Linings or casings for tunnels, galleries, mine pits and the like

Claim 2

A segmental arcuate panel for the construction of a casing having a cylindrical cross-sectional shape, said panel comprising a generally part-cylindrical web curved about an axis and two first flanges extending substantially in planes perpendicular to said axis and two second flanges extending substantially in axial planes containing said axis, said flanges being integral with and extending from said web toward said axis and constituting a frame, said web having a first arcuate frustoconical portion defining an outer frustoconical male face adjacent one of said first flanges and extending throughout the circumferential extent of said panel, a second arcuate frustoconical portion adjacent the other of said first flanges, an intermediate portion interconnecting said frustoconical portions, said first portion and said second portion having opposite conicities and being convergent toward said axis and a third arcuate frustoconical portion extending said web axially of said axis and outwardly divergent from said second portion relative to said axis and extending beyond said other first flange and defining an inner frustoconical female face extending throughout the circumferential extent of said panel and having such conicity and radius of curvature as to be capable of axially fitting around the male face of an identical panel.

Claim 3

A panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of said second flanges has keying means and another of said second flanges has keying means complementary to the keying means on said one of said second flanges whereby said complementary keying means is capable of circumferentially engaging the keying means on said one of said second flanges of an identical panel, said keying means of said two second flanges being arranged to permit assembly of said identical panel with said panel in circumferential alignment in a single plane perpendicular to said axis and to substantially preclude relative movement between the assembled panels radially of said axis.

Claim 4

An arcuate panel for the construction of annular assemblies of a plurality of said panels, said panel comprising an arcuate rectangular web portion extending circumferentially about an axis and having a shape which is substantially inscribed in a portion of a spherical surface which is centered on said axis and including at one end of said web a first marginal arcuate frustoconical portion defining an outer frustoconical male face extending throughout the circumferential extent of said panel, and at an axially opposed end of said web a second arcuate frustoconical portion axially extending said web portion and having substantially the same conicity as said first portion and defining an inner frustoconical female face extending throughout the circumferential extent of said panel, said frustoconical faces having substantially identical mean radii so that a first annular assembly of a plurality of said panels can be axially fitted in a second annular assembly of a plurality of said panels by fitting the male faces of the panels of said first assembly in the female faces of said second assembly, said panel having two axially extending edge portions circumferentially defining said panel, first keying means on a first of said edge portions and second keying means on a second of said edge portions, said keying means having such shapes as to be mutually engageable whereby when said first edge portion of said panel is circumferentially engaged with the second edge portion of an identical panel in said annular assembly the two panels are keyed together, said keying means being arranged to exert a keying action in a radial and in an axial direction so that said panel can be maintained in alignment with adjoining panels in said assembly in both radial and axial directions, said axially extending edge portions having such configuration as to permit pivotal movement of said panel with respect to a circumferentially adjoining identical panel in said assembly in a plane perpEndicular to said axis, and radial bearing faces in regions of said panel adjacent said first frustoconical portion and said second frustoconical portion for receiving means maintaining said panel in axial position relative to axially adjacent identical panels.

Claim 5

An arcuate panel for the construction of annular assemblies of a plurality of said panels, said panel comprising an arcuate rectangular web portion extending circumferentially about an axis and having a shape which is substantially inscribed in a portion of a spherical surface which is centered on said axis and including at one end of said web a first marginal arcuate frustoconical portion defining an outer frustoconical male face extending throughout the circumferential extent of said panel, and at an axially opposed end of said web a second arcuate frustoconical portion axially extending said web portion and having substantially the same conicity as said first portion and defining an inner frustoconical female face extending throughout the circumferential extent of said panel, said frustoconical faces having substantially identical mean radii so that a first annular assembly of a plurality of said panels can be axially fitted in a second annular assembly of a plurality of said panels by fitting the male faces of the panels of said first assembly in the female faces of said second assembly, said panel having two axially extending edge portions circumferentially defining said panel, first keying means on a first of said edge portions and second keying means on a second of said edge portions, said keying means having such shapes as to be mutually engageable whereby when said first edge portion of said panel is circumferentially engaged with the second edge portion of an identical panel in said annular assembly the two panels are keyed together, said keying means being arranged to exert a keying action in a radial and in an axial direction so that said panel can be maintained in alignment with adjoining panels in said assembly in both radial and axial directions, said axially extending edge portions having such configuration as to permit pivotal movement of said panel with respect to a circumferentially adjoining identical panel in said assembly in a plane perpEndicular to said axis, and radial bearing faces in regions of said panel adjacent said first frustoconical portion and said second frustoconical portion for receiving means maintaining said panel in axial position relative to axially adjacent identical panels.

Claim 6

A casing panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the panel further comprises first keying means defining a rib on one of said second flanges, second keying means defining a bearing face on another of said second flanges and having a shape substantially matching and complementary to the shape of said rib, first sealing bead means extending axially alongside one of said keying means and adapted to be put under circumferential pressure upon assembly of said panel with an identical panel in a common plane perpendicular to said axis and second sealing bead means on said male face and extending circumferentially of said male face in the vicinity of said one first flange.

Claim 7

A panel as claimed in claim 2, wherein said two keying means extend throughout the axial extent of said panel.

Claim 8

A panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of said second flanges has a face including projections and hollows and another of said second flanges has a face including hollows and projections which are adapted to lock radially and axially with said projections and hollows on said one of said first flanges of an identical panel.

Claim 9

A panel as claimed in claim 6, wherein said one of said second flanges comprises rib portions which are offset from rib portions on said other of said second flanges radially of said axis so as to constitute discontinuous reciprocal bearing faces for two of said panels when assembled.

Claim 10

A panel as claimed in claim 2, comprising a first axially projecting sealing element extending throughout the length of an axially extending edge portion of said panel and a second sealing element on one of said frustoconical male and female faces and extending throughout the circumferential length of said one of said male and female faces.

Claim 11

An expansible panel for use in the construction of a casing having a cylindrical cross-sectional shape, said panel comprising an inner member and an outer member which are adjoining, overlapping and relatively slidable and means for fixing one of said members to the other member, said outer member comprising a generally part-cylindrical web curved about an axis, said web comprising a meridian portion having an outer bulge and including at one axial end a marginal first frustoconical portion defining an outer outwardly convergent frustoconical male face, and a second frustoconical portion extending from another axial end of said meridian portion axially of said axis and outwardly divergent relative to said axis, said inner member comprising a web having a meridian portion having an outer bulge and including at one axial end a marginal first frustoconical portion, and a second frustoconical portion extending from another axial end of said meridian portion of said inner member axially of said axis, said meridian portion and said frustoconical portions of said inner member substantially matching said meridian portion and said frustoconical portions of said outer member, said inner member comprising two first flanges extending in diametral planes intersecting said axis and two second flanges extending in axial planes containing said axis, said second frustoconical portion of said inner member extending axially beyond one of said first flanges and defining an inner female frustoconical face having substantially the same conicity and radius of curvature as said male face.

Claim 12

An expansible panel for use in the construction of a casing having a cylindrical cross-sectional shape, said panel comprising an inner member and an outer member which are adjoining, overlapping and relatively slidable and means for fixing one of said members to the other member, said outer member comprising a generally part-cylindrical web curved about an axis, said web comprising a meridian portion having an outer bulge and including at one axial end a marginal first frustoconical portion defining an outer outwardly convergent frustoconical male face, and a second frustoconical portion extending from another axial end of said meridian portion axially of said axis and outwardly divergent relative to said axis, said inner member comprising a web having a meridian portion having an outer bulge and including at one axial end a marginal first frustoconical portion, and a second frustoconical portion extending from another axial end of said meridian portion of said inner member axially of said axis, said meridian portion and said frustoconical portions of said inner member substantially matching said meridian portion and said frustoconical portions of said outer member, said inner member comprising two first flanges extending in diametral planes intersecting said axis and two second flanges extending in axial planes containing said axis, said second frustoconical portion of said inner member extending axially beyond one of said first flanges and defining an inner female frustoconical face having substantially the same conicity and radius of curvature as said male face.

Claim 13

A casing panel as claimed in claim 9, comprising an axially extending sealing element on a face of said inner member adjacent said outer member.

Claim 14

A casing panel as claimed in claim 9, said panel further comprising a circumferentially extending first rib extending from an edge of said second frustoconical portion of said outer member and towards said axis substantially to the geometric extension of said inner female face of said inner member and a circumferentially extending second rib extending from an edge of said first frustoconical portion of said inner member and away from said axis substantially to the geometric extension of an outer face of said first frustoconical portion of said outer member.

Claim 15

A casing panel as claimed in claim 11, comprising a gap between each of said ribs of said members, and an end face of the adjacent frustoconical portion of the other member, sealing elements being disposed in said gaps and respectively extending beyond an outer face of said outer member and beyond an inner face of said inner member so as to afford a sealing contact with an axially neighboring panel in said casing.

Claim 16

A casing panel as claimed in claim 11, comprising a first sealing element embedded in and stuck to an inner face of said first frustoconical portion of said inner member and a second sealing element embedded in and stuck to an outer face of said second frustoconical portion of said inner member.