Apparatus and method for the demolition of objects

Claim 1

A DEMOLITION UNIT FOR PRODUCING A FLOW OF A HOT METALLIC MASS CAPABLE OF DESTROYING AN OBJECT TO BE DEMOLISHED, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) A THIN-WALLED CASING HAVING A TOP END AND A BOTTOM END; (B) A LINER ARRANGED WITHIN SAID CASING AND DEFINING A REACTION SPACE; (C) AN ALUMINOTHERMIC MASS ARRANGED WITHIN SAID REACTION SPACE, SAID MEANS BEING CAPABLE OF EXOTHERMICALLY REACTING TO PRODUCE A HOT LIQUID METALLIC MASS; (D) SAID LINER BEING OF A MATERIAL WHICH TAKES PART IN SAID REACTION AND FORMS UPON RECTION A HIGH-MELTING SLAG LAYER; (E) MEANS FOR INITIATING THE EXOTHERMIC REACTION OF SAID ALUMINOTHERMIC MASS; (F) SAID UNIT INCLUDING AN OUTLET AREA ADJACENT SAID BOTTOM END; (G) CLOSURE MEANS NORMALLY CLOSING SAID OUTLET AREA AND BEING OF A MATERIAL WHICH MELTS BELOW THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID HOT LIQUID METALLIC MASS, AND (H) MOUNTING MEANS ON SAID CASING ADJACENT SAID BOTTOM END AND EXTENDING BEYOND SAID OUTLET AREA FOR MOUNTING SAID UNIT IN A SUBSTANTIALLY UPRIGHT POSITION ON AN OBJECT TO BE DEMOLISHED WITH THE OUTLET AREA BEING VERTICALLY SPACED FROM SAID OBJECT, WHEREBY UPON INITIATING SAID EXOTHERMIC REACTION SAID HOT LIQUID METALLIC MASS IS FORMED WITHIN SAID REACTION SPACE, SAID MASS CAUSING MELTING OF SUCH CLOSURE MEANS TO FLOW BY GRAVITY THROUGH SAID OUTLET AREA, TO FALL THROUGH THE SPACE BETWEEN THE OUTLET AREA AND THE OBJECT TO STRIKE SAID OBJECT.