Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a travelling body having a main body and a steering device along a predetermined route includes a plate-shaped indicator disposed perpendicular to an axis of the main body, an optical pointer emitting light of a first color showing the steering direction of the steering device, a laser beam illuminating the indicator with a laser beam spot of a second color, a TV camera monitoring the optical pointer and the laser beam spot on the indicator, a color separator separating image information of the optical pointer and the laser beam spot, an image processing unit computing position data of the optical pointer and the laser beam spot for outputting steering direction information and optical pointer position information, a fuzzy operation unit processing a steering command using the optical pointer position information, and comparator computing a controlling command for operating the steering device by calculating the difference between the steering command and the steering di

Abstract: A shield tunneling machine comprises a shield body provided with a tubular head portion and a tubular tail portion disposed behind the head portion. The head portion and tail portion are interconnected by a plurality of thrusting jacks for moving both portions to and away from each other. In the shield body are arranged a cutter head for excavating the face, a mechanism for rotating the cutter head and a plurality of position-maintaining mechanisms making the natural ground a reaction body to advance the shield body and having press bodies capable of projecting outward of the shield body. The machine, during the excavation has the head portion advanced relative to the tail portion by the thrusting jack and the tail portion next attracted to the head portion by the thrusting jack.

Abstract: A shield tunneling machine comprises a tubular shield body, a partition wall provided in the shield body, a rotary shaft supported rotatably by the partition wall and extending longitudinally of the shield body, a cutter head disposed on the front end of the rotary shaft and a mechanism for rotating the cutter head through the rotary shaft. The cutter head comprises a first cutter provided with a plurality of cutter bits and a second cutter provided with a plurality of roller bits. The machine also comprises a mechanism for moving straight forward and backward one of the first and second cutters relative to the other. The machine locates the first cutter more forward than the second cutter for excavating the face of stratum having a soft layer like clay layer with the first cutter and the second cutter more forward than the first cutter for excavating the face of the stratum having a hard layer like bedrock layer with the second cutter.