Patent Publication Number: US-2011061520-A1

Title: Air plow

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application No. 61/242,197, filed on Sep. 14, 2009, in the United States Patent &amp; Trademark Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a plow, and more particularly, an airborne plow for destroying unwanted vegetation or clearing mines. 
     The airborne plow provides a simple, cost-effective, and environmentally sound way of destroying unwanted or illegal vegetation or clearing mines. The airborne plow will be suspended from the bottom of a helicopter or a slow flying object to safely assist farmers or law enforcement personnel in destroying the vegetation, so that the vegetation cannot be restored or harvested. The airborne plow is ideal for destroying opium, coca, marijuana, and other illegal crops. The airborne plow enables the cultivation and flow of illegal drugs to be attacked at its source, without using poisons or endangering the welfare of those destroying the vegetation. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of chemical spraying to defoliate and eradicate unwanted vegetation or the cultivation of illegal drugs has proven to be expensive and poisonous to the environment. There have also been instances where contaminated crops are harvested regardless, causing cancer and defects to those who come in contact with it. Attempting to destroy these crops can be an extremely dangerous process. Law enforcement and military personnel are always in danger of being injured or killed by drug traffickers during attempts to wipe out a crop. The flow of illegal drugs has always been a significant concern. A safer, more effective way is needed. 
     Numerous innovations for aircraft towing devices have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention. 
     A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Document No. 3,942,748, Issued on Mar. 9, 1976, to Wolkovitch teaches an apparatus for controlling the distance between a vehicle to which it is attached and a surface over which the vehicle may be moving. The apparatus includes a cable and a sheet member which in a first mode is in contact with the surface but in a second mode is out of contact with the surface. Because of design, the sheet member induces a greater tension in the cable when in the second mode than when in the first mode; the increase in tension may be used to actuate a control or indicating devices on the vehicle to maintain the distance within desired limits. 
     A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Document No. 4,554,781, Issued on Nov. 26, 1985, to Rogers teaches a tree trimmer apparatus for installation on a helicopter or the like including a boom hanging vertically downward from the helicopter carrying a plurality of circular saws arranged with their blades nearly adjacent over a length of at least twenty feet on the boom, which is attached to the helicopter in a manner to be constrained against rotation about a vertical axis and to have rotational movement about a horizontal axis at right angles to the normal direction of motion of the helicopter; the blades are preferably powered by a hydraulic motor with groups of five 24-inch blades being driven through belts by one hydraulic motor provided with hydraulic fluid under pressure from a pump in the helicopter. A foot at the bottom of the boom extends to the rear and permits the apparatus to be landed with the bottom of the boom on a landing surface by maneuvering the helicopter backward to lay the boom and saw blades on the ground in front of the helicopter. A pusher rod extends downward from an arm on the top of the boom to push tree branches off of or away from a power line as the branches are being cut; a quick release hook between the top of the boom structure and the helicopter and quick release hydraulic connections permit the apparatus to be dropped in an emergency. 
     A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. Office Document No. 5,183,119, Issued on Feb. 2, 1993, to Wattenburg teaches an anti-snag plowing system suitable for clearing mines in the Middle East is disclosed. Advantageously, the plowing system has also been found to be an efficient and effective soil conditioner, making it a useful farming tool as well. The plowing system comprises several digging-knife units, or plows, and a harrow. Both are attached in tandem to a chain matrix, which is pulled with either a helicopter or tractor. The digging-knife units rotate if the digging-knives hit an immovable snag. The harrow is covered with a chain blanket, and may have magnetic or sonic wave mine triggers if the system is used for clearing mines. A symmetrical embodiment is also disclosed. 
     A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Publication No. 2003/0034778, published on Feb. 20, 2003, to Nelson teaches a metal detector system including a chassis for supporting electromagnetic sensor components above a medium such as soil or water. A transmitter coil and two receiver coils are attached to the chassis. A propulsion system is attached to the chassis between or adjacent to the receiver coils. The location of the propulsion system causes electromagnetic interference signals emanating from the propulsion system to be received at a nominally equal magnitude by each of the receiver coils. 
     A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Publication No. 2004/0000409, published on Jan. 1, 2004, to Abbott teaches a method for containing forest fires involves cutting a swath of trees and shrubs surrounding the fire area with use of an aerial saw carried by a helicopter. The swath of cut trees and shrubs is then watered down or covered by flame retardants. The aerial saw is preferably a rotary bladed one suspended horizontally from the helicopter. 
     It is apparent now that numerous innovations for aircraft towing devices have been provided in the prior art that are adequate for various purposes. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, accordingly, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     AN OBJECT of the present invention is to provide an airborne plow for destroying unwanted vegetation that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art. 
     ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide an airborne plow for destroying unwanted vegetation that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture. 
     STILL ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide an airborne plow for destroying unwanted vegetation that is simple to use. 
     BRIEFLY STATED, STILL YET ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide an airborne plow for destroying unwanted vegetation which comprises an elongated arm. A mechanism on the elongated arm is for engaging with the unwanted vegetation. Another mechanism is for suspending the elongated arm from the underside of a helicopter. The helicopter can maneuver the elongated arm, so that the engaging mechanism will destroy the unwanted vegetation. 
     The novel features which are considered characteristic of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and understood in connection with the accompanying drawing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       The figures of the drawings are briefly described as follows: 
         FIG. 1  is a side perspective view showing the present invention being used by three helicopters; 
         FIG. 2  is a front perspective view showing the present invention suspended from one helicopter; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing the various components of the present invention separated; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged perspective view of the dotted area in  FIG. 2  as indicated by arrow  4 ; and 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged perspective view of the dotted area in  FIG. 2  as indicated by arrow  5 . 
     
    
    
     REFERENCE NUMERALS UTILIZED IN THE DRAWING 
     
         
           110  airborne plow 
           112  unwanted vegetation or mine field 
           114  elongated arm of airborne plow  110   
           116  engaging mechanism of airborne plow  110   
           118  suspending mechanism of airborne plow  110   
           120  underside of helicopter  122   
           122  helicopter 
           124  I-beam for elongated arm  114   
           126  blade of engaging mechanism  116   
           128  leading edge of I-beam  124   
           130  spreader bar of suspending mechanism  118   
           132  chain of suspending mechanism  118   
           134  end of spreader bar  130   
           136  top end of I-beam  124   
           138  shock absorber of suspending mechanism  118   
           140  coil spring of shock absorber  138   
           142  top end of chain  132   
           144  set of double lugs of suspending mechanism  118   
           146  shear bolt of suspending mechanism  118   
           148  bottom end of chain  132   
           150  cotter pin of suspending mechanism  118   
           152  free end of shear bolt  146   
           154  attachment hardware for spreader bar  130   
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the figures, in which like numerals indicate like parts, and particularly to  FIGS. 1 through 5 , and as such, will be discussed with reference thereto. 
     The present invention is an airborne plow  110  for destroying unwanted vegetation  112 . The airborne plow  110  comprises an elongated arm  114  (we also can use multiple elongated arms  114  in parallel, one after the other one). A mechanism  116  on the elongated arm  114  is for engaging with the unwanted vegetation  112  (or mine field). Another mechanism  118  is for suspending the elongated arm  114  from the underside  120  of a helicopter  122  or a slow flying object. The length of the elongated arm  114  is at least five (05) times of the width of the helicopter  122 . The length of the elongated arm  114  is at least 100 feet. The elongated arm  114  is made of steel. The helicopter  122  can maneuver the elongated arm  114 , so that the engaging mechanism  116  will destroy the unwanted vegetation  112 . The helicopter  122  is used because of its speed of plow and speed of flying to escape due to the danger or high risk at the illegal opium field or hostile mine field. Therefore, the helicopter  122  is used in place of a regular tractor or a bulldozer. 
     The elongated arm  114  is comprised out of an I-beam  124 . The engaging mechanism  116  comprises a plurality of blades  126  spaced apart and attached to a leading edge  128  of the I-beam  124 . 
     The suspending mechanism  118  comprises a spreader bar  130  removably connected to the underside  120  of the helicopter  122 . A pair of chains  132  is provided. Each chain  132  extends between one end  134  of the spreader bar  130  and one top end  136  of the I-beam  124 . The suspending mechanism  118  further comprises a pair of shock absorbers  138  with coil springs  140 . Each shock absorber  138  is retained between a top end  142  of one chain  132  and one end  134  of spreader bar  130 . 
     The suspending mechanism  118  still further comprises two sets of double lugs  144 . Each set of double lugs  144  are formed on one top end  136  of the I-beam  124 . A pair of shear bolts  146  is provided. Each shear bolt  146  extends through each set of double lugs  144  to hold a bottom end  148  of one chain  136  therebetween. A pair of cotter pins  150  is also provided. Each cotter pin  150  extends through a free end  152  of each shear bolt  146  to thereby provide a breakaway safety system for the helicopter  122  in case the I-beam  124  snags on an obstruction on the ground. 
     In summary the airborne plow  110  consists of an elongated arm  114  being an I-beam  124  with enough weight and geometry on the leading edge  128  to knock down and sufficiently destroy the unwanted vegetation  112  that can be used in the production of illegal drugs. The I-beam  124  is approximately twenty to fifty feet wide depending on the power and altitude requirements of the helicopter  122  that is towing it. The leading edge  128  of the I-beam  124  is configured with blades  126 . 
     The I-beam  124  is suspended by two chains  132 , with each chain  132  being approximately one hundred to one hundred and fifty feet in length. The length of the chains  132  may vary depending upon conditions. It is advantageous to use the chains  132  because the characteristic catenary curve of chains  132 , provide additional shock absorbing capabilities. A spreader bar  130  prevents the chains  132  from twisting. A pair of shear bolts  146  provides breakaway safety to the helicopter, in case the I-beam  124  snags on an obstruction. A pair of shock absorbers  138  with coil springs  140 , are each attached between a top end  142  of the chain  132  and one end  134  of the spreader bar  130 . Attachment hardware  154  is included to connect the spreader bar  130  to the helicopter  122 . When the I-beam  124  is towed by the helicopter  122 , it will knock over and destroy the unwanted vegetation  112  (or clearing mines) by disturbing the ground, thus preventing the harvesting and later the processing of the unwanted vegetation  112 . The airborne plow  110  can be used on a single helicopter  122  or in a wave of overlapping helicopters  122  or slow flying objects (e.g. hovercraft). The exact specifications of the present invention may vary. 
     It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above. 
     While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodiments of an airborne plow for destroying unwanted vegetation or clearing mines, accordingly it is not limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 
     Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.