Collapsible fixture for manufacture of tunnel tubes
AssigneeAMCA International Corporation
InventorsOle F. Simonsen, Wining A. Lee, Hung K. P. Chan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved collapsible fixture for fabrication of tunnel modules and tunnel sections for building underwater tunnel tubes is provided. The fixture has a series of shell-like support members along its length, each member having a stationary base portion, two rotatable side portions and a connecting foldable linkage portion. A common truss is connected to each of the foldable linkage portions and is activated by a plurality of hydraulically operated cylinders connected to the wheel core member of the fixture. In order to collapse the fixture, moveable radial spoke members in the shell-like support members are connected to sliding plate members which are moveably attached to hub plates on the wheel core member.
Claims8
A collapsible fixture for the fabrication of shells for tunnel modules, said fixture being generally cylindrical in shape, having a centrally located axially extending core, and comprising:
- a plurality of wheel-like suppport members arranged along the axial length of the fixture, at least one of said support members having radially extending members,
- a plurality of members connecting said support members together along the length of said fixture,
- each of said support members having a foldable linkage portion and hinge means defining a portion of the periphery of said support member,
- a truss member positioned along the axial length of the fixture and attached to said foldable linkage portion of each support member, and
- hydraulic cylinder members disposed between said truss member and said core of said fixture.
A collapsible fixture for the fabrication of shells for tunnel modules, said fixture being generally cylindrical in shape, haing a centrally located axially extending core, and comprising:
- a plurality of wheel-like support members arranged along the axial length of the fixture, at least one of said support members having radially extending members,
- a plurality of members connecting said support members together along the length of said fixture,
- each of said support members having a foldable linkage portion and hinge means,
- a truss member positioned along the axial length of the fixture and attached to said foldable linkage portion of each support member,
- hydraulic cylinder members disposed between said truss member and said core of said fixture, and
- pin means for preventing said hydraulic cylinder members from operating until said pin means are removed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.