Apparatus for forming an underground tunnel

An apparatus for forming an underground tunnel, the apparatus comprising:

• a cutting head for removing material from an end-face of the tunnel and thereby forming a further portion of the tunnel, the cutting head comprising an electric or hydraulic motor;
• machinery for operating the cutting head being at least partially positioned at a location remote from the cutting head;
• a push beam providing a rigid structure arranged to push the cutting head against the end-face of the tunnel during removal of the material;
• a coupling comprising a plurality of sections that are coupled by hydraulic elements, the sections being positioned between the hydraulic elements and the hydraulic elements being positioned to enable bending of the coupling between the cutting head and the push beam in a horizontal plane, the sections of the coupling comprising overlapping portions along which in use the removed material moves towards the push beam;
• a support structure for supporting a previously formed portion of the tunnel by providing a supporting force against a surface of the tunnel, the support structure being arranged to move along the tunnel while maintaining the supporting force during formation of the further portion of the tunnel;
• and
• a conveyor for conveying removed material to a location remote from the cutting head during formation of the further portion of the tunnel;
• wherein the apparatus is arranged, and at least a portion of the machinery is positioned, so that a space is provided at or immediately behind the cutting head so that the support structure, or a portion thereof, during removal of the material by the cutting head, is movable to a position immediately behind the cutting head, without restricting movement of the cutting head in a direction that is transversal to a direction of movement of the support structure or the portion thereof, and wherein the cutting head is movable independently from the support structure and during removal of the material away from the end-face of the tunnel and the support structure is arranged to move into the tunnel in response to and during progression of the tunnel.