Abstract: The present invention discloses a hard rock roadway and tunnel boring machine with actively rotating hobs, including a rack provided with a crawler track unit. The rack is provided with a hydraulic power unit and a high-pressure abrasive jet generation system connected therewith. A transmission box is fixedly arranged at one of ends of the rack. The transmission box is provided with two input shafts and one output shaft. The input shafts are connected with planetary reduction mechanisms. Input ends of the planetary reduction mechanisms are connected with cantilever disc driving motors. A cantilever disc is fixed to the output shaft. Four cantilevers are hinged to the cantilever disc. Cantilever driving motors are further arranged on the cantilever disc. Actively rotating hob devices are arranged at ends of the cantilevers away from the cantilever disc. The transmission box is further provided with rotary sealing devices.

Abstract: A pressure-compensated cutter assembly for a tunnel boring machine includes a shaft a cutter ring assembly rotatably mounted on the shaft, and first and second end retainers non-rotatably attached to the shaft. Rotary seal groups, immersed in lubricant, provide a moving seal between the rotating cutter ring assembly and the end retainers. A movable piston member is exposed to ambient pressures, and contacts the lubricant, such that increasing ambient pressure will increase the lubricant pressure, thereby keeping the pressure differential across the seal small. In one embodiment, the piston is a floating retainer portion. In another embodiment, the piston is an annular piston, and in another embodiment, the piston is a plurality of smaller pistons disposed in the first retainer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for introducing a vertical shaft underground and to a shaft driving machine set up particularly for performing the method, wherein a cutting wheel is rotated solely about a horizontal axis until a penetration trough having a predetermined penetration depth is formed, and the cutting wheel is then also rotated about a central vertical axis until a shaft foot is dug out to the penetration depth. A relatively high sinking rate is thereby achieved for the shaft.

Abstract: A valve containing portion (35) is formed behind a bit containing portion (34) which opens at the front surface of a main cutter spoke (21). A rotary valve (39) is rotatably disposed in the valve containing portion (35). A bit case (41) containing a roller bit (31) is moved so as to protrude from an attachment/detachment path (39) formed in a rotary valve (38) into the bit containing portion (34), and is fixed by a cotter (38) to support an excavating reactive force. Thus, the sliding gap of the rotary valve (39) is disposed in the bit containing portion (34) and the valve containing portion (35) to be covered with the bit case (41).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for introducing a vertical shaft underground and to a shaft driving machine set up particularly for performing the method, wherein a cutting wheel is rotated solely about a horizontal axis until a penetration trough having a predetermined penetration depth is formed, and the cutting wheel is then also rotated about a central vertical axis until a shaft foot is dug out to the penetration depth. A relatively high sinking rate is thereby achieved for the shaft.

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: A valve containing portion (35) is formed behind a bit containing portion (34) which opens at the front surface of a main cutter spoke (21). A rotary valve (39) is rotatably disposed in the valve containing portion (35). A bit case (41) containing a roller bit (31) is moved so as to protrude from an attachment/detachment path (39) formed in a rotary valve (38) into the bit containing portion (34), and is fixed by a cotter (38) to support an excavating reactive force. Thus, the sliding gap of the rotary valve (39) is disposed in the bit containing portion (34) and the valve containing portion (35) to be covered with the bit case (41).

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 a heading machine (1) including a travelling mechanism (2) and a cutting boom (3) or frame, the cutting boom (3) or frame carries at least two rotating cutting heads (5) whose axes of rotation (6) extend in the heading direction or enclose acute angles with the heading direction and which, together, define a cutting profile having a profile width (a), as well as two cutting rollers (8,10) arranged substantially parallel and behind the cutting heads (5) and capable of being positioned on the floor (9) and on the roof (7), respectively. Both cutting rollers (8,10) comprise end portions (25) which are extendible to the width (a) of the profile for the formation of a substantially rectangular cutting profile.

Abstract: Boring apparatus for drilling laser guided microbore tunnels uses a liquid stream to remove soil as slurry and an airstream to conduct the slurry away from the bore head. The cylindrical head houses a drill shaft steered by a pair of remotely controlled rams according to the position of a laser spot on a target fixed close to the end of the drill shaft. Small arcuate steering movements shift the cutter up and down through a first ram alongside the shaft working through a linkage. Side to side steering is provided by a second ram acting directly on the shaft. The components are mounted on an axial base wall which gives repair access and camera view of the target. A drilling platform has rams for advancing the cylindrical head.

Abstract: A tunnel boring machine (90) having a rotating cutter head (93) that rotatably supports a plurality of cutter assemblies (10). A plurality of instrument packages (50) are attached to the rotating cutter head, each instrument package having a distal end in contact with an associated cutter assembly. The instrument packages include a plurality of sensors including an accelerometer (32), magnetometer (33) and temperature sensor (34), for monitoring the associated cutter assembly. The sensors are mounted in a distal end of the instrument packages that is biased to remain in contact with the cutter assembly. The instrument packages include a wireless transmitter, and they are interconnected in a mesh or peer to peer network. A power supply (176) such as a battery pack is provided for each instrument package. The data from the sensors may be used to control operation of the tunnel boring machine and/or to monitor the condition of the cutter assemblies.

Abstract: A cutter is disclosed which has geometry which enables it to be fixedly mounted to the end of a cutter drum 1 of the type used in surface excavation. The cutter is comprised of a gusset plate having dual permanent pockets in which replaceable cutter teeth can be mounted. The cutters are intended only to be mounted as the extreme edge cutter on a drum. The gusset plate has geometry such that upon fixing it to the drum skin, the entire gusset, in a preferred embodiment, sits angled toward the outer edge of the drum such that the leading cutter tooth extends beyond the edge of the drum.

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. Water is introduced into the boring bit through the drive shaft of the boring bit. The water forms a slurry which is extracted by a vacuum pipe which enters the slurry as droplets and particles and conducts them away from the tunnelling head.

Abstract: A mining machine that includes a rotor assembly disposed on a mobile frame. A cutter drum assembly includes an intermediate drum section and a pair of end drum sections. The end drum sections are drivingly connected by the intermediate drum section. The end drum sections include an axially fixed drum portion and a drum extension that is axially movable on the drive shaft to extend the length of the cutter drum assembly. A hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement is disposed in shafts supporting the end drum sections, and extends and retracts the drum extension with respect to the fixed drum portion. A torque transfer arrangement is disposed between the fixed and extension drum portions for mutual rotation.

Abstract: An auger boring machine having a drive mechanism for moving the machine along a desired direction of travel includes a drive motor having a shaft and a pinion mounted on the shaft. A method for manufacturing a track for such a boring machine includes providing a track base rail adapted to support the auger boring machine and arranging the base rail along the desired direction of travel of the boring machine. The method also includes cutting a gear rack which includes a plurality of gear teeth along one side that are adapted to mesh with the pinion of the drive mechanism, and a flexibility notch on the side opposite the gear teeth. The gear rack is attached to the base rail with the gear teeth oriented so as to engage with the pinion of the drive mechanism.

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: 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: A boring machine having a cutter head rotatably mounted on a hydrostatic bearing. High pressure water is supplied to passageways between confronting bearing surfaces which react axial and radial loads and which are capable of relative rotational movement. The flow of pressurized water discharges from the passageways to prevent contamination of the bearing by the ingress of material removed by the cutter head in operation.

Abstract: A tunnelling machine for large cross-section tunnels (with a 12 m diameter and more), as well as for excavating loose rocks leading to groundwater, has a shield with a cylindrical case. A front section (1) of the case is rotary. The front face (3) of the rotary section is designed at least outside a central area (11) as a helical heading supporting surface at least approximately full when seen in the axial direction (6) of the tunnel. Preferably, the supporting surface is composed of several helical surfaces (4, 5) that supplement each other in the circumferential and/or radial directions. In the supporting surface is arranged at least one excavating shoulder (12, 13) whose surface is at an angle with respect to the supporting surface. An excavating device is preferably arranged on at least one excavating shoulder (12, 13). In the area of the supporting surface the earth or rocks are supported at the same time as they are excavated exclusively at the excavating shoulder(s).

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: 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 method for renewing an existing pipeline comprises the steps of advancing a shield tunnelling machine from one end of an existing pipe defining the existing pipeline to the other end thereof, excavating at least the existing pipe by the machine and disposing a new pipe in an excavated spot while the machine is advanced, whereby the existing pipeline is renewed by breaking the existing pipe embedded in the ground while laying the new pipe therein. An existing pipeline renewing apparatus embodying the method described above comprises a shield tunnelling machine for excavating an existing pipe embedded in the ground so as to define an existing pipeline and a means for disposing a new pipe in a spot excavated by the machine. Accordingly, since the new pipe is disposed while excavating the existing pipe by the shield tunnelling machine, it is not necessary to excavate the spot, in which the existing pipe to be renewed is laid, by an open cut method.

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: 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: A shield-type tunneling machine comprises a shield body having a front portion converging gradually rearward, a crankshaft journalled rotatably by a diaphragm provided in the shield body, a drive mechanism connected to an end of the crankshaft and a conical or frustoconical rotary head supported rotatably by the other end and disposed in the front portion of the shield body to be turned eccentrically, a gear mechanism for forcibly rotate the rotary head and a means for discharging debris from a front area of the diaphragm to a rear area. The tunneling machine, when thrusted in the ground by a jack, receives earth and sand into the front portion of the shield body and compresses them between the rotary head and the shield body to send them to the rear. The machine can be used for a pipe jacking as well as the tunneling in the soft ground.

Abstract: A pipe laying apparatus including an excavator propulsion unit located in a starting pit. The excavator includes an excavator body having a first axis, an excavating tool having a second axis and located at a forward end portion of the excavator body, and injection ports formed in the excavating tool for injecting a viscosity imparting liquid into soil as excavated.

Abstract: A tunnel boring machine for boring a tunnel through mixed ground with stable ground conditions and unstable ground conditions. The tunnel boring machine is operable in a stable ground boring mode with the machine anchored to tunnel sidewall portions and also in an unstable ground mode wherein cutting thrust is provided by a shield means in cooperation with tunnel lining structure. Combined mode operation is also possible.

Abstract: A machine for boring a shaft in earth strata or the like. An annular support ring means having an outside diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the shaft which is selectively engageable or disengageable with the shaft wall by the use of clamping means is disclosed. A carriage means which is slidably mounted on the annular support ring means and orbital thereabout is also disclosed. A rotary cutting wheel means having a diameter substantially smaller than the diameter of the shaft is mounted on the carriage means and is axially displaceable with respect thereto for movement in a direction which may be parallel or inclined with respect to the axis of the shaft. Various drive means for moving the carriage means circumferentially about the annular support ring means, and for moving the rotary cutting wheel means in an axial direction with respect to the carriage means, and for rotating the rotary cutting wheel means are described.

Abstract: An apparatus for strip mining using a power section driven into the cool and a conveyor section to transport the mineral out of the cut. The power section comprises a power driven cutter blade and conial flighting to convey the mineral to a conveyor belt in the conveyor section.

Abstract: A shield tunneling machine having incorporated therein an earth removing apparatus which comprises a tubular casing having an earth inlet at one end and a closable earth outlet at the other end, and an earth transport conveyor rotatably provided within the casing and comprising a helically twisted strip. Unlike conventional earth removing apparatus which has a screw conveyor comprising a rotary shaft and a screw blade around the shaft, the apparatus can transport and discharge earth containing large solid fragments and therefore performs the desired function even when small in diameter, i.e. in shield diameter.

Abstract: A tunnelling apparatus has an annular tunnelling element subdivided into a leading and a trailing chamber. The front end of the leading chamber is open to the material-removing face. A material-removing cutting device is lodged in an opening formed in the transverse wall to remove material from the working face. It can be axially withdrawn from the opening into and if necessary rearwardly beyond the trailing chamber, so as to expose the opening and permit access of an operator to the working face through the opening.

Abstract: The main frame of the cutterhead comprises a plurality of radial spoke beams which are interconnected between a box-like hub structure and an annular box beam by which the cutterhead is mounted for rotation. Cutter mounting wells are defined by and between side wall portions of the radial spoke beams. The mined material passes rearwardly through the cutterhead via openings between adjacent radial spoke beams and open spaces in the cutter mounting wells. Cutter mounts span laterally between the side plate members and laterally brace the radial spoke beams in addition to mounting the cutters. The radial spoke beams curve rearwardly at their outer ends and connect to the annular box beam at a location spaced enough rearwardly from the front portions of the spoke beams that a room is defined within the cutterhead. Roller type cutters are installed onto and removed from the cutterhead frame from the rear side of the cutterhead.

Abstract: A machine for mechanical tunnel boring, of the rotating cutter head type, comprising a grid rigid with the cutter head, parallel to the theoretical boring surface, provided with a set of void spaces wherefrom the cutting tools slightly project, said void spaces having a size corresponding to the optimum dimensions of the fragment of mined material.

Abstract: This invention relates to excavating apparatus for use in the mining of bituminous sands, oil shale or other friable mineral deposits, and particularly adaptable for use in the "Fixed Arch Shield" mining technique. The excavating apparatus of the invention comprises a supporting framework having at least one excavator carrying member; guide means associated with that member; excavator support means constrained by the guide means for movement longitudinally of the member; means such as a hydraulic ram, for affecting movement of the support within the guide means; arm means pivotally mounted at an end thereof to the support means, and independent drive motors to affect rotation of the arm about its pivot and the ore cutting device respectively.

Abstract: The main frame of the cutterhead comprises a plurality of radial spoke beams which are interconnected between a box-like hub structure and an annular box beam by which the cutterhead is mounted for rotation. Cutter mounting wells are defined by and between side wall portions of the radial spoke beams. The mined material passes rearwardly through the cutterhead via openings between adjacent radial spoke beams and open spaces in the cutter mounting wells. Cutter mounts span laterally between the side plate members and laterally brace the radial spoke beams in addition to mounting the cutters. The radial spoke beams curve rearwardly at their outer ends and connect to the annular box beam at a location spaced enough rearwardly from the front portions of the spoke beams that a room is defined within the cutterhead. Roller type cutters are installed onto and removed from the cutterhead frame from the rear side of the cutterhead.