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US 11,136,886 B1Granted
Tunnel boring system
AssigneeEarthGrid PBC
InventorTroy Anthony Helming
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A plasma tunnel boring machine including a plurality of plasma torches on the cutting head, and a plurality of nozzles on the cutting head to provide a stream to cool an area while the plasma torches are active, and a tractor providing propulsion to the cutting head, the tractor to move the cutting head to cut a tunnel.
Claims21
A tunnel boring machine comprising:
- a cutting head;
- a plurality of plasma torches on the cutting head;
- a plurality of nozzles on the cutting head to provide a stream to cool an area while the plasma torches are active;
- one or more vacuum tubes to vacuum up spoils generated by the cutting head, the one or more vacuum tubes are lined with a cooling sleeve circulating chilled water to cool the spoils;
- and
- a tractor providing propulsion to the cutting head, the tractor to move the cutting head to cut a tunnel.
3 more elements
A tunnel boring machine including a cutting head, the machine comprising:
- a plurality of plasma torches on the cutting head, the cutting head having a horseshoe shape, with a flat bottom and a curved top;
- a plurality of vacuum inlets to vacuum up spoils generated by the cutting head;
- a metal tube to combine vacuum streams from the vacuum inlets to create a stream of spoils from the tunnel;
- and
- a tractor providing propulsion to the cutting head, the tractor to move the cutting head to cut a tunnel.
2 more elements
A tunnel boring machine comprising:
- a cutting head including a plurality of plasma torches and a plurality of nozzles to provide a stream to cool an area while the plasma torches are active;
- a tractor providing propulsion to the cutting head, the tractor to move the cutting head to cut a tunnel;
- a plurality of vacuum inlets to vacuum up spoils generated by the cutting head;
- and
- a metal tube to combine vacuum streams from the plurality of vacuum inlets to create a stream of spoils from the tunnel.
2 more elements
A tunnel boring machine comprising:
- a cutting head including a plurality of plasma torches and a plurality of nozzles to provide a stream to cool an area while the plasma torches are active;
- a tractor providing propulsion to the cutting head, the tractor to move the cutting head to cut a tunnel;
- and
- a paving tractor pulled by the tractor, the paving tractor to apply material to one or more of:
- a roof of the tunnel, walls of the tunnel, and/or a bottom of the tunnel.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.