Apparatus for and a method of laying a pipe line

An apparatus for use in laying a pipe line composed of pipe sections arranged end-to-end;

• said apparatus comprising an advanceable shield for excavating a trench and for supporting the walls thereof, the shield comprising a plurality of longitudinally displaceable elongate members and frame means supporting the elongate members, a receptacle located rearwardly of the shield relative to the direction of advancement and serving to receive individual pipe sections, a opening in the receptacle permitting communication between the interior and the exterior thereof whereby the pipe sections can be arranged end-to-end and the receptacle can be moved up in the direction of advancement as the pipe line is extended, hydraulic piston and cylinder units connecting the shield and the receptacle together, releasable coupling device for interconnecting the frame means and the receptacle at a certain stage during the pipe laying operation, and clamping means on the shield and the receptacle for selectively engaging the trench walls to anchor the respective components, wherein at least some of the elongate members of the shield are provided with expandable gripping device constituting the clamping means for the shield.

An apparatus for use in laying a pipe line composed of pipe sections arranged end-to-end;

• said apparatus comprising an advanceable shield for excavating a trench and for supporting the walls thereof, a multi-part bulkhead at the front end of the shield which can open a selected part of the working face at the front end of the trench to the interior of the shield, a receptacle located rearwardly of the shield relative to the direction of advancement and serving to receive individual pipe sections, an opening in the receptacle permitting communication between the interior and the exterior thereof whereby the pipe sections can be arranged end-to-end and the receptacle can be moved up in the direction of advancement as the pipe line is extended, means connecting the shield and the receptacle together and clamping means on the shield and the receptacle for selectively engaging the trench walls to anchor the respective components.

An apparatus for use in laying a pipe line composed of pipe sections arranged end-to-end;

• said apparatus comprising an advanceable shield for excavating a trench and for supporting the walls thereof, a multi-part bulkhead at the front end of the shield which can open a selected part of the working face at the front end of the trench to the interior of the shield, a receptacle located rearwardly of the shield relative to the direction of advancement and serving to receive individual pipe sections, an opening in the receptacle permitting communication between the interior and exterior thereof whereby the pipe sections can be arranged end-to-end and the receptacle can be moved up in the direction of advancement as the pipe line is extended, and adjustable support means in the receptacle for supporting a pipe section introduced into the receptacle.

A method of laying a pipe line composed of pipe sections arranged end-to-end comprising, excavating an open trench with an advanceable shield having a bulkhead and frame, introducing a pipe section into a receptacle located in the trench rearwardly of the shield, arranging the pipe section in end-to-end relationship with a previously installed pipe section projecting through the opening in the receptacle, moving the receptacle to follow up the advancement of the shield, utilizing clamping means of the shield and the receptacle to selectively clamp the shield and the receptacle to the trench walls and adjusting the bulkhead at the front end of the shield adjacent the working face at the front end of the trench to permit a selected part of the face to be forced into the shield when the frame is advanced.

A method of laying a pipe line composed of pipe sections arranged end-to-end comprising, excavating an open trench with an advanceable shield, introducing a pipe section into a receptacle located in the trench rearwardly of the shield, aligning the pipe section in an end-to-end connecting relationship with a previously installed pipe section projecting through the opening in the receptacle by adjustment of support means in the receptacle, moving the receptacle to follow up the advancement of the shield and adjusting a bulkhead at the front end of the shield adjacent the working face at the front end of the trench to permit a selected part of the face to be forced into the shield when the shield is advanced.

A method of laying a pipe line composed of pipe sections arranged end-to-end;

• said method comprising excavating an open trench with an advanceable shield having a bulkhead and frame, introducing a pipe section into a receptacle located in the trench rearwardly of the shield, arranging the pipe section in end-to-end relationship with a previously installed pipe section projecting through an opening in the receptacle, moving the receptacle to follow up the advancement of the shield and adjusting the bulkhead at the front end of the shield adjacent the working face at the front end of the trench to permit a selected part of the bulkhead to be forced into the face when the frame is advanced.

Apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the support means comprises a roller assembly raisable or lowerable in relation to the receptacle.