Tunnel boring machine and method

A tunnel boring machine adapted to bore a tunnel into a ground strata, said machine having a front end, a rear end, and a longitudinal axis, said machine comprising:

• a. a forward positioned head section, comprising:
• i. a cutter head having a forward cutting face and a perimeter portion, and being mounted in said head section for rotation about the longitudinal axis;
• ii. a support structure to which said cutting head is rotatably mounted in a manner that torque and thrust loads from said cutting head are reacted into said support structure;
• iii. a gripper and propel assembly comprising gripper shoe means operatively connected to said head section at circumferentially spaced locations, and a gripper and propel actuating means operatively connected between said gripper shoes and said head section to press said shoes into gripping tunnel wall engagement and cause relative longitudinal travel of said shoes relative to said support structure to advance said machine;
• b. an elongate longitudinally aligned beam structure having a forward end connected to said head section and extending rearwardly therefrom;
• c. a gantry means operatively connected to said beam structure rearwardly of said support structure and having tunnel engaging pad means to locate said beam structure relative to said support structure.

A tunnel boring machine adapted to bore a tunnel into a ground strata, said machine comprising:

• a. a cutter head having a forward cutting face and a perimeter portion, and being mounted for rotation about a longitudinal axis;
• b. a support structure to which said cutter head is rotatably mounted in a manner that torque and thrust loads from said cutting head are reacted into said support structure;
• c. a gripper and propel assembly comprising gripper shoe means positioned on opposite sides of said support structure, and gripper and propel actuating mechanism means to operate said shoes to advance said machine;
• d. a support shoe mechanism means positioned below said support structure and in operative engagement therewith, said support shoe mechanism means comprising tunnel invert engaging shoe means and link mean positioned between said shoe means and said support structure to permit relative longitudinal movement between said support shoe means and said support structure while maintaining substantially constant vertical spacing therebetween;
• e. said link means being pivotally mounted for rotational movement, said link means further comprising bearing surface means having a curved bearing surface relative to a pivot mounting location of said link means to provide said constant vertical spacing.

A tunnel boring machine adapted to bore a tunnel into a ground strata, said machine comprising:

• a. a cutter head having a forward cutting face and a perimeter portion, and being mounted for rotation about a longitudinal axis;
• b. a support structure to which said cutter head is rotatably mounted in a manner that torque and thrust loads from said cutter head are reacted into said support structure;
• c. a gripper and propel assembly comprising gripper shoes positioned on opposite sides of said support structure adjacent to, and rearwardly of, the perimeter portion of the cutter head, and an actuating means operatively connected between said gripper shoes and said support structure to exert both radial and longitudinal force components from said support structure to said gripper shoes to press said gripper shoes into gripping tunnel wall engagement and to advance said machine
• d. a roof shield mechanism positioned above said support structure adjacent to, and rearwardly of, an upper perimeter portion of said cutter head, said roof shield mechanism comprising a tunnel crown engaging plate means, and force transmitting means positioned operatively between said support structure and said plate means to press said plate means upwardly into tunnel inverting engagement.

A method of boring a tunnel into a ground strata, said method comprising:

• a. providing a machine comprising:
• i. a cutter head having a forward cutting face and a perimeter portion, and being mounted for rotation about a longitudinal axis;
• ii. a support structure to which said cutter head is rotatably mounted in a manner that torque and thrust loads from said cutter head are reacted into said support structure;
• iii. a plurality of gripper shoes positioned at circumferentially spaced locations adjacent to, and rearwardly of, the perimeter portion of the cutter head;
• iv. a plurality of gripper and propel actuating mechanisms operatively connected between said gripper shoes and said support structure;
• b. operating said actuating mechanisms to exert selectively both radial and longitudinal force components from said support structure to said gripper shoes to press said gripper shoes into gripping tunnel wall engagement and cause longitudinal travel of said shoes relative to said support structure to advance said support structure with the cutter head while reacting loads from the cutter head to the said support structure, through the gripper and propel actuating mechanisms, and through the gripper shoes into adjacent ground strata.