Method and apparatus for advancing tunnel supports

Abstract

Abstract APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTINUOUSLY OR INTERMITTENTLY ADVANCING TUNNEL SUPPORTS AGAINST SURROUNDING EARTH PRESSURE. CUTTING EDGE AND TRAILING SHELLS ARE INTERCONNECTED BY A LONGITUDINAL FRAME OR CAGE STRUCTURE. INTERMEDIATE THE FORWARD AND TRAILING SHELL ARE OVERLAPPING INTERMEDIATE SHELLS WHICH ARE INDIVIDUALLY CONNECTED TO THE CAGE STRUCTURE BY HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS SO THAT EACH INTERMEDIATE SHELL CAN BE MOVED LONGITUDINALLY RELATIVE TO THE OTHERS AND RELATIVE TO THE TUNNEL WALL WHILE THE OTHER INTERMEDIATE SHELLS ENGAGE THE TUNNEL WALL AND ADVANCE THE CAGE AS WELL AS THE FORWARD OR SUPPORT AND TRAILING SHELLS. THE INTERMEDIATE SHELLS ARE SEQUENTIALLY MOVED FORWARDLY, PREFERABLY BY RELEASING THE PRESSURE EXERTED AGAINST THE WALL, SAS BY CONTRACTING THE SHELL. THE SUPPORT MAY INCORPORATE STEERING GUIDANCE MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE DIRECTION OF THE EXCAVATION DEVICE ABOUT PERPENDICULAR TRANSVERSE AXES. MEANS IS ALSO PROVIDED ON THE TRAILING SHELL FOR FEEDING OUT THE REARWARD END WIRES OR RODS TO SUPPORT THE TUNNEL WALLS PRIOR TO CONCRETING AND ALSO A RETAINER SHELL WHICH FUCTIONS AS A SCREED FOR THE CONCRETE AND SUPPORTS THE CONCRETE AS IT IS GAINING STRENGTH.

Inventors

• 👤 J Donovan Jacobs

Bibliographic Details