Abstract: When a shield tunneling machine is deviated from the scheduled line while being propelled, the deviation of the shield tunneling machine from the scheduled line is detected and according to the data obtained on the deviation of the shield tunneling machine from the scheduled line, the propelling direction of the shield tunneling machine is automatically controlled.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to improve precision in the operation, operating efficiency, and reliability of an excavator. A soil condition at a place where an excavator (1) is advanced is inputted, and a reference number of revolutions of a cutter (9) and a reference advancing speed of the excavator (1) are set in correspondence with the inputted soil condition. Meanwhile, a load on each actuator (17, 18) is detected. The actuator (18) for rotating the cutter is controlled so as to allow the set reference number of revolutions to be obtained for the cutter (9). In a case where the load on each of the actuators (17, 18) is within a predetermined range, the actuator (17) for advancing is controlled so as to allow the set reference advancing speed to be obtained for the excavator (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: A tunnel excavation apparatus comprises a frame mounted on crawler tracks and provided with pistons comprising stabilizer feet, a power unit, a working unit, and auxiliary movement and positioning services. The working unit is arranged on an arm mounted on one end of telescopic uprights, which are hinged at their other ends to the frame about an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the machine, and consists of a rectilinear rigid structure, at the perimeter of which excavation tools are arranged on a chain, to circulate along the side and front of the structure. The tools are hinged to a caisson open on the side opposite the hinged side and provided with apparatus for conveying concrete into its interior.

Abstract: A method of excavating an underground area liable to flooding or collapsing during excavation, wherein the area is susceptible to disaggregation by high pressure water jet and is located above rock of strength suitable for drifting a gallery comprises drifting a gallery in the rock beneath the area, freezing at least a perimeter of the area to form a frozen perimeter, and excavating material from within the frozen perimeter using a high pressure water jet and one or more boreholes between the gallery and the area. Preferably the whole area is frozen for excavation.

Abstract: A shielding apparatus comprises a cylindrical shield body, a crankshaft supported by the shield body rotatably around the axis of the shield body, a plurality of rotors successively provided in the direction of the axis in a front region ahead of the shield body and a driving mechanism for rotating the crankshaft around the axis, wherein the rotors define the outer surface of an approximately conical or truncated conical shape in conjunction with each other, and the adjoining rotors are made eccentric with respect to the axis of the shield body in the different directions from each other.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a system and a method for transmitting data in a shield machine and for calculating the filling amount of a void by detecting the distance to the natural ground. The system and the method are capable of transmitting analogue signals or signals of relatively high frequencies with reliability, enabling an unskilled operator to accurately detect buried articles and accurately carry out the back-filling work. Therefore, an optical rotary joint (100) is disposed between a rotary cutter head (10) and a non-rotary shield body (2) to count time taken to detect the peak value of a reflected signal larger than a standard value or time taken to detect the zero cross position present prior to the peak value. In accordance with the counted time, the distance between the antenna and the natural ground is calculated and displayed. Then, the void volume is calculated in accordance with the distance so that a target value of the back-filling amount is set.

Abstract: Boring apparatus for forming a generally horizontal underground passage in soil for a utility conduit or the like that includes a tool head with a base portion and a nose portion mounted on the base portion. The nose portion is rotatable relative to the base portion between a first position in which nose portion surfaces are symmetrical with respect to the tool axis so that the tool will move along a straight path and a second position in which nose portion surfaces are in asymmetrical position with respect to the tool axis so that said tool will move along a curved path. By application of torque to the base portion, the base portion is shifted relative to the nose portion to shift the tool head from between an asymmetrical configuration and a symmetrical configuration.

Abstract: A system for supporting the drive of an excavating type underground advancing machine is provided to lighten the operator's burden so that an unskilled operator can perform operation comparable to that of the skilled operator. In this system for supporting the drive, output signals from a group of first sensors (12a) for measuring magnitude of operation of a rocking actuator (10) for orientation control and an output signal from a second sensor (12b) for measuring cutter torque pressure are input into an automatic measurement portion (14). These signals are adjusted in an automatic adjustment portion (15) and input to a fuzzy control portion. The rocking magnitude of an excavating cutter is calculated in a rocking magnitude control aiding system portion (16a) in response to the adjusted signal from the group of the first sensors.

Abstract: A method for drilling a tunnel in rock which utilizes a drilling apparatus comprising a drill head having tools therein and at least one conveying tube is disclosed. The method utilizes roller units which support the conveying tube to transmit the forward driving force from a power unit at the rear end of the apparatus to the drill head.

Abstract: A method for controlling advancement of a drilling apparatus comprising a drill head having tools therein and at least one conveying tube is disclosed. The method utilizes changes in pressure sensed in the drill head or the conveying tube as a means for assessing forces acting on tools in the drill head. The measured pressure information is transmitted to control equipment which adjusts the driving force applied by a power unit to the apparatus to effect the drilling operation. The method thereby provides an effective means of preventing damage to the tools.

Abstract: Magnetic field producers are disposed either at the leading portion of an underground excavator or at a reference position in front of the underground excavator. The magnetic field producers can be constituted by a plurality of rectangular loops disposed to run parallel to one another and to overlap one another. The rectangular loops can be individually excited sequentially or they can be simultaneously excited at different frequencies. The magnetic field produced by a magnetic field producer can be detected by a first magnetic field detector and by a second magnetic field detector disposed to the rear of the first magnetic field detector so that the inclination angle of the underground excavator can be obtained from the difference between the positions of the two detectors. A loop of a magnetic field producing cable can be covered by a non-magnetic metal member so that wear and disconnection are prevented.

Abstract: A drilling apparatus and a method for its control maintains the alignment of a drill head while driving a tunnel. The control is achieved by manipulating the center of gravity of a drill bit unit with respect to a line determined by two supporting points of a protecting tube which are the sole points of the protecting tube supported against the tunnel bottom.

Abstract: Tunnel boring machine whose driving shaft (4) adjacent to the boring head (6) is journalled in a bearing (12) which is intended to take up only radial forces. Shaft (4) is at its other end journalled in bearings (13,14) which take up both radial and axial forces.

Abstract: A disclosure is made of a subterranean connecting method and a connecting apparatus therefor which are suitable for use when two shield machines are used to excavate a pair of tunnel sections from both ends of a tunnel, and the tunnel sections are connected to each other in mid course. During underground connection, it is important to secure sealing and water retarding with respect to soil and water pressure exerted by the ground in the vicinity of the connecting section. For this purpose, in the connecting apparatus, a penetration ring is arranged in one of the shield machines, and a penetration chamber in which the penetration ring is accommodated is arranged in the other shield machine. Both the both shield machines face each other with a slight gap remaining therebetween and, subsequently, the penetration ring is moved forward and penetrates into the penetration chamber of the mating shield machine. By this penetration, the area between both the shield machines are closed by the penetration ring.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of making a huge elongated space of square or rectangular cross section under the ground. The outer shell of the huge elongated space is built in the form of integral arrangement of lateral shell-units having shielded passages therein. Such a huge underground space can be made without requiring any large-scale equipments on the ground. The huge outer shell can be made with accuracy and efficiency by skiving and jointing adjacent parallel lateral shell-units and by using selected lateral passage of shell-units to discharge the soil or mud removed in making the underground space.

Abstract: A tunnel boring machine includes a cutterhead having a plurality of cutting units and being rotatable on a machine frame. Two sets of three anchor shoes float relative to the frame and are disposed circumferentially, with the anchor shoes of the two sets alternating on the frame. The two sets of three anchor shoes allow continuous advance of the tunnel boring machine. Connection between the two sets of anchor shoes and the frame is provided by two sets of three thrust cylinder bipods. One set of three thrust cylinder bipods is connected to each set of three floating anchor shoes, with one bipod attached to each anchor shoe. All of the anchor shoes in each set are interconnected by three pairs of floating gripper cylinders, with each pair of gripper cylinders longitudinally spaced on the two anchor shoes that they connect. Each of the two sets of three anchor shoes is sequentially gripped and ungripped with the tunnel wall by the attached gripper cylinders and independently of the other set of anchor shoes.

Abstract: In the provision of elongate underground cavities having a large volume are to be provided, particularly in the construction of underground railroad stations having at least two stories, it is desired to avoid a need for excavating an open pit and to minimize the handling of material. This is accomplished in that the cavity is excavated and lined in a two consecutive stages. In the first stage, two laterally spaced apart galleries are driven in the longitudinal direction of the cavity by a mining technique in the region of a top segment of the desired cavity and are formed each with an outer side face, which constitutes a portion of a side face of said top segment. Only one of said galleries is driven at any given time in any given cross-section of said top segment. Each of said galleries is provided on said outer side face with a supporting permanent first lining. The ground between said two galleries is removed to complete the excavation of said top segment.

Abstract: A rectangular shield excavating machine comprises a quadrangularly tubular shield body having a space for receiving an excavated matter at the front end, a rotor disposed in the space so as to be capable of being rotated onward and backward angularly around an axis extending in the direction orthogonal to a pair of facing exterior portions of the body, and excavating means disposed in the body, drive means for rotating onward and backward the rotor angularly around the axis, and for driving the excavating means. Large gravels contained in the excavated matter are crushed by being put between the rotor and a member defining the space with the rotationally reciprocating motion of the rotor.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is disclosed an apparatus for controlling the direction of displacement of an underground excavator including a turnable jack to perform excavating operations in the underground region while controlling the direction of the same by turnably displacing a pilot jack, wherein a quantity of turnable actuation of the turnable jack in the vertical direction is determined by employing a fuzzy presumptive theory having two inputs and one output used therefor under conditions that a corrected pitching angle and a steering sensibility sensible in the vertical direction are taken as inputs and a quantity of turnable actuation of the turnable jack in the vertical direction is taken as an output, while a quantity of turnable actuation of the turnable jack in the horizontal direction is determined by employing the presumptive theory having two inputs and one output used therefor under conditions that a corrected yawing angle and a steering sensibility sensible in the horizontal dir

Abstract: The tunnelling machine for driving inaccessible tunnels by pressing forward by means of tubes can be moved out again through the tunnel driven by it. For this purpose, an annular outer area (2b) is provided on the extracting tool (2), and one double casing (4b, 6b) each is provided around the control head (4) and the machine tube (6). The outer area (2b) of the extracting tool is connected to its inner area (2a) and the control-head double casing (4b) is connected to the control-head housing (4a) by connecting elements (24, 26). Specifically releasable restraining devices (28) hold the machine-tube double casing (6b) on the machine-tube housing (6a). After the final depth is reached, the control head (4) can be moved back by means of the control devices (40) to such an extent towards the machine tube (6) that the connecting elements (24, 26) are broken.

Abstract: The invention relates to an earth pressure system shield process. First of all, an excavation additive consisting of the mixture of an agent for improving fluidity and viscosity of an excavated soil and a mud improving main agent is added (Ic, P.sub.2) to the excavated soil at the time of shield excavation at the working face, inside a mixing chamber (1b) of a shield machine (1) and inside a soil discharge screw conveyor (3) to sufficiently mix the excavated soil with the improving main agent and a mud improving assistant agent is then added (5) inside the soil discharge screw conveyor (3), so that the seal covered by the improving main agent so as not to be disssolved in water is removed chemically by this assistant agent. In this manner, the excavated soil is improved to a high quality soil having low fluidity inside the soil discharge screw conveyor (3) and is discharged.

Abstract: The invention relates to a boring machine for digging tunnels in a wide variety of qualities of ground, of the type comprising a first front shield, containing the boring head, and the members for driving the same, and a second shield, fitted with posts or "grippers" for providing the anchorage necessary for the advancement of the boring machine, in which a third shield is provided, arranged between said first and said second shield, such that the first shield overlaps partly with it and is able to slide axially with respect to the third shield itself and that the assembly first shield/third shield is able to vary its advancing direction with respect to the second shield; guide means being provided between said first and said third shield, which guide means allow these latter to perform a relative movement in the longitudinal axial direction only, and means being provided for advancing said first shield with respect to said third sh shield, as well as means for setting at an angle the assembly first shield/th

Abstract: The present invention is a system for the robotic fabrication of a set of parallel pipelines or tunnels along a curvilinear path without limitation as to distance, direction and depth. A large diameter bore is made by a boring unit as the boring unit moves tangentially along the path through the earth. Prefabricated segments of the pipeline body or tunnel body are then installed by the system at a plurality of locations in the bore, such that their axes are instantaneously parallel to each other and to the large diameter bore, as extensions of the duct body already installed. The annular space between the extensions and the large diameter bore is then occasionally filled along the ducts with a composite material thereby supporting the several smaller diameter structurally independent permanent ducts in the large diameter bore. The prefabricated duct segments function as the structural body of the ducts.

Abstract: A shield tunnelling apparatus is provided that includes a first tubular shield body in which a cutter assembly for excavation and a drive mechanism for driving the cutter assembly are disposed; a second shield body connected to the rear of the first shield body so as to have a common axis therewith; a target disposed in the first shield body so as to receive a light ray directed along the axis; first optical path changing means disposed in the second shield body and capable of changing the optical path of the light ray directed toward the target such that the light ray travels along an optical path displaced away from the axis; and second optical path changing means disposed in the second shield body and capable of changing the optical path of the light ray passing through the first optical path changing means such that the light ray is again directed along the axis.

Abstract: An articulated shield tunneling machine suitable for excavation along a curvature with an articulated shield having front and rear shield sections. In contrast to the conventional apparatus which suffers from various disadvantages such as interference between the front ends of shield jacks with front shield section and necessity for expensive strong construction of shield jacks, the articulated shield tunneling machine of the present invention has trunnions (10) to which the shield jacks (7) are connected, and the trunnions (10) are connected to front portions of the rear shield section (1b) for pivotal movement in the radial direction of the articulated shield (1). Each trunnion (10) can have therein an elastic member which urges the front end of the shield jack (7) towards the center of the articulated shield (1).

Abstract: A method of forming a passageway (P) through the ground by inserting into the ground a structure (1) comprising a superstructure (3) and a substructure (2). The superstructure (3) is inserted into position in the ground, and the substructure (2) is urged into the ground beneath the superstructure (3), the ground being excavated as the substructure is inserted so as to form the passageway (P) bounded by the superstructure and the substructure.

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 method of forming an underground cavern aiming at forming an underground cavern of a large scale at a very deep place in soft ground and soft rock layers safely and economically, and a tunneling machine suitable for use in carrying out the method. This method of forming an underground cavern consists of the steps of forming a ground reinforcing zone around a portion intended to be hollowed out before froming an underground cavern to be built, and then excavating the inside surrounded by the ground reinforcing zone. Further, the above-mentioned tunneling machine comprises a ring-shaped body having a first ring, a second ring, and a third ring; a boring device mounted between the second ring and propelling jacks for boring a plurality of holes extending radially from the inner surface of the tunnel into the ground; and a reinforcing material filling device mounted also between the second ring and the propelling jacks for filling a reinforcing material and a grout into each of the holes.

Abstract: Tunnel boring machine comprising a number of swingable arms (11,12,13,14) provided with boring tools (41,42,43,44) for the working of the tunnel wall outside its normal diameter. The arms may be swung outwardly into an active position or retracted into an inactive position. These tools may be independently actuated and facilitate the insertion of steel supporting arcs into the excavated area.

Abstract: Tunnel boring machine for reaming of a pilot tunnel (11). The machine housing (12) is provided with a projecting part in front of the boring head (13), said projecting part comprising a part (20) being fixed relative to the machine housing and a shield (19) being separable from the fixed part.This arrangement permits substantially uninterrupted excavation of the tunnel and prevents the excavated soil from becoming wedged between the boring head and the tunnel front.

Abstract: The method for boring a tunnel consists in placing an excavation tool at a point of the extrados of the tunnel and in excavating a cavity by imparting the tool an advancement movement having divergent direction with respect to the axis of the tunnel. While the cavity is being filled with concrete, a further cavity is excavated in another point of the extrados and is then also filled with concrete. These operations are repeated until a plurality of voussoirs is obtained which are arranged adjacent to one another along the extrados and give rise to a frustum-shaped vault. The soil inside the vault is then excavated for a depth which is smaller than the axial extension of the vault itself, and a subsequent vault is formed having a narrower initial portion internal to the wider terminal portion of the previously executed vault.

Abstract: A shield tunnelling machine is provided that includes a cylindrical shield body; a rotary cutter head disposed on a front end of the shield body and provided with a face plate having one or a plurality of slits extending in the radial direction; and intermediate support member for supporting a plurality of cutter bits respectively having forward bit portions and backward bit portions in each of the slits; a support structure for supporting the intermediate support member swingably around an axis extending in the radial direction; a member for movably guiding the support structure in the axial direction of the shield body; and a cylinder device and a piston for moving the support stucture in the axial direction of the shield body to move the cutter bits toward and away from the front face of the face plate, the face plate and the guide member sharing the excavation force exerted against the cutter bits.

Abstract: The invention falls within the art field of shields used in the excavation of tunnels for any given utility (rail, road, underground railway, sewers, pipelines, power cables etc.), and of all sizes. The plant disclosed provides a temporary support structure for tunnel walls, entirely self-propelled and extendible along the direction of excavation, the interior of which accommodates equipment used in digging operations and for the removal of spoil; accordingly, the structure acts as a temporary shoring facility during excavation works, moving forward through the bore and carrying within it the complete battery of excavation and auxiliary equipment while enabling installation immediately behind of the permanent pre-cast or cast in-situ tunnel lining.

Abstract: A tunnel support machine for use in a tunnel forming system wherein the tunnel support machine follows a tunnel-driving machine during the driving operation. Through the operation of the tunnel support machine, a preferably inaccessible tunnel cavity formed by the tunnel-driving machine is supported by a profiled ribbon which is continuously fed to the tunnel support machine and continuously spirally wound thereby into a support tube which lines and reinforces the tunnel cavity. Supply and discharge lines extending rearwardly from the tunnel-driving machine generally in the central area of the tunnel cavity connect to longitudinally extending bores provided in a stationary cylindrical part of a rotary bushing of the tunnel support machine.

Abstract: A shield excavator excavates a shaft. Then, the excavator is caused to swing to change its posture and excavate a tunnel. Thus, the shaft and the tunnel is continuously excavated by the single machine.

Abstract: Tunnel boring machine comprising a transmission housing (11) which during boring is fixed relative to the tunnel. The boring head (15) is axially displaceable relative to an outgoing shaft (14) of the transmission housing while transferring torque from the outgoing shaft to the boring head. A number of fluid cylinders (16) are arranged between the transmission housing and a bearing housing (19,30) for the boring head in order to press the boring head against a tunnel front.

Abstract: Pipe sections are forced through the ground, separating from the mass of the ground its part received in these pipe sections. This part of the ground is evacuated with the sections. As the pipe sections are evacuated, a stationary pipe is layed. The pipe sections are forced into the ground by a main hydraulic power unit and an intermediate hydraulic power unit positioned between the pipe sections having each a cavity communicating with a hydraulic system and intended to exert pressure on the end of the preceding pipe section. This cavity is defined by two rings rigidly secured at the preceding section. The front end of the succeeding section having an annular sealing element is inserted in a clearance between the rings.

Abstract: An underground excavator includes a chamber defined in the forward section of an excavator body for receiving excavated material such as soil, sand, gravel, clay and their mixtures. A rotary cutter is mounted to the forward end of a rotary shaft for penetrating through the chamber for axial rotation and simultaneous rocking in an axial direction. The cutter has a conical cutter face plate having holes for passing the excavated material of a diameter smaller than an opening disposed in the chamber. Any gravel or the like present in the advancing route to the underground excavator and smaller than the holes of the cutter is received into the chamber to be discharged from the excavator. Any gravel larger than the holes or the like not receivable into the chamber is moved quickly along the conical cutter face plate toward peripheral ground layer by being subjected to the rocking motion of the conical cutter face plate simultaneously with the rotation of the cutter during advancement of the excavator.

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: A shield tunneling method of excavating a tunnel with an optional cross section by rotating a center cutter about an axis extending in the direction of propulsion and revolving a planetary cutter around the axis so as to excavate the region between the profile of excavation by the center cutter and the desired profile of excavation. A machine for practicing the method includes a center cutter supported by the body of the machine so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the direction of propulsion of the body, a rotary body rotatable about the same axis as the center cutter, a planetary cutter supported by the rotary body so as to be movable radially of the rotary body, and operating device for moving the planetary cutter in the radial direction to permit the planetary cutter to revolve along a locus during the rotation of the rotary body so that the planetary cutter excavates the above-mentioned region.

Abstract: A flexible tunneling apparatus has an articulated thrust rod made up of a plurality of substantially identical tubular elements having complementary end surfaces, the elements being disposed in end-to-end relation and strung on a cable which is tensioned to effectively integrate the elements to form the rod. The rod is inserted into a tubular guide member which extends axially through and along the sidewall of a shaft. At one end the tubular guide member defines a rounded 90 degree turn causing flexure of the rod and diverting it to a path perpendicular to the axis of the shaft. Repetitive thrusting and retraction of the rod create a tunnel extending radially with respect to the axis of the shaft.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for installing an underground seal beneath a garbage dump in a strip-like manner. The earth is worked in strips under the garbage dump by the front end of a driving shield. The earth is transported to the rear end of the driving shield, and is compressed at the rear end. A strip-like layer of a waterproof material is inserted, under the protection of a cover of the driving shield. A supply tunnel pipe is constructed and subsequently dismantled, comprised of individual tunnel pipe sections, under the protection of the cover while the driving shield is moved forward. The dismantled tunnel pipe sections of the tunnel pipe are used to erect an additional tunnel pipe which is laterally displaced in a direction toward the next strip-like layer opposite the first one tunnel pipe behind the driving shield. By stabilizing the dismantled pipe sections they need not be dragged along or transported out of the remaining tunnel pipe.

Abstract: The method comprises the steps of driving into the ground a plurality of adjoining tubes and coupling these tubes by suitable variable interaxis structures for making a monolithic strong covering or cellular arch.

Abstract: A tunneling machine body carrying a rotary cutterhead can be advanced continuously by exerting advancing thrust forces on it, first by top and bottom bipods reacting from top and bottom anchor shoes, respectively, in anchored condition against the tunnel wall and alternately by side 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: In order to avoid the time-consuming transport by road or rail vehicles, in many cases, overburden is pumped to the outside of a tunnel under construction, where it is dumped onto dump-hills. In order to avoid such dump-hills as well as extended transport distances, according to the invention it is disclosed that the overburden is transported, dumped or stored, via channels drilled into the wall of the tunnel, inside of the mountain surrounding the tunnel, and also to transport the overburden, in case of a tunnel to be constructed under a waterway, by means of a pipe into the waterway or to the surface of the waterway.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for underground tunneling. It has a working tube which can be driven in the drilling direction and a digging unit mounted therein, and it has a cutterhead which can be shifted back and forth and radially of the axis of the apparatus. When the cutterhead is not deflected radially, the entire digging unit has a substantially smaller cross section than corresponds to the internal cross section of the working tube. A scoop disposed on the floor of the working tube and provided with a shovel-like mouth at its front end serves for the simple and cost-effective removal of the earth loosened by the cutterhead. The scoop is at first urged forward out of the working tube by means of a drive mechanism in order to shovel up loosened earth, and then it is withdrawn rearwardly out of the working tube, emptied, and run back again into the working tube.

Abstract: An excavated earth and sand transporting apparatus for use in a shield machine for carrying the earth and sand excavated by a cutter head mounted on the most front part of a shield proper through a screw conveyor followed by a transporting pipe to rearward of the shield proper. The excavated earth and sand transporting apparatus has an excavation discharging device mounted between the screw conveyor and the transporting pipe to discharge the earth and sand or the excavation conveyed by the screw conveyor into the transporting pipe while keeping a predetermined earth pressure inside the cutter head chamber so that the spouting of spring water can be prevented without having to use a bentonite slurry and/or a clay slurry and that the excavated earth and sand or excavation can be discharged efficiently and effectively.

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.