Abstract: A mining system with an inertial guidance system configured to enable precise excavation of geological material without a need to advance a survey line over a long distance and/or nonlinear excavation path, thereby maximizing productivity of the mind by minimizing a width of un-mined material necessary for support between adjacent excavation paths and minimizing equipment downtime.

Abstract: A test method based on a test system for five-dimensional space effects of ground surface settlement caused by dual-mode shield construction is provided. First, manufacturing a formation similarity material model; then, laying ground surface monitoring points in longitudinal and transverse direction; installing a shield machine model, and performing shield construction, the shield machine model adopts a double-shield body mode; performing five-dimensional monitoring during shield construction; designing an observation method for ground surface settlement data in step length and time dimension, and acquiring five-dimensional data in combination with three-dimensional scanning; and finally, performing deformation information processing according to the monitored data, so as to realize an acquisition of the five-dimensional data.

Abstract: A mining system with an inertial guidance system configured to enable precise excavation of geological material without a need to advance a survey line over a long distance and/or nonlinear excavation path, thereby maximizing productivity of the mind by minimizing a width of un-mined material necessary for support between adjacent excavation paths and minimizing equipment downtime.

Abstract: A mining system with an inertial guidance system configured to enable precise excavation of geological material without a need to advance a survey line over a long distance and/or nonlinear excavation path, thereby maximizing productivity of the mind by minimizing a width of un-mined material necessary for support between adjacent excavation paths and minimizing equipment downtime.

Abstract: A drill cuttings conveyance system includes a collection tank that includes a screw conveyor and a chamber operable to accommodate drill cuttings, the screw conveyer extending along a longitudinal axis of the collection tank from a first end of the chamber to a second end of the chamber; a port disposed at the second end of the chamber of the collection tank, the port including a channel operable to direct the drill cuttings from the chamber of the collection tank; a pump including an inlet connected to the port and operable to receive drill cuttings from the port, an outlet, and a pumping mechanism operable to direct the drill cuttings through the outlet of the pump; and a drag chain conveyor in communication with the chamber of the collection tank via an auxiliary opening, the drag chain conveyor being operable to remove drill cuttings from the collection tank.

Abstract: An excavation machine having a cutter head with a large diameter while making it possible to excavate excavation objects such as hard bedrock etc. with high efficiency is provided. The excavation machine comprises an outer circumference cutter head 20 having a circular opening and being rotated and contacted to excavation objects and a small diameter cutter head 23 disposed in the opening and rotatable independently from the outer circumference cutter head. Rotation centers of the rotation disk and the rotation plate are gapped and the gap is shorter than a rotation radius of the small diameter cutter head.

Abstract: An opening for a replacement bit can be closed without a large drive force, the replacement bit can be replaced without being moved, and the workability of replacement is not impaired. A rear surface frame (29) forms a workspace (28) on the rear surface side of a spoke front surface plate (21), and openings (33) are formed on the spoke front surface plate (21) such that a replacement bit (31) can be inserted into and removed from the opening (33). A bit guide body (37) having a bit guide hole (38) is provided on the rear surface side of the opening (33). A gate plate (34) is provided which has valve ports (35) capable of communicating and closing the openings (33) and the bit guide holes (38). A gate opening/closing device (36) is provided which can turn the gate plate (34) to open or close the openings (33).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel method of mining underground coal and recovering coal seam gas, the method including locating a seam of coal; digging a mine shaft to reach the seam of coal; constructing a ventilated underground control center which includes a computerized control panel, wherein the computerized control panel controls the movement of a drill head, a hollow drill shaft, a movable hydraulic shield, a movable resin roof bolting machine, and a movable waste extrusion device; providing mining personnel to the ventilated underground control center; wherein the mining personnel operate the computerized control panel to perform the tasks of moving the drill head into the seam of coal to obtain aggregate coal and coal seam gas; extruding waste material into mined-out space of the coal seam; and transferring the aggregate coal and coal seam gas to the surface of the earth.

Abstract: A guided boring machine includes a cutter head, a steering head and an internal casing with an auger therein for conveying material cut by the cutter head towards the rear end of the auger. The boring machine bores a tunnel from a launch pit to a target pit along a desired boring direction and simultaneously installing a selected one of a plurality of differently-sized product casings in the tunnel. When the internal casing is placed within a selected product casing with its internal casing longitudinal axis coincident with the longitudinal axis of the selected product casing, an annular space is formed with respect to the selected product casing. The guidance assembly includes a laser that is mounted behind the boring machine and oriented so as to direct its beam in a desired boring direction within the annular space. A target mount is mounted to the steering head inside surface. The target mount includes a roll correction slot which is parallel to the adjacent steering head inside surface.

Abstract: A boring machine includes a cutter head, an internal casing and an auger that is located within the internal casing. The cutter head and the auger are operationally connected to a rotational mechanism. A rear bulkhead is located at the rear end of the auger, and a rear hopper is located behind the rear bulkhead. The boring machine also includes means for directing material cut by the cutter head into the auger so that rotation of the auger will convey such material rearwardly to the rear hopper. The boring machine includes a transverse conveyor located behind the rear bulkhead in the rear hopper which is adapted to convey material out of the rear hopper in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the auger.

Abstract: An underground boring machine includes a vehicle frame, a boom, and a boring cutter head. The boom includes a first end coupled to the vehicle frame and a second end. The boring cutter head includes a rotary joint, a first arm, and a second arm angularly spaced apart from the first arm. The rotary joint defines an axis of rotation and supports the boring cutter head for rotation with respect to the second end of the boom. The first arm includes a first end coupled to the rotary joint, a second end, and at least one disc cutter coupled to the first arm and oriented to engage the wall. The first arm extends from the first end toward the second end in a plane that is perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The second arm includes a first end coupled to the rotary joint, a second end, and at least one disc cutter coupled to the second arm and oriented to engage the wall. The second arm extends from the first end toward the second end in a plane that is perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

Abstract: In one aspect of the invention a system for removing a layer of a paved surface comprising a vehicle is adapted to traverse a paved surface in a selected direction. The vehicle has a milling drum with an axle substantially parallel and connected to the vehicle within a milling chamber. The drum is adapted to rotate around the axle between the paved surface and the vehicle. A conveyor belt is attached to a forward end of the vehicle and comprises a portion proximate an opening of the milling chamber. The belt is adapted to carry loose aggregate from the milling drum away from the paved surface. At least one nozzle is disposed on an underside of the vehicle and is in communication with a reservoir through a pathway. The at least one nozzle is adapted to direct the loose aggregate towards the portion of the conveyor belt.

Abstract: An auger support assembly for use with an augering system for mining which bores a pair of side-by-side holes through a coal seam using dual side-by-side augers. Each auger includes a drilling section which is followed by a series of auger flights for conveying the bored coal back out of the respective hole. The augers are connected together in axially aligned pairs and are supported by the auger support assembly. The auger support assembly includes a pair of bearing housings that are disposed on drive shafts which extend outwardly from the first ends of a first pair of parallel augers and are received within the second ends of a second pair of parallel augers. The bearing housings are connected to each other by a tie bar. A single support leg extends downwardly from approximately the mid-section of the tie bar to engage the ground ledge that is formed between the counter rotating augers.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the separation of bitumen, such as by the Clark process or by a countercurrent de-sander, in an underground excavation machine, such as a tunnel boring machine.

Abstract: The present invention is directed, inter alia, to devices and methods for excavating valuable materials, particularly soft ores such as oil sands, oil shales, and the like, that use one or more of a number of features, including backfilling for ground support, a small trailing access tunnel, processing of the valuable material in the excavation with the tailings optionally being used as backfill and the valuable material being transported to the surface, a plurality of movable shields for ground support, and/or a movable tail shield to provide interim support to the backfill while additional liner sections are installed and/or formed.

Abstract: A micro tunnelling machine has a tunnelling head with a boring bit which is forced in a horizontal direction by a hydraulic thruster. The direction of the head is laser guided. The beam strikes a target in the head and a camera relays an image of the target to an operator located at the tunnel entrance. The operator adjusts the direction by admitting water and draining water from a pair of rams inside the head which move the boring bit up and down or left and right.

Abstract: An earth discharging device, for a shield machine for constructing a tunnel in the vertical direction, has a pipe for discharging downwardly earth and sand that have been excavated by the machine as it advances upwardly. An elastic film-type valve is provided in the earth discharging pipe, which valve expands and contracts diametrically by means of fluid pressure to open and close the interior of the earth discharging pipe. A gate mechanism follows the elastic valve and adjusts the sectional area of the space through which earth and sand pass inside of the earth discharging pipe. The gate mechanism narrows the sectional area of the earth discharging pipe at the outlet side of the elastic valve so as to create a substantially uniform earth pressure upon the entire elastic valve to inhibit blockages and eruptions that might otherwise occur.

Abstract: A highwall mining system of the type wherein multiple conveyor cars are connected together to form a conveyor train which extends into a seam being mined by a mechanical miner located at the inner end of the conveyor train is capable of effective operation in steep dip seams, e.g. up to about 30°, and is constructed so that it can be quickly disassembled, moved, and reassembled and put into operation with minimal downtime.

Abstract: The present invention is directed, inter alia, to devices and methods for excavating valuable materials, particularly soft ores such as oil sands, oil shales, and the like, that use one or more of a number of features, including backfilling for ground support, a small trailing access tunnel, processing of the valuable material in the excavation with the tailings optionally being used as backfill and the valuable material being transported to the surface, a plurality of movable shields for ground support, and/or a movable tail shield to provide interim support to the backfill while additional liner sections are installed and/or formed.

Abstract: The present invention is directed, inter alia, to devices and methods for excavating valuable materials, particularly soft ores such as oil sands, oil shales, and the like, that use one or more of a number of features, including backfilling for ground support, a small trailing access tunnel, processing of the valuable material in the excavation with the tailings optionally being used as backfill and the valuable material being transported to the surface, a plurality of movable shields for ground support, and/or a movable tail shield to provide interim support to the backfill while additional liner sections are installed and/or formed.

Abstract: The present invention is directed, inter alia, to devices and methods for excavating valuable materials, particularly soft ores such as oil sands, oil shales, and the like, that use one or more of a number of features, including backfilling for ground support, a small trailing access tunnel, processing of the valuable material in the excavation with the tailings optionally being used as backfill and the valuable material being transported to the surface, a plurality of movable shields for ground support, and/or a movable tail shield to provide interim support to the backfill while additional liner sections are installed and/or formed.

Abstract: A preferred cutting head includes a first body having a manifold for containing high pressure fluid and an axis of rotation generally parallel to the borehole, a first plurality of mechanical bits disposed on the first body, a first plurality of nozzles disposed around the axis of rotation for spraying the high pressure fluid, and a plurality of tubes fluidly coupling the manifold and the first plurality of nozzles. On supplying high pressure fluid to the manifold and rotating the cutting head about the axis of rotation, the nozzles create a generally circular, overlapping pattern of high pressure fluid in front of the cutting head, the pattern of high pressure fluid being directed to cut the borehole independently of the mechanical bits.

Abstract: A mining machine (20) inclu ding a launch vehicle (11) which drives an auger flight (21). The extremity of the Auger flight (21) is a cutter head (22). An inert gas is delivered to adjacent the cutter head (22) by a tube (50). The cutter head (22) is also provided with a ground penetrating radar antenna (42) as well as a microwave transmitting/receiving device (47) which transmits and receives microwave signals for the purposes of controlling the cutter head (22) and transmitting information gathered by means of the antenna (42).

Abstract: A tunnel boring machine for collecting earth excavated upon rotation of a cutter disk includes a non-pressurized chamber behind the cutter disk for collecting earth excavated by the cutter disk and discharging the earth with a carrying fluid. The machine includes a first open tank arranged in the non-pressurized chamber which serves as a vessel for containing the carrying fluid as well as a hopper for collecting excavated earth. Carrying fluid supply apparatus is provided for supplying the carrying fluid to the first open tank and suction/discharge apparatus is provided for sucking and discharging the carrying fluid supply to the first open tank rearwardly together with the collected earth. Water level control apparatus provided for monitoring a water level of a carrying fluid in the first open tank and keeping the water level between a minimum water level and a maximum water level.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a shield driving machine by which eliminates excessive work of the ground when working at a curved section while suppressing an increase of the sinking of the ground surface and securing a quickening in the stability of segments. In the shield driving machine, a bulkhead 16 is provided at the tip end side of the shield driving machine body 14 of the shield driving machine 10. The chamber 18 which is formed by the bulkhead 16 and has the tip end side open is filled up with excavated earth and sand and is used to oppose the earth pressure and water pressure in the natural ground. A rotating shaft 22 which supports cross-shaped spokes 20 penetrates on the center axis of the bulkhead 16. At the shield driving machine 10, a plurality of openings 24 which discharge a part of the excavated earth and sand supplied from the chamber 18 to the rear side of the shield driving machine body 14 are provided at the hood portion 27.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a tunnel boring machine particularly a micro-tunnelling machine having a cutting head rotatably mounted on the end of a housing and being driven by a first motor means and a rotatable central auger for removal of soil from the cutting operation mounted in the interior of the housing, the central auger being driven by a second motor means to allow rotation of the auger independent of the rotation of the cutting head. The tunnel boring machine may also be provided with a rock crusher between the cutting head and the auger to reduce boulders encountered during the tunneling to a size to be able to be transported by the auger.

Abstract: A conveyor cart for a mining machine is made from readily available components, including conventional golf cart components, and has a maximum height of 20 inches or less (e.g. about 18 inches) so that it can be effectively utilized with a continuous miner for mining ultra thin coal seams. A chassis has side rails with front and rear ends and cross pieces extending between the side rails. A first coupling mechanism, such as an eye bolt, is mounted adjacent the front end, and a second coupling mechanism, such as a pintle hook, mounted adjacent the rear end. A single axle containing a pair of inflatable golf cart wheels extends between the side rails and may be driven by a conventional golf cart transmission and an AC motor. An endless conveyor belt is mounted so that it has a top portion for conveying mined material from the continuous mining machine to the mine mouth, and a bottom portion beneath the top portion, the conveyor belt powered by an electric motor mounted to the chassis.

Abstract: A horizontal remote mining system comprising a water jet cutting head, down hole crusher, jet pump, and guidance system for orchestrating select excavation of a horizontal borehole. The system is assembled on the end of a drill string comprised of multiple compartments accommodating various water pressures and functions in association with the remote excavation process. Selective tubing is also utilized to facilitate movement of air and ventilation of the borehole. In this manner, relatively thin coal seams can be economically mined.

Abstract: An apparatus for mining aggregate material from a partially exposed seam adjacent a bench on a surface mine and which extends from the bench at an elevation and angle relative to the bench, The apparatus includes a self-propelled mining machine for dislodging aggregate material from the seam and conveying apparatus that is attached to the self-propelled mining machine for conveying the dislodged material to a location remote from the seam. The apparatus further includes a guidance assembly for selectively orienting the mining machine and the conveying apparatus at a predetermined attack angle that corresponds to the seam angle.

Abstract: A boring machine for use in mining having a base, a hydraulic motor and a cutting member. The hydraulic motor includes a pair of hydraulically activated oscillating drive units, a cylindrically shaped rotating shell, a cylindrically shaped stationary shell and a pair of cam units. The oscillating drive units are contained within the stationary shell, and extend along the longitudinal axis, each of the drive units has an arm that is adapted to extend along the longitudinal axis and a cam driver secured to the arm. The stationary shell is rotatably coupled to the rotating shell and has elongated slots adapted to coact with the cam drivers so as to longitudinally guide the cam drivers and prevent the cam drivers from rotating about the longitudinal axis. The cam units are secured to an inner surface of the rotating shell.

Abstract: A jet boring pre-assembly for excavating an underground area susceptible to disaggregation and for control from a working gallery below the area includes a cutting head for the top of the assembly, the cutting head having separate conduits for delivery of high pressure cutting fluid to high pressure nozzles, and a low pressure flushing fluid to flushing nozzles. A dual conduit drilling rod is located in a borehole beneath the cutting head, the rod having separate conduits for delivery of the high pressure and low pressure fluids to the cutting head. A preventor box below the cutting head seals the borehole and transmits slurry of excavated material to an outlet.

Abstract: A micro tunnelling head and earth boring method is illustrated which includes utilizing a cutting head (G) spaced forwardly of a cylindrical articulated housing (A) having a transverse bulkhead (B) intermediate its ends for carrying a centrally disposed tube (C) carrying a driven auger (F) for operating the cutting head and removing the spoil inwardly from the housing through a chamber (D) which receives cuttings through a passageway (E) provided therein. Steering mechanism includes circumferentially spaced fluid operated cylinder assemblies (I) for pivotal fixation on adjacent ends of the articulated connection between the cylindrical housing (A) and a forward end of a casing for facilitating steering.

Abstract: A drilling tool is adapted for being releasably mounted to a lower end of a rod string (20) of a drilling rig (30) and includes a container (2) having a cylindrical or truncated-cone shape fitted at the lower end with a plurality of cutting tools or cutters (10) for crushing rock. The drilling tool (1) further includes a plate (3) for releasably retaining a plurality of modular elements (14) forming a load (13), and curved blades (9), which are located proximate to the cutting tools (10), adapted for conveying rock spalls into the container (2) through suitable apertures (8) in a bottom of the container (2). The cutting tools (10) are mounted to a plurality of radial plates (7) securely fixed proximate to the bottom edge of the container (2). The curved blades are welded to the edges of the radial plates (7), the concavity of each blade (9) being arranged facing the direction of rotation of the drilling tool (1).

Abstract: A shield tunneling machine comprises a shield body having a soil chamber, an inside chamber and a partition wall. The soil chamber has a conical peripheral surface converging gradually rearward. A crankshaft having an eccentric portion is rotatably supported by the partition wall at the center of the partition wall corresponding to the axis of the shield body. A cutter disc with roller bits is secured to a front end of the crankshaft, and a conical rotor is rotatably mounted on the eccentric portion of the crankshaft behind the cutter disc. Since the cutter disc is rotated at an increased rotary velocity by five to ten times as many as that of a cutter disc in a conventional shield tunneling machine, crushing of gravel can be efficiently carried out by the cutter disc with roller bits in cooperation with the conical rotor mounted on the crankshaft.

Abstract: An auger mining apparatus includes a support frame holding a tilt platform. A tilt mechanism displaces the tilt platform at a pitch between 0.degree.-45.degree. relative to the support frame. A stacked, dual carriage arrangement is carried by the tilt platform. A bidirectional auger drive system is mounted to the upper carriage. The dual carriages are mounted for reciprocal movement along independent paths extending substantially perpendicular to one another. An auger clamp mounted to the tilt platform includes a pilot member for guiding auger sections and a mechanism allowing movement on the pilot member through two separate planes; the second perpendicular to the first. The auger clamp also includes a clamping/decoupling plate and a mechanism for moving the plate in a third plane orthogonal to the first and second planes. Thus, the pilot member with the clamping/decoupling plate may also be utilized to clamp and hold an auger line in position even in steeply pitched seams.

Abstract: An apparatus for mining aggregate material from a seam includes a miner for cutting material from the seam and a conveyor for conveying the won aggregate material from the miner for recovery. The conveyor is formed by a series of individual conveyor units that are coupled or interconnected in series so as to form a train. The coupling comprises cooperating clevises and tongues interconnected by locking pins. Each unit includes a main frame supported on ground engaging wheels. A belt conveyor is supported in the main frame and a conveyor drive mechanism is provided on each unit. The apparatus also includes a launch vehicle. The launch vehicle includes a frame holding a conveyor for receiving won aggregate material from the conveyor train and for delivering that material to a discharge conveyor. Additionally, the launch vehicle includes a reciprocating drive assembly to aid in advancing the conveyor train and miner into the seam face.

Abstract: A drill head for drilling a tunnel in rock or soil comprises a rotatable drill bit assembly and a cylindrical protecting tube. The bit assembly comprises a bit holder and a cylindrical drill bit. The bit assembly has a cylindrical surface which forms a continuous cylindrical lap joint with the protecting tube. The bit assembly also has at least one opening for removing, through the bit assembly, drill cuttings from the face of the drill bit. In use, the lap joint allows rotation of the drill bit assembly relative to the protecting tube and prevents access of the drill cuttings to the outside of the drill head.

Abstract: A tunneling machine convertible between a "closed mode" and an "open mode" of operation, having a rotatable cutterhead with muck openings communicating with a pressurizable cutterhead chamber and a pressure maintenance system to stabilize the tunnel workface when operating in the "closed mode". In the "closed mode" low slurry flow is employed as a liquid pressure balance solely to support the unstable tunnel face. Low slurry flow is supplied through a pressure bulkhead sealing the cutterhead chamber and pressurized conveyor means through the bulkhead removes tunneled material from the cutterhead chamber. A pressure lock connected to the pressurized conveyor means transfers tunneled material to dewatering and reservoir/accumulator means operated at substantially atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: A hopper and hood combination for muck transfer in a tunneling machine, and a tunneling machine having the same, in which a muck collar is mounted to a cutterhead support and projects into a rotatable cutterhead. A muck chute on the muck collar feeds earth to an earth conveyer when the muck collar and muck chute are in a hopper orientation. The muck chute and muck collar are rotatable relative to the earth conveyor to a hood orientation in which the muck chute restricts earth flow to the earth conveyor. Rotation of the hopper/hood from one orientation to the other is by brief interconnection thereof to the cutterhead without any necessity for any disassembly or reconstruction of the tunneling machine.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing an underground pipeline from an excavated hole uses a drill head with a suitable tool attached thereto. Loosened soil is transported out of the drilled tunnel with a transportation drum containing an internal spiral. The drum is supported by a roll devices fixed to outer pipes. Rotating movement is transmitted to the rotating drill head from the transportation drum which is driven by a motor. Cylinders push the whole system and force is transmitted by the outer pipes to the drill head. Guiding of the drill head is accomplished with fluid actuators. Attachment and removal of the drill tool is accomplished through a free hole in the transportation drum and a central hole in the drill head, and the free hole and central hole also allow observation of the drill tool and tunnel face during drilling.

Abstract: A shield tunnelling machine is provided. Such shield tunnelling machines include a tubular shield body; an excavating cutter assembly disposed on a front end of the body; a partition wall for defining the interior of the body into a front region and a rear region; a rotor having an outer diameter gradually increasing toward the rear; a drive mechanism for turning the rotor around a first axis and rotating the rotor around a second axis eccentric to the first axis; an annular member mounted to the rotor to be turned and rotated together with the rotor and extending around the first axis; and a discharging mechanism for discharging the excavated matter to the rear region.

Abstract: A system for boring a hole in the ground including an excavating machine provided with a tubular body; an excavating mechanism supported by the body; a mechanism for shifting the excavated substances to the periphery of the body; and a driving mechanism for operating the excavating mechanism.

Abstract: A shield unit has a cylindrical shell made up of two sections arranged in succession one after the other, that is, a head section and a tail section which are connected by a traversing mechanism. The mechanism is a differential planetary gear train kinematically associated with a mechanism for moving the tail section and a rock discharge mechanism. The head section is provided with a cutting tool and has a helical surface. The tail section is provided with a device preventing rotation of the tool section in rock.

Abstract: Conveyor belt supporting modules associated with an endless conveyor belt assembly for conveying mined material from a mine bore to the mouth of the bore allows for necessary length of conveyor belt to be fed into the mine, and convey material from the mine, as the bore lengthens so that the conveyor belt always extends from adjacent the cutting site to the bore mouth. Each module has a carriage frame with a number of conveyor belt supporting return rollers extending between the frame sides, and a number of conveyor belt supporting trough roller sets mounted above the return rollers and spaced from each other from the front to the rear along the frame. The carriages have axles and wheels to allow movement into a bore, and they are connected together by couplers. The supporting trough roller sets are mounted for pivotal movement on a frame side to expose the return rollers so that the endless belt can be laid in place simply and quickly.

Abstract: There are disclosed a method and a machine for constructing a shaft having a substantially circular cross-section. According to the present invention, the shaft having a shotcrete formed on a peripheral wall thereof can be easily constructed. The shotcrete can be promptly formed on the peripheral wall by spraying concrete on the wall above the water level of the water in the shaft before the wall is damaged. Also, muck excavated from a working face of the shaft can be efficiently conveyed therefrom to outside of the shaft even if the shaft has a depth of more than hundreds of meters.

Abstract: A tunneling machine body carrying a rotary cutterhead can be advanced continuously by exerting advancing thrust force on it, first by top and bottom jack bipods reacting from top and bottom anchor shoes, respectively, in anchored condition against the tunnel wall and alternately by side jack bipods exerting advancing force on the tunneling machine body and reacting from side anchor shoes set in anchored condition against the tunnel wall. The anchor shoes are floating relative to the tunneling machine body and connected to it only by the bipods producing the thrust for advancing the tunneling machine body. The top and bottom anchor shoes are directly connected by two pairs of upright fluid-pressure shoe-setting jacks extending chordwise between such shoes. The side anchor shoes are directly connected by two pairs of transverse fluid-pressure shoe-setting jacks extending chordwise between such shoes.

Abstract: The earth pressure shield for a tunnel and/or gallery excavator has a front working compartment formed by a separating wall having a digging tool and an annular reinforcing space substantially triangular in cross section positioned directly in front of the separating wall. So that an extensive restructuring of the machine is not necessary when moving from soft earth to hard ground, the annular reinforcing space is provided with a lower fluid feeder, a controlled upper pressurized air feeder, a plurality of fluid conductor pipes which are guided from below to an upper fluid outlet opening into the working compartment, and a fluid level controller. The invention is based on the consideration that a reliable and satisfactory support of the local front wall is only possible when the local front wall in the vicinity of the roof can be supplied with a fluid.

Abstract: The earth pressure shield contains a front working compartment having a digging tool and formed by a separating wall. An annular space is formed in the front working compartment with a top region connected with a regulated pressurized air feed and with a bottom region open to the digging tool so that dug or mined earth material is removable with the help of a conveyor unit. At least one fluid pipe is guided from a fluid chamber with a level controller and a fluid feeder to a fluid outlet open to the digging or mining tool in the working compartment. An especially reliable operation is attained when a bulkhead space is provided by partitioning behind the working compartment and/or the circular space formed with an immersed wall. This bulkhead space is connected in its upper region with the top region of the annular space by an opening in the separating wall and includes the fluid chamber in its lower region.

Abstract: A shield type tunneling apparatus comprises: a shield body having in its front portion a cutter-head compartment for digging a tunnel through bedrock, the cutter-head compartment being rotatably driven by a driving unit; and a transporting means for discharging rock debris produced by the cutter-head compartment from a front area thereof to a rear area of the shield body. The tunneling apparatus is characterized in that: the cutter-head compartment is filled with water which buoys up the rock debris in the cutter-head compartment to enable the rock debris to easily enter the transporting means under the influence of rotational movement of the cutter-head compartment.

Abstract: Pipe-driving apparatus used to create a pipe line of small diameter uses a pressing station in an access trench to drive in pipe sections one by one. A boring head and conveyor worm operates at the front of the pipe line in a working pipe section on which a cutting shoe is swivably mounted. The worm is a spiral flight on a drive shaft which runs within an open fronted container on which a drive unit for the boring head and the worm is mounted. Hydraulic bracing units mounted to the container can be swung out and engaged with stops in the working pipe section to brace the container during the filling operation. Projections on the container engage with the shoe and the bracing units can be used to steer the shoe. When the container is filled the bracing units re stowed and the container is withdrawn back down the pipe line to the access trench for discharging the material.