US 10,480,318 B2Granted

Cutter housing with inline mounting

AssigneeThe Robbins Company

InventorsCarl E. Lenaburg, Ross D. Galbraith, Stephen M. Smading

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Abstract

A cutter assembly for a tunnel boring machine includes first and second housing mounts each having a plate portion, an abutment flange, and a plurality of spaced seats. A cutter ring assembly is mountable in the housings and includes two or more bridging supports that include a shaft mounting portion and two end portions that abut respective housing mount flanges. The cutter ring axis of rotation is between and parallel to the housing mounts. Separate wedge members are attachable to the housing mounts, and are configured to clamp the end portions of the bridging supports against the associated flanges. In some embodiments removable seat members are provided between the housing mount seats and the wedge members. The housing mounts and removable seats are configured to permit the cutter ring assembly to be inserted inline to the housing mounts.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A cutter assembly for a tunnel boring machine comprising:

a first housing mount and a second housing mount, the first and second housing mounts being configured to be fixed to the tunnel boring machine, each housing mount having a plate portion, an abutment flange, and a plurality of spaced-apart seats;
a cutter ring assembly comprising at least two spaced-apart bridging supports, a shaft supported by the at least two bridging supports, and at least one cutter ring mounted for rotation on the shaft, wherein the at least two bridging supports each comprise a shaft-mounting portion, a first end portion extending from the shaft-mounting portion and configured to abut the first housing mount abutment flange and a second end portion extending from the shaft-mounting portion and configured to abut the second housing mount abutment flange, wherein the first and second end portions each define a first wedge face;
a first wedge member attachable to the first housing mount between the abutment flange and the plurality of spaced-apart seats, the first wedge member defining a second wedge face that slidably engages the first wedge faces of the first end portions of each of the at least two bridging supports;
and
a second wedge member attachable to the second housing mount between the abutment flange and the plurality of spaced-apart seats, the second wedge member defining a second wedge face that slidably engages the first wedge faces of the second end portions of each of the at least two bridging supports.

2 more elements

A cutter ring assembly for mounting to a first housing mount and a second housing mount on a tunnel boring machine, each housing mount having a plate portion, an abutment flange, and a plurality of spaced-apart seats, the cutter ring assembly comprising;

at least two spaced-apart bridging supports;
a shaft supported by the at least two bridging supports;
and
at least one cutter ring mounted for rotation on the shaft;
wherein the at least two bridging supports each comprise a shaft-mounting portion, a first end portion extending from the shaft-mounting portion and configured to abut a first housing mount abutment flange and a second end portion extending from the shaft-mounting portion and configured to abut the second housing mount abutment flange, wherein the first and second end portions each define a first wedge face;
a first wedge member attachable to the first housing mount between the abutment flange and the plurality of spaced-apart seats, the first wedge member defining a second wedge face that slidably engages the first wedge faces of the first end portions of each of the at least two bridging supports;
and
a second wedge member attachable to the second housing mount between the abutment flange and the plurality of spaced-apart seats, the second wedge member defining a second wedge face that slidably engages the first wedge faces of the second end portions of each of the at least two bridging supports.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.