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AssigneesHitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd., Kabushiki Kaisha SANKEI
InventorsMinoru Tayama, Kiyoshi Tsuchiya, Yasuaki Ishikawa, Masaaki Miki, Ryoichi Arita, Kazunori Ueda
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A tunnel boring machine for collecting earth excavated upon rotation of a cutter disk includes a non-pressurized chamber behind the cutter disk for collecting earth excavated by the cutter disk and discharging the earth with a carrying fluid. The machine includes a first open tank arranged in the non-pressurized chamber which serves as a vessel for containing the carrying fluid as well as a hopper for collecting excavated earth. Carrying fluid supply apparatus is provided for supplying the carrying fluid to the first open tank and suction/discharge apparatus is provided for sucking and discharging the carrying fluid supply to the first open tank rearwardly together with the collected earth. Water level control apparatus provided for monitoring a water level of a carrying fluid in the first open tank and keeping the water level between a minimum water level and a maximum water level.
A tunnel boring method of collecting earth excavated upon rotation of a cutter disk in a non-pressurized chamber behind said cutter disk and discharging the earth with a carrying fluid being mainly water, said method comprising the steps of:
A tunnel boring machine for collecting earth excavated upon rotation of a cutter disk in a non-pressurized chamber behind said cutter disk and discharging the earth with a carrying fluid being mainly water, said apparatus comprising:
A tunnel boring machine according to claim,17, wherein said flow divider includes a pipe member disposed in said closed tank for guiding the carrying fluid delivered from said first open tank and including the earth, and an opening is formed in a portion of said pipe member nearer to said discharge pump, said opening acting to divide the carrying fluid delivered from said first open tank and including the earth into a straight stream flowing straight toward said discharge pump and a rising stream flowing upward at a lower flow speed than said straight stream.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.