METHOD OF BREAKING ICE COVER Russian patent published in 2003 - IPC

FIELD: ice-breaking jobs. SUBSTANCE: proposed method consists in making through hole in ice cover 1 and securing cloth 3 over perimeter 4; then, compressed air is fed under cloth 3 through branch 5 of supply hose 6 and through hole made in ice cover through branch 7 of supply hose 6 by means of compressor 8. As a result, air cushion 9 is formed under ice cover and air cavity 10 is formed under air cushion/ Pressure in cushion 9 and in cavity 10 may be regularly increased or decreased by means of throttling valves 11. EFFECT: increased breaking load on ice cover. 2 cl, 1 dwg