US331657A - Method of building tunnels - Google Patents

Description

Patentd Dec. 1, 1885.

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(No Model.)

o. SOQYSMITH. METHOD OF BUILDING TUNNELS.

UNITED STATES CHARLES SOOYSMITH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

METHOD OF BUILDING TUNNELS.

SJ'PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 331,657, dated December l, 1885.

Serial No. 153,103. (No model.)

.To all whom, it may concern.-

Beit known that I, CHARLES SooYsMrTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chi cago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Building Tunnels, &c., of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to animproved method of building tunnels and other engineering operations; and the invention consists in the novel application of a freezing method for closing the joints between the bottom edge of caissons or of coffer-dams and the bottom or the bed-rock of rivers, harbors, tc., or for closing the joints between caissons sunk end to end to form a continuous passage wherein a tunnel may be built.

My invention consists, also, in the novel manner of placing freezing-pipes (containing a circulating freezing-mixture) under the edge or adjacent to the edge of caissons, cofferdams, dre., luting or packing mud, clay, or other substances of this nature against said pipes and edges, causing said mud, clay, tc., to congeal and adhere to the bottom of the caisson or of the coder-dams and to its support, and solidly unite the parts, all as hereinafter more particularly described, and specically set forth in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a transverse vertical section of a caisson sunk into the bottom of a river, harbor, 35e. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of a cofferdam provided with means to pack itsv lower edge and freeze the packing. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of a caisson provided with my improvement. Fig. 4L is a side elevation of one end of two contiguous caissons provided with freezing-pipes around their edges.

Like letters indicate like parts in all the gures.

In Fig. l, A represents the walls of a caisson loaded with masonry B, through the center of which there is ahollow shaft, b, provided with the usual air-lock, b2, for the passage of the workmen into the air-chamber A", inclosed by the walls A. The caisson is represented as having been sunk through a body of water, C, and alluvial or other soil, G2, until arrested by the bed-rock or solid material D, into which a certain amount of excavation and leveling is to be done.

To prevent water from entering into the airchamber between the lower edges of its walls and the inequalities in the surface of the bedrock without maintaining a very heavy airpressure in the air-chamber, my method is to seal the lower portion of the walls of the caisson to the bedrock, as follows: I secure to the under edge of the walls A freezing -pipes a, preferably in grooves formed for their protection, and I pack in close contact to the pipes a, a sufficient amount of luting material, c, containing some water in suspension-such as mud, damp clay, Src-and cause a current of refrigerating gas or liquid to circulate through the pipes c. The packed mud e rapidly becomesa frozen mass, that adheres rmly to the walls A and their supporting material D, and the small amount of water imprisoned between the lower portion of the walls A and the soil G2 becomes also frozen, and forms an additional seal against the en trance of water in the air-chamber. The freezing-pipes c are placed preferably against or close to the outside of the walls A, so that when the excavation is continued under the air chamber there will remain a sufficient quantity of frozen material under the walls A. The same method is shown in Fig. 2 as applied to a coffer-dam, the walls of which are shown at A2, and resting partly upon the bed-rock D. The lower edge of the walls is provided with one or more freezing-pipes, a, and a suiifcient quantity of lute, as mud e or other suitable material containing water in suspension, is packed under and around the lower edge of the coffendam, and as soon as the refrigerating material circulates through the pipes a the water in the mud e becomes congealed and sufciently seals the lower edge of the coffer-dam against the admission of water.

To build tunnels under water it has been proposed to sink caissons end to end in the position desired for the tunnel, each chamber being large enough to build a section of the tunnel. These chambers were to be closed at the end by bulk-heads that could be removed to connect adjacent caissons. The difficulty has been to bring the adjacent caissons close enough or their line of j unction tight enough to prevent the entrance of water in the tunnel IOO after the buik-head or ends were removed. By my method Ythis difficulty is removed.

To the ends of the caissons, and close to their outer edges, are secured one or more freezingpipes, a, as shown in Fig. 3. rEhe ends of the caissons are then brought at a short distance from each other, as shown in Fig. 4, and the Space between them filled with luting mud, clay, Ste., and frozen by the circulating medium passing through the freezing-pipes. The bulk-heads can then be removed and the space for the tunnel cut from the frozen material and the tunnel built in the interior, the pipes a being far enough out to permit this Without disturbing them. l

Having now fully described my invention,

CHARLES SOOYSMITH.

Witnesses:

PHILIP MAURO, E. E. MAssoN.

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