AU747836B2

AU747836B2 - Advancing device for boring sections of roadway, tunnels or similar

Info

Publication number: AU747836B2
Application number: AU39595/00A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Nikolaus Kleuters
Original assignee: Wirth Maschinen und Bohrgeraete Fabrik GmbH
Current assignee: Mhwirth GmbH
Priority date: 1999-02-25
Filing date: 2000-02-08
Publication date: 2002-05-23
Anticipated expiration: 2020-02-08
Also published as: AU3959500A; CA2362280A1; WO2000050738A1; EP1155220A1; KR20010102337A

Description

S. I -3- ADVANCING DEVICE FOR BORING SECTIONS OF ROADWAY, TUNNELS OR THE LIKE The present invention pertains to advancing devices for boring sections of roadway, tunnels or the like of the type corresponding to the preambles of claim 1 or 2.

Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.

Such devices have been known, from DE 195 34 814 Al and are generally called "tunnel boring machines". They have a shield arrangement, which protects the machine area from the radial collapse or fall of rocks or earth until the beginning of the S"securing of the rock, which can be carried out, by placing tubbings and/or concreting.

o. To advance the boring of tunnels, these tunnel boring machines have a rotatingly drivable working head, which is used to loosen the bottom material present at the working face. It carries for this purpose first rotary cutters distributed on its side facing the working face, distributed within the outer circumference of its front surface, and second rotary cutters radially protruding beyond its outer circumference, which are also :called "caliber cutting rollers." The latter are used to advance an overcut, which extends beyond the outer circumference of the working head and is necessary to push forward the shield arrangement in the hole.

The radial protrusion of the caliber cutting roller beyond the outer circumference of the working head, which corresponds to that of the first rotary cutters at least in terms of its size and usually also in other respects, is brought about by means of mounting devices nearly extending to the outer circumference of the shield arrangement, which N-25 accommodate at least one caliber cutting roller in a position in which it is sloped with its -4cutting edge toward the wall of the hole by an angle of up to 900 in relation to the direction of advancement.

A mounting device, which permits the mounting and removal of the particular rotary cutters from the side of the working head facing away from the working face of the tunnel hole, is known, from EP 0 072 503 B1.

Since the mounting device extends almost to the outer circumference of the shield arrangement, the latter has a minimum distance from the working face depending on the dimensions of the mounting device which cannot be reduced due to the design and at which the tunnel wall is unprotected from the radial collapse or fall of rocks or earth.

Because, furthermore, the risk of collapse of the boring wall in the unprotected area Sincreases disproportionately with increasing distance of the end of the shield arrangement from the working face, efforts are made to keep this area as small as •possible.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the i 15 disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.

0 0:According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an advancing *000device for boring sections of roadway, tunnels or the like, with a rotatingly drivable working head, which can be moved in the direction of advancement and which has first ooo...

rotary cutters distributed over its side facing the work face within its outer circumference and a second rotary cutters radially protruding over its outer circumference; with mounting devices which can be mounted on the working head for the rotary cutters; and, 4a with a shield arrangement, which covers the boring wall behind the second rotary cutters at least partially when viewed in the direction of advancement, wherein the second rotary cutters have a larger outer diameter than the first rotary cutters.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words 'comprise', 'comprising', and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of "including, but not limited to".

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided an advancing device for boring sections of roadway, tunnels or the like, with a rotatingly drivable working head, which can be moved in the direction of advancement and which has first rotary cutters distributed over its side facing the working face within its outer circumference and second rotary cutters radially protruding beyond its outer circumference; with mounting devices which can be mounted on the working head for the rotary cutters; and, with a shield arrangement, which covers the boring wall at least partially behind the second rotary cutters when viewed in the direction of advancement, wherein at least the mounting devices for the second rotary cutters have means (spacers) which permit the mounting of the second rotary cutters optionally in positions radially protruding beyond the outer circumference of the working head by different amounts.

It has already been known for a long time that the progression of mining that can be achieved with a working head can be increased by equipping the working head with rotary cutters of the smallest possible diameter, especially with increasing hardness of the material to be removed. Experiments have shown that the progression of mining that 25 can be achieved with a certain set of first rotary cutters mounted in a device according to 4b the present invention is not affected appreciably adversely when the diameter of the second rotary cutters (caliber cutting rollers) is 20% to 100% and preferably 30% larger than the diameter of the first rotary cutters.

A combination of the two embodiments is, of course, within the framework of the present invention, caliber cutting rollers that have a larger diameter than the first rotary cutters may also be used in the second embodiment.

For use in "bad" rocks, the jacket surface bounding the outer circumference of the working head and its front side are therefore preferably provided with a high-strength metal wearing plate.

It is, furthermore, advantageous to also design the mounting devices for the first rotary cutters such that these rotary cutters can be mounted in a variable manner, in positions projecting by different amounts from the front surface of the working head, because the working head can thus be adapted to the conditions predetermined by the rock in terms of an optimal boring advance, minimized wear, etc., in a simple manner.

The replaceability of the second rotary cutters is substantially simplified if they can be mounted and removed on the side of the working head facing away from the working face.

C.

C

34-203 This advantage can be achieved in terms of design in the manner known from EP 0 072 503 by arranging on the mounting device for the rotary cutters at least one tool element or a body provided therewith on a supporting body, whose lateral head parts have installation surfaces and are fixed in the installed state by fastening bolts relative to support surfaces which are directed essentially to the bore head front side and are located within a holder seated on the facing head, wherein fixed support surfaces are present for directly accommodating the installation surfaces of the head parts, and passages, openings or the like leading from the rear side of the holder to a point in front of the support surface are arranged in the holder for the head parts of the supporting body such that the head parts can be led through them in a position that is offset, rotated or pivoted in relation to the installed state of the tool and the tool can be moved as a result by a composite movement, which limits a rotation or pivoting of at least one of its parts, into the installed state, in which the installation surfaces of the head parts are held on the fixed support surfaces by fastening bolts engaging threaded holes of the head parts.

The means for varying the amount by which the rotary cutters protrude beyond the outer circumference or the front side of the working head now preferably comprise spacers that can be inserted between the support surfaces and the installation surfaces.

It is especially preferred to provide second rotary cutters of different outer diameters, which can be optionally mounted on the working head. Due to this measure, the size of the overcut can be adapted to the particular conditions in a simple manner by using second rotary cutters of a suitable diameter. This is of considerable advantage especially when the hole to be advanced extends [into] varying types of rock, which collapse at different degrees in the unprotected area.

The first and/or second rotary cutters are usually designed as cutting disks having a radial cutting edge.

Especially if the working head is intended for advancing bores in hard rock, it may be advisable to design one or more of the cutting disks both of the first and second rotary cutters as socalled wart disks, which have at least one radial projection projecting from the circumference on their cutting edge.

The replaceability of the second.rotary cutters can be simplified even more by the shield arrangement having an opening extending from its edge facing the working face, because the second rotary cutters located in the area of the opening are more easily accessible due to this measure.

To prevent waste collected mostly from wall material collapsing from the top or at the bottom of the tunnel from entering the opening, the latter extends over the smallest possible angle range, preferably about 100, and is provided under the center of the tunnel cross section, preferably in an angle range of 1300 to 1400, in a "4-o'clock or 8-o'clock position" when viewed from the highest point of the cross section of the shield arrangement.

The present invention also covers a working head for a device according to the present invention.

An exemplary embodiment each of the two variants of devices according to the present invention are shown in the drawings graphically as details. In the drawings, 34-203 Figure 1 shows the front view of a working head equipped according to the first variant according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a sectional side view of the same working head along the section line A-A in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows an enlargement of detail III in accordance with in Figure 2; Figure 4a schematically shows all the cutting tools of the first variant working in the area of the edge of the working face projected into a plane that extends at right angles to the working face and contains the axis of rotation of the working head and the position of the shield arrangement; Figure 4b shows a view of a prior-art device corresponding to the view in Figure 4a; Figure 5 shows the front view of a working head equipped according to the present invention according to the second variant; Figure 6 shows a sectional side view of the same working head along section line in Figure Figure 7 shows an enlargement of detail VI in Figure 6; Figure 8 schematically shows all the cutting elements of the second variant working in the area of the edge of the working face projected onto a plane that is perpendicular to the working face and contains the axis of rotation of the working head and the position of the shield arrangement, and Figure 9 shows a preferred embodiment of the mounting device of the rotary cutters partly in a sectional view and partly in an exploded view.

The working head according to the first variant of the present invention, which is designated by 100 as a whole, is used in the usual manner to remove a circular cross section and is equipped for these purposes with first rotary cutters 1 distributed over its front surface and with second rotary cutters 2, also called caliber cutting rollers, which radially protrude beyond its outer circumference. Furthermore, the working head 100 also has rotating scraping tools 3, which are used to separate soft rocks located at the working face O. To take up separated waste, the working head 100 is also provided with loading shovels, not shown in the drawings, by means of which the waste is fed to a conveying means 4, which is only indicated, and conveys the waste separated at the working face O into the rear part of the hole for removal from there.

The working head 100 is mounted rotatably around its axis of rotation S. The support at the boring wall and the drive of the working head are accomplished in the known manner.

The first and second rotary cutters are designed as round disks 5, which have a circular cutting edge 6.

As can be recognized especially from Figures 2 and 3, a shield arrangement 7, which shields working head 100 and the machine area located behind it from the boring wall and prevents material present at the boring wall 8 from penetrating into the said areas in the case of collapse extends up to a point located at a short distance in front of the second rotary cutters 2 when viewed in the direction of the working face O.

The shield arrangement 7 has an opening 11, which extends from it and the edge facing the working face O and is indicated in the drawings only in Figure 2 by broken lines. The openin: extends in the exemplary embodiment shown over an angle range of about 100 and is provided approximately in the "4-o'clock position" when viewed from the working face O. Access to a second rotary cutter 2 brought into a corresponding position is facilitated by the opening 11, so that the rotary cutter 2 can be removed and installed in a simpler manner.

As can also be recognized especially from Figures 2 and 3, the axes of rotation T around whici the second rotary cutters 2 are mounted rotatably are pivoted rearward by an angle u of about 450 in relation to the direction of advancement relative to the axes of rotation T' of the first rotary cutters 1 in the exemplary embodiment according to the first variant of the present invention shown in the drawing, so that the cutting edges 6 of the second rotary cutters 2 are also in contact with the boring wall 8 at an angle 3 of about 450 The second rotary cutters 2 have a diameter increased by about 30% compared with the first rotary cutters 1. It is possible due to this measure to move a mounting device 9, which is intended to fix the second rotary cutters and is not shown in detail in the drawing, inward in the direction of the axis of rotation S to the extent that the front edge 10 of the shield arrangement 7 nearly reaches the second rotary cutters 2.

The comparison of Figures 4a and 4b, which show a projection of such cutting tools acting on the working face O in the area of the edge of the working face, with Figure 4b showing an arrangement according to the state of the art, illustrates that due to the advancing device for boring sections of roadway, tunnels or the like, which is designed according to the first variant of the present invention, with second rotary cutters that are larger than the first rotary cutters, the mounting devices 9 of the second rotary cutters 2 are set back, and the shield arrangement can thus be moved with its front edge 10 closer to the second rotary cutters 2, as a result of which the length of the unprotected boring wall area designated by U in Figures 4a and 4b is reduced.

The working head according to the second variant of the present invention, designated as a whole by 200 in Figure 5, is usually also used to remove a circular cross section and is equipped for these purposes with first rotary cutters 31, which are distributed over its front surface 35 and which protrude beyond the latter, and with second rotary cutters 32 radially protruding beyond its outer circumference. Furthermore, the working head 200 also has rotating scraping tools 33, which are used to separate soft rocks located at the working face O'.

To pick up separated waste, the working head 200 is, furthermore, equipped with loading shovels, not shown in the drawing, by means of which the waste is fed to a conveying means 34, which is only indicated and conveys the waste separated at the working face O Tr.Ed.] into the rear part of the hole for removal from there.

The working head 200 is mounted rotatably around its axis of rotation The support at the boring wall and the drive of the working head are accomplished in the known manner.

The first and second rotary cutters 31, 32 are designed as round disks, which have a circular cutting edge 36 each.

-8- As can be recognized especially from Figures 6 and 7, a shield arrangement 37, which shields the working head 100 and the machine area located behind it from the boring wall and prevents material present at the boring wall 38 from penetrating into the said areas in the case of collapse, extends up to a point located at a short distance in front of the second rotary cutters 32 when viewed in the direction of the working face O.

The shield arrangement 37 has again an opening A, which extends from it and the edge facing the working face 0' and is indicated in the drawings only in Figure 6 by broken lines. The opening extends in the exemplary embodiment shown over an angle range of about 100 and is provided approximately in the "4-o'clock position" when viewed from the working face Access to a second rotary cutter 32 brought into a corresponding position is facilitated by the opening A, so that the rotary cutter 2 can be *e removed and installed in a simpler manner.

"As can also be recognized especially from Figure 7, the axes of rotation TT around which the second rotary cutters 32 are mounted rotatably are pivoted rearward by an :ii 15 angle a' of about 450 in relation to the direction of advancement relative to the axes of rotation TT' of the first rotary cutters 31 in the exemplary embodiment shown in the drawing, so that the cutting edges 36 of the second rotary cutters 32 are also in contact .oo with the boring wall 38 at an angle 3' of about 450 The second rotary cutters 32 have a diameter increased by about 30% compared with the first rotary cutters 31. It is possible due to this measure to move the mounting device, which is intended to fix the rotary cutters, is shown in detail in Figure 8 and is designated by 90 as a whole, inward in the direction of the axis of rotation S' to the extent that the front edge 10' of the shield arrangement 37 nearly reaches the second rotary cutters 32. This is also brought about according to the present invention by providing means which will be described below -9based on Figure 9, by means of which the amount by which the rotary cutters 31, 32 protrude beyond the circumference or the front surface can be varied.

The mounting device 90 shown in Figure 9 comprises a base body 41, which is part of the working head 200.

The front side of the working head is indicated at the letter and the rear side of the working head at the letter The base body 41, which has essentially cylindrical wall parts 42, contains a passage opening 43 and is provided in the front part with a seat limited by a shoulder 44 for an insert 46. The latter can be pushed into the base body 41 and fastened, by bolts 47. The insert may also be held especially by a press seat, which can again be released in the known manner by applying compressed oil.

Figure 9 shows a connection 48 for a pressurized medium.

The insert 46 accommodated by the base body 41 forms in this embodiment the holder proper for a rotary cutter designated by reference number 51 as a whole (it may •o• S" be a first or second rotary cutter 31, 32 in the above-described sense), in which a tool body 13 provided with a disk cutting edge 12 or the like is mounted rotatably in the *0*0 known manner, wherein an axial inner part, which forms the supporting body and is 0**0*0 stationary in relation to the tool body, ends in head parts 14 that are used to fix the tool.

The supporting body is only indicated by the letter in Figure 9 and may be designed according to the needs.

The head parts 14 have sloped installation surfaces 15 on sides facing away from one another, and the slopes of these installation surfaces in relation to a plane passing through the central axis M of the tool are equal, such that an essentially triangular cross-sectional shape with blunt tips is obtained. The front sides of these head parts 14 are designated by reference number 16. Their dimensions are substantially smaller than A 25 the installation surfaces 15 extending at an angle thereto.

9a- The insert 46 has an approximately rectangular opening 49, whose edge extends, in an arc-shaped pattern on two sides, while they are limited on the other two sides by approximately segment-shaped parts 10' of the insert 46, whose inner surfaces face the front sides of the tool body 13. Support surfaces 18, which are arranged recessed in openings 17 and have a slope corresponding to the slope of the installation surfaces 15 at the head parts 14, are located in these parts The parts 10' are partially set back by a certain amount at the bottom against the lower edge of the insert 46 and form flat surfaces 19 there. Grooves 20 originate from the said surfaces 19, and the said grooves open into the area of the support surfaces 18 and their cross-sectional shape corresponds essentially to that of the head parts 14, i.e., they have approximately the same triangular shape and are only somewhat larger.

Spacers 30 are provided between the installation surfaces 15 of the head parts 14 and the support surfaces 18. They are used as means for setting the amount by which the rotary cutter protrudes beyond the outer circumference or the front side of the working 15 head in the mounted state. This amount can be changed by inserting additional spacers a 30 or spacers of different dimensions.

Figure 9 illustrates the mounting of a tool 11. The tool is introduced manually or by means of a suitable, forceps-like or fork-like device in the direction from the rear o side R of the facing head or the like into the opening 43 of the base body 41 and farther into the insert 46, whereby the head parts 14 stand such that with their front sides 16 in the front they can be pushed through the grooves 20 until the head parts 14 are located in or over the openings 17 above the support surfaces 18. Then, only the tool 11 or even its supporting body needs to be rotated such that the head parts 14 will be offset in relation to the original position (Figure 9, bottom) by 900 and the installation surfaces 15 are now 25 directed in parallel to the support surfaces 18, as is shown by the view of the tool 11 in 9b the topmost part of Figure 9, where the tool is shown at a greater distance in front of the mounting device for clarity's sake only. In reality, the tool needs to be displaced only to the extent that the explained rotation will just become possible. To limit the path in the forward direction, stops or the like may be provided at the insert or at the base body if needed. The tool 11 needs now to be moved back by a small amount only until the surfaces 15 come into contact with the support surfaces 18 via the spacers 30 used optionally. The tool 11 is then held in this installed position by fastening bolts 21.

These are in contact with the lower, flat surfaces 19 of the parts 10' and are bolted into threaded holes 23 in the head parts 14. The fastening bolts 21 extend through the grooves 20, which had previously been used for the passage of the head pieces 14.

o *o -I 34-203 LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 11 12 13 14 16 17 18 19 21 22 23 31 32 33 34 36 37 38 39 41 42 43 44 46 47 48 49 First rotary cutters Second rotary cutters Scraping tools Conveying means Round disks Cutting edge Shield arrangement Boring wall Mounting device Front edge Parts Rotary cutter Disk cutting edge Tool body Head part Installation surface Front side Openings Support surfaces Surfaces Grooves Fastening bolts Spacers Threaded holes Spacers First rotary cutters Second rotary cutters Scraping tools Conveying means Front surface Cutting edge Shield arrangement Boring wall Front side Base body Wall parts Passage opening Shoulder Seat Insert Bolts Connection Opening 34-203 100 200 S, S' a, a' T, T' TT, TT' U, U' 0, 0' 3'

A

F

R

'X

M

Mounting device Working head Working head Axis of rotation Angle Axes of rotation Axes of rotation Boring wall area Working face Angle Opening Front side Rear side Supporting body Central axis

Claims

1. An advancing device for boring sections of roadway, tunnels or the like, with a rotatingly drivable working head, which can be moved in the direction of advancement and which has first rotary cutters distributed over its side facing the work face within its outer circumference and a second rotary cutters radially protruding over its outer circumference; with mounting devices which can be mounted on the working head for the rotary cutters; and, with a shield arrangement, which covers the boring wall behind the second rotary 10 cutters at least partially when viewed in the direction of advancement, wherein the second rotary cutters have a larger outer diameter than the first rotary cutters. o

2. An advancing device for boring sections of roadway, tunnels or the like, with a a.. S. I. S• rotatingly drivable working head, which can be moved in the direction of advancement and which has first rotary cutters distributed over its side facing the working face 15 within its outer circumference and second rotary cutters radially protruding beyond its :.000: outer circumference; a with mounting devices which can be mounted on the working head for the rotary o cutters; and, with a shield arrangement, which covers the boring wall at least partially behind the second rotary cutters when viewed in the direction of advancement, wherein at least the mounting devices for the second rotary cutters have means (spacers) which permit the mounting of the second rotary cutters optionally in positions radially protruding beyond the outer circumference of the working head by different amounts.

3. A device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the second rotary cutters have a z larger outer diameter than the first rotary cutters. -13-

4. A device in accordance with claim 1 or 3, wherein the diameter of the second rotary cutters is approximately 20% to 100% and preferably about 30% larger than the diameter of the first rotary cutters. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the mounting devices for the first rotary cutters have means (spacers) which permit the mounting of the first rotary cutters in positions radially projecting by different amounts from the front side of the working head facing the working face

6. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the mounting devices are designed such that they permit the mounting and removal of the rotary cutters from the side of the working head facing away from the working face

7. A device in accordance with claim 6, wherein the mounting devices have the °o C following features: *o at least one tool element or a body provided therewith is arranged on a supporting body whose lateral head parts have installation surfaces and are fixed in the installed state by fastening bolts relative to the support surfaces which are directed C essentially toward the front side of the facing head and are located within a holder seated on the facing head; fixed support surfaces for directly accommodating the installation surfaces of the head parts are present and passages or openings or the like extending in the holder from its rear side to the support surfaces are arranged for the head parts of the supporting body such that the head parts can be led through them in a position that is offset, rotated or pivoted in relation to the installed state of the tool and the tool can be moved as a result by a composite movement, which limits a rotation or pivoting of at least one of its parts, into the installed state, in which the installation surfaces of the head parts are held -14- on the fixed support surfaces by fastening bolts engaging threaded holes of the head parts.

8. A device in accordance with claim 7, wherein the means comprise spacers, which can be inserted between the support surfaces and the installation surfaces for positioning the rotary cutters.

9. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the second rotary cutters with different outer diameters are provided, which can be optionally mounted on the working head. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the first and/or second rotary cutters are round disks, which have a radial cutting edge. S11. A device in accordance with claim 10, wherein one or more of the round disks is/are as a so-called wart disk, which has at least one radial projection projecting from S: the circumference on its cutting edge. S o 12. A device according to any one of claims I to 11, wherein the shield arrangement .i 15 has an opening extending from its edge facing the working face.

13. A device in accordance with claim 12, wherein the opening extends over an r angle range of about 100 when viewed from the working face and is provided approximately in an angle range of 1300 to 1400 when viewed from the highest point of the cross section of the shield arrangement.

14. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the jacket surface bounding the outer circumference of the working head and preferably its front side facing the working face are provided with a high-strength metal wearing plate. A working head for a device in accordance with any one of the claims 1 through 14.

16. An advancing device for boring sections of roadway, tunnels or the like, substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and/or examples. Dated this 14 th day of January, 2002 Wirth Maschinen- Und Bohrgerate-Fabrik GmbH Attorney: JOHN D. FORSTER Fellow Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia of Baldwin Shelston Waters oo* S S 0 *oo *oeo *ee *D