Abstract: A tunnel having an inner surface and extending along an axis is lined with pumpable concrete having a predetermined hardening time and by a form having an annular inner wall and an axially movable front wall. Substantially equal sized batches of pumpable concrete are successively injected into the space through the movable front wall through a plurality of angularly equispaced ports therein. The batches are injected axially backwardly through the ports at such a rate that succeeding batches are injected through each port at a time interval that is substantially smaller than the concrete hardening time. The front wall is displaced forward at such a rate and the batches are sized such that each batch spreads over a predetermined axial and a predetermined angular distance, such that the latter is greater than the former.

Abstract: For continuously lining a tunnel with extruded concrete a pumping device for feeding the concrete and a form having an interior form member and a forwardly movable form front are employed. The extruded concrete is put into place without clump formation, when it is provided in equal-sized segments in a plurality of equal constant amounts which are fed in succession one after the other circumferentially in a time interval which is small compared to the hardening time of the concrete. For this purpose the form front is provided with a plurality of concrete input ports uniformly distributed circumferentially and connected with the pumping device, while the pumping device is designed to service the concrete input ports in succession one after the other circumferentially.

Abstract: A tunnel casing is formed by cylindrical casing sections whose proximal flanges are not only bridged by the usual drawbolts tending to pull the casing sections toward one another, seals and centering elements, but also are provided with wedge or hydraulic spacers which can fix the gap widths at the respective joints by hydraulic or wedge blocking to take up pressure forces which cannot be sustained by the drawbolts.

Abstract: A bearing assembly for the shaft of a boring head for an excavating machine comprises four piston-and-cylinder units bridged between the bearing and a support ring and pivotally connected thereto, the units lying along sides of an imaginary parallelogram of adjustable and inclined angle and side length.

Abstract: A tunnel excavating machine for generating tunnels and galleries in subterranean structures, comprises in addition to the excavating head, a shield which travels with the head and advances along the excavation and lines the tunnels wall at least temporarily. According to the invention, the shield is formed by at least two shield sections which are preferably cylindrical and can be axially spaced apart while being bridged by a seal for the gap between them. The two shield sections are connected by a plurality of angularly equispaced piston-and-cylinder arrangements preferably of the double-acting type to allow angular offsetting of the axes of the two shield sections.

Abstract: A method of lining a tunnel wall comprises the pumping of concrete between a support and the tunnel wall, the concrete being selected from the concretes of concrete group BII of German Industrial Standard (DIN) 1045 and containing as an additive, steel pins, rods or wires having a length of 35 to 50 mm and a diameter of 0.8 to 1.2 mm. Approximately 100 kg/m.sup.3 of concrete is constituted by the steel pins or wires.

Abstract: A building being erected is aligned with the vertical by projecting a main laser beam horizontally and splitting it into a vertically reflected test beam that is received on the building and used to ascertain proper alignment thereof with the vertical and a horizontally reflected adjustment beam that is received at a detector having an array of receptors around a central receptor. So long as the adjustment beam is received at the central receptor, the proper vertical positioning of the test beam is insured. If the adjustment beam moves off the center receptor, however, a positioning motor connected to the projector is actuated to reposition the main beam and the splitter to as to realign the adjustment beam with the central receptor and simultaneously realign the test beam with the vertical.

Abstract: A tunnel lining is formed by pumping concrete between a support and a tunnel wall, the concrete being selected from the concretes of concrete group BII of German Industrial Standard (DIN) 1045 and containing as an additive, steel pins, rods or wires having a length of 35 to 50 mm and a diameter of 0.8 to 1.2 mm. Approximately 100 kg/m.sup.3 of concrete is constituted by the steel pins or wires.

Abstract: A system for anchoring drilling or production platforms upon a plurality of posts anchored in the sea bottom or on an artificial island comprises a cylinder structure formed at the top of each of the posts and a plunger depending from a semi-submersible platform adapted to be received with clearance within each of the cylinders. The platform is provided with sand bunkers adjacent the respective plungers and with releasable closures which open upon positioning of the platform above the posts to cause granular material to flow into the cylinder around the respective plungers, thereby cushioning the engagement of the platform by the posts.

Abstract: Tunnel-driving apparatus utilizes a plurality of elongate drive or knife members arranged side-by-side and supported and guided for longitudinal movement on a frame. The members and the frame are advanced in succession during the driving process. Some or all of the drive members are hollow and accommodate telescopically extendible and retractible devices, conveniently of tubular form, used for treating the working face, for example, by conveying fluid to or from the face. The devices each have a series of cam-like projections engageable with spring-biased stops supported on the frame and the drive members. These stops serve to lock the devices in various positions and to automatically extend the devices from the members when the frame is shifted.The stops can be displaced however to generally engage the projections in such manner as to allow or prevent movement of the devices inwardly or outwardly of the drive members.

Abstract: Apparatus for constructing an underground tunnel employs a drive shield composed of elongate drifting cutters disposed side-by-side in a circular configuration around a support frame. Hydraulic rams serve to advance the cutters and to shift up the frame when all the cutters have been advanced. The cutters have rear end portions which engage on a follow-up ring behind the drive shield.A platform is supported by the frame within the shield and carries some form of working appliance for detaching and removing the debris material. The platform also carries a rotatable concrete spraying device which serves to seal and secure the tunnel wall exposed when the follow-up ring is shifted up to the shield.

Abstract: A tunnel driving apparatus and method which utilizes a drive shield preferably composed of a series of cutter planks arranged side-by-side around the tunnel axis and supported by a frame. The shield is advanced in relation to the frame by displacing the individual planks, and the frame is subsequently drawn up by means of hydraulic rams. To support the rear section of the tunnel wall a rear shield is provided which is connected to the frame preferably through further rams. This shield is a shaped sheet metal structure open towards the floor and contacting the tunnel wall over the roof and sides. In performing the method, lining elements of circular or arcuate form are installed inside the rear shield prior to its shifting up. These elements can be disposed on a floor lining constructed in situ. As the rear shield is moved up fluid concrete is sprayed or otherwise introduced over the exposed tunnel wall in one or more layers to consolidate the lining elements into the support lining thus formed.

Abstract: Tunnel-driving apparatus has a drive shield which can be composed of a series of planks arranged side-by-side around the tunnel and supported by a frame. The drive shield is advanced to penetrate the working face by operating hydraulic rams. To control and guide the shield and to inhibit rotary motion thereof a drifting cutter is positioned radially externally of the drive shield to cut a channel in the wall and preferably in the floor of the tunnel. In the latter case the channel can also be useful for drainage purposes. The drifting cutter is of elongate form guided for shifting parallel to the tunnel axis in advance of the drive shield. The axis of the cutter can be adjusted slightly by pivoting, for example, to control the guidance imparted by the drifting cutter.

Abstract: A cylindrical pressure chamber, designed to contain a hot expanding fluid in a nuclear reactor, has a refractory peripheral wall provided with a cooled metal lining surrounding a ceramic insulating layer which is shielded from the fluid by an inner metallic shell. The shell is separated from the ceramic layer, in the nonoperating state, by an annular clearance allowing its expansion under internal fluid pressure to pretension that shell so as to reduce the thermally induced stress to less than the yield point of the metal. The ceramic layer is anchored to the lining by radial bolts and has radial bores slidably engaged by guide studs welded to the shell.FIELD OF THE INVENTIONMy present invention relates to a cylindrical pressure chamber designed to contain a hot expanding fluid, more specifically a pressure chamber used in a nuclear reactor.