Abstract:
An incendiary machine ( 10 ) comprises a feed and dispensing system ( 12 ), a priming system ( 20 ) and a control system. The feed and dispensing system ( 12 ) feeds a belt ( 14 ) of incendiary capsules ( 16 ) to a region at which individual capsules are separated from the belt and dispensed from the machine ( 10 ). The priming system ( 20 ) primes the capsule ( 16 ) prior to being dispensed from the machine ( 10 ) with a priming liquid which, when delivered into a capsule, facilitates an exothermic reaction. The control system controls the feed and dispensing system ( 12 ), and the priming system ( 20 ) independently of each other so that the belt ( 14 ) can be fed into and indeed thought the machine ( 10 ) with the priming liquid being injected into the capsules.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a national stage entry of PCT/AU2011/000232, filed Mar. 2, 2011, which claims priority to AU Application No. 2010900875, filed Mar. 2, 2010. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an incendiary machine, in particular, but not exclusively, for aerial dispensing of incendiary capsules. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It is known to drop incendiaries from aircraft including helicopters, light planes and unmanned or remote controlled air craft. One known incendiary is in the form of a small ball (approximately 32 mm in diameter) filled with a quantity of potassium permanganate powder or granules. A semi-automatic dispenser is available having a hopper which holds a supply of balls and feeds the balls sequentially to a chute where they are injected with a volume of glycol. The potassium permanganate and glycol react exothermically to generate a flame. Applicant has previously developed an alternate apparatus for initiating and dispensing incendiaries. This apparatus is described in International publication no. WO 2004/041365. Following extensive research and experimentation, Applicant has made further developments in the area of aerial incendiary delivery. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect the invention provides an incendiary machine comprising:
         a feed and dispensing system capable of feeding a belt of incendiary capsules to a region at which individual capsules are separated from the belt and dispensed from the machine;   a priming system capable of priming the capsules prior to being dispensed from the machine, the priming system having a pump for pumping a priming liquid which, when delivered into a capsule, facilitates an exothermic reaction; and,   a control system capable of controlling the feed and dispensing system, and the priming system independently of each other.       

     The control system may be configured to selectively enable an operator to dispense primed incendiaries either: automatically at a user defined rate; or, manually on each manual operation of a control button or switch. 
     The control system may comprise a user interface enabling a user to set a rate of automatically dispensing primed incendiaries. 
     The control system may comprise at least one incendiary sensor for detecting the presence of an incendiary belt in the machine. 
     The control system may be configured to prevent operation of the priming system when the at least one incendiary sensor fails to detect the presence of an incendiary belt in the machine. 
     The control system may be operable to perform a LOAD function wherein the control system operates the feed and dispensing system to load a belt of incendiaries to a position where priming system is capable of priming the capsules. 
     The control system may be operable to perform a PRIME function which primes the priming system with priming fluid prior to feeding of the belt to the region. 
     The priming system may comprise an injection device capable of piercing the capsules to deliver the priming liquid to the capsules. 
     The feed and dispensing system may comprise a blade commonly mounted with the injection device and arranged to separate a capsule from the belt substantially simultaneously with the injection device injecting the priming liquid into the capsule. 
     The feed and dispensing may comprise a carousel provided with a plurality of recesses for seating respective capsules in the belt. 
     The feed and dispensing may comprise a channel extending from an inlet for the belt to the carousel and a biased plate arranged to bias a capsule into a recess of the carousel. 
     The incendiary machine may comprise a drive system arranged to drive the feed and dispensing system, the drive system comprising a first motor under the control of the control system. 
     The drive system may comprise a plurality of cogs mounted on respective shafts and operatively coupled together where torque imparted by the first motor to one of the cogs drives the operatively coupled cogs. 
     A first cog may be coupled with the carousel and a second cog may be coupled to the blade and injection device, and the drive system may further comprise an endless belt coupling the first cog to the second cog wherein torque from the first motor drives both the carousel and the blade and injection device. 
     The incendiary machine may comprise a pump motor operable to drive the pump, wherein the control system is operable to control the first motor and pump motor independently of each other. 
     The incendiary machine may comprise a housing in which the feed and dispensing system and the priming system are housed and a frame arranged to demountably support the housing and to support an incendiary belt feed. 
     The incendiary machine according may comprise a tray pivotally coupled to the frame and on which the incendiary belt feed is supported. 
     A second aspect of the invention provides an incendiary machine comprising:
         a feed and dispensing system capable of feeding a belt of incendiary capsules to a region at which individual capsules are separated from the belt and subsequently dispensed from the machine;   a first motor which drives the feed and dispensing system;   a priming system capable of priming capsules prior to being dispensed from the machine, the priming system having a pump for pumping a priming liquid, and an injection device capable of piercing the capsule to deliver the priming liquid to the capsule;   a second motor which drives the pump; and,   a control system capable of independently controlling the first and second motors enabling control of flow of the priming liquid independent of operation of the feed and dispensing system.       

     The control system may be configured to selectively enable an operator to dispense primed incendiaries either: automatically at a user defined rate; or, manually on each manual operation of a control button or switch. 
     The control system may comprise a user interface enabling a user to set a rate of automatically dispensing primed incendiaries. 
     The control system may comprise at least one incendiary sensor for detecting the presence of an incendiary belt in the machine. 
     The control system may be configured to prevent operation of the priming system when the at least one incendiary sensor fails to detect the presence of an incendiary belt in the machine. 
     The control system may be operable to perform a LOAD function wherein the control system operates the feed and dispensing system to load a belt of incendiaries to a position where priming system is capable of priming the capsules. 
     The control system may be operable to perform a PRIME function which primes the priming system with priming fluid prior to feeding of the belt to the region. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a representation of an embodiment of an incendiary machine in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic representation of a feed and dispensing system and, a priming system incorporated in the machine; 
         FIG. 3  is a representation of the machine shown in  FIG. 1  but taken from a different angle and in which a box of incendiaries for the machine has been removed; 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom view of a frame incorporated in the machine; 
         FIG. 5  is an end view of the frame shown in  FIG. 4  and depicting a box of incendiaries supported in one possible position on the frame; 
         FIG. 6  is an end view of the frame of the incendiary machine showing a box of incendiaries supported in a second different location; 
         FIG. 7  is schematic representation of a portion of the machine viewed from a first angle; 
         FIG. 8  is a representation of the machine shown in  FIG. 7  but at a different angle; 
         FIG. 9  is a representation of a drive system of a machine; 
         FIG. 10  is a representation of an arrangement of belts and cogs incorporated in the drive system; 
         FIG. 11  is a representation of one set of cogs incorporated in the drive system; 
         FIG. 12  is a representation of a hand held pendant incorporated in the machine; 
         FIG. 13  is a graphical representation of the operation of the machine; 
         FIG. 14  is a representation of a portion of a second embodiment of the machine; and, 
         FIG. 15  is a representation of the second embodiment of the machine. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to the accompanying drawings and in particular  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an embodiment of an incendiary machine  10  in accordance with the invention comprises a feed and dispensing system  12  capable of feeding a belt  14  of incendiary capsules  16  to a region  18  where individual capsules which are separated from the belt and dispensed from the machine  10 . The machine  10  also has a priming system  20  capable of priming the capsules  16  prior to being dispensed from the machine  10 . The priming system  20  includes a pump  22  for pumping a priming liquid, such as ethylene glycol, and an injection device  24  which can pierce a capsule  16  to deliver the priming liquid to the capsule  16 . The machine  10  also includes a control system which is capable of individually controlling the feed and dispensing system  12  and the priming system  20 . This allows for example the feed and dispensing system  12  to operate to feed the belt  14  of incendiaries  16 , separated individual incendiary capsules  16  from the belt  14  and deliver them to a dispensing chute  28  from which they can be dispensed without supplying the priming liquid to the priming system  20 . Additionally, the control system enables the pumping system  20  to be primed irrespective of whether or not the feed and dispensing system  12  is in operation. The belt  14  and capsules  16  can be of a type described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,877,433. In brief each capsule may comprise a small container of a thin walled plastics material and hold a volume of potassium permanganate. 
     Referring to FIGS.  1  and  3 - 6  the machine  10  is seen as comprising a dispenser housing  30  which houses the feed and dispensing system  12 , the priming system  20 , and the control system; and a frame  32  on which the dispenser housing  30  is disposed. The frame is also configured to support a box  34  holding an incendiary feed supply of one or more incendiary belts  14 . The frame  32  has a step configuration having a first portion  36  on which the housing  30  is demountably supported and a second portion  38  which lies in a parallel plane to the portion  36  but is off set below the portion  36  and on which the box  34  is supported. A tilting tray  40  is pivotally coupled to the frame portion  38 . Tray  40  is provided with upstanding walls  42   a ,  42   b ,  42   c  and  42   d  (hereinafter referred to in general as “walls  42 ”) within which the box  34  is seated on the tray  40 . The walls  42   a  and  42   b  are relatively low in height and contiguous with each other extending about adjacent edges of the tray  40 . The wall  42   c  extends along another edge of the tray  40  between the walls  42   b  and  42   d  and is on a side of the tray  40  adjacent the housing  30 . The wall  42   c  is convexly curved when viewed in a direction from wall  42   a  to wall  42   c . The curvature of the wall  42   c  is such that an upper edge  44  of the wall  42   c  lies in close proximity to though slightly spaced from the first frame portion  36 . The spacing is arranged so as to minimise the likelihood of the belt  14  getting caught between the tray  40  and the frame  32 . 
     As is best seen in  FIG. 4 , the tray  40  is pivotally coupled to the frame  32  by a pivot bar  46  which runs centrally beneath the tray  40  and is coupled at opposite ends to the frame  32  as well as being coupled to the platform  40  by three spaced apart brackets  48 . With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the coupling of the tray  40  to the frame  32  enables the tray  40  to pivot or swing forward or backward. This is shown more specifically in  FIGS. 5 and 6 .  FIG. 5  illustrates the platform  40  supporting the box  34  where the platform  40  and thus the box  34  is pivoted backwards and  FIG. 6  which shows the tray  40  and box  34  pivoted in a forward direction. The pivoting tray  40  enables the belt  14  to be fed to the feed and dispensing system  12  with minimal twist and/or bend. This will be explained in greater detail below. 
     The upper portion  36  is a rectangular frame comprising bars  50   a ,  50   b ,  50   c  (shown in  FIG. 4) and 50   d  (best seen in  FIG. 3 ). The bar  50   d  is parallel to and opposite the bar  50   b  and extends between the bars  50   a  and  50   c . Frame  36  also comprises a cross bar  52  that extends between bars  50   a  and  50   c , and a cross bar  54  which extends between the bars  50   d  and  52 . A tube  56  depends from and is connected to the frame  32  between the bars  50   b  and cross bar  52 . An end of the tube  56  that lies adjacent the housing  30  is provided with a radially extending flange  60  which seats beneath a hole in the housing  30  which is aligned with the chute  28 . A transition frame portion  62  couples, and extends perpendicularly between the frame portions  36  and  38 . The transition frame portion  62  includes a bar  64   a  which is common to or shared with the frame portion  38  and in which one end of the pivot bar  46  is journalled. The frame portion  38  also includes bars  64   b ,  64   c  and  64   d  which together with the bar  64   a  are joined together to form a rectangular shape. The bar  64   c  is parallel to and opposite the bar  64   a . An end of the pivot bar  46  opposite the bar  44   a  is journalled in the bar  46   c.    
     A pair of curved bars  66   a  and  66   b  lie on opposite sides of the frame  32  and extend between the frame portions  36  and  38 . The bar  66   a  extends from an end of the bar  64   b  to the bar  50   a  at a location in board of the cross bar  52 . The curved bar  66   b  extends from an end of the bar  64   b  to the bar  50   c  in board of the cross bar  52 . The curved bars  66   a  and  66   b  are of a shape arranged to seat in a door way of a Bell 206 Jet Ranger or Bell 206L Long Ranger aircraft. 
     However, when the machine  10  is being used in a different type of aircraft such a Eurocopter AS350 or other helicopter with a flat floor in order to ensure proper seating of the frame  32  an adapter plate  68  (see  FIG. 3 ) which is of a generally rectangular configuration is attached on one side of the frame  32  and lying over a corresponding curved bar  66 . The plate  68  is detachably coupled to the frame  32  by pip pins  70 . 
     An upstanding and bent handling frame portion  72  is attached to the frame portion  38  from a location adjacent the bar  64   c . The frame  72  initially extends generally upwardly in a direction of the tray  40  and thereafter extends at an obtuse angle away from the tray  40 . 
     A drop tube  74  is demountably coupled by a pin  76  to the tube  56  and extends downwardly to a location outside of the aircraft which carries the machine  10 . 
     The box  34  is held on the tray  40  by a strap  78  and holds a drum or roller on which the belt  14  is wound. It is envisaged that the belt  14  is a continuous belt wound about the roller and may comprise for example  1000  end to end joined incendiary capsules  16 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1-3 ,  6  and  7 , the feed and dispensing system  12  comprises a carousel  80  having an outer rim  82  in which is formed a plurality of recesses  84  for receiving respective capsules  16 . The outer rim  82  is connected by a plurality of spokes  86  to a central hub  88  which couples to a shaft that passes through a fire proof plate  90  (typically a plate made from a metal). The plate  90  in effect divides the housing  30  into a front portion in which the carousel  80  and the pump  22  reside, and a rear portion which, as described later, houses an ethylene glycol tank, a water tank, and electronic components of the control system. Respective longitudinal slots  92  are formed in the outer rim  82  between adjacent recesses  84 . 
     The feed and dispensing system  12  also includes a cutting blade  94  which is able to separate individual capsules  16  from the belt  14  in the region  18  prior to the separated capsules  16  entering the chute  28 . The blade  94  is eccentrically supported on a rotating wheel  96  so that as the wheel  96  rotates the blade  94  undergoes a reciprocating up and down motion. The wheel  96  is located so that the cutting blade  94  when at the top of its reciprocating motion coincides with the location of and extends into a slot  92  and thereby cuts a leading capsule  16  from the belt  14 . As explained herein after, a belt and cog system ensures synchronisation between the rotation of the carousel  80  and the wheel  96  and thus the reciprocation of the blade  94  to ensure that the blade  94  reaches a top of its travel when in alignment with a slot  92 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , an automatic feeder  98  enables the belt  14  to be automatically fed onto the carousel  80 . The automatic feeder  98  comprises a channel  100  and a biased plate  110 . The channel  100  extends from an opening  102  in the housing  30  to the carousel  80  and comprises two parallel spaced apart curved plates  104   a  and  104   b  between which the incendiary belt  14  is guided toward the carousel  90 . The channel  100  has a mouth  106  adjacent the outer rim  82  of the carousel  90 . The biased plate  110  lies beneath the mouth  106  and near the lower curved plate  104   b . The plate  110  has a wave or elongated “S” shaped profile. An upper or upstream end  114  of plate  110  is radially spaced from mouth  106  by a distance no less than, and preferably greater than, the radial spacing of the mouth  106  and in particular the curved plate  104   b  of the mouth  106  from the carousel  80 . This ensures that as the belt  14  travels through the channel  100  and onto the plate  110 , a leading end of the belt  14  can not catch on the end  114 . A portion  116  of the plate  110  downstream of the end  114  is spaced radially closer to, and follows the contour of, the carousel  80 . The plate  110  has a downstream end  117  that is located between the carousel  80  and a separate guide plate  119 . Guide plate  119  follows the contour of the carousel  80  and has an integral extension  121  which forms or defines the chute  28 . An opposite end  123  of the guide plate  119  is bent away from the carouse  80  to provide room for the plate  110  to move radially backwards and forwards in response to the passage of the belt  14  and action of the bias on the plate  110 . 
     The plate  110  is biased radially toward carousel  80  by a spring (not shown) which extends about a portion of a circular bar  118  which in turn is coupled to a slide block  120 . The bar  118  passes through a lug  122  and is formed with a flange  124  at an end distant the slide block  120 . The spring which biases the shoe  110  is retained between the lug  122  and the flange  124 . The slide block  120  is able to slide linearly in a track (not shown) which also extends in the radial direction of a carousel  80 . 
     Priming system  20  comprises the pump  22  and the injection device  24  which may take the form of a hypodermic needle. Injection device  24  is mounted on the same rotating wheel  96  as the cutting blade  94 . The pump  22  pumps glycol from a glycol tank held within the housing  30  on a side of the plate  90  opposite the pump  22  to the injection device  94 . To this end, a first conduit  1  provides fluid communication between the pump  22  and glycol tank, while a second conduit  128  provides fluid communication with the injection device  24 . The injection device  24  is located relative to the blade  94  so that when the blade  94  is received within a slot  92  to cut the leading capsule  16  from the belt  14 , the injection device  24  pierces the separated capsule  16  to allow an injection of ethylene glycol into the capsule. 
       FIGS. 9 and 10  illustrate a drive system  130  for the machine  10 . The drive system  130  comprises a first motor  132  which drives the feed and dispensing system  12 , and a second motor  134  which drives or operates the pump  22 . The control system  26  independently operates the motors  132  and  134 . 
     Motor  132  drives a main drive shaft  136  which is supported at spaced apart locations by bearings  138   a  and  138   b . A cog  140  is mounted on the drive shaft  136  between the bearings  138   a  and  138   b . A second shaft  144  (see  FIGS. 10 and 11 ) is supported at opposite ends by bearings  146   a  and  146   b  and has mounted thereon, cogs  148  and  150 . In  FIG. 10 , the cog  148  is clearly visible however the cog  150  is behind the cog  148  and therefore not visible in  FIG. 10  but shown in  FIG. 11 . An endless drive toothed belt  152  represented by phantom line, extends about and engages the cogs  140  and  148 . Thus, drive or torque imparted by the motor  132  to the shaft  136  is in turn imparted to the shaft  144 . The cogs  140  and  148  have a gear ratio of 1:2 so that two turns of the cog  140  produces a single turn of the cog  148 . A relatively large diameter cog  154  is provided with a shaft  156  to which the hub  88  of the carousel  80  is connected on an opposite side of the plate  90 . Respective bearings  158   a  and  158   b  support the shaft  156  on opposite sides of the cog  154 . An idler shaft  160  is supported at opposite ends by respective bearings, only one of which  162   b  is illustrated. An idler cog  164  is mounted on the shaft  160  between its respective bearings. 
     An endless toothed belt  166  shown in phantom line in  FIG. 10  engages the cogs  150 ,  154 , and  164 . In particular, the belt  166  engages a left hand side of the cog  150  when viewed in  FIG. 10 , i.e. the belt  166  engages a side of the cog  150  which at any one time is located between the shafts  136  and  144 . By virtue of this arrangement, remembering that the shaft  144  is driven by the shaft  136 , the cogs  144  and  154  rotate in opposite directions. The wheel  96  upon which both the cutting blade  94  and the injection device  24  are mounted is attached to the shaft  136 . Accordingly as the carousel  80  is connected to the cog  154  via the shaft  156 , the carousel  80  and the wheel  96  rotate in opposite directions. Further, in this particular embodiment, there is an eight to one gear ratio between the cog  154  and the cog  164 . As a consequence of this, there is in total a 1:16 gear ratio between the cog  140  and the cog  154 . This means that the shaft  136  completes sixteen revolutions or rotations for every one revolution or rotation of the shaft  156 . Accordingly the cutting blade  94  and injection device  26  reciprocate up and down sixteen times for every single rotation of the carousel  80 . There are also sixteen recesses  82  in the carousel  80 . Thus for every single rotation or revolution of the carousel  80 , sixteen capsules  16  can be separated from the belt  14 , initiated and dropped from the machine  10 . 
     As previously mentioned, the machine  10  has a tank for storing a supply of ethylene glycol and a tank for holding a supply of water. Although the tanks are not shown in the accompanying drawings, openings  170  and  172  for the glycol and water tanks respectively are depicted in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , and removable caps  174  and  176  for opening and sealing the openings  170  and  172  are depicted in  FIG. 1 . The openings  170  and  172  are formed on an upper planar surface  178  of the housing  30  and lead to corresponding tanks which are disposed in the housing  30  on a side of the plate  90  opposite the carousel  80 . A hand pump  180  is also provided in the machine  10  to enable pumping of water from the water tank into other areas of the machine  10 , and in particular into the housing  30  on the side of the plate  90  having the carousel  80 . The hand pump  180  is operated in the event of a fire occurring within the housing  30 . The pump  180  has a handle  182  that projects upwardly from the surface  178  of the housing  30  and is preprimed so that the pump  180  will pump water into the housing  30  immediately upon depression of the handle  182 . 
     A belt insertion guide  184  is formed on a side wall  186  of the housing  30  to assist in guiding the belt  14  of incendiaries  16  into the automatic feeder  98  and in particular the channel  100 . The guide  184  is in the form of a hemispherical block where an outer circumferential surface  188  is relieved or recessed to have a progressively reduced radius for an arc of approximately 90° thereby forming a rebated surface  190  which leads to the opening  102 . 
     The housing  30  is also provided with a door  192  shown best in  FIG. 1  which can be opened and closed to access the internals of the machine  10 . The door  192  is provided with a glass or other fire resistant and transparent panel  194  to facilitate visual inspection of the operation of the machine  10  and in particular the feeding, priming and dispensing of the capsules  16 . 
     The control system  26  comprises a processor (not shown) which controls the motors  132  and  134  and is responsive to inputs from various sensors and switches of the machine  10 . Power for operation of the control system  26  and the motors  132  and  134  is provided by an external power supply, typically from the aircraft on which the machine  10  is carried. A power supply socket  196  is provided on the top surface  178  of the housing  30  to facilitate connection with the power supply. 
     The sensors incorporated in the control system  26  include level sensors (not shown) for the glycol tank and water tank; a door sensor (not shown) which senses whether the door  192  is opened or shut; a torque or load sensor (not shown) for the motor  132 ; and a pair of incendiary belt sensors  19   a  and  198   b  (see  FIGS. 3 and 8 ). The sensor  198   a  is located near the mouth  106  of the channel  100  while the sensor  198   b  is located on the plate  119  between the shoe  110  and the chute  28 . Some of the buttons and switches for the controller  26  are mounted on the top surface  178  of the housing  30 , while others are provided on a hand held pendant  200  which is coupled by a cable  202  and socket  204  to communicate with the processor of the controller  26 . 
     A master power switch  206  is in the form of an aviation two way switch. This provides power to the controller  26  and motors  132  and  134  upon activation, assuming of course that a cable for supplying power is connected via the socket  196  to the machine  10 . On activation of the master switch  206 , the pendant  200  will light, indicating that the machine  10  is powered. Directly below the master power switch  208  there is provided a glycol stop switch  208 . When the switch  208  is depressed, the feed and dispensing system  12 , and the priming system  20  are immediately stopped rendering the capsules  16  harmless. If the glycol stop switch  208  has been depressed, the machine  10  will not operate until the switch  208  is reset. The switch  208  is a rotary type push switch and in order to,reset must be turned until it pops back up. 
     Beneath the glycol switch  208  there is provided input devices in the form of a load button  210 , an unload button  212 , and in between a prime button  214  (see  FIG. 1 ). Pressing or activating the load button  210  will drawn an incendiary belt  14  toward the injection device  24  without activating the glycol pump  22 . This is useful for travelling to an operation, or during pre-flight checks. The button  210  is configured to only be active if the glycol stop button  208  has been activated and the pendant  200  is blank (i.e. is not illuminated). 
     The unload button  212  when activated enables the incendiary belt  14  to be extracted from the machine  10 . Typically the unload button  212  will be activated when a mission or operation is complete, or in between drop zones. The unload button  212  is only active if the glycol stop switch  208  is activated, the remote pendant  200  is blank, and the belt  14  is of sufficient length so that its presence is sensed by the sensor  198   a . Prime button  214  is located between the buttons  210  and  212  and when pressed operates the pump motor  134  and thus the pump  22  to pump ethylene glycol to the injection device  24 . The prime button  214  is depressed to reprime the pump  22  and the injection device  24  in the event that they have been drained of glycol. When these have been primed, and the button  214  is operated, a flow of ethylene glycol should be evident from the tip of the injection device  24 . 
       FIG. 12  illustrates the pendant  200  which is electrically coupled with the control system and provide with a user interface to provide input to the control system as well as display status information regarding the machine  10 . The interface comprises buttons and/or switches enabling a user to switch the machine between a manual mode by depressing a manual button  216  on the pendant  200 , or alternately an automatic mode by depression of the drop rate buttons  218   d  and  218   i . Pressing the automated switches  218   d  or  218   i  enables a user to increase or decrease the drop rate (ie, number of incendiary capsules  16  dropped by the machine per minute). Depressing the button  218   d  decreases the drop rate while depressing the button  218   i  increases the drop rate. The selected drop rate is displayed on a drop rate display  220 . The controller  26  may be programmed to vary the drop rate in units of more than one for each depression of the buttons  218   d  or  218   i . For example, the drop rate may be increased or decreased by, say, two or five capsules per minute for each depression of the buttons  218   d  or  218   i.    
     When the manual button  216  is depressed, the machine  10  will drop one primed incendiary capsule  16  every time a GO button  222  on the pendant  200  is pressed. The pendant  200  is provided with two stop buttons  224   r  or  224   l  (hereinafter referred to in general as “stop buttons  224 ”). The stop button  224   r  is on the right hand side of the pendant  200 , while the stop button  224   l  is on the left hand side of the pendant  200 , with the GO button  222  between the two stop buttons. The controller  26  is programmed to stop operation of the machine  10  to the extent that it ceases to drop capsules  16  when either of the stop buttons  224  is pressed. Assuming that either of the buttons  218   i,   218   d  is pressed to select a desired drop rate, pressing the GO button will activate the machine  10  to drop primed incendiary capsules  16  at the designated drop rate. If it is desired to switch to manual mode, one of the stop buttons  224  is depressed and the manual button  216  is depressed. Now upon each depression the GO button  220  a single capsule is primed, cut from the belt  14  and dropped. An indicator light  226  is associated with the manual button  216 , and an indicator light  228  is associated with the drop rate buttons  218   i  and  218   d . The lights  226  and  228  illuminate each time the associated buttons are depressed. 
     A tally display  230  is provided on the pendant  200  to provide an indication of the number of incendiary capsules dropped. The tally display  230  is associated with a Day button  232  and a Pack button  234 . Each of the buttons  232  and  234  has a respective associated indicator light  236  and  238 . By pressing the Day button  232 , the tally display  230  will display a running total of the incendiary capsules dropped before the day or mission. When a user pushes the Day button  232 , the associated indicator light  236  is illuminated. Alternately, by pressing the Pack button  234 , the tally display  230  will provide a display of the number of incendiary capsules dropped from the current incendiary capsule belt  14 . Pressing of the Pack button  234  is acknowledged or indicated by illumination of the indicator lamp  238 . 
     The tally display  230  is also coupled with the control system  26  to display fault messages to a user. For example, as previously described, the machine  10  includes a sensor for sensing the torque or load on the motor  132 . If this torque or load is at abnormal levels, the machine  10  is stopped and a message “JAM” is displayed in the tally display  230 . The pendant  200  is, also provided with a drop indicator lamp  240 , a fault indicator lamp  242 , a glycol level indicator lamp  244  and a water level indicator lamp  246 . The drop indicator lamp  240  illuminates whenever an incendiary capsule is dropped. The level indicator lamps  224  and  246  illuminate whenever the respective glycol or water tanks are less than one quarter full. 
     The fault indicator lamp  242  is illuminated when the control system  26  and associated sensors detect a fault in the machine  10 . The nature of the fault is displayed in the tally display  230 . 
       FIG. 13  graphically depicts the operation of the machine  10 . In the diagram, box  250  represents the state of the master switch  206 . If the master switch  206  is OFF, then the system  10  remains unpowered and no incendiary capsules  16  can be dispensed. If the master switch  206  is ON, the control system conducts an operation to determine whether or not the glycol stop button  208  has been activated. In the event that the glycol stop button  208  has been activated, the controller  26  enters a state  256  enabling the activation of either of the load button  210  or the unload button  212 . As previously mentioned, pressing the load button enables the incendiary belt  14  to be drawn towards the injection device  24  without the glycol pump  22  being activated. Pressing the unload button  212  enables the incendiary belt  14  to be extracted from the machine  10  safely. The depression of the glycol button  208  also causes the controller  26  to conduct an action  258  where it operates the tally display  230  to display a specific display or symbol such as a dash for each character position on the tally display  230 , thereby providing an indication on the pendant  200  that the glycol button  208  has been depressed. 
     If the glycol stop button  208  has not been depressed, then the control system conducts an operation  206  to determine whether or not the motor  132  is under an unusual torque or load. If this is the case, then the control system  26  conducts an operation  262  to cause the tally display  230  to display the message “JAM”, and an operation  264  to cause the fault lamp  242  on the pendant  200  to illuminate. 
     If there is no unusual torque or load on the motor  132 , then the pendant  200  enters an activated state  266  in which the buttons and switches on the pendant  200  may be operated and acted upon by the controller  26  and machine  10 . In addition, the prime button  214  which is located on the upper surface  178  of the housing  30  also becomes active. Upon pressing the prime button  214 , the control system  26  performs an interrogation step  268  in which it interrogates the sensors  198   a  and  198   b  to determine whether or not an incendiary belt  14  is loaded into the machine  10 . If not, the control system  26  enters a state  270  in which it prevents the priming system  20  from priming the pump  22  and the injection device  24 . However, if it is determined that there is a belt  14  in the machine  10 , the control system  26  enters a state  272  where it enables the priming system  20  to operate the pump  22  for a limited duration, for example for one quarter of a turn of the pump  22 , in order to prime the pump  22  and the injection device  24 . The prime button  214  may be held down to effect multiple consecutive quarter turns of the pump in order to fully prime the pump  22  and the injection device  24 . This is indicated or can be verified by the visual ejection of glycol from the injection device  24 . 
     By depressing the drop rate buttons  218   i  and  218   d , the control system  26  enters a state  271  in which it operates the drop display  220  to display the selected drop rate for the incendiaries  16 . The control system also enters the drop rate into a register  274 . 
     On depressing the manual button  216 , the control system  26  at step  275  operates the drop rate display  220  to display a series of dashes in each character location of the display  220 . Additionally, the controller  26  conducts an operation  276  in which it sets the feed and dispensing system  12  and the priming system  20  to prime and separate one capsule  16  from the belt  14  for each depression of the GO button  222 . This operating procedure for the feed and dispensing system  12  and the priming system  20  is also logged in the register  274 . The register  274  will either hold the desired drop rate of capsule, or hold an indication that capsules are to be dropped at a rate of one for each depression of the GO button  222 . 
     The register  274  is linked with the GO button  222  so that when the GO button  222  is depressed, the control system  26  enters a state  278  where actions stored in register  274  are acted upon by the machine  10 . Thus, if the machine  10  is in the automatic mode where capsules are dropped at a rate set by the drop rate buttons  218   i  and  218   d , the machine  10  operates to dispense primed capsules  16  at the selected drop rate. However if the machine  10  is in the manual mode, then it operates to dispense one primed capsule  16  for each depression of the GO button  222 . 
     Upon depression of either of the stop buttons  224   i  or  224   r , the machine enters a stop state  280  where the control system  26  functions to complete the current dispensing cycle and then immediately stops operation of the feed and dispensing system  12  and the priming system  20  to thereby prevent dispensing of any further capsules  16 . 
     When depressing the Day button  232 , the control system  26  drives the tally display  230  to depict the number of capsules  16  dispensed on that day or for a particular mission. This tally is a tally of drops since the previously reset of the day count. Holding the Day button in a depressed state for five seconds causes the controller at step  284  to clear the day count shown in the tally display  230 . 
     On pressing the Pack button  234  the controller  26  performs an operation  286  where it drives the tally display  230  to display the number of capsules  16  used from the box of capsules  34 . Holding down the Pack button  234  for an extended period of time such as five seconds causes the controller  26  to perform an operation  288  where it clears or resets the PACK count. 
     In one example of use of the machine  10 , the machine  10  may be fitted to a helicopter with the housing  10  mounted on the frame portion  36 , the box  34  of capsules supported on the frame portion  38 , and the frame  32  fixed to the helicopter by use of one or more straps with a machine  10  orientated so that when the drop tube  74  is attached to the tube  56  on the frame  32 , the drop tube depends vertically down from a location outside of the helicopter. Box  34  is held on the tray  40  by the strap  78 . The glycol and water tanks are filled by removal of the corresponding tank caps  174  and  176 . Machine  10  is supplied with power from the helicopter by coupling of a power cable from a power supply of the helicopter to the power supply socket  196 . When the helicopter is airborne an operator may then turn on the machine  10  using the master switch  206 . 
     Prior to loading machine  10  with belt  14 , the priming system  20  may itself be primed by pressing of the prime button  214  to ensure that the pump  22  and the injection device  24  are filled with glycol prior to operation of the machine  10  to dispense capsules  16 . To initially load the belt  14  into the machine  10 , an operator pushes a leading end of the belt  14  through the opening  102  and the channel  100  to the automatic feeder  110 . Assuming the carousel  80  is turning, the auto feeder  98  operates to bias a leading capsule  16  on the belt  14  into an adjacent recess  82  of the carousel  80 . As the belt is consumed, it unrolls from different locations on the roller held within the box  34 . Due to the pivotal nature of the tray  40 , the tray and box are able to tilt to minimise the twist in the belt  14  as well as the angle at which the belt extends from the opening  102  to the point of departure from the roller on which the belt  14  is wound. 
     An operator may push the drop rate buttons  218   i  and  218   d  to select a drop rate of capsules. On pressing the GO button the motor  132  will be operated and controlled by the control system  26  to rotate the carousel  80  at the required speed in order to provide the selected drop rate. If however the manual button  216  has been pressed then only a single capsule will be cut, primed and dropped from each pressing of the GO button  222 . However, the control system  26  is also sensitive to the inputs of the drop sensors  198   a  and  198   b . In the event that no capsule is sensed by the sensor  198   b , the controller  26  will enable the motor  132  to operate to rotate the carousel  80  and indeed also rotate the wheel  96  causing reciprocating motion of the injection device  24  and the cutter  94 , but it will not operate the motor  134  and therefore no glycol will be pumped by the priming system  20 . 
     Now that an embodiment of the invention has been described in detail it will be obvious to those of ordinary shill in the art that numerous modifications and variations may be made without departing form the basic inventive concepts. For example the plate  110  for biasing capsules in the recesses  84  is,shown as separate from the channel and movable linearly in a radial direction referenced to the carousel  80 . However in one variation depicted in  FIG. 14  a modified plate  110   a  may be used to perform the same function. The plate  110   a  is pivotally coupled to the fire proof plate  90  immediately beneath and adjacent curved plate  104   b  to in effect form a continuous extension to plate  104   b . A spring  111   a  biases the plate  110   a  to pivot in a direction toward the rim  82  of carousel  80  about a screw  113   ba  which also mounts the plate  110   a  to the fireproof plate  90 . An upper surface  115   a  of plate  110   a  is concavely curved to substantially match the curvature of the outer rim  82 . Downstream end  117   a  of plate  110   a  lies adjacent an end  123   a  of modified guide plate  119   a . Guide plate  119   a  is modified in relation to guide plate  119  of the first described embodiment by a reshaping of its end  123   a  which now substantially follows the curvature of the rime  82  rather than being bent away from carousel  80  as depicted in  FIG. 3 . A stop  125   a  is attached to an underside of plate  119   a  at end  123   a  to limit the pivoting motion of plate  110   a.    
       FIG. 15  illustrates a second embodiment of the machine  10   a  having several modifications and variations. Firstly, the pump  22  of the first embodiment is relocated to be on the same side of the fireproof wall  90  as the motors  132  and  134 , and thus not visible through the  192  of housing  30   a . In yet a,further variation a modified frame  32   a  is used in place of frame  32 . The frame  32   a  is of simpler construction and is of a planar rectangular configuration onto which the housing  30   a  is demountable coupled. Also rather than having a pivotally coupled tray supporting a box to hold an incendiary belt feed, the frame  32   a  is configured to allow coupling of a pair of plates  35   a  rotatably supporting a drum  37   a  on which the incendiary belt feed is rolled. A further idler roller  39   a  is rotatably supported between the plates  35   a  and about which the incendiary belt travels prior to entry to the housing  30   a . Housing  30   a  differs slightly from housing  30  by the inclusion of a handle  41   a.    
     All such medications and variations together with other that would be obvious to persons of ordinary skill in the art are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention the nature of which is to be determined by the above description and the appended claims.