FR2787506A1 - TUNNEL EXCAVATION MACHINE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a tunneling machine, of the type comprising a rear shield (2) and a front shield (3) carrying a cutting head (4) provided with working tools (7). The digging machine comprises at least one jack (20) arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of said machine and comprising a fixed part secured to this machine and a movable part displaceable in translation between a retracted position and an active position in contact with the cutting face to move back said front shield (3) and said cutting head (4), independently of the rear shield (2).

Description

The subject of the present invention is a tunneling machine

called tunneling machine, which has

  a large mobile structure called bou-

  clier having a substantially circular section whose diameter

  meter corresponds to the diameter of the tunnel which is dug.

  Generally, the shield is formed by a

  cylindrical velvet in two parts, a first part ap-

  peeled back shield and a second part called bou-

  front clier connected to said rear bumper by a system

  floating joints to allow movements

latifs of low amplitudes.

  The front shield carries a cutting head which comes into contact with the working face to cut the formation through which the tunnel passes and which is in the general form of a circular plate of

same diameter as the shield.

  The cutting head is equipped with a set of

  tils consisting for example of wheels or tools

  planers or others, depending on the nature of the terrain

  pours. The felling of the ground is obtained by the rotation of the cutting head and simultaneously by a push of

  this cutting head against the cutting face.

  During the advancement of the digging machine-

  the cutting tools are subject to wear and tear so they need to be replaced after some time

  of use or after a certain length of digging.

  This tool replacement operation

  in many cases stops moving the cutting head a few centimeters to a few decimetres depending on the type of tool and the type of attachment of these tools to the

cutting head.

  For this purpose, we know several kinds of ma-

  tunneling chines which include means for

receding of the cutting head.

  Ti: fll [i In some cases, the front bumper which carries the cutting head is equipped with stabilizers and possibly

  auxiliary hooking members on the wall of the hole ex-

  caved and which allow to block this front shield.

  The rear bumper is also fitted with side hooks that rest on the walls

  from the excavated hole and securely block this front bumper.

  The rear bumper is connected to the front bumper by double-acting hydraulic cylinders which, in combination with the hooking members, allow the bumpers and the whole tunnel boring machine to move step by step as well as the recoil of the front bumper and the cutting head for

change tools.

  In other cases, the cutting head and the means for driving it in rotation are mounted

  on an axial translation device relative to the bou-

clier.

  This device consists of one or more

  slides and is actuated by hydraulic cylinders

ques double effect.

  This translational movement of the cutting head is used to disengage this cutting head from the front of

  pruning before replacing worn tools.

  In the case where the front shield is connected to the rear shield by a set of articulation jacks, it is also known to carry out the recoil of the shield

  front and cutting head, use these cylinders.

  But, to carry out this operation, the rear bumper must be fitted with lateral hooking members on

the walls of the tunnel.

  The installation of such fastening members on the rear bumper has technical drawbacks and

important economic.

  Indeed, the installation of such

  spitting on the rear bumper requires lengthening it and above all causes the unfavorable positions of the thrust cylinder fixings on the front bumper which 1 utIf7

  can interfere with essential functions, such as

  the orientation of the front bumper and the cutting head

when digging the tunnel.

  The object of the invention is to avoid these inconveniences.

  nients. The invention therefore relates to a tunneling machine, of the type comprising a shield formed by a rear shield and by a front shield, connected to each other by a set of floating joints, said shield front carrying a cutting head formed by a circular plate driven in rotation and provided with tools

  work, characterized in that it comprises at least one

  rin arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the machine

  digging and comprising a fixed part integral with the

  said digging machine and a movable part movable in translation between a retracted position and an active position in contact with the cutting face to move back said front shield and said cutting head, independently of the

rear bumper.

  According to other characteristics of the invention: - the digging machine comprises two jacks extending parallel to one another and to

  the longitudinal axis of said digging machine for

  set the front shield and the cutting head, - the fixed part of said cylinder is integral with the front shield,

  - the movable part of said cylinder crosses, in po-

  active position, the circular plate of the cutting head, - the free end of the movable part of said

  cylinder has a backing pad on the cutting face,

  oscillating tee on said end, - the fixed part of said cylinder is integral with the cutting head, - the fixed part of said cylinder is formed by an outer jacket and a central guide concentric with said outer jacket and providing therewith a free space

  in which the movable part of this jack moves.

  Other features and advantages of the

  vention will appear during the description which follows

  vre, given only by way of example and made with reference to

  Refer to the accompanying drawings, in which: - FIG. 1 is a schematic view in axial section of a first embodiment of a digging machine according to the invention, - FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the cutting head of the digging machine, - FIG. 3 is a sectional view along line 3-3 of FIG. 2 showing the front shield and the cutting head in the tunnel digging position, - FIG. 4 is a view identical to FIG. 3 showing the front shield and the cutting head in the retracted position relative to the cutting face, - FIG. 5 is a schematic view in axial section of a second embodiment of a digging machine according to the invention - Figs. 6 and 7 are schematic views in

  axial section showing the two portions of a displacement cylinder

  cementation of the cutting head of the second embodiment of

  the digging machine according to the invention.

  In Fig. 1, there is shown schematically a digging machine 1, called a tunnel boring machine, which consists, in a conventional manner, of a casing generally

  cylindrical in two independent parts, a first part

  tie 2 called rear bumper and a second part 3 called

front shield.

  The front shield 3 carries a cutting head

  signed as a whole by the reference 4, and which comes into contact with the size A face to cut the formation traversed by the tunnel and which is in the general form of a circular plate 5 of the same diameter as the rear shield 2 and that the front shield 3. The cutting head 4 is rotated by

  at least one motor 6 at a determined speed which is operational

  tion of the nature of the ground to be dug.

  The plate 5 of the cutting head 4 carries, on its front face, working tools 7, such as for example

  slaughter tools and / or crushing wheels.

  The front shield 3 also has a baffle.

  its 8 vertical and fixed, arranged behind the cutting head

  4 and providing therewith a kneading chamber 9.

  The rear shield 2 and the front shield 3

  are connected to each other by a set 10 of articula-

  floating positions which allows angular movements and

  of translation of this front shield 3 relative to said bou-

click back 2.

  These floating joints are constituted by hydraulic cylinders 11 called articulation cylinders which also provide traction for the rear bumper 2 by

the front shield 3.

  The digging machine 1 also comprises means 12 for axially moving the assembly constituted by the rear shield 2, the front shield 3 and the head

  cutting 4, a device 13 for installing segments 14 inside

  inside the tunnel and a screw conveyor 15 intended for

  the evacuation of the material torn off and mixed with a suitable product

  in the mixing chamber 9.

  The screw conveyor 15 is formed by a four-

  rail 15a in which an endless screw 15b is arranged

  drag in rotation and the free end of which leads to the

  lower part of the mixing chamber 9 for the evacuation

tion of the material torn off.

  The segments 14 made up of curved precast concrete or cast iron plates are intended to consolidate the internal wall of the tunnel dug by the machine

digging 1.

  The means 12 for axially moving the bou-

  rear clier 2 as well as front shield 3 and head

  cutting 4 are formed by a ring of cylinders 12a soli-

-. - I T

  daires of the front shield 3 and which come into abutment against the edge of the segments 14 placed inside the tunnel of

  so as to exert on the shield before 3 the necessary thrust

  to excavate the land crossed.

  Variations in the direction of the cutting head

  4 are obtained by thrust differences between the different

rents jacks 12a.

  The digging machine 1 comprises at least one jack designated by the general reference 20 to reverse the

  front shield 3 and cutting head 4 a few centimeters

  very few decimetres to allow replacement of worn tools 7 after a certain operating time

  or after a certain length of advance of the tunnel.

  As seen more particularly in FIG. 2, the digging machine 1 is equipped with two jacks 20

  extending parallel to each other and dis-

  placed parallel to the longitudinal axis of said machine

digging 1.

  According to a first embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 4, each cylinder 20 comprises a fixed part 21 integral with the front shield 3 and more particularly fixed

  on the internal wall 8 of this front shield 3.

  Each cylinder 20 also includes a movable part 22 which is displaceable in translation parallel to

  the longitudinal axis of the digging machine 1. The extremi-

  free tee 22a of the movable part 22 of the jack 20 comprises a

  shoe 23 mounted oscillating on said end 22a.

  The jacks 20 are hydraulic or pneumatic jacks and are supplied with pressurized fluid by

  a pipe, not shown.

  The movable part 22 of each cylinder 20 is de-

  can be placed between a retracted position, as shown in FIG. 3, and an active position, as shown in

  Fig. 4, in which the movable part 22 crosses the plate

plate 5 of the cutting head 4.

  In this position, the oscillating pad 23 comes to bear on the face of size A to move the shield back

T -11T.,

  front 3 and the cutting head 4, independently of the shield

rear 2.

  The oscillating mounting of the pad 23 on the movable part 22 of the corresponding jack 20 allows this pad 23 to be applied correctly to the size A face despite the

irregularities of it.

  The retreat of the assembly constituted by the shield

  front 3 and the cutting head 4 is produced as follows:

boast.

  First of all, the thrust cylinders 12 are closed.

  més to avoid uncontrolled recoil of the digging machine

1.

  Then, the plate 5 of the cutting head 4 is placed in the desired position to allow passage

  of the mobile part 22 of each jack 20.

  The jacks 20 are actuated in such a way that the pads 23 come to bear on the face of size A with a force controlled and maintained to allow the

  recoil of the front shield 3 and of the cutting head 4 at the

desired position.

  When this position is obtained, the cylinders

are arrested.

  To avoid or limit the risk of a reverse

  temporary of the rear shield 2, the articulation cylinders 11 are put on the tarpaulin and the rear shield 2 is wedged against the segments 14 placed on the wall of the tunnel by

example by cylinders 12.

  Maintaining the rear shield 2 during the recoil of the cutting head 4 and the front shield

  3 can also be achieved by means of a feeding device

  tation of the articulation cylinders 11 which controls the reentry

  of these jacks simultaneously with the recoil movement of the

  click forward 3 and cutter head 4 with consistent force

  controlled to prevent the rear bumper from moving 2.

  According to a second embodiment shown in Figs. 5 to 7, the digging machine 1 comprises at least one jack designated as a whole by the reference 30 and which is integrated directly into the cutting head 4 for

  move back the front shield 3 and this cutting head 4.

  To this end, the actuator 30 comprises a fixed part 31 secured to the cutting head 4 and a movable part 32 movable in translation parallel to the longitu-

  dinal of the digging machine 1 between a climbing position

  moted, as shown in FIG. 6 and an active position, as shown in FIG. 7, in which the front face of this movable part 32 is in abutment on the size A front to move back the front shield 3 and said head

section 4.

  Thus, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the fixed part 31 of the actuator 30 consists of an external jacket 31a fixed to the cutting head 4 and a central guide 31b concentric with said external jacket 31a and providing therewith a free space in which moves part

mobile 32.

  The central guide 31b is formed by a rod of diameter less than the internal diameter of the movable part 32 and which comprises at its front end a head 31c of diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter of said

  movable part 32. The head 31c delimits in the interior space

  dull, two chambers 33a and 33b which are each connected to a pipe, respectively 34a and 34b, for supply and

  pressure fluid delivery.

  To move the movable part 32 towards the size A front in order to move the front shield 3 and the head back

  4, the pressurized fluid is admitted into the chamber

bre 33a via line 34a.

  To return the movable part 32 to its posi-

  retracted, the pressurized fluid is admitted into the chamber 33b via the pipe 34b causing the backflow of the

  fluid contained in chamber 33a via line 34a.

  The recoil means of the assembly formed by the front shield 3 and the cutting head 4 of the digging machine 1 according to the invention are particularly simple I - 11 f T

  to be implemented and avoid any installation of additional rear bumper blocking members 2.

  These recoil means can be adapted to all types of digging machine.

ï lIFrTT

Claims (7)

  1. Machine for digging a tunnel, of the type comprising a shield formed by a rear shield (2) and   by a front shield (3) connected to each other by a   seems floating joints (10, 11), said shield   front (3) carrying a cutting head (4) formed by a plate   circular plate (5) driven in rotation and provided with working tools (7), characterized in that it comprises at least one jack (20; 30) arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the digging machine (1) and comprising a fixed part (21; 31) integral with said digging machine (1)   and a mobile part (22; 32) displaceable in translation in   be a retracted position and an active position in contact with the cutting face to move back said front shield (3) and said cutting head (4), independently of the shield rear (2).   2. Digging machine according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises two jacks (20; 30) extending parallel to one another and to   the longitudinal axis of the digging machine (1) for   press said front shield (3) and said cutting head (4).   3. Digging machine according to claim   1 or 2, characterized in that the fixed part (21) of said vehicle   rin (20) is integral with the front shield (3).   4. Digging machine according to any one   of the preceding claims, characterized in that in   active position, the movable part (22) of said cylinder (20) trav-   pours the circular plate (5) from the cutting head (4).   5. Digging machine according to any one   of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ex-   free end (22a) of the movable part (22) of said jack (20) comprises a shoe (23) bearing on the cutting face,   mounted oscillating on said end (22a).   6. Digging machine according to claim   1 or 2, characterized in that the fixed part (31) of said vehicle   rin (30) is integral with the cutting head (4).   7. Digging machine according to claim 6, characterized in that the fixed part (31) of said jack (30) is formed by an outer jacket (31a) and a central guide (31b) concentric with said outer jacket (31a) and providing with it a free space in which the movable part (32) of this jack (30) moves.