US3266257A - Shield tunneling method and mechanism - Google Patents

Shield tunneling method and mechanism Download PDF

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Publication number
US3266257A
US3266257A US284604A US28460463A US3266257A US 3266257 A US3266257 A US 3266257A US 284604 A US284604 A US 284604A US 28460463 A US28460463 A US 28460463A US 3266257 A US3266257 A US 3266257A
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United States
Prior art keywords
cutterhead
tunnel
shield
support
face
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US284604A
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English (en)
Inventor
Raymond J L Larrouze
Pierre F Gesta
Pierre J M Goussault
Douglas F Winberg
Richard J Robbins
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JAMES S ROBBINS AND ASSOCIATES Inc
Robbins & Assoc James S
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Robbins & Assoc James S
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Publication date
Application filed by Robbins & Assoc James S filed Critical Robbins & Assoc James S
Priority to US284604A priority Critical patent/US3266257A/en
Priority to GB19443/64A priority patent/GB1070772A/en
Priority to DE1964R0038023 priority patent/DE1459879B1/de
Priority to DE1534661A priority patent/DE1534661C3/de
Priority to DE19641658757 priority patent/DE1658757A1/de
Priority to DE1534660A priority patent/DE1534660C3/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3266257A publication Critical patent/US3266257A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
    • E21D—SHAFTS; TUNNELS; GALLERIES; LARGE UNDERGROUND CHAMBERS
    • E21D9/00—Tunnels or galleries, with or without linings; Methods or apparatus for making thereof; Layout of tunnels or galleries
    • E21D9/06—Making by using a driving shield, i.e. advanced by pushing means bearing against the already placed lining
    • E21D9/0621—Shield advancing devices
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
    • E21D—SHAFTS; TUNNELS; GALLERIES; LARGE UNDERGROUND CHAMBERS
    • E21D19/00—Provisional protective covers for working space
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
    • E21D—SHAFTS; TUNNELS; GALLERIES; LARGE UNDERGROUND CHAMBERS
    • E21D9/00—Tunnels or galleries, with or without linings; Methods or apparatus for making thereof; Layout of tunnels or galleries
    • E21D9/06—Making by using a driving shield, i.e. advanced by pushing means bearing against the already placed lining
    • E21D9/08—Making by using a driving shield, i.e. advanced by pushing means bearing against the already placed lining with additional boring or cutting means other than the conventional cutting edge of the shield
    • E21D9/0875—Making by using a driving shield, i.e. advanced by pushing means bearing against the already placed lining with additional boring or cutting means other than the conventional cutting edge of the shield with a movable support arm carrying cutting tools for attacking the front face, e.g. a bucket
    • E21D9/0879—Making by using a driving shield, i.e. advanced by pushing means bearing against the already placed lining with additional boring or cutting means other than the conventional cutting edge of the shield with a movable support arm carrying cutting tools for attacking the front face, e.g. a bucket the shield being provided with devices for lining the tunnel, e.g. shuttering
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
    • E21D—SHAFTS; TUNNELS; GALLERIES; LARGE UNDERGROUND CHAMBERS
    • E21D9/00—Tunnels or galleries, with or without linings; Methods or apparatus for making thereof; Layout of tunnels or galleries
    • E21D9/12—Devices for removing or hauling away excavated material or spoil; Working or loading platforms

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the art of tunneling or tunnel mining, and more particularly relates to a shield and compressed air tunneling technique and equipment for practicing same wherein the tunneling operation, simply stated, comprises propelling a shield mounted rotary cutterhead forwardly into the tunnel face while rotating the same, delivering compressed air to the tunnel face region forward of a transverse bulkhead and cutterhead support portion of the shield, constructing a lining for the tunnel in the wake of the cutterhead and under the protection of the shield, removing the mined material from the cutterhead region through a material lock extending rearwardly of the bulkhead and emptying into a conveyor in the non pressurized tunnel, and hermetically sealing the pressurized zone at the face of the tunnel and in the material compartment from the rest of the tunnel situated rearwardly of the bulkhead, including sealing against leakage between the tail section of the shield and the tunnel lining.
  • the technique and equipment of the present invention provides for faster and more efiicient tunnel mining than has heretofore been the case.
  • Shield tunneling involving the general propostion of positioning a shield mounted bulkhead adjacent the face of the tunnel, and then pressurizing the face region while leaving the portion of the tunnel situated rearwardly of the bulkhead unpressurized, is known.
  • the prior mechanism involving this technique employs no rotary cutterhead, but rather the mining is performed by hand operated excavators.
  • the operation involving movement forward of the shield and erection of new rings of the tunnel lining behind the shield is intermittent in nature. The shield is moved forward an amount equal to the width of a ring and is then stopped and an entire new ring erected, after which the shield is driven forwardly again.
  • the tunneling operation involves propelling a shield mounted rotary cutterhead into the face of the tunnel, delivering compressed air to the face region of the tunnel contiguous the cutterhead, and hermetically sealing the pressurized zone at the face of the tunnel from the main portion of the tunnel located rearwardly of the cutterhead and shield;
  • the shield includes a generally cylindrical skin and a transverse cutterhead support spanning the interior of said skin, with a generally disk-shaped cutterhead with buckets being rotatably mounted onto the front face of the cutterhead support, and with the cutterhead support in part consisting of a transverse bulkhead;
  • the cutterhead support is characterized by a cellular interior construction, forming separate interior compartments that can be isolated from each other, from the pressurized regions, and from the unpressurized portion of the tunnel, to be pressurized and depressurized on an individual basis, such compartments including cylinder compartments, gear box compartments, and service air locks, with the cylinder and gear box compartments functioning to allow removable of various pieces of equipment from openings in the cutterhead support without depressurizing the entire pressurized region forward of the cutterhead support and within the material compartment, and with the service lock permitting access from the unpressurized tunnel to the pressurized region contiguous to the cutterhead, for example, without such tot-a1 depressurization occurring;
  • the cutterhead support assembly is provided with seal means sealing against pressure leakage and dirt travelling into the region of the cutterhead bearing and the pinion bull gear assembly forming a portion of the driving mechanism of the cutterhead, such sealing means also assisting to prevent total depressurization of the system when a motor unit is removed from its gear box compartment, leaving an opening in both faces of the cutterhead support;
  • the tunneling machine includes a material compartment anchored at its forward end to the cutterhead support and at its rearward end on rolling carriage means riding on extendible rail means, with such material compartment communicating at its forward end with the cutterhead region through an opening in the cutterhead support and also containing interiorly arranged conveying means for transporting mined material received from the cutterhead chutes from the front to the rear of such compartment to be deposited in hopper means at such rear end location, forming a material lock for disposition of the mined material from the material compartment without depressurizing the same; and
  • the material compartment includes a conveyor tube of suflicient height for a man to walk therein and such conveyor tube, besides containing material conveying means, includes a longitudinally extending walkway and means between said walkway and the conveyor means for preventing material spillage onto said walkway, thus assuring the safety of persons using the walkway, with access to the conveyor tube being had through a man lock leading into a side portion thereof.
  • FIG. 1 is a small scale, side elevational view of the shield tunneling machine in operation, with the cutterhead and the cutterhead support presented in longitudinal section;
  • FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, with the outer boundary of the pressurized region identified by a bold broken line;
  • FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the front face of the cutterhead, with parts of such cutterhead broken away to show the bull gear that is attached to the rear side of the cutterhead in mesh with two of the pinion gears which drive the same;
  • FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, longitudinal sectional view of a typical seal arrangement usable between the tail section of the shield skin and the previously erected portion of the tunnel lining contiguous thereto;
  • FIG. 5 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the shield seal of FIG. 4, taken substantially along line 5-5 of FIG. 4;
  • FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the shield tunneling machine shown in FIG. 1, with the erectors removed and with the erector tube broken away above the receiving conveyor for clarity of illustration;
  • FIG. 7 is an exploded side elevational view of the shield and the cutterhead, with the ram pedestal portion of the shield being presented in longitudinal section so as to fully illustrate the stepped arrangement of the cylinder supports;
  • FIG. 8 is an enlarged scale sectional view of the hearing and seal means located between the rotary cutterhead and the stationary cutterhead support;
  • FIG. 9 is a cr'os-sectional view of FIG. 1, taken substantially along line 9-9 of FIG. 1, such view showing the rear wall of the cutterhead support;
  • FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 1010 of FIG. 1, presenting a rear view of the hopper assembly and the support means therefor, and also presenting a cross-sectional view of the tunnel conveyor which receives the mined material from the hoppers and carries it out of the tunnel;
  • FIG. 11 is a view looking toward the rear side of the assembly comprising the cutterhead support and the ram pedestal, with the bulkhead or rearmost wall of such assembly removed to present a clear illustration of the compartments involved in said assembly;
  • FIG. 12 is an enlarged scale fragmentary sectional view 4 taken substantially at line 12-12 of FIG. 10 and illustrating typical means for pressurizing and depressurizing a given single compartment of the group of compartments, a cylinder compartment being chosen for sake of example;
  • FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken through the conveyor tube substantially at line 1313 of FIG. 1, such view illustrating the walkway for the service personnel, the location of the conveyor within the tube, and a pro tective shield arranged between said conveyor and the walkway.
  • the tunneling machine shown in FIG. 1 includes a shield S characterized by a generally cylindrical skin 10 having a nose section equipped with a cutting edge 12, which is conventional per se; a tail section 14; and a transverse cutterhead support CS spanning the interior of the skin 10 intermediate the ends thereof.
  • a rotary cutterhead C is mounted for rotation on the front face 16 of the cutterhead support CS, preferably by means of an annular bearing 18, as is hereinafter explained more fully.
  • the front face of the cutterhead C is provided with appropriate knives or cutters, some of which are designated 20 for sake of example.
  • the cutters 20 are placed at different distances from the center of the cutterhead C, and when the cutterhead C revolves such cutters 20 cut concentric grooves in the face of the tunnel, resulting in a complete breakaway of the face of the tunnel to the depth of the cut.
  • the cutterhead C is revolved by means of a plurality of pinion gears, some of which are designated 22 in FIGS. 1, 3 and 8, for example, which mesh with the large bull gear 24 forming an integral part of the inner race 26 of the annular bearing 18.
  • the said inner race 26 and the bull gear 24 are suitably attached to the cutterhead C, as by means of a series of nut and bolt assemblies, for example, one of which is designated 28 in FIG. 8.
  • the motive power is furnished by a plurality of motors M, a particularly advantageous number thereof being ten, arranged with four above and six below a horizontal center line.
  • a plurality of buckets B are circumferentially arranged about the cutter carrying portion of the cutterhead C.
  • the buckets B open in the direction of rotation of the cutterhead C to pick up the mined material from the ground and the tunnel face, during rotation and advancing movement of the cutterhead C into the working face of the tunnel.
  • the buckets B have radially inwardly extending discharge chute portions, one of which is shown at 30 in FIG. 1, discharging the mined material onto a receiving conveyor 32 located within an opening or passageway 34 extending through cuterhead support CS.
  • a deflector 34 is used to guide the mined material onto the conveyor 32.
  • the conveyor 32 which is preferably constructed of metal pads linked together so as to be durable and able to resist the shock of the mined material falling on it from the chutes 30, feeds the mined material onto a longer conveyor 36 comprising an endless belt constructed of rubber or similar material.
  • Conveyor 36 is encased partially within an erector tube 38 and partially within a conveyor tube 40 extending rearwardly out of said erector tube 38 to communicate at its rearmost end with a hopper dome 42.
  • An appropriate seal suitably in the form of a flexible annular collar 44, interconnects between erector tube 38 and conveyor tube 40.
  • conveyor 36 deposits the mined material into one.
  • Erector tube 38, conveyor tube 40, hopper dome 42 and hoppers H1, H2 together comprise what may be termed the material compartment, through which the mined material is transported from the face region of the tunnel to the tunnel conveyor TC.
  • a forward extension 46 of conveyor tube 40 is universally mounted within the enclosure of erector tube 38 onto cutter support CS at the location designated 48 in FIG. 1.
  • the rear end of the material compartment is supported by laterally spaced carriages 48, having flanged wheels riding along rails 50, which rails are in turn supported and extended when necessary in accordance with conventional practice.
  • the tunnel is lined as it is dug, and the lining, designated generally at L and characterized by a series of axially abutting rings of circumferentially abutting segments, is continuously erected generally in the wake of the shield S, but under cover of the tail section 14 of the skin 10.
  • Mechanical means termed erectors are used for handling the segments during erection of each new ring.
  • the erector arrangement and the particular type of erector mechanism employed is not critical to the present invention, but the twin erector assembly disclosed and claimed in the copending application of Douglas F. Winberg, entitled Segment Erectors and Universally Mounted Conveyer Tube Means for a Tunneling Machine, Serial No. 284,710, filed May 31, 1963, is preferred and such is illustrated, such erectors being designated E1, E2 in the drawings.
  • the shoving, driving, or moving forward of the shield S and the rotary cutterhead C carried thereby is accomplished by means of hydraulic jacks or rams R attached to the shield structure and reacting against the tunnel lining previously erected.
  • the hydraulic rams R are circumferentially spaced around the periphery of the cutterhead support CS contiguous the inner surface of tail section 14.
  • the lowermost pair of rams R are set flush with the rear face of the cutterhead support S and the other rams R are offset from such face by progressively increasing amounts proceeding from said lower pair and extending upwardly on each side thereof, with the topmost three rams R being offset the most and by equal amounts.
  • thirty-seven hydraulic rams R are employed.
  • the shield is advanced a distance equal at least to the width of a ring so that the erection of another ring may proceed. That is to say, all of the hydraulic rams in known prior machines are mounted in the same vertical plane and they all became fully extended at substantially the same time.
  • adjacent extended pistons in sets of three are retracted into their cylinders leaving a space between the rearwardly directed faces of the retracted pistons and the forwardly directed side of related portions of the last erected ring of the tunnel lining into which a new segment is placed.
  • This procedure is repeated with respect to the next set of adjacent rams and so forth around the inside of the tunnel until the ring is completed.
  • the pistons are again extended and the shield advanced an additional amount.
  • each new ring of the tunnel lining is commenced at the bottom of the tunnel and is symmetrically erected up from there along each side of the tunnel until the last segment, the key segment, is set in place.
  • the means used for transporting the tunnel lining segments from the surface work site to a location within the reach of the segment erectors E1, E2 can be conventional per se, such as the overhead rail and carriage assembly 52 shown in FIG. 1, for example. In accordance with usual practice, additional sections of rail are added to said assembly 52 as is necessary to keep up with the forward progress of the tunneling machine.
  • FIG. 2 the regions or zones that are pressurized, in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, are shown outlined by the bold broken line designated PB (pressure boundary).
  • PB pressure boundary
  • the tunnel itself to the rear of the cutterhead support CS and enclosed by the lining L is open throughout and communicates at its portal or entrance end with the atmosphere.
  • the rear wall 54 of the assembly consisting of the cutterhead support CS and the ram pedestal RP forms a bulkhead between the pressurized and unpressurized regions. Airtight seals interconnect between the motors M.
  • hoppers H1, H2 each include an upper door 56 and a lower door 58. Each of such doors 56, 58 are suitably constructed so as to be completely sealed when closed, and at least one door of each of the hoppers H1, H2 is closed during each stage of the tunneling operation.
  • An airtight seal SS is also provided between tail section 14 and the outside of the tunnel lining L at the region where such tail section 14 overlaps the lining L.
  • a suitable seal for this location is shown in FIG. 4 as comprising one or more rings of flexible metal fingers 60 suitably anchored on the inner surface of tail section 14 and extending outwardly therefrom to rest on the outer surface of the lining L previously erected.
  • a generally annular or annular segmented air bladder 62 is interposed between each row of fingers 60 and the tail section 14 and when inflated serves to urge said fingers 60 in sealing contact with the outer surface of the lining L. Compressed air is delivered from a supply line within cutterhead support CS to the air bladders 62 by means of circumferentially spaced air passageways 64.
  • the sealing arrangement between tail section 14 and lining L also includes a tail seal TS characterized by a ring of fingers 66 substantially identical in construction with fingers 60. However, fingers 66 are urged inwardly to make contact with the outer surface of lining L by means of a plurality of leaf springs 68.
  • Such tail seal TS functions primarily as a dirt seal whereas the seals SS comprising the fingers 60 and bladders 62 function together with the other previously mentioned seals to hermetically seal the pressurized zone at the face of the tunnel and in the material removal compartment from the main interior of the tunnel, which as previously stated is at atmospheric pressure.
  • the compressed air used to pressurize the interior of the material removal compartment and the zone at the face of the tunnel is preferably delivered to the pressurized regions by means of sectional pipes 70, 72 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, for example).
  • sectional pipes 70, 72 are alternately used, with additional sections being added to the one shut down to extend it in length so as to keep up with the tunneling machine as the same moves forwardly.
  • the couplings used to connect the compressed air pipes 70, 72 with hopper dome 42 are suitably constructed to allow the tunneling machine to move forward a distance approximately equal to one section without decoupling and without air leakage at such location.
  • FIG. 11 is a rear view of such assembly with bulkhead 54 removed.
  • Such view shows the assembly to be divided into a plurality of cylinder compartments, four being presented by way of example, a gear box compartment for each motor and pinion gear unit, and two man locks.
  • the cylinder compartments are bounded by inner and outer concentrically arranged walls 74, 76, respectively, and by the peripheral portion of bulkhead 54 on the tunnel side of the assembly and by frustral conical wall 78 on the tunnel face side of the assembly.
  • Each of the cylinder compartments is constructed to be airtight when the ram cylinders are properly seated.
  • the region immediately radially inboard of the cylinder compartments CCl, CC2, CC3, CC4, designated 88 in FIGS. 11 and 12, is in constant communication with the pressurized region at the face of the tunnel and within the material removal compartment 38, 40, 42.
  • a pipe containing a normally open valve 92 interconnects between each cylinder compartment CCl, CC2, CC3, CC4 and the constantly pressurized region 88.
  • each cylinder compartment CC1, CC2, CC3, CC4 is provided with a normally closed dump valve 94, each of which when open serves to communicate its cylinder compartment with the interior of the tunnel.
  • all four equalizing valves 92 are open and all four cylinder compartments CC1, CC2, CCS, CC4 are pressurized.
  • the cylinder compartment in which such ram R is situated is isolated from the other pressurized regions by closing its equalizing valve 92.
  • Such cylinder compartment is then depressurized by opening its dump valve 94 so as to release the pressurized air contained therein into the tunnel.
  • the hydraulic ram R that is defective and in need of repair or replacement can then be removed without danger of its removal depressurizing any more of the pressurized regions.
  • the dump valve 94 for such compartment is again closed and the equalizing valve 92 therefor is opened to repressurize the compartment.
  • the gear box compartments are also constructed to be individually isolated and depressurized.
  • Gear box compartments GBl-GB4 are enclosed'on top and bottom by concentric arcuate walls 96, 98, each constituting segments of a cylinder.
  • Gear box compartments GB5GB10 are enclosed on top and bottom by concentrically arranged, semi-cylindrical walls 100, 102, respectively.
  • a series of radially extending walls 106426 circumferentially separate the gear box compartments GB1-GB10.
  • Suitable pressurizing and depressurizing means which may be identical in form to the pipe with open valve 92 and the dump valve 94 used to pressurize and depressurize the cylinder compartments, are provided each gear box compartment.
  • the inner race 26 of annular hearing 18, with bull gear 24 attached is shown securely fastened to the rotary cutterhead C by means of a series of nut and bolt assemblies 28, as previously described.
  • the outer race 130 of the bearing 18 is suitably supported by an annular member 132, constituting part of the cutterhead C, and is securely attached to the cutterhead support CS by means of a series of nut and bolt assemblies 134, for example.
  • a series of roller type bearing elements 136 are situated between the inner and outer bearing races 26, 130, respectively.
  • the annular bearing 18 is suitably sealed in the region between said inner and outer race elements 26, 130, respectively, to prevent air leakage occurring through the seal 18 at this location, and also to prevent dirt, etc. from entering the region of bearing elements 136.
  • An annular flange 138 extending rearwardly from the rear face of the rotary cutterhead C and situated concentrically inwardly of the inner race 26, defines with inner race 26 and an annular wall 140 a somewhat circular channel opening toward the cutterhead support CS and enclosing the pinion gear 22 that are driven by the motors M and in mesh with the bull gear 24.
  • Such generally circular channel forms with the portion of the front face 16 of the cutterhead support CS that is located between said annular flange 138 and the inner race 26, a generally annular pinion gear compartment.
  • Suitable sealing means 142 is situated between the cutterhead support CS and flange 138 to etfectively seal such location against air leakage into the generally annular pinion gear compartment at that location while the cutterhead is rotating.
  • Outboard sealing means 144, 146 both annular in form, are provided between the rotating cutterhead C and the stationary cutterhead support CS at the location shown in FIG. 7.
  • Sealing means 142, 144, 146 function to seal the generally annular pinion gear compartment from the pressurized region forward of the cutterhead support, and it is these seals 142, 144, 146 that prevent leakage of compressed air from the cutterhead region through opening 128 in wall 16 and the opening in bulkhead 54 when the motor M1 is removed from its compartment GBl.
  • the seals M2, 144, 146 also prevent dirt from entering into the interior of bearing 18 and between the pinion gears and the bull gear 26.
  • Another dirt seal 147 is preferably located radially outboard of bearing 18 generally at the periphery of cutterhead C.
  • each service lock SL is provided with a door D1 in bulkhead 54 and a second door D2 in the front wall 16 of cutterhead support CS.
  • each of these doors D1, D2 are constructed to be tightly sealed when shut.
  • the cutterhead support CS also must support the weight of the cutterhead C, must bear the thrust of the cutterhead C and the thrust rams R when the tunneling machine is being driven forward, and must also support a greater part of the weight of the material compartment and the erectors E1, E2 attached thereto, noting the anchoring of the forward end of the conveyor tube 40 at point 48 onto the cutterhead support, as previously described.
  • a man lock ML extends alongside of the conveyor tube 40 and is interconnected therewith by means of a connecting passageway 148.
  • the man lock ML is provided with an access door and a second door 152 interposed between the man lock ML and the conveyor tube 40.
  • conveyor tube 40 contains in addition to conveyor 36 a man walk MW suitably situated to one side of the conveyor 36 and separated therefrom by a screen or partition 154 of expanded metal or the like, serving to prevent the mined material from spilling over from conveyor 36 onto the man walk MW, or onto a person using the same.
  • the man walk MW is used by service personnel working either in conveyor tube 40 itself or else in one of 7 the other portions of the material compartment, such as in the vicinity of receiving conveyor 32, for example.
  • the local pressurization feature i.e. pressurizing only the regions contiguous the face of the tunnel and within the material compartment
  • essentially all of the workmen taking part in the tunneling operation perform their respective duties in a working area that is essentially at atmospheric pressure.
  • the erection of the tunnel lining L; the service and repair work on the erectors E1, E2, the thrust rams R and the motor units M; and the extension of lower rails 50 and the overhead monorail portion of segment conveying means 52 are all projects that are carried out within the main portion of the tunnel, located behind wall 54, which is at atmospheric pressure.
  • the method of tunneling comprising moving a shield mounted rotary cutterhead forwardly into material to be mined while rotating such cutterhead, delivering compressed air to pressurize the face of the tunnel forwardly of a transverse bulkhead portion of the shield and contiguous the cutterhead, removing mined material from the cutterhead region successively through the cutterhead, an opening in the bulkhead, and a conveyor tube means hermetically sealed at its forward end to said bulkhead about the opening therein, and extending rearwardly of bulkhead from said opening to a discharge station, and hermetically sealing the pressurized zone at the face of the tunnel from the unpressurized remaining portion of the tunnel, situated rearwardly of the bulkhead,
  • the tunneling procedure comprising mining the face of the tunnel by means of the rotary cutterhead, delivering compressed air to pressurize the region contiguous the cutterhead and the tunnel face while maintaining such region substantially hermetically sealed and thus pressurized from the pressurized lined portion of the tunnel situated rearwardly of the cutterhead support, removing the mined material from the region of the tunnel face first through the cutterhead, then through an opening in the cutterhead support, and then through a pressurized compartment connected at its forward end about the opening in said cutterhead support communicating at its rearward end with lock means through which the mined ma terial is removed without depressurizing said compartment, and driving said shield and the rotary cutterhead mounted thereon forwardly into the material to be mined by means of power rams extending rearwardly from said cutterhead support
  • the tunneling procedure comprising mining the face of the tunnel by means of a rotary cuterhead supported on a transverse portion of the shield, delivering compressed air to pressurize the region coniguous the cutterhead and tunnel face while substantially hermetically sealing the pressurized region thus created from the portion of the tunnel situated rearwardly of the transverse portion of the shield, and erecting a ring of segments substantially immediately behind said transverse portion while simultaneously and continuously moving said shield and the rotary cutterhead mounted thereon forwardly by means of power jacks mounted around the periphery of the shield and pushing on erected segments of the tunnel lining.
  • a shield type tunneling machine comprising a shield including a generally cylindrical skin having a forwardly directed cutting edge and a tail section; a transverse cutterhead support spaced rearwardly of said cutting edge including bulkhead wall means and a material removal opening; a rotary cutterhead mounted for rotation on said cutterhead support, and extending forwardly of the cutterhead support to be at least partly enveloped by said cutter edge said cutterhead including a front face, cutter means on the front face for mining the tunnel face as the cutterhead rotates, and means for delivering the earth material mined by said cutterhead to said material removing opening; means for rotatably driving said cutterhead; means for delivering compressed air to pressurize the region contiguous the cutterhead and tunnel face; material removal conduit means connected to said transverse cutterhead support about the said material removal opening therein, and extending rearwardly therefrom to a discharge station; and means for hermetically sealing such pressurized region at the face of the tunnel from the unpressurized portion of the tunnel located rearwardly of the bulkhead wall means.
  • a shield type tunneling machine comprising a shield including a generally cylindrical skin having a forwardly directed cutting edge and a tail section; transverse support means having a front wall, a rear wall, and a cellular interior construction, with said rear wall constituting a bulkhead; means delivering compressed air to pressurize the region forward of said transverse support means and contiguous the tunnel face; means hermetically sealing the pressurized region at the face of the tunnel from the unpressurized portion of the tunnel located rearwardly of said transverse support means; said transverse support means further comprising a pluality of interior compartments, each of which is constructed to be isolated from the others and independently pressurized and depressurized, with at least one of the said interior compartments being a service lock having access doors in both the front and rear walls of said transverse support means.
  • a shield type tunneling machine comprising a shield including a generally cylindrical skin having a forwardly directed cutting edge and a tail section; a transverse cutterhead support having a front wall, a rear wall, and a cellular interior construction, with said rear wall constituting a bulkhead; means rotatably supporting a rotary cutterhead forward of the said front wall of said cutterhead support; means delivering compressed air to pressurize the region forward of said cutterhead support and contiguous the cutterhead and tunnel face; means hermetically sealing the pressurized region at the face of the tunnel from the unpressurized portion of the tunnel located rearwardly of said cutterhead support; said cutterhead support also comprising a plurality of interior compartments, each of which is constructed to be isolated from the others and to be independently pressurized and depressurized, with at least one of said interior compartments being a motor compartment; and motor means mountable to extend through openings in both the front and rear walls of the cutterhead support at the location of said motor compartment.
  • a shield type tunneling machine comprising a shield including a generally cylindrical skin having a forwardly directed cutting edge and a tail section; transverse cutterhead support means having a front wall, a rear wall, and a cellular interior construction, with said rear wall constituting a bulkhead; means rotatably mounting a rotary cutterhead on said cutterhead support means, said cutterhead extending forwardly of said cutterhead support means so as to be at least partially enveloped by the shield skin; means delivering compressed air to pressurize the region forward of said transverse support means and contiguous the tunnel face; means hermetically sealing the pressurized region at the face of the tunnel from the unpressurized portion of the tunnel located rearwardly of said cutterhead support means; said cutterhead support means also comprising a plurality of interior compartments, each of which is constructed to be isolated from the others and to be independently pressurized and depressurized, at least some of the compartments being motor compartments defined partly by the said front and rear walls of the cutterhead support, with openings extending through said portions of both the
  • a shield type tunneling machine in accordance with claim 12, wherein said means for preventing depressurization of the region contiguous the face of the tunnel when one or more of the motor means is removed from the motor compartments includes a first generally annular seal extending between a forward portion of the cutterhead support and a rearwardly facing portion of the cutterhead at a location radially outboard of the gear box openings, and a second, generally annular seal, located radially inboard of said motor compartment openings and extending between a folwardly extending portion of the cutterhead support and a rearwardly extending portion of the cutterhead.
  • the method of tunneling comprising moving a shield mounted rotary cutterbhead forwardly into material to be mined while rotating same, so as to bore a tunnel through said material, removing the mined material from the face region of the tunnel successively through the cutterhead, an opening in a transverse bulkhead portion of the shield on which the cutterhead is rotatively supported, and a material compartment extending rearwardly from a transverse bulkhead portion of the shield, maintaining fluid pressurization in said material compartment and said face region, and sealing the pressurized material compartment and face region from the pressurized remaining portion of the tunnel rearwardly of said shield, by means including said shield transverse bulkhead portion.
  • a shield type tunneling machine comprising a tunnel shield including a generally cylindrical skin having a forwardly directed cutting edge and a rearwardly extending tail section, such shield further including a transverse cutterhead support spanning the interior of said skin intermediate the ends thereof; a rotary cutterhead mounted for rotation on said cutterhead support and extending forwardly of the cutterhead support; cutting means on the front face of said cutterhead for mining the tunnel face as the cutterhead rotates; means for rotating said cutterhead; means for erecting a tunnel lining in the wake of the cutterhead and under the protection of said tail section; means for delivering compressed air to pressurize the region forwardly of the cutterhead support; means for hermetically sealing such pressurized region from the portion of the tunnel located rearwardly of said transverse cutterhead support, including a seal situated between said tail section of the shield skin and the tunnel lining; a mined material removal passageway extending through said cutterhead support; and a pressurized compartment extending rearwardly from said opening and terminating in pressure lock means, such pressure lock means permitting removal
  • a shield type tunneling machine comprising a shield including a generally cylindrical skin having a forwardly directed cutting edge and a tail section; a transverse cutterhead support spanning the interior of said skin intermediate the ends thereof; a mined material removal passageway extending through said cutterhead sup port; a rotary cutterhead mounted for rotation on said cutterhead support and extending forwardly of the cutter- 'head sup-port to be at least partly enveloped by said cutting edge, said cutterhead including means for moving mined material through the cutterhead to the passageway in the cutterhead support; means for rotating said outterhead; conveyor means for moving the mined material rearwardly from said passageway in the cutterhead support, said conveyor means including a conduit communieating at its forward end with said mined material re moval passageway and extending rearwardly of said cutterhead support; pressure lock means rearwardly of and in sealed communication with said conduit; means delivering compressed air into said conduit, to pressurize the interior of said conduit and the region contiguous the face of the tunnel; means hermetically sealing the
  • a shield type tunneling machine comprising a tunnel shield having a generally cylindrical. skin characterized by a forwardly directed cutting edge and a rearwardly extending tail section, such shield further including a transverse support means spanning the interior to said skin intermediate the ends thereof; a passageway extending through said transverse support means; an elongated material compartment communicating at its forward end with said opening and extending rearwardly of said opening and the transverse support means, and terminating in material lock means; means delivering compressed air to pressurize the region forwardly of the transverse support means and the region interiorly of said material compartment; means hermetically sealing such pressurized regions from the unpressurized portion of the tunnel located rearwardly of said transverse support means and outside of the material compartment; and power driven conveyor means within at least a portion of said material compartment, extending essentially from the opening in the transverse support means rearwardly to the material lock means, said material lock means permitting removal of the mined material from said material compartment without depressurizing the same.
  • a shield type tunneling machine comprising a shield including a generally cylindrical skin having a forwardly directed cutting edge and a tail section; transverse support means having a front wall, a rear wall, and a cellular interior construction, with said rear wall constituting a bulkhead; means delivering compressed air to pressurize the region forwardly of said transverse support means and contiguous the tunnel face; means hermetically sealing the pressurized region from the unpressurized portion of the tunnel located rearwardly of said transverse support means, said transverse support means compris-- ing a plurality of interior compartments, each of, which is isolated from the other; and a plurality of piston-cylinder actuators mounted around the periphery of said transverse support means, with the pistons thereof extending in the rearward direction to act against the tunnel lining previously erected and in that manner advancing the tunneling machine forwardly into the material to be mined, with at least one of said compartments in said transverse support means being a cylinder compartment into which the cylinder portion of at least one of the piston
  • a shield type tunneling machine comprising a shield including a generally cylindrical skin having a forwardly directed cutting edge and a tail section; transverse sup port means having a front wall, a rear wall, and a cellular interior construction, with said rear wall constituting a bulkhead; means delivering compressed air to pressurize the region forwardly of said transverse support means and contiguous the tunnel face; means hermetically sealing the pressurized region from the unpressurized portion of the tunnel located rearwardly of said transverse support means, said transverse support means comprising a plurality of interior compartments, each of which is isolated from the others, with a cutterhead rotatably supported on said transverse support means, said outterhead extending forwardly of said transverse support means so as to be at least partially enveloped by the shield skin, and a plurality of thrust rams mounted around the periphery of said support means, each such thrust ram including as a portion thereof means extending in the rearward direction to react against the tunnel lining previously erected and in that manner
  • a shield type tunneling machine comprising a shield including a generally cylindrical skin having a forwardly directing cutting edge and a tail section; a transverse cutterhead support spanning the interior of said skin intermediate the ends thereof; a mined material removal passageway extending through said cutterhead sup-port; rotary cutterhead means mounted for rotation on, and extending forwardly of the cutterhead support; means for rotating said cutterhead means; means for moving mined material into the passageway in the cutterhead support; means for moving the mined material rearwardly from said passageway in the cutterhead support, said means including a conduit communicating at its forward end with said mined material removal passageway and extending rearwardly of said cutterhead support; pressure lock means rearwardly of and in sealed communication with said conduit; means delivering compressed air to pressurize the interior of said conduit and the region contiguous the face of the tunnel; means hermetically sealing the pressurized region from the rest of the tunnel, situated rearwardly of the cutterhead support; and means for moving the tunneling machine forwardly.
US284604A 1963-05-31 1963-05-31 Shield tunneling method and mechanism Expired - Lifetime US3266257A (en)

Priority Applications (6)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US284604A US3266257A (en) 1963-05-31 1963-05-31 Shield tunneling method and mechanism
GB19443/64A GB1070772A (en) 1963-05-31 1964-05-11 Improvements in or relating to tunnelling methods and shield type tunnelling machines
DE1964R0038023 DE1459879B1 (de) 1963-05-31 1964-05-30 Vortriebsschild
DE1534661A DE1534661C3 (de) 1963-05-31 1964-05-30 Tunnelvortriebsmaschine mit Zellaufteilung des Schneidkopfträgers
DE19641658757 DE1658757A1 (de) 1963-05-31 1964-05-30 Tunnelbauverfahren und Tunnelbaumaschine mit Schildvortrieb
DE1534660A DE1534660C3 (de) 1963-05-31 1964-05-30 Tunne!vortriebsmaschine fur den Schildvortrieb

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Cited By (19)

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US3382002A (en) * 1965-07-23 1968-05-07 John R. Tabor Rotary cutter wheel tunneling machine
US3410098A (en) * 1964-12-01 1968-11-12 Robbins & Assoc James S Tail section seals for shield tunneling machines
US3445137A (en) * 1966-03-25 1969-05-20 Habegger Ag Maschf Sectional tunnel boring machine
US3677602A (en) * 1970-02-24 1972-07-18 John R Tabor Tunneling machine with concrete wall forming mechanism
JPS5020440U (de) * 1973-06-15 1975-03-07
US3967463A (en) * 1974-08-05 1976-07-06 The Robbins Company Continuous tunnel boring machine and method
US4473322A (en) * 1979-05-07 1984-09-25 Echols H Vance Method and system for lining shafts
US4557627A (en) * 1979-05-24 1985-12-10 Locher & Cie AGZZ Apparatus and method for tunnel construction with shield drive
US4613258A (en) * 1984-05-11 1986-09-23 Hochtief Aktiengesellschaft Vorm. Gebr. Helfmann Apparatus for setting and removing tunnel casing rings
US4687375A (en) * 1983-08-20 1987-08-18 Anderson Strathclyde Plc Circular heading machine
EP0268188A1 (de) * 1986-11-13 1988-05-25 Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Tunnelvortriebsschild
US4844656A (en) * 1987-05-01 1989-07-04 Hochtief Aktiengesellschaft Vorm. Gebr. Helfmann Earth pressure shield
US4848963A (en) * 1986-07-08 1989-07-18 Hochtief Aktiengesellschaft Vorm. Gebr. Helfmann Earth pressure shield
US4863313A (en) * 1987-09-30 1989-09-05 Tekken Construction Co., Ltd. Method for lining tunnel wall formed by shield excavation
EP0524577A1 (de) * 1991-07-23 1993-01-27 Wirth Maschinen- und Bohrgeräte-Fabrik GmbH Schildvortriebs-Einrichtung
CN103216243A (zh) * 2013-04-24 2013-07-24 上海隧道工程股份有限公司 超前钻密封装置
CN104929648A (zh) * 2015-06-03 2015-09-23 西华大学 一种隧道分部导坑施工方法
CN105134238A (zh) * 2015-10-10 2015-12-09 中铁十四局集团有限公司 一种应用于管幕施工的机头可回撤式顶管机
CN113236259A (zh) * 2021-06-02 2021-08-10 崔旭雄 一种团结隧道开挖及支护专项施工工艺

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DE2109384C3 (de) * 1971-02-27 1981-05-07 Dr.-Ing. Paproth & Co, Bauunternehmung KG, 2090 Winsen Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Herstellen röhrenförm iger Tunnel, Stollen od.dgl. im Schildvortrieb mit einer Auskleidung aus Ortbeton
BE792629A (fr) * 1971-12-13 1973-03-30 Nat Res Dev Perfectionnements apportes aux systemes de garnitures d'etancheite
DE2514150C3 (de) * 1975-03-29 1982-04-22 Mannesmann AG, 4000 Düsseldorf Schildvortriebsmaschine zum Auffahren von Tunneln und Strecken
AT388969B (de) * 1986-07-24 1989-09-25 Voest Alpine Ag Schildvortriebsmaschine
ATA181587A (de) * 1987-07-17 1995-04-15 Voest Alpine Bergtechnik Verfahren zum tunnelvortrieb sowie schildvortriebsmaschine zur durchführung dieses verfahrens

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FR348743A (fr) * 1904-12-10 1905-04-25 Jean Sillard Système de bouclier à air comprimé pour le percement des tunnels, etc.
US794633A (en) * 1905-03-18 1905-07-11 Pearson And Son Inc S Tunneling-shield.
US1277107A (en) * 1918-02-01 1918-08-27 John F O'rourke Tunneling.
US1338237A (en) * 1918-05-21 1920-04-27 James O Mack Tunneling apparatus
US1292159A (en) * 1918-08-19 1919-01-21 Luther S Munson Tunneling-machine.
US1429647A (en) * 1920-11-20 1922-09-19 Tunnel Machine Mfg And Enginee Machine for building tunnels and the like
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US3061282A (en) * 1960-02-26 1962-10-30 Worthington Corp Self sealing charging hopper for high dump mixers

Cited By (21)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3410098A (en) * 1964-12-01 1968-11-12 Robbins & Assoc James S Tail section seals for shield tunneling machines
US3382002A (en) * 1965-07-23 1968-05-07 John R. Tabor Rotary cutter wheel tunneling machine
US3445137A (en) * 1966-03-25 1969-05-20 Habegger Ag Maschf Sectional tunnel boring machine
US3677602A (en) * 1970-02-24 1972-07-18 John R Tabor Tunneling machine with concrete wall forming mechanism
JPS5020440U (de) * 1973-06-15 1975-03-07
US3967463A (en) * 1974-08-05 1976-07-06 The Robbins Company Continuous tunnel boring machine and method
US4473322A (en) * 1979-05-07 1984-09-25 Echols H Vance Method and system for lining shafts
US4557627A (en) * 1979-05-24 1985-12-10 Locher & Cie AGZZ Apparatus and method for tunnel construction with shield drive
US4687375A (en) * 1983-08-20 1987-08-18 Anderson Strathclyde Plc Circular heading machine
US4613258A (en) * 1984-05-11 1986-09-23 Hochtief Aktiengesellschaft Vorm. Gebr. Helfmann Apparatus for setting and removing tunnel casing rings
US4848963A (en) * 1986-07-08 1989-07-18 Hochtief Aktiengesellschaft Vorm. Gebr. Helfmann Earth pressure shield
EP0268188A1 (de) * 1986-11-13 1988-05-25 Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Tunnelvortriebsschild
US4844656A (en) * 1987-05-01 1989-07-04 Hochtief Aktiengesellschaft Vorm. Gebr. Helfmann Earth pressure shield
US4863313A (en) * 1987-09-30 1989-09-05 Tekken Construction Co., Ltd. Method for lining tunnel wall formed by shield excavation
EP0524577A1 (de) * 1991-07-23 1993-01-27 Wirth Maschinen- und Bohrgeräte-Fabrik GmbH Schildvortriebs-Einrichtung
CN103216243A (zh) * 2013-04-24 2013-07-24 上海隧道工程股份有限公司 超前钻密封装置
CN104929648A (zh) * 2015-06-03 2015-09-23 西华大学 一种隧道分部导坑施工方法
CN105134238A (zh) * 2015-10-10 2015-12-09 中铁十四局集团有限公司 一种应用于管幕施工的机头可回撤式顶管机
CN105134238B (zh) * 2015-10-10 2018-04-17 中铁十四局集团有限公司 一种应用于管幕施工的机头可回撤式顶管机
CN113236259A (zh) * 2021-06-02 2021-08-10 崔旭雄 一种团结隧道开挖及支护专项施工工艺
CN113236259B (zh) * 2021-06-02 2023-12-05 崔旭雄 一种团结隧道开挖及支护专项施工工艺

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB1070772A (en) 1967-06-01
DE1534660B2 (de) 1975-04-10
DE1459879B1 (de) 1970-06-25
DE1534660A1 (de) 1969-06-12
DE1658757A1 (de) 1970-12-10
DE1534660C3 (de) 1975-11-27
DE1534661A1 (de) 1969-09-25
DE1534661C3 (de) 1975-11-20
DE1534661B2 (de) 1975-04-03

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