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US 9,702,094 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for forming tunnels and tunnels formed thereby
OwnerJames Crawford Thomsoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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OwnerJames Crawford Thomsoninventor
Estimating the term…
A method of forming tunnels(6), and tunnels formed thereby, said tunnels in one embodiment being of a form to carry transport routes (1) such as rail and road transport therealong. The method allows the tunnel to be formed from one or more access points (2) by allowing the tunnel structure (6) to be progressively extended out from the tunnel by advancing deck structures (24) along guide means (20) which are formed as part of a base structure (18). The deck structures (24) can also be used to support excavation equipment (28) and/or act as transport routes for access to the leading edge of the tunnel as it is formed. This greatly reduces the need for separate access and works to be provided adjacent to the tunnel as it is formed and therefore reduces the level of reinstatement works required after the tunnel has been formed.
A method of forming a tunnel under a surface, said method comprising the steps of forming at least one access point along the route of the said tunnel, forming at least first and second support bases in at least one direction away from the access point along said route, providing the support bases with guide means thereon, and a plurality of deck structures are advanced along the guide means to be supported by, and span between, the respective guide means to form at least the roof of at least a portion of the tunnel so that at least a portion of the said tunnel is formed outwardly from the said access point along said route wherein excavation work is performed to remove the material from the surface to the top face of the deck structures which have been advanced into position to allow the top face of the said deck structures to be available for the positioning of excavation apparatus thereon to perform further excavation work and/or for vehicles to move along the top face of the said deck structures to transport excavated material, and once the tunnel is formed, material is moved over the top face of the deck structures, to allow reinstatement work to be performed.
A tunnel and tunnel apparatus said tunnel formed from a support base including guide means formed thereon, side walls and a roof structure formed from one or more deck structures movable along and supported by the guide means of the support base, the support base includes at least first and second, spaced apart, portions, which include the guide means formed therein and the deck structures span the guide means formed in the respective support base portions and said tunnel includes at least one access point from which the deck structures are advanced along the guide means and from which at least part of the said tunnel apparatus extends and wherein during formation the top face of the deck structures which have been advanced into position form a support surface for positioning excavation apparatus thereon adjacent a location at which excavation is to be performed outside of the tunnel and/or for vehicles to move along the top face for movement of excavated material and once the tunnel is formed material is moved over the top face of the deck structures to allow reinstatement work to be performed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.