Patent ID: 7878100

Claim:
A method for removing toxic material from a toxic weapon projectile having a casing, toxic material within a toxic agent cavity, a burster well, a base and an ogive, the method comprising the steps of: (a) providing an apparatus having: i) a base; ii) a projectile retaining container disposed on the base for accepting and retaining the ogive of a toxic weapon projectile, the projectile retaining container having a projectile retainer opening, a ram opening and a drain opening iii) a ram disposed on the base and extending upwards through the ram opening into the projectile retaining container, the ram including a ram head having one or more spray nozzles, the ram being extendible and retractable between (1) a retracted ram position wherein the ram is disposed proximate to the ram opening, and (2) an extended ram position wherein the ram is disposed distal to the ram opening; iv) a projectile retainer opening seal for sealing the ogive of a toxic weapon projectile within the projectile retaining opening; and v) a ram opening seal for sealing the ram within the ram opening; (b) rigidly retaining a projectile in the apparatus with the ogive of the projectile downwardly disposed into the projectile opening in the projectile retaining container; (c) sealing the ogive of the projectile to the projectile retaining container with the projectile retainer opening seal; (d) extending the ram from the retracted ram position towards the extended ram position whereby the ram crushes the burster well and releases the toxic material from the toxic agent cavity; (e) pressurizing a washing fluid through the one or more spray nozzles to flush toxic material from the projectile, whereby washing fluid and toxic material gravitates out of the projectile and into the projectile retaining container; and (f) removing washing fluid and toxic material from the projectile receiving container via the drain opening.