Fire-extinguishing tarp

1. A fire extinguishing tarpaulin comprising

a fire tarpaulin, a rocket system, and an aircraft;

wherein the fire extinguishing tarpaulin is configured for use extinguishing a chemical combustion reaction in an area of conflagration;

wherein the fire tarpaulin forms a gas impermeable barrier that limits the chemical combustion by limiting access to the oxygen required to sustain the chemical combustion reaction;

wherein the rocket system is a propulsion system that propels the fire tarpaulin to the chemical combustion reaction;

wherein the aircraft is a vehicle used: a) as a launching platform to deliver the fire tarpaulin to the chemical combustion reaction; and, b) a vehicle to subsequently recover the fire tarpaulin;

wherein the fire tarpaulin comprises a master sheeting, a plurality of anchors, a plurality of anchor cords, and a recovery structure;

wherein the plurality of anchor cords and the recovery structure attach to the master sheeting;

wherein the plurality of anchor cords attach the plurality of anchors to the master sheeting;

wherein the plurality of anchors comprises a collection of individual anchors;

wherein each individual anchor is a mechanical structure;

wherein each individual anchor is identical;

wherein each individual anchor lands on the ground;

wherein the individual anchor rotates to a previously determined orientation relative to the ground;

wherein the individual anchor discharges an auger that anchors the individual anchor to the ground;

wherein the anchor cord selected from the plurality of anchor cords that is associated with the individual anchor anchors a weighted sphere to the ground.

2. The fire extinguishing tarpaulin according to claim 1

wherein the fire tarpaulin is a mechanical structure;

wherein the fire tarpaulin is formed from non-combustible materials;

wherein the rocket system transports the fire tarpaulin to the location of the chemical combustion reaction;

wherein the fire tarpaulin forms gas impermeable barrier over the chemical combustion reaction.

3. The fire extinguishing tarpaulin according to claim 2

wherein the aircraft is a mechanical structure;

wherein the rocket system is a mechanical structure;

wherein the rocket system is the propulsion system that propels the fire tarpaulin to the site of the chemical combustion reaction.

4. The fire extinguishing tarpaulin according to claim 3

wherein the rocket system comprises a rocket launcher and a plurality of propulsion devices;

wherein the rocket launcher is a mechanical structure;

wherein the aircraft contains the rocket launcher;

wherein the rocket launcher contains the fire tarpaulin and the plurality of propulsion devices;

wherein the rocket launcher aims the fire tarpaulin and the plurality of propulsion devices at the chemical combustion reaction;

wherein the rocket launcher discharges the fire tarpaulin and the plurality of propulsion devices from the aircraft;

wherein each of the plurality of propulsion devices attaches to the fire tarpaulin;

wherein each of the plurality of propulsion devices provides a motive force that accelerates the fire tarpaulin towards the chemical combustion reaction after the fire tarpaulin and the plurality of propulsion devices have been discharged from the aircraft;

wherein the plurality of propulsion devices is a mechanical device that discharges a propellant used to accelerate the fire tarpaulin towards the chemical combustion reaction.

5. The fire extinguishing tarpaulin according to claim 4

wherein the fire tarpaulin is a self-anchoring structure;

wherein by self-anchoring is meant that the fire tarpaulin anchors itself to the ground such that the position of the fire tarpaulin remains fixed.

6. The fire extinguishing tarpaulin according to claim 5

wherein the master sheeting is a flexible sheeting structure;

wherein the master sheeting is formed from a foil;

wherein the master sheeting is formed from aluminum;

wherein the master sheeting forms a gas impermeable barrier that inhibits the access of chemical combustion reaction to atmospheric oxygen.

7. The fire extinguishing tarpaulin according to claim 6

wherein the individual anchor comprises the weighted sphere, the auger, a compressed acceleration gas, an inertial sensor, and a brake plate;

wherein the weighted sphere forms a shell that contains the auger, the compressed acceleration gas, and the brake plate.

8. The fire extinguishing tarpaulin according to claim 7

wherein the weighted sphere is a spherical structure;

wherein the weighted sphere is a rigid structure;

wherein the density of the weighted sphere is not uniform throughout the volume of the spherical structure of the weighted sphere;

wherein the interaction between the force of gravity and the density variations within the weighted sphere cause the weighted sphere to rotate on the ground into a fixed orientation relative to the ground;

wherein the auger anchors the weighted sphere to the ground.

9. The fire extinguishing tarpaulin according to claim 8

wherein the weighted sphere comprises an auger barrel, a major spherical section, and a minor spherical section;

wherein the auger barrel is a cavity that is formed within the weighted sphere;

wherein the auger barrel has a prism-shaped structure;

wherein the position of the auger barrel is such that the center axis of the auger barrel aligns with both the center of the spherical structure of the weighted sphere and with the center of mass of the minor spherical section.

10. The fire extinguishing tarpaulin according to claim 9

wherein the auger barrel contains the auger;

wherein the auger barrel contains the compressed acceleration gas;

wherein the auger barrel contains the inertial sensor;

wherein the brake plate mounts in the auger barrel;

wherein the compressed acceleration gas propels the auger out of the auger barrel.

11. The fire extinguishing tarpaulin according to claim 10

wherein the major spherical section is a spherical section formed in the weighted sphere;

wherein the major spherical section is further defined with a first density;

wherein the minor spherical section is a spherical section formed in the weighted sphere;

wherein the minor spherical section is matched to the major spherical section such that the major spherical section and the minor spherical section combine to form the full weighted sphere;

wherein the minor spherical section is further defined with a second density.

12. The fire extinguishing tarpaulin according to claim 11

wherein the second density of the material that forms the minor spherical section is greater than the first density of the material that forms the major spherical section;

wherein the density difference between the materials that form the major spherical section and the minor spherical section are selected such that the force of gravity will rotate the weighted sphere into the proper orientation;

wherein the proper orientation of the weighted sphere is set such that a line through both from a center of the weighted sphere and a center of mass of the minor spherical section will be parallel to the force of gravity.

13. The fire extinguishing tarpaulin according to claim 12

wherein the auger is a helical structure;

wherein the auger is a rotating structure;

wherein the auger is propelled out of the auger barrel of the weighted sphere into the ground;

wherein the compressed acceleration gas is compressed nitrogen;

wherein the compressed acceleration gas mounts in the auger barrel of the weighted sphere such that the release of the compressed acceleration gas propels and rotates the auger out of the auger barrel;

wherein the inertial sensor is an interlock device;

wherein the inertial sensor forms a valve structure that interfaces the compressed acceleration gas with the auger;

wherein the brake plate is a mechanical structure that mounts within the auger barrel of the weighted sphere;

wherein the brake plate is a ring structure that is sized to allow an auger spit and an auger shaft to escape the auger barrel of the weighted sphere but that traps the tailfin structure within the auger barrel;

wherein the brake plate physically secures the auger after it has been deployed such that the auger anchors the weighted sphere to the ground;

wherein each of the plurality of anchor cords is a cord;

wherein there is a one to one correspondence between the plurality of anchor cords and the plurality of anchors;

wherein each of the plurality of anchor cords physically anchors the master sheeting into a fixed position by attaching the master sheeting to an anchor selected from the plurality of anchors;

wherein each of the plurality of anchor cords is a flexible structure formed from a metal wire;

wherein the recovery structure is a mechanical structure;

wherein the recovery structure attaches to the master sheeting;

wherein the recovery structure forms a structure that allows the aircraft to capture the fire tarpaulin.

14. The fire extinguishing tarpaulin according to claim 13

wherein the auger comprises the auger shaft, the auger spit, and a tailfin structure;

wherein the auger shaft is a prism-shaped structure;

wherein the auger shaft is a helical structure;

wherein the auger shaft forms a structure that removes material away from the auger spit as the auger is driven into the ground;

wherein the auger spit is a pyramid shaped structure;

wherein the auger spit attaches to a congruent end of the auger shaft to form a composite prism structure;

wherein the combination of the auger shaft and the auger spit forms a spit structure that moves loose matter out of the way as the auger is driven into the ground by the compressed acceleration gas;

wherein the auger and the spit are defined elsewhere in this disclosure;

wherein the tailfin structure is a mechanical structure that forms an airfoil;

wherein the tailfin structure attaches to the congruent end of the auger shaft that is distal from the auger spit;

wherein the tailfin structure attaches the auger shaft to the inertial sensor;

wherein the release of the compressed acceleration gas rotates the tailfin structure to rotate the auger as the compressed acceleration gas drives the auger into the ground.

15. The fire extinguishing tarpaulin according to claim 14

wherein the recovery structure comprises a recovery cord and a balloon;

wherein the balloon attaches to the recovery cord such that the balloon elevates the recovery cord above the master sheeting.

16. The fire extinguishing tarpaulin according to claim 15

wherein the recovery cord is a cord that attaches across the face of the master sheeting;

wherein the recovery cord is formed from a metal wire;

wherein the balloon is a flexible bladder structure;

wherein the balloon forms a floating structure within the atmosphere.

17. The fire extinguishing tarpaulin according to claim 16

wherein the balloon further comprises an aluminum sheath, a lift cord, and a compressed lift gas;

wherein the aluminum sheath is a bladder;

wherein the aluminum sheath contains the compressed lift gas under pressure during the recovery process;

wherein the aluminum sheath forms a floating structure within the atmosphere such that the aluminum sheath provides the motive forces necessary to raise the recovery cord above the master sheeting;

wherein the lift cord is a cord;

wherein the lift cord is formed from a metal wire;

wherein the lift cord physically attaches the aluminum sheath to the recovery cord;

wherein the compressed lift gas is a compressed gas;

wherein the compressed lift gas is stored under pressure in the aluminum sheath.

18. The fire extinguishing tarpaulin according to claim 17

wherein the plurality of anchors further comprises a first anchor, a second anchor, a third anchor, and a fourth anchor;

wherein the first anchor attaches to the perimeter of the master sheeting;

wherein the second anchor attaches to the perimeter of the master sheeting;

wherein the third anchor attaches to the perimeter of the master sheeting;

wherein the fourth anchor attaches to the perimeter of the master sheeting.