Tunnel boring machine

Mining or in situ disintegration of hard material – Hard material disintegrating machines – Stepper-type advance-causing means

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Details

299 33, 299 56, 299 58, 175 61, 175 76, 405146, 405141, E21C 2516, E21D 908

Patent

active

044947992

ABSTRACT:
A tunnel boring machine for boring a tunnel through mixed ground with stable ground conditions and unstable ground conditions. The tunnel boring machine is operable in a stable ground boring mode with the machine anchored to tunnel sidewall portions and also in an unstable ground mode wherein cutting thrust is provided by a shield means in cooperation with tunnel lining structure. Combined mode operation is also possible. The machine comprises a rotatable cutting wheel means positioned at the front end of the machine which may be selectively thrustingly engaged with the tunnel end face for cutting away material away to elongate the tunnel; rotation means operably associated with the rotatable cutter wheel means for selectively causing rotation thereof at various speeds of operation; extendable and retractable central thrust rod means for transmitting forward thrust to the cutting wheel means; central body means for supporting the central thrust rod means in extendable and retractable relationship therein; central thrust generating means operably associated with the central body means for extending and retracting the central thrust rod means; extendable and retractable sidewall engaging means mounted on the central body means for selectively grippingly engaging opposite portions of the tunnel peripheral sidewall; central body support means for supporting the central body means on the floor of the tunnel; annular shield means operably mounted on the central thrust rod means for shielding a forward portion of the machine; extendable and retractable shield thrust means operably associated with the shield means for coacting with the tunnel lining structure to produce forward thrust on the cutting wheel means; muck removal means for removing material cut away from the tunnel face by the cutting wheel means and control means for selectively operating various machine components.

REFERENCES:
patent: 3061288 (1962-10-01), Robbins
patent: 3309142 (1967-03-01), Winbers
patent: 3672726 (1972-06-01), House
patent: 3963080 (1976-06-01), Walker
patent: 4140345 (1979-02-01), Babendererde et al.
patent: 4193637 (1980-03-01), Spencer
patent: 4311344 (1982-01-01), Akesaka
patent: 4420188 (1983-12-01), Robbins et al.

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