLAYMORE MINES

Abstract: A device for mounting claymore mines on an upstanding support at a selected elevation and angle above the ground, comprising a mounting member having a pair of channel members (1-2) hinged together near a first end by a pivot member to allow the channel members (1-2) to be outwardly displaced by a limited amount at their free end and including a brace (7) hinged to the pivot member to be displaceable to form a tripod with the outwardly displaced channel members (1-2) and flexible holding means (29) on the channel members (1-2) to encircle the uptstanding support (30), the channel members having apertures (22-23) to receive the mounting spikes (18-19) of the claymore mine.

Description: "METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR MOUNTING CLAYMORE MINES" This invention relates to a method and means for mounting claymore mines and in particular it relates to improvements to a mounting for mines of the type which comprise a fracturable case contain- ing in it a shaped charge of"an explosive material adapted to propel forwardly from the mine a series of slugs such as steel balls, into an area of ambush. These mines as constructed at present are provided with a series of spikes which project downwardly to form a support which holds the mines a short distance above the surface of the ground, there usually being two split spikes arranged one on one side of the central plane of the discharge direction of the mine and the second on the other side of the central plane, each spike having its two parts hinged so as to allow a four point contact with the ground whereby the mine can be relatively stably supported on the ground. The hinging of the two parts of each spike is such that the two parts can be brought together and folded for transit. In operation these mines provide their own stability during an explosion when the mine is detonated, and for this reason the force of the explosion rearwardly of the mine gives the necessary reaction to propel the slugs forwardly in the generally opposite direction. To be able to achieve this stability it is necessary to position the mine at a location where a clear area exists to the rear of the mine as well as to the front of the mine. Problems with the present use of these mines are to be able to achieve the required rearward clear area as the mine is in close proximity to the ground surface and also this proximity raises dust, but more importantly the aim of the mine, and thus its angle, has to be carefully selected because the slugs are discharged from a low point and require to be projected somewhat upwardly at an angle for maximum effect. The object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of using such mines and an improved apparatus for use in such a method. The method consisting in mounting the mine on one side of a tree trunk or post, generally referred to herein as an upstanding support, so that a clear area is presented forwardly of the mine as well as rearwardly of the mine, the method including the steps of attaching a mounting member to the side of the upstanding support, securing the mounting member to the upstanding support by a tie member, and supporting the mine by means of its spikes on the mounting member. The device comprises a mounting member comprising a pair of channel members which are hinged to lie one adjacent of the other but are capable of being spread-apart, at one end about pivoting means positioned at or near the other end, the mounting member also including a brace which can be swung downwardly from the channel members to contact the tree or post at a lower area, tie means such as a cord being provided to hold the mounting member against the upstanding support, such as a tree or post, in a stable manner. When it is desired to mount the mine for an ambush the mounting member is opened out by spreading the two channel members about their interconnecting pivot and moving the brace downwardly, and the base 5 end of a tripod so formed is then positioned against the upstanding support and pulled firmly against it by means of the tie member which attaches to the channel members and is of a dimension to secure the mounting member firmly in position. ~ lθ The claymore mine then has its spikes, after positioning the two parts of each split spike together or spreading the parts of one spike, inserted through: apertures in the channel members, the one split . spike at the one side engaging an aperture at the 15 spread end of one of the channel members or when opened out engaging apertures in the two channel members, with the split spike at the other end passing through an aperture adjacent to the pivot between the two channel members, so that the mine is then 20 held above the mounting member in generally parallel alignment therewith, and can be accurately positioned to face the ambush area. It will .be realised that the mounting member can be adjusted by first engaging the spread ends " 25 of the channel members against the upstanding member, . these members being provided with sharp ends to ensure an effective grip-, and then adjusting the 'angle in a horizontal plane by appropriately position¬ ing "the diagonal brace to cause its end to engage 30 " the upstanding member to hold the mounting member at its correct angle. The diagonal brace can have a brace extension pivoted to it which can be arranged to be appropriately positioned so as to extend the length of the diagonal brace when it is angularly disposed so that when the mounting member is in its folded position it has minimum storage length. To enable the invention to be fully understood an embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a mounting member engaged on a tree trunk and supporting a claymore mine, FIG. 2 is a partly sectioned plan of the mounting member opened out ready to be engaged on the upstanding suppor , FIG. 3 is a part sectional side elevation of same, FIG. 4 is an underside view of the mounting member folded, and FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the mounting member folded. The actual construction of the mounting member shown in the drawings comprises a pair of channel members 1 and 2 which fit together in a parallel arrangement with their flanges overlapping when the mount is folded, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 but which can be opened about a pivot member 3 to a required angle, the two end portions 4 and 5 of the channel members 1 and 2 projecting past the pivot member 3 at one end and having the flanges of the said channel member angled at 6 to limit outward displacement of the other ends of the mounting member. The diagonal brace 7 is connected by a pivot 8 at one end to the pivot member 3 referred to, and which is positioned inside of the channel members 1 and 2, and when the channel members are in their folded position the brace 7 lies inside of the channel members 1 and 2 but when the channel members have their serrated ends 9 and 10 spread-apart but limited in the outward spread by the angled ends 6 of the channel members 1 and 2 engaging the web 11 of the channel members 1 and 2 thus allowing the diagonal brace 7 to be swung downwardly and a brace extension 12 on its end moved outwardly to lengthen the diagonal brace so that the channel members 1 and 2 of the mounting member can be held in a horizontal position with downward thrust taken by the diagonal brace 7, a sharpened end 13 of which engages the trunk of a tree or a post. The brace extension 12 is held to the diagonal brace 7 by the pivot pin 14 and is limited in its movement by the brace extension engaging the web of the diagonal brace 7 which is of channel shaped cross-section. The pivot member 3 has trunnions 15 and 16 which form the actual pivots about which the channel members 1 and 2 move and by which they are held together. The lower flange of the channel members 1 and 2 are cut away as shown at 17 to allow the diagonal brace 7 to swing down when the channel members 1 and 2 are spread-apart. The mounting of the mine is, as mentioned earlier, by engaging the spikes 18 and 19 of the mine 20 which are normally used as legs to support the mine from the ground, in apertures 22 and 23 in the channel members 1 and 2, and as the mine has two split spikes 18 and 19 which are spaced-apart, these spaced-apart spikes 18 and 19 can conveniently engage the apertures 22 and 23 in one of the channel members 1 or 2 of the mounting member, or the apertures 23 in each channel member when the split spike is opened, while the split spike at the other side, in folded position, engages the aperture 22 through the overlapping channel members adjacent to the pivot member 3 which engages the two channel members. It will be realised that in claymore mines, as shown in FIG. 1 the pivots 24 and 25 allow the two parts of the spikes to be opened out to form four ground supports when used prior to this .invention, but can be brought together as illustrated to lie in a parallel arrangement. The two channel members 1 and 2 are provided with holding means 27 and 28 to engage a cord 29 extending from these members around the trunk of a tree 30 or other upstanding member so that the channel members 1 and 2 are pulled tightly against the tree trunk 30 when the cord 29 is tensioned and the angle of projection from the tree trunk 30 of the channel members 1 and 2 can then be fixed by the position of the diagonal brace 7 to ensure that the mine is held in a selected, usually horizontal, position. The holding means 27 consist of an aperture in the channel member 1 through which the cord with one end knotted is passed, the holding means 28 comprising a bracket with a "Vee" groove to engage and hold the , other end portion of the cord 29. From the foregoing it will be realised that by appropriately positioning the mounting member for the claymore mine at a selected height above the ground and on the side of a tree trunk or post or other upstanding member, a clear area to the front facing the ambush zone is readily achievable while at the rear a clear area can also exist because the device is no longer in close proximity to the ground and areas can be chosen where at this elevation no tree trunks or the like exist which would upset the explosive balance of the mine when it is detonated. Another great advantage resulting from this mounting is that the mine can be located at a height where it will be most effective in an ambush condition in that it can be aimed at any particular downward angle depending on its elevation and a better trajectory of the slugs results. Because the claymore mine is itself stable during the explosion and uses the rearward blast to hold it in position while projecting the slugs forwardly, the mounting member can readily hold the mine and greater accuracy can be assumed because of the possibility of very carefully mounting the mounting member to locate the mine in its most effective position.

Claims: THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1. The method of mounting claymore mines which comprise a fracturable case containing an explosive charge and slugs arranged to be projected forwardly by the explosive charge while the force of the explosion acting rearwardly provides the reactive force for the forward projection of the slugs, the said fracturable case having support spikes, character¬ ised by the steps of placing a mounting member into contact with an upstanding support at a selected height above the ground to project from the side of the said support in relation to the direction of projection of the slugs, adjusting the angle of the said mounting members, securing the said mounting member by resilient means encircling the said upstanding support, engaging the said claymore mine on the said mounting member, and detonating the explosive charge of the said claymore mine. 2. The method of claim 1 characterised by first extending the said mounting member to tripod form from a folded position, then engaging the extending ends of the said mounting member against the upstanding support, and securing the said mounting member against the said upstanding support by means of a cord passed around the said support and engaged on the said mounting member. 3. The method of claim 1 or 2 characterised by engaging support spikes extendable from the said claymore mine in apertures in the said mounting member. 4. A device for mounting claymore mines on an upstanding support at a selected elevation and angle above the ground comprising a mounting member adapted to be engaged on the side of the said upstand- ing support in relation to the direction of discharge of the said claymore mine characterised by a pair of channel members hinged together near a first end by a pivot member to allow the said channel members to be outwardly displaced at a second support- engaging end, means to limit the outward displacement, a brace hinged to the said pivot member to extend between the said channel members but displaceable to form a tripod with the said outwardly displaced channel members said brace having a support-engaging end, flexible means engageable on the said channel members to encircle the said upstanding support to pull the said support-engaging ends of the said tripod into contact with the said upstanding support, and means to support a claymore mine on the said mounting member. 5. A device for mounting claymore mines according to claim 1 characterised in that the said channel members have their flanges overlapping and in that the said pivot member is disposed between the said flanges and in that the said pivot member has a pair of end trunnions engaging apertures in the said flanges of the said channel members to form the pivoting means interconnecting the said channel members, and in that the said brace is connected to the said pivot member by a pivot pin having its axis normal to the axis of the said trunnions. 6. A device for mounting claymore mines according to claim 5 characterised in that the said flanges of the said channel members have cut-aways on one side to allow the said brace to be angled in relation to the said channel members when forming a tripod. 7. A device for mounting claymore mines according to claim 4 characterised in that the said brace is extendable in length. 8. A device for mounting claymore mines according to claim 7 characterised in that the said brace has pivoted to it at the end portion opposite to the said pivot member a brace extension arranged to be held in a locked overbalanced position when extended by engaging the web of the said brace. 9. A device for mounting claymore mines according to claim 4 characterised by spaced apertures in the said flanges adapted to engage spikes on the said claymore mine to support the said mine on the said mounting member. 10. A device for mounting claymore mines on an upstanding support at a selected elevation and angle above the ground comprising a mounting member adapted to be engaged on the side of the said upstand- ing support in relation to the direction of discharge of the said claymore mine characterised by a pair of channel members having flanges overlapping, a pivot member hinging together the said channel members near a first end, to allow the said channel members to lie together but to be outwardly displaced at a second support-engaging end said pivot member having axially aligned trunnions at each end engaging apertures in the said flanges, sloping surfaces on said flanges at said first end engageable against the webs of the said channel members to limit the said outward displacement, a diagonal brace hinged to the said pivot member by pivot means normal to the axis of the said trunnions to extend between the said channel members but displaceable to form a tripod with the said outwardly displaced channel members, cut-aways in the said flanges on one side to allow the said brace to be swung outwardly when the said channel members are outwardly displaced, a brace extension on the said brace at a support- engaging end, flexible means engageable on the said channel members adapted to encircle the said upstanding support to pull the said support-engaging ends of the said tripod formed when the said channel members and the said brace are swung outward into contact with the said upstanding support, and apertures in the said channel members to engage spikes on the said claymore mine to support the said claymore mine on the said mounting member. 11. A method and device for mounting claymore mines constructed and operating substantially as described and illustrated. -gTT EΛT- 4

Inventors: LANGFORD AUBREY FREDERICK WALT, LANGFORD, AUBREY, FREDERICK, WALTER
Applicants: COMMW OF AUSTRALIA, THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA CARE OF THE SECRETAR
Application year: 1983
Main classification: F42B23
IPC codes: F16M13, F42B23