US748809A - Rot stone - Google Patents

Description

I PATENTED JAN. 5, 1904.

R. STONE. TUNNELING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED FEB.

12. 1902. RENEWED SEPT. 15. 1902.

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PATENTED JAN. 5, 1904.

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PATENT Patented J anuary 5, 1904;

Fries,

ROY s'roun, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

TUNNELING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 748,809, dated January 5, 1904.

Application filed February 12, 1902. Renewed September 15I 1902. Serial No. 123,549- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, ROY STONE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York,'haveinvented an ImprovementinTunneling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to tunneling apparatus,and particularly to that type of tunneling apparatus wherein an advancing shield is employed in conjunction with the tunnel-casing, which latter is preferably built up within the shield as the shield advances.

' In carrying out my invention the advancing shield is provided with a suitable bulkhead, inwhich is constructed a universal joint carrying a hose-nozzle, and the bulkhead is also provided with a revolving air-tight cagedoor whereby ingress and egress may be had between theinterior and exterior of the shield, and vice versa, without disturbing the pressure on the exterior of the shield.- I also employ a telescoping suction-pipe for conveying away the water and material as the same are excavated, improved means of packing between the shield and the tunnel-casing,means in the under part of the shield for gaining access to the exterior thereof for removing the material there and substituting a concrete foundation under the tunnel casing, and means for guiding and controlling the direction of the advancing shield, allof which will be hereinafter more particularly described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section illustrating my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line mm, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the packing-ring and hose; 'and Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the cage-door in the bulkhead, showing the relative positions of the door and the hose-nozzle.

a represents the advancing cylindrical shield, having a forward cutting edge 2 and provided with a bulkhead a, somewhat removed from the cutting edge 2.

T) represents the transverse annular-sections of which the tunnel-casing is built, the sections b being provided with internal flanges 3 and riveted together.

The advancing shield at extends back over the forward sections 1), and the sections are securely riveted together,progressively form- .which are fitted with flexible hose 0'.

I provide the shield with seats or circular rings 0, having semicircular grooves therein The hose c'forms a packing and is adapted to be inflated pneumatically or hydraulically to fill the space between the shield and the casingsections 1) and to thereby secure a watertight joint between the said parts. If desired, occasional easing-sections may be provided with hand-holes whereby and through which the hose 0' may be replaced when the same becomes too much worn, due to the friction between itself and the tunnel-casing caused by the advancement of the shield.

The bulkhead a, preferably at its central portion, is provided with auniversal joint (2, carrying a hose-nozzle 4, and a flexible hose 5 connects the nozzle at with the supply-pipe 6 within the casing, the nozzle 4 extending through the universal joint and having its orifice outside the bulkhead. I also employ a suction-pipe f, extending through the tunnel, and an auxiliary suction-pipef,telescopingtherewith and fitted with a gate-valve 6 and passing through the lower part of the bulkhead and havingits orifice f within the cutting edge of the shield-and preferably at its lowest point. By forcing the waterthrough the nozzle 4, which may be turned in any direction by means of the universal joint d, the earth, gravel, mud, or whatever material is being tunneled is loosened in front of the bulkhead and carried away by the suctionpipe as the shield advances, and-stones of appreciable size may sink in the silt forward of the cutting edge of the shield.

A cage-door g is constructed in the bulkhead and conveniently comprises a hollow cylinder 7, having an opening in the side, and plates closing the top and bottom thereof may be formed with the bulkhead. The cylinder 7 is advantageously made to revolve in airtight bearings, and the distance between the vertical edges 9 and 10 of the opening in the side of the cylinder is less than the distance between the edges 11 and 12 of thesegmentflange g of the bulkhead, (see Fig. 4,) so that the cylinder maybe turned in'one direction and back again to permit ingress and egress to and from the interior and exterior of the bulkhead without adecting the pressure IOO which may be necessarily required on the outside of the bulkhead. By this means workmen and tools are provided with means of access to and from the space in front of the bulkhead.

An interior flange 'i is secured to the shield to by the angle-iron l3 and is suitably braced by brackets 8, which latter also aid in securing the bulkhead to the shield. The shield is advanced by means of hydraulic jacks or rams h, placed at intervals between the flange z'and the edge of the casing-section I) most recently putin position.

Manholes 7c are made in the bottom of the shield at and situated, preferably, just inside the flange i. The manholes are provided with covers Z, which are adapted to slide in guides 14 transversely of the shield. The manholes are provided so that when desirable the material underlying the shield may be excavated as the shield is advanced and a concrete foundation 15 for the tunnel-casing substituted for the material so removed, the concrete foundation extending approximately one-third way around the casing and being of any desired form in cross-section.

m represents trailer-beams secured to the shield upon the inner side of the bulkhead and at spaced-apart intervals by means of filler-pieces 16 and brackets 17, and I prefer that these trailer-beams be square in crosssection. Clamp -frames n, forming guides adapted to be temporarily secured to the internal flanges 3 of the casing-sections 1), surround the trailer-beams m and are provided with adjusting-screws 18 and hand-wheels 19. 20 represents guides removably secured to the casing 19 and through which the trailerbeams also pass. By this construction it will be seen that the course of the shield a may be changed and guided at pleasure by changing the position of the ad j ustin g-screws which bear upon the inside of the trailer-beams, of

which there are four at ninety degrees apart, thus causing the cutting edge of the shield to be inclined in the direction of the course to be tunneled, while the usual tendency of the shield to rotate is overcome.

The inner side of the tunnel-casing may be lined with bricks or tiles or finished in other suitable manner, and in cases necessitating air-pressure in front of the bulkhead an airlock may be substituted for the rotating shield; but these features form no part of my present-invention.

I claim as my invention 1. In a tunneling apparatus, the combination with a tunnel-casing, of an excavatingshield surrounding said casing and having an advancing cutting edge and dividing-bulkhead, annular inflatable packing devices and seats for holding and securing the same to said shield, said packing devices being interposed between the shield and the forward tunnel-sections and advancing with the shield for maintaining a tight joint, substantially as set forth.

2. In a tunneling apparatus, the combination with a tunnel-casing, of an excavatingshield surrounding said casing and having an advancing cutting edge and dividing-bulkhead, and movable devices formed in the lower portion of the excavating-shield in advance of the tunnel-sections and through which movable devices the earth beneath the shield may be excavated, substantially as set forth.

3. In a tunneling apparatus, the combination with a tunnel-casing, of an excavatingshield, surrounding said casing and havingan advancing cutting edge and dividing-bulkhead, manhole-covers of curved form located and movable transversely of the shield and fitting over manholes in the shield, and slideways for the said manhole-covers whereby access is obtained for excavating earth from beneath the tunnel-sections, substantially as set forth.

4. In a tunneling apparatus, the combination with a tunnel-casing, of an excavatingshield surrounding said casing and having an advancing cutting edge and dividing-bulkhead, means for exposing the earth beneath the shield, and a foundation of concrete beneath the tunnel-sections and conforming to the curved exterior thereof and agreeing approximately with about one-third the circumference of the tunnel-sections, substantially as set forth.

5. In a tunneling apparatus, the combination with a tunnel-casing, of an excavatingshield surrounding said casing and having an advancing cutting edge and dividing-bulkhead, and a movable or rotatable device vertically placed in the bulkhead of the shield and adapted for receiving and passing a workman or tools through the bulkhead without disturbing difierences of pressure at the respective sides of the same, substantially as set forth.

6. In a tunneling apparatus, the combination with a tunnel-casing, of an excavatingshield surrounding said casing and having an advancing cutting edge and dividing-bulkhead, a cage-door of metal vertically placed and rotatable and in cross-section being substantially three-fourths of the circle, and a segment-flange in the bulkhead coinciding with the curved section of the cage-door and permitting the backward and forward movements of the cage-door as and for thepurposes set forth.

7. In a tunneling apparatus, the combination with a tunnel-casing, of an excavatingshield surrounding said casing and having an advancing cutting edge and dividing-bulkhead, trailer-bealns secured to the shield and placed longitudinally of the tunnel, guides removably connected to the tunnel-sections and through which the trailer-beams pass, and means removably connected to the tunnel-sections and through which the ends of the trailer-beams pass, which means are adapted to act upon the trailer-beams to change the position of the same with reference to the tunnel-sections so as to alter the line of forward movement of the shield, substantially as set forth.

8. In a tunneling apparatus, the combination with a tunnel-casing, of an excavatingshield surrounding said casing and having an advancing cutting edge and dividing-bulkhead, trailer-beams secured to the shield and placed longitudinally of the tunnel, guides removably connected to the tunnel-sections and through which the trailer-beams pass, guide and clamp devices removably connected to the tunnel-sections and through which the ends of the trailer-beams pass and in which they are guided, and hand-operated pressure-screws moving in said clamp devices and bearing against the trailer-beams for shifting the position of the same and changing the forward direction of the excavating-shield, substantially as set forth.

9. In a tunneling apparatus,-the combination with a tunnel-casing, of an excavatingshield surrounding said casing and having an advancing cutting edge and dividing-bulkhead, a suction-pipe passing through the tunnel-sections, and a pipe passing through the bulkhead of the shield and telescoping with the aforesaid suction-pipe and having a gate for closing the passage-way therein when desired, substantially as set forth.

10. In a tunneling apparatus, the combination with a tunnel-casin g, of a shield surrounding said casing and having a forward cutting edge, a packing between said shield and casing, a bulkhead in said shield, means for ingross and egress throughsaid bulkhead,means for gaining access to the under exterior part of the shield, means within the shield and casing for guiding the direction of the shield, means for disintegrating and removing the material in front of the bulkhead, and means for advancing the said shield, substantially as specified.

11. In a tunneling apparatus, the combination with a casing of suitable material, of a shield surrounding said casing, a circular ring between said shield and casing and secured to the shield,a hose partially embedded in said circular ring and adapted to be inflated to fill the space between the shield and casing to make a tight joint or packing between said parts, a bulkhead in said shield, means for disintegrating and removing the material in front of the bulkhead, and means for advancing the shield, substantially as specified.

12. In a tunneling apparatus, the combination with a casing, of a shield surrounding the casing and having a forward cutting edge, packing between said shield and casing, a bulkhead in said shield, an air-tight cage-door in said bulkhead, a universal joint in said bulkhead, a nozzle passing through and secured in said universal joint, a water-supply pipe, connections between said pipeand nozzle, a telescoping suction-pipe provided with a valve and passing through the bulkhead and by which the disintegrated material in front of thebulkhead is removed, and means for advancing the bulkhead, substantially as specified. V

13. In a tunneling apparatus, the combination with a casing, of a shield surrounding the casing and having a forward cutting edge, packing between said shield and easing, a bulkhead in said shield, an air-tightca'ge-door in said bulkhead, a universal joint in said bulkhead, a nozzle passing through and secured to said universal joint, a water-supply pipe, connections between said pipe and nozzle, a telescoping suction-pipe provided with a valve and passing through the bulkhead and by which the disintegrated material in front of the bulkhead is removed, manholes in the bottom of the shield, sliding covers for the same, whereby access may be had to the under part of the shield for removing the material there and laying a concrete foundation for the tunnel-casing, and means for advancing the shield, substantially as specified.

14. In a tunneling apparatus, the combination with a casing, of a shield surrounding the casing and having a forward cutting edge, packing between said shield and easing, a bulkhead in said shield, an air-tight cagedoor in said bulkhead, a universal joint in said bulkhead, a nozzle passing through and secured in said universal joint, a water-supply pipe, connections between said pipe and nozzle, a telescoping suction-pipe provided with a valve and passing through the bulkhead and by which the disintegrated material in front of the bulkhead is removed, manholes in the bottom of the shield, sliding covers for the same whereby access may be had to the under part of the shield for removing the material there and laying a concrete foundation for the tunnel-casing, trailerbeams secured tothe inner side of the bulkhead and extending longitudinally into the shield and easing, means used in conjunction with the said trailer-beams for guiding and directing the advancement of the shield,and means for advancing the shield, substantially as set forth.

15. In a tunneling apparatus, the combination with a casing, of a shield surrounding the casing and having a forward cutting edge, packing between said shield and easing, a bulkhead in said shield, an air-tight cagedoor in said bulkhead, a universal joint in said bulkhead, a nozzle passing through and secured in said universal joint, a water-supply pipe, connection between said pipe and nozzle, a telescoping suction-pipe provided with a valve and passing through the bulkhead and by which the disintegrated material in front of the bulkhead is removed, manholes in the bottom of the shield, sliding covers for the same whereby access may be had &

obtaining access beneath the same for removing the earth, and a concrete or other foundation beneath the said casing and built progressively with the advance thereof, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 31st day of January, 1902.

ROY STONE.

Witnesses:

GEO. T. PINOKNEY, BERTHA M. ALLEN.

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