Abstract:
A modular containment structure kit comprises (i) a plurality of elongate members, (ii) a plurality of rectangular, planar side wall members, (iii) a plurality of rectangular, planar roof members, and (iv) a plurality of rectangular, planar metal plates. A method for the handling of the explosive includes the steps of (a) providing the modular structure kit, (b) using the kit to assemble a containment structure around the explosive while avoiding obstacles near the explosive, and (c) handling the explosive within the containment structure.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates generally to methods for containing the detonation and resulting fragmentation of an explosive and, more particularly, to methods which employ a containment structure in the containing of the detonation and resulting fragmentation of an explosive. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Unexploded bombs, land mines and other unexploded ordnance present a very risky handling problem. Often, the unexploded device is buried under the top soil and must be carefully exposed by excavation. Where an unexploded device is discovered in an area proximate to populated neighborhoods, the handling of such device presents a significant risk to surrounding people and property. 
   The preferred method of handling an explosive discovered at a particular site is to first surround the explosive with a suitable containment structure which will contain any unintended detonation of the explosive and which will contain the resulting fragmentation of the detonated explosive. There are problems, however, with the use of such containment structures. The erection of custom-built containment structures is generally expensive and time-consuming. However, the use of prefabricated containment structures is often unsatisfactory as well. This is because such prefabricated containment structures are of a predetermined size and shape. The problem in this regard is that explosives are often discovered in locations crowded with various obstacles, such as buildings, trees, boulders and hillocks. Unless a prefabricated containment structure is available which happens to fit among the various obstacles at the site where the explosive is located, a prefabricated containment structure cannot be used. 
   Accordingly, there is a need for a method for handling explosives which avoids these problems in the prior art. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention satisfies this need. The invention is a unique method for surrounding an explosive with a containment structure. 
   The method comprises the steps of (a) providing a plurality of elongate support members, each elongate support member comprising at least two channels running substantially the entire length of the elongate support member, some of the channels in some of the elongate support members being disposed back to back and some of the channels in some of the elongate support members being disposed at right angles to one another, (b) providing a plurality of rectangular, planar side wall members, the side wall members having one or more lengths and four side wall edges, (c) providing a plurality of rectangular, planar roof members, the roof members having one or more lengths and roof peripheral edges, and (d) providing a plurality of rectangular, planar metal plates, (e) assembling a containment structure using the elongate support members, side walls members, roof members and metal plates. The containment structure is custom designed to surround the explosive and to avoid the obstacles at the location. The containment structure is assembled by (i) constructing side walls which surround an area having the explosive but which avoids the obstacles at the location, the side walls comprising a plurality of side wall members whose side wall peripheral edges are retained within the channels of the elongate support members, each side wall being attached to one or more adjacent side walls by elongate support members, (ii) constructing a roof which encloses the area surrounded by the side walls, the roof comprising a plurality of roof members whose roof peripheral edges are retained within the channels of elongate support members, the roof being attached to the side walls by elongate support members, and (iii) disposing metal plates in abutment with the side walls and with the roof. Thereafter, the explosive is safely handled within the containment structure. Any inadvertent detonation of the explosive and any resultant shrapnel is safely contained within the containment structure. 
   The invention is also a kit comprising the plurality of support members, side wall members, roof members and metal plates. 
   Finally, the invention is also a modular containment structure assembled from the kit described above. 
   The invention provides the ability to quickly and inexpensively construct a containment structure around an explosive. The containment structure is easily made to conform to the site where the explosion is located. 

   
     DRAWINGS 
     These features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims and accompanying figures where: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first containment structure having features of the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view of components useable in the construction of the containment structure illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a top view of a second containment structure having features of the invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a top view of the internal skeleton of the containment structure illustrated in  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a side view of the containment structure illustrated in  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a detail cross-sectional view of the corner of the containment structure illustrated in  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of a third containment structure having features of the invention, showing the structure at a site; 
       FIG. 8  is a detail view in partial cross-section of one of the walls of the containment structure illustrated in  FIG. 7 ; 
       FIG. 9  is a top view a fourth containment structure having features of the invention; 
       FIG. 10  is a side view of the containment structure illustrated in  FIG. 9 ; 
       FIG. 11  is a side view in partial cross-section of the containment structure illustrated in  FIG. 9 ; 
       FIG. 12  is an end view of an elongate support member useable in the invention; 
       FIG. 13  is a detail cross-sectional view of a corner of the containment structure illustrated in  FIG. 10 ; and 
       FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional detail view of a wall section of a containment structure having features of the invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   The following discussion describes in detail several embodiments of the invention and several variations of those embodiments. This discussion should not be construed, however, as limiting the invention to those particular embodiments. Practitioners skilled in the art will recognize numerous other embodiments as well. 
   The invention is a method for safely handling an explosive at a specific location having obstacles proximate to the location. In the method, a modular containment structure  10  is assembled around the explosive in such a way so as to avoid the obstacles at the site. 
     FIGS. 1 ,  3 ,  7  and  9  illustrate a containment structures  10  useful in the method. Each containment structure  10  has a plurality of side walls  12  and a roof  14 . The containment structure  10  is assembled from a plurality of elongate support members  16 , side wall members  18  (as illustrated in FIG.  2 ), roof members  20  and metal plates  22 . 
   Each elongate support member  16  comprises at least two channels  24  running substantially the entire length of the elongate support member  16 . The width of the channels  24  are sized and dimensioned to accept the peripheral edges  26  of the side wall members  18  and the roof members  20 . The channels  24  of some of the elongate support members  16  can be disposed back to back. As illustrated in  FIG. 12 , the channels  24  in other elongate support members  16  are supported at right angles to one another. A pair of this latter type of elongate support members  16  can be welded back to back to provide an elongate support member  16  having four channels  24  which are each disposed at a 90° angle with respect to adjacent channels  24  (as illustrated in FIG.  14 ). 
   The elongate support member  16  can also be a tee post elongate support member (not shown). The tee post elongate support member has a pair of channels  24  disposed back to back and one channel  24  disposed at right angles to the other two channels  24 . 
   The elongate support members  16  are typically fixed in length, each elongate support member  16  is typically being between about 2 feet and about 10 feet in length. 
   As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , some of the elongate support members  16  can be adjustable with respect to length. Such adjustable elongate support members  16  have a pair of support member portions  16   a  and  16   b  which are slidably disposed with respect to one another. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the support member portions  16   a  and  16   b  are disposed with respect to one another in telescopic fashion. Typically, the adjustable elongate support members  16  have several positive lock settings. In one example, the lock settings are provided by a locking pin disposed through both of the support member portions  16   a  and  16   b.    
   The elongate support members  16  can be used as vertical support members  28  to retain side wall members  18 . In this regard, the vertical support members  28  can be disposed as intermediate supports  30  within the side walls  12  or for the connecting of two perpendicular side walls  12 . The elongate support members  16  can also be disposed horizontally to retain side wall members  18  or roof members  20  or to connect a side wall  12  to the roof  14 . 
   The side wall members  18  are typically rectangular and planar. Each side wall member  18  has four opposed side wall peripheral edges  26 . Typically, all of the widths of the side wall members  18  are the same, although this is not necessary. Typically, each of the side wall members  18  is about 2 feet in width and has a length of between about 8 feet and about 16 feet. 
   Typically, each side wall member  18  comprises a metal sheet  30 . In one embodiment of the invention, the side wall member  18  comprises a pair of parallel aluminum alloy sheets  30  spaced apart by a distance of about 2 inches. Disposed between the two aluminum alloy sheets  30  is a plastic foam core  32 . The aluminum alloy sheets  30  are typically between about 0.181 inches and about 0.25 inches in thickness. 
   Typically, each side wall member  18  has a pair of opposed long peripheral edges  26  and a pair of opposed short peripheral edges  26 . One of the long peripheral edges  26  of each of the side wall members  18  can define a projecting tongue, and the opposed long peripheral edge  26  of the side wall members  18  defines a matching groove. The matching groove is sized and dimensioned to accept and retain an identical projecting tongue disposed upon the long peripheral edge  26  of another side wall member  18  having an identical configuration. 
   The roof members  20  are also typically rectangular and planar. The roof members  20  can be identical to the side wall members  18 , but this is not necessary. Each roof member  20  has four opposed side peripheral edges  26 . Typically, all of the widths of the roof members  20  are the same, although this is not necessary. Typically, each of the roof members  20  is either 1 foot or 2 feet in width and have lengths of between about 8 feet and about 16 feet. 
   Like the side wall members  18 , the roof members  20  can comprise a pair of parallel aluminum alloy sheets  30  spaced apart by a distance of about 2 inches and disposed between the two aluminum sheets  30  is a foam core  32 . 
   Like the side wall members  16 , each roof member  20  has a pair of opposed long peripheral edges  26  and a pair of opposed short peripheral edges  26 . One of the long peripheral edges  26  of each of the roof members  20  can define a projecting tongue  33 , and the opposed long peripheral edge  26  of the roof member  20  can define a matching groove  34 . The matching groove  34  is sized and dimensioned to accept and retain an identical projecting tongue  33  disposed upon the long peripheral edge  26  of another roof member  20  having an identical configuration. 
   In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the elongate support members  16 , the side wall peripheral edges  26  and the roof peripheral edges  26  comprise a plurality of spaced apart apertures  35 . The apertures  35  in the elongate support members  16  match the size and location of the apertures  35  in both the side wall members  18  and in the roof members  20 , so that, when the periphery  26  of a side wall member  18  or a roof member  20  is disposed within an elongate support member  16 , fastening pins  36  can be inserted through an aperture  35  in the elongate support member  16  and an aperture  35  in the periphery  26  to securely retain the side wall member  18  or the roof member  20  within the elongate support member  16 . The pins  36  can be any appropriate retaining pins. In a typical embodiment, the pins  36  comprise an elongate pin portion  38  and a separate keeper portion  40 . In one such embodiment, the pin portion  38  is an externally threaded bolt and the keeper portion  40  is an internally threaded nut. In another embodiment, the pin portion  38  is an unthreaded pin with a head at one end and a transverse bore at the other end. In this embodiment, the keeper portion  40  can be a cotter pin disposed within the transverse bore. 
   Elongate support structures  16 , side wall members  18 , roof members  20 , fastening pins  36  and other related hardware useable in the invention can be purchased from Speed Shore Corporation of Houston, Tex. 
   The metal plates  22  typically are aluminum plates having a thickness between about ⅛ inch and about ⅜ inch. Additional metal plates  22  can be disposed on top of the aluminum plates on the roof  14  or contiguous with metal plates  22  on the side walls  12  as necessary to provide additional strength. 
   Typically, the containment structure  10  is sufficiently heavy so that the inadvertent detonation of an explosive within the containment structure  10  raises the containment structure  10  above the location by a distance of less than about ¼ inch. 
   In one embodiment, the containment structure  10  is sufficiently strong to contain shrapnel from the explosion of a 75 mm Mk II chemical round. If a larger explosive is to be handled, additional metal plates  22  can be used to increase the containment strength of the containment structure  10 . 
   Each of the component parts, including the plurality of elongate support members  16 , side wall members  18 , roof members  20  and metal plates  22  can be assembled to form a kit. 
   As illustrated in FIGS.  1  and  3 - 14 , the containment structures  10  can be easily custom designed to surround the explosive and to avoid the obstacles at the location. The containment structure  10  is assembled by constructing side walls  12  which surround an area having the explosive but which avoid the obstacles at the location. The side walls  12  comprise a plurality of the side wall members  18 . The side wall peripheral edges  26  are retained within the channels  24  of the elongate support members  16 . Each side wall member  18  is attached to one or more adjacent side wall members  18  by elongate support members  16 . 
   As illustrated in the drawings, side wall members  18  can be used to create interior walls  42 . Such interior walls  42  can be used to shield an access opening  44  from the interior of the containment structure  10 . As illustrated in the drawings, a plastic or cloth curtain  46  can be disposed over the access opening  44 . 
   Also as illustrated in the drawings, apertures  48  can be disposed in the side walls  12  to provide ingress and egress for ventilating air. The ventilated air can be heated or cooled as necessary by a heater or air conditioner unit disposed exterior to the containment structure  10 . 
   The containment structure  10  can be assembled around an excavating machine  50  or other large tools which are too massive to enter the containment structure  10  via the access opening  44 . Alternatively, such excavating machine  50  or other large tools can be dropped into the containment structure  10  with a crane at any time prior to the completion of the roof  14 . 
   After the side walls  12  are assembled, a roof  14  is constructed which encloses the area surrounded by the side walls  12 . The roof  14  comprises a plurality of roof members  20  whose roof peripheral edges  26  are retained within the channels  24  of the elongate support members  16 . The roof  14  is attached to the side wall members  18  by elongate support members  16 . 
   After the side walls  12  and the roof  14  are completed, the metal plates  22  are disposed in abutment with the side walls  12  and with the roof  14 . The metal plates  22  are then tentatively retained against the side walls  12  and the roof  14  by upper periphery lateral plates  52  which are attached to the metal plates  22  and to the elongate support members  16  as illustrated in FIG.  6 . Thereafter, the metal plates  22  are tightened against the side walls  12  and the roof  14  with ropes or straps  54  as illustrated in FIG.  1 . Wedges  56 , such as wooden wedges, are disposed between the ropes or straps  54  and the metal plates  22  to tightly hold the metal plates  22  against the side walls  12  and the roof  14 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the fastening pins  36  along opposed elongate support members  16  on opposite sides of the roof  14  can be eyebolts  58  to guide and retain ropes or straps  54  used to press the metal plates  22  against the roof  14 . 
   Any corner gaps in the coverage of the metal plates  22  can be covered with metal corner blocks  60 , as illustrated in FIG.  1 . 
   As illustrated in the drawings, it is typical to dispose sandbags  62  at least around the exterior of the containment structure  10 . 
   The invention provides a method for quickly, conveniently and inexpensively constructing a containment structure around an unexploded ordnance or other explosive. Because the method provides for the assembling of the containment structure from preconstructed elements, the containment structure can be conveniently made to conform to the typography at the explosion site. 
   Having thus described the invention, it should be apparent that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope and fair meaning of the instant invention as set forth hereinabove and as described hereinbelow by the claims.