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US 11,591,909 B2Granted
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.
Claims20
A tunnel boring machine to tunnel through earth, the machine comprising:
- a cutting head;
- a plurality of plasma torches on the cutting head;
- a plurality of nozzles on the cutting head to direct a stream from the cutting head to impact an area of the earth to cool the area of the earth while the plasma torches are active to create a temperature delta to improve an effect of the plasma torches;
- a plurality of vacuum inlets;
- 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.
4 more elements
A tunnel boring machine including a cutting head, the machine comprising:
- a plurality of plasma torches on the cutting head, the plurality of plasma torches arranged on the cutting head in a horseshoe shape, having at least three plasma torches forming a straight line across a bottom of the cutting head and at least three plasma torches with a center torch higher than the torches on either side across a top of the cutting head, such that a tunnel is bored with a substantially flat bottom and a curved top;
- and
- a tractor providing propulsion to the cutting head, the tractor to move the cutting head to cut the tunnel.
A tunnel boring machine to tunnel through earth, the machine comprising:
- a cutting head;
- a plurality of plasma torches on the cutting head;
- a plurality of nozzles on the cutting head to direct a stream from the cutting head to impact an area of the earth to cool the area of the earth while the plasma torches are active to create a temperature delta to improve an effect of the plasma torches;
- one or more vacuum tubes to vacuum spoils, wherein 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
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.