Method and device for breaking a hard compact material

Claim 2

A cannon for shooting an elongated fluid mass body of a relatively incompressible fluid comprising: a storage chamber for storing the fluid, means operatively associated with said storage chamber for substantially continuously exerting a thrust load upon the fluid in said storage chamber, means for successive supply of said fluid to said storage chamber against the effect of said thrust load, a barrel means coupled to said storage chamber for forming fluid received from said storage chamber into an elongated coherent fluid mass body, and valve means which includes two cooperating members coupled between said storage chamber and said barrel means, and means for causing said valve means to suddenly open a passage between said storage chamber and said barrel means to permit the fluid from said storage chamber to be discharged through said barrel means as said elongate mass body, said means for causing said valve means to suddenly open comprising means for accelerating said two cooperating members of said valve means relative to one another, said valve means being arranged to open said passage only after said two cooperating members have moved relative to each other a predetermined distance, the maximum pressure in said storage chamber during said discharge of fluid from said storage chamber being of the same order of magnitude as the maximum pressure during the supplying of fluid to said storage chamber.

Claim 3

A cannon according to claim 1, wherein said means for causing said valve means to suddenly open further comprises means responsive to a predetermined amount of fluid supplied to said storage chamber for causing said valve means to suddenly open when a predetermined amount of fluid has been supplied.

Claim 4

A cannon according to claim 1, wherein said means for exerting a thrust load upon the fluid in said storage chamber comprises a drive piston and means for exerting a bias load on said drive piston.

Claim 5

A cannon according to claim 3 wherein means for exerting said bias load on said drive piston comprises a gas spring.

Claim 6

A cannon according to claim 3, wherein said barrel means is movable relative to said storage chamber in the driving direction of the fluid mass body.

Claim 7

A cannon according to claim 4 or 5, wherein said cooperating member of said valve means are respectively associated with said barrel means and with said drive piston.

Claim 8

A cannon according to claim 5, wherein said drive piston and said barrel means are adapted to be moved together in a backward direction opposite to the working direction of said drive piston upon supply of fluid to said storage chamber, and wherein said drive piston is provided with sealing means for fluid-tight cooperation with said barrel means during said simultaneous movement of said drive piston and said barrel means in said backward direction, said barrel means and said drive piston forming said cooperating members of said valve means.

Claim 9

A cannon according to claim 7, further comprising stop means adapted to limit the backward movement of said barrel means so as to initiate said valve means to open.

Claim 10

A cannon according to claim 8, wherein said stop means is axially adjustable relative to said barrel means for permitting adjustment of the amount of fluid supplied to said storage chamber before said valve means opens.

Claim 11

A cannon according to claim 6, wherein said barrel means includes means cooperating with the fluid in said storage chamber for hydraulically retarding said barrel means by said fluid in said storage chamber when said barrel means has moved a predetermined distance in the driving direction of the fluid mass body.

Claim 12

A cannon according to claim 1, wherein said valve means is of the seat-valve type and comprises an element which projects backwards from a seat, said element being provided with a limit stop, and said drive piston being provided with an abutment surface, said limit stop and abutment surface being adapted to cooperate after a predetermined movement of said drive piston against the bias load on said drive piston in order to cause said valve means to lift from its seat, said predetermined movement of said drive piston being caused by the admission of fluid to said storage chamber.

Claim 13

A cannon according to claim 2, wherein said valve means is of the seat-valve type and comprises an element which projects backwards from a seat, said element being provided with a limit stop, and said drive piston being provided with an abutment surface, said limit stop and abutment surface being adapted to cooperate after a predetermined movement of said drive piston against the bias load on said drive piston in order to cause said valve means to lift from its seat, said predetermined movement of said drive piston being caused by the admission of fluid to said storage chamber.

Claim 14

A cannon for shooting an elongated fluid mass body of a relatively incompressible fluid comprising: a storage chamber for storing the fluid, means operatively associated with said storage chamber for substantially continuously exerting a thrust load upon the fluid in said storage chamber, said thrust load exerting means comprising a drive piston and means for applying a bias load on said drive piston, means for successive supply of said fluid to said storage chamber against the effect of said thrust load, a barrel means coupled to said storage chamber for forming fluid received from said storage chamber into an elongated coherent fluid mass body, and a slide valve means coupled between said storage chamber and said barrel means, and means for causing said valve means to suddenly open a passage between said storage chamber and said barrel means to permit the fluid from said storage chamber to be discharged through said barrel means as said elongate mass body, the maximum pressure in said storage chamber during said discharge of fluid from said storage chamber being of the same order of magnitude as the maximum pressure during the supplying of fluid to said storage chamber, said slide valve means including a valving element coaxial with said barrel means and a cooperating element, said valving element having a surface forming a seat valve with said cooperating element, said drive piston being arranged to lift said valving element from its seat when said drive piston reaches a predetermined rear position, said valving element having annular surface means arranged to accelerate said valving element away from its seat when subject to the pressure in said storage chamber upon said valving element leaving its seat, said slide valve means being arranged to suddenly open said storage chamber to said barrel means only after said valving element has moved a predetermined distance from its seat.

Claim 15

A cannon for shooting an elongated fluid mass body of a relatively incompressible fluid comprising: a storage chamber for storing the fluid, means operatively associated with said storage chamber for substantially continuously exerting a thrust load upon the fluid in said storage chamber, said thrust load exerting means comprising a drive piston and means for applying a bias load on said drive piston, means for successive supply of said fluid to said storage chamber against the effect of said thrust load, a barrel means coupled to said storage chamber for forming fluid received from said storage chamber into an elongated coherent fluid mass body, and a slide valve means coupled between said storage chamber and said barrel means, and means for causing said valve means to suddenly open a passage between said storage chamber and said barrel means to permit the fluid from said storage chamber to be discharged through said barrel means as said elongate mass body, the maximum pressure in said storage chamber during said discharge of fluid from said storage chamber being of the same order of magnitude as the maximum pressure during the supplying of fluid to said storage chamber, said slide valve means including a valving element coaxial with said barrel means and a cooperating element, said valving element having a surface forming a seat valve with said cooperating element, said drive piston being arranged to lift said valving element from its seat when said drive piston reaches a predetermined rear position, said valving element having annular surface means arranged to accelerate said valving element away from its seat when subject to the pressure in said storage chamber upon said valving element leaving its seat, said slide valve means being arranged to suddenly open said storage chamber to said barrel means only after said valving element has moved a predetermined distance from its seat.

Claim 16

A cannon according to claim 13, wherein said valving element includes a piston surface that is smaller than said annular surface means and is subject to the pressure in said storage chamber for forcing said valving element against said seat until said valving element is lifted off its seat.

Claim 17

A cannon according to claim 13, wherein said cooperating element of said slide valve means comprises said barrel means.

Claim 18

A cannon according to claim 14, wherein said valving element is slidably carried by said drive piston, said drive piston having means for axial engagement with said valving element to selectively lift said valving element from its seat.

Claim 19

A cannon according to claim 13, wherein said cooperating element of said slide valve means comprises said drive piston.

Claim 20

A cannon according to claim 1 or 13, wherein said relatively incompressible fluid is water.

Claim 21

A cannon according to claim 1 or 13, wherein the maximum pressure in said storage chamber during said discharge of fluid from said storage chamber is substantially the same as the maximum pressure during the supplying of fluid to said storage chamber.

Claim 22

A cannon according to claim 13, wherein said barrel means is movable relative to said storage chamber in the driving direction of the fluid mass body.

Claim 23

A cannon according to claim 13, wherein said barrel means includes means cooperating with the fluid in said storage chamber for hydraulically retarding said barrel means by said fluid in said storage chamber when said barrel means has moved a predetermined distance in the driving direction of the fluid mass body.

Claim 24

A cannon according to claim 13, wherein said barrel means is movable relative to said storage chamber in the driving direction of the fluid mass body, and wherein said drive piston and said barrel means are adapted to be moved together in a backward direction opposite to the working direction of said drive piston upon supply of fluid to said storage chamber, and wherein said drive piston is provided with sealing means for fluid-tight cooperation with said barrel means during said simultaneous movement of said drive piston and said barrel means in said backward direction, said barrel means and said drive piston forming said cooperating members of said valve means.