FR2745327A1 - METHOD AND DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY POSITIONING TAPPERS WITHIN A TUNNEL - Google Patents

Abstract

The object of the invention is a method for automatically laying segments (10) inside a tunnel dug by a tunnel boring machine (1), in which each segment is removed from a storage warehouse (7) and placed and each segment (10) is successively fixed inside this tunnel. For the installation of each segment (10), we approach a segment to be installed from a segment previously placed, we determine by means of a measurement sensor (21) the position of at least one reference point on the segment previously placed, the position of this reference point is stored, the position of at least one reference point on the segment to be placed is determined by means of said measuring sensor (21) and the segment to be placed is moved so that said points of reference match. The subject of the invention is also a device for automatically laying segments inside a tunnel.

Description

The present invention relates to a method and a laying device

  automatic segmenting inside a tunnel dug by a drilling machine,

  in particular a TBM of the full-face type.

  Tunneling machines generally comprise a cutting wheel driven in rotation at a speed determined according to the nature of the ground dug and a ring of cylinders arranged at the rear periphery.

  the TBM at one end opposite to the cutting wheel.

  To consolidate the tunnel, elements of coating, commonly called voussoirs, are placed on the inner wall of the tunnel. For example, in the case of drilling using a full-face tunneling machine,

  complete rings by assembling voussoirs.

  The voussoirs are each in the form of a prefabricated curved plate made of concrete or

  cast iron and have a weight that varies between 1 and 15 tons.

  These voussoirs are stored in a store located at the back of the tunnel boring machine and are picked one after the other from this store by a manipulator arm called a voussoir erector and fixed inside the tunnel contiguously laterally to form a longitudinal succession. annular series of voussoirs. In addition, the consolidation function of the inner wall of the tunnel, the voussoirs ensure by their front faces a support for the crown of cylinders which, arranged at the rear of the tunnel boring machine along the wall of the tunnel, exert on it the thrust needed to

  the excavation of the traverses.

  The directional variations of the tunnel boring machine are obtained by thrust differences between the different

  cylinders distributed around the tunnel boring machine.

  So far, the approach and positioning

  Segments are made visually by an operator who controls the manipulator arm so as to successively take each voussoir from the store and put it inside the tunnel at a specific location. The operator therefore moves permanently in the work area which presents risks in view of the environment and the laying of the voussoirs in a visual manner is relatively long and random which can cause a gap between the different ring series of segments given the repetition of the handling operations of all these segments.

  The object of the invention is to avoid these drawbacks

  by proposing a method and a laying device

  automatic segments to assist the opera-

  in the positioning of the voussoirs and to increase the accuracy of positioning, while

operator of the danger zone.

  The invention therefore relates to a method of automatic installation of voussoirs inside a tunnel dug by a tunnel boring machine, in which each voussoir is taken from a storage store and one poses and fixed successively each voussoir to the inside the tunnel

  contiguously laterally to form a succession of

  longitudinal section of annular segments of segments, characterized in that for the laying of each voussoir: - approaching a voussoir to ask a previously laid voussoir, - is determined by means of at least one sensor measurement the position of at least one reference point on a lateral face of the voussoir previously placed on the wall, - the position of said at least reference point is memorized, - the position of at least one reference point on said measuring sensor is determined by means of said measurement sensor. at least one face of the voussoir to ask, said at least reference point of the voussoir to ask being intended to come into concordance with said at least reference point of the voussoir previously posed, - and displaces the voussoir to ask for that

  said reference points coincide.

  The invention also relates to a

  device for automatically placing segments in the interior

  tunnel dug by a tunnel boring machine of the type

  a cutting wheel, a ring of cylinders disposed at the rear periphery of the tunnel boring machine at an end opposite the cutting wheel and intended to bear axially on fixed elements and a storage magazine of the voussoirs, characterized in that comprises means for determining the position of at least one reference point on at least one face of a previously laid voussoir and at least one reference point on the push-button, means for memorizing the position of said at least reference point of the previously laid voussoir and means of prehension and

  movement of the voussoir to pose to bring

  dance said reference points and train inside

  the tunnel a longitudinal succession of annulling series

of voussoirs.

  According to other features of the invention,

  the determination means are formed by at least one measuring sensor mounted on the gripping and displacement means of the voussoir to be laid; the determining means are formed by at least one measurement sensor mounted on a support;

  movable in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis

  dinal of the tunnel, - said measurement sensor is angularly displaceable, the support of said measurement sensor is formed by a carriage movable on a rail disposed in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tunnel, - said measurement sensor is formed by a scanning laser sensor or a distancemeter or radar

or by a telemetry system.

  Other features and benefits of

  the invention will become apparent during the description which

  will follow, given only by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view in axial section, partially broken away, of a tunneling machine equipped with a voussoirs laying device according to the invention; FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of a tunnel partially covered with segments, FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing the laying of a voussoir with a

  first embodiment of the device according to the invention.

  tion. - Figs. 4 and 5 are schematic perspective views showing the steps of laying a voussoir with a second embodiment of the device according to the invention.

  In FIG. 1, schematic

  a tunnel boring machine for example of the full face type generally designated by the reference 1 and which consists, in a conventional manner, of a generally cylindrical casing 2 in front of which is disposed a cutting wheel 3 provided with tools cutting, not shown, intended for the felling of the land under the advance of

TBM.

  This cutting wheel 3 is driven in

  rotation by at least one motor 4 at a predetermined speed.

  born which is a function of the nature of the ground to dig.

  Tunneling machine 1 also comprises means for evacuating rubble which consist, in the example shown in FIG. 1, by a worm extending from the front to the rear

tunnel boring machine 1.

  The tunnel boring machine 1 also comprises means 6 for axially displacing the cutting wheel 3, a segment 7 storage magazine 7 and means 8 for

  grasping and moving said voussoirs 10.

  The voussoirs 10 constituted by curved plates of precast concrete or cast iron are intended for

  consolidate the inner wall 9 of the tunnel.

  For this, the means 8 for gripping and

  movement comprise a manipulator arm 8a

  as a table 8b which itself supports a member 8c gripping each voussoir 10, consisting for example

  by a suction cup or a suitable mechanism.

  The gripping and moving means 8 take each voussoir 10 from the magazine 7 and place it inside the tunnel contiguously laterally to form a longitudinal succession of annular series 11 of voussoirs 10, as shown in FIG. 2. Concrete is then injected between the outer face of the

  voussoirs and the inner wall 9 of the tunnel.

  The gripping and moving means 8 comprise at least three degrees of freedom with respect to the tunnel boring machine and are equipped with a remote control so that the operator is in an area located at

  a few meters from the voussoirs laying area 10.

  The voussoirs 10 are preferably offset

  angularly from one ring 11 to the other.

  The voussoirs 10 are assembled together by appropriate organs such as bolts, not shown. The means 6 for axially moving the cutting wheel 3 are formed by a ring of cylinders 6a disposed at the rear periphery of the tunnel boring machine 1 in one

  end opposite the cutting wheel 3.

  To move this cutting wheel 3, the cylinders 6a, for example hydraulic, bear against the edge of the voussoirs 10 placed inside the tunnel so as to exert on said cutting wheel 3 the thrust necessary for the excavation of cross lands. The variations in direction of the cutting wheel 3 are obtained by thrust differences between the various cylinders 6a distributed at the rear periphery of the

tunnel boring machine 1.

  The cylinders 6a are fed by an unrepresented hydraulic circuit, contained in the volume of the

tunnel boring machine 1.

  The tunnel boring machine 1 is also equipped with a device for placing segments 10 inside the tunnel which makes it possible to assist an operator in the successive laying of said voussoirs 10 to form the succession.

  Longitudinal series of rings 11 of voussoirs 10.

  This device for laying the voussoirs 10 comprises means for determining the position of at least one reference point on at least one face of a voussoir 10a previously laid and at least one reference point on the voussoir lob to ask moved by

  means 8 for gripping and moving.

  As shown in FIG. 3, these means 20 for determining the reference points are formed by at least one measurement sensor 21 mounted on the

upper face of the table 8b.

  This measurement sensor 21 is constituted by

  example by a scanning laser sensor or a distancem-

  or radar or a camera or other telemetry system. The operator controls the manipulator arm 8a so that the gripping member 8c takes a voussoir lob to ask the store 7 and makes a very rough visual approach to this voussoir lob to ask voussoirs

lOa previously posed.

  The accuracy is of the order of 200mm.

  With the movement of the manipulator arm 8a and the table 8b which supports the voussoir lob to be placed via the gripping member 8a, the

  measuring sensor 21 is placed in the field of you-

  Evenings 10a previously laid, as shown in FIG.

3.

  The measurement sensor 21 determines the position of at least one reference point and for example two reference points, respectively A and B, on at least one face of one or more voussoirs 10a previously.

posed.

  The positions of these reference points A and B are stored and transmitted to an unrepresented computer. The measurement sensor 21 also determines the position of at least one reference point and for example two reference points A 'and B' on at least

a face of the voussoir lob to ask.

  The reference points A 'and B' of the voussoir lob to ask are intended to come into concordance with the reference points A and B of the voussoirs lOa to ask and are intended to come in concordance with the points of reference.

  reference A and B of the voussoirs lOa previously posed.

  The positions of these reference points A '

  and B 'are stored and transmitted to a computer.

  Thus, the position in the space of the voussoir lob to be posed is determined with respect to the positions of

  voussoirs lOa previously posed.

  At first, the calculator

  determines the relative positions of the reference surfaces.

  rence of the voussoir lob to ask relative to the reference surfaces of voussoir lOa previously posés and a second time determines the movements that must follow the manipulator arm 8a and 8b table to bring the voussoir lob to ask up to its position

final.

  The information thus determined is transmitted to the control system means 8 for moving the voussoir lOb and voussoir lob is placed

  automatically in its final position.

  The operation is renewed for each

to go to ask.

  According to a variant shown in Figures 4 and 5, these means 20 for determining said reference points are formed by at least one measuring sensor 21 mounted on a support 22 movable in a

  plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tunnel.

  This measurement sensor 21 can also be angularly displaceable and is constituted for example by a scanning laser sensor or a distancemeter or a

  radar or a camera or other telemetry system.

  The support of this measurement sensor 21 is formed by a carriage 22 displaceable on a rail 23 which is either fixed to the structure of the tunnel boring machine 1, or positioned on the voussoirs 10a previously placed inside.

of the tunnel.

  In the embodiment shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the rail 23 is positioned on the

voussoirs 10 previously posed.

  This rail 23 is flexible and is shaped so as to obtain a spring effect which allows

  applying said rail 23 to the support surface.

  The operator controls the manipulator arm 8a so that the gripping member 8c takes a voussoir lob to ask the store 7 and makes a very rough visual approach to this voussoir lob to ask the voussoir lOa

previously laid.

  The accuracy is of the order of 200 mm.

  The operator controls the displacement of the carriage 22 on the rail 23 so that the measurement sensor 21 is placed in the field of the voussoir lob to ask, as

shown in FIG. 4.

  The measurement sensor 21 determines the position of at least one reference point A on at least one face of the voussoir 10a previously laid, this reference point consisting for example of the edge between two faces.

  side of this voussoir lOa previously posed.

  The position of this reference point A of the voussoir lOa previously posed is memorized and transmitted

to a calculator not shown.

  The measurement sensor 21 determines the position of at least one reference point B on at least one face of the voussoir lob to be laid, this reference point B being constituted for example by an edge between two faces

  side of the voussoir lob to ask.

  The reference point B of voussoir lob to ask is intended to be consistent with the point

  reference A of the voussoir 10a previously posed.

  The position of this reference point B is

  memorized and transmitted to a calculator.

  Thus, the position in the space of the voussoir lob to be posed is determined with respect to the position of the

to have lOa previously posed.

  Firstly, the calculator determines the relative positions of the reference surfaces of the voussoir lob to pose relative to the reference surfaces of the voussoir lOa previously posed and a second time determines the movements that must follow the manipulator arm 8a and 8b table to bring said voussoir 10b to its final position. The information thus determined is

  sent to the control system of the moving means 8

  of the voussoir and the voussoir 10b to pose is automatically placed in its final position as shown

in Figure 5.

  The operation is repeated for each voussoir to ask by moving the carriage 22 and the measurement sensor 21 to bring the measuring sensor 21

in the field of the voussoir to ask.

  The voussoirs 10 are fixed between them by

appropriate bodies.

  The reference points on the segments may be constituted for example by sharp edges,

  flat or cylindrical surfaces of the voussoirs.

  The laying device according to the invention therefore makes it possible automatically to position the voussoirs inside the tunnel and to increase the speed and precision of the installation of these segments, which is important in view of the number of segments to be installed.

  for the complete realization of a tunnel.

Claims (7)

  1. A method of automatic installation of voussoirs (10) inside a tunnel dug by a TBM (1), in which each pusher (10) is taken from a storage magazine (7) and one poses and one successively secures each pusher (10) inside said tunnel contiguously laterally to form a longitudinal succession of annular series (11) of segments (10), characterized in that for the laying of each voussoir: -on approach a voussoir (lob) to ask a voussoir (lOa) previously laid - is determined by means of at least one sensor (21) the position of at least one point of   reference on the lateral face of the voussoir (l0a) above   posed, - the position of said at least reference point is memorized, - the position of at least one reference point on at least one face of the voussoir (lob) to be laid is determined by means of said measuring sensor (21), said at least reference point of the voussoir (lob) to be laid being intended to come to coincide with said at least reference point of the voussoir (lOa) previously laid, - and displacing the voussoir (lob) to ask   so that said reference points come into concordance dance.   2. Automatic installation device of you-   evening (10) inside a tunnel dug by a tunneling machine (1) of the type comprising a cutting wheel (3), a ring (6) of cylinders (6a) arranged at the rear periphery of the tunneling machine (1) at one end opposite to the cutting wheel (3) and intended to bear axially on fixed elements and a store (7) for storing segments (10), characterized in that it comprises means (20) for determining the position of at least one reference point on at least one face of a voussoir (10a) previously laid and at least one reference point on the voussoir (lob) to be posed, means for storing the position said at least reference point of the voussoir (10a) previously laid and means (8) for gripping and moving the voussoir (lob) to pose to bring into conformity said points   reference and form on said wall (9) a success-   longitudinal section of annular series (11) of voussoirs (10). 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the means (20) for determining are formed by at least one measuring sensor (21) mounted on the means (8) for gripping and moving the to sit (lob) to ask.   4. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the means (20) for determining are formed by at least one measuring sensor (21) mounted   on a support (22) movable in a perpendicular plane   to the longitudinal axis of the tunnel.   5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that said measuring sensor (21) is angularly movable.   6. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the support of said measuring sensor (21) is formed by a carriage (22) movable on a rail (23) disposed in a plane perpendicular to the axis longitudinal tunnel.   7. Device according to any one of the   Claims 2 to 6, characterized in that said measuring sensor (21) is formed by a scanning laser sensor or a distancemeter or a radar or by a telemetry system.