U.S. patent number 4,368,924 [Application Number 06/256,813] was granted by the patent office on 1983-01-18 for driving shield.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Ed. Zublin Aktiengesellschaft. Invention is credited to Manfred Nussbaumer.
United States Patent |
4,368,924 |
Nussbaumer |
January 18, 1983 |
Driving shield
Abstract
A driving shield having a shield shell and a transverse wall for
defining a work chamber, and a removal arm pivotally journalled on
the transverse wall. The removal arm has a removal tool for mining
or removing a face wall which also delimits the work chamber. A
pressure medium supply is provided for attaining a support pressure
in the work chamber. Material worked away from the face wall is
removed by a discharge conduit arranged essentially along the
bottom of the shield shell. The work or material-removing arm is
journalled on the transverse wall in the pneumatic pressure duct,
and the pressure medium supply is embodied as a pneumatic conduit.
A sealing medium application device is movably coupled with the
work arm, and the delivery nozzle of the device is directed upon
the immediate surroundings at the free end of the removal tool.
Inventors: |
Nussbaumer; Manfred
(Leonberg-Ezach, DE) |
Assignee: |
Ed. Zublin Aktiengesellschaft
(Stuttgart, DE)
|
Family
ID: |
6100725 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/256,813 |
Filed: |
April 23, 1981 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Apr 23, 1980 [DE] |
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3015580 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
299/33; 299/11;
299/30; 405/144 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21D
9/13 (20130101); E21D 9/0875 (20160101); E21D
9/0664 (20160101) |
Current International
Class: |
E21D
9/12 (20060101); E21D 9/13 (20060101); E21D
9/08 (20060101); E21D 9/06 (20060101); E21D
009/08 () |
Field of
Search: |
;299/11,33,81
;405/144 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Purser; Ernest R.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Becker & Becker, Inc.
Claims
What I claim is:
1. A driving shield for use in working or mining a face wall of a
gallery, said driving shield comprising:
a shield shell;
a transverse wall arranged in said shield shell, said face wall,
said shield shell, and said transverse wall delimiting a work
chamber, said transverse wall being provided with a pneumatic
pressure duct;
a removal arm pivotably journalled on said transverse arm in said
pressure duct;
a removal tool provided on said removal arm for removing material
from said face wall;
a discharge conduit arranged in the bottom of said shield shell for
the discharge from said work chamber of material removed from said
face wall;
a pneumatic conduit which passes through said transverse wall into
said work chamber for producing a support pressure therein;
a device for applying sealing medium, said device being movably
coupled with said removal arm; and
an application nozzle operatively associated with said application
device for receiving sealing medium therefrom and effecting
application thereof onto said face wall in the immediate vicinity
of said removal tool.
2. A driving shield according to claim 1, in which said removal arm
includes a cylinder tube, said sealing medium application device
being arranged on said cylinder tube.
3. A driving shield according to claim 2, in which said application
device is mounted on said removal arm in such a way as to be
pivotable in all directions.
4. A driving shield according to claim 3, which includes a piston
rod extensibly and retractably arranged in said cylinder tube of
said removal arm, said removal tool being mounted to said piston
rod.
5. A driving shield according to claim 4, which includes a source
of sealing medium arranged externally of said work chamber, and a
supply conduit passing from said source through said pressure duct
to said application device.
6. A driving shield according to claim 5, which includes a
turntable mounted in said transverse wall in the region of said
pressure duct thereof, said removal arm being journalled in said
turntable.
7. A driving shield according to claim 6, in which said turntable
includes a guide part provided with a pivot pin, said removal arm
being pivotable about said pivot pin.
8. A driving shield according to claim 7, which includes a sealing
sleeve arranged on said removal arm and said turntable in the
region of said guide part for closing off said pressure duct.
9. A driving shield according to claim 8, in which said turntable
is provided with a mounting bracket, and which includes a lifting
element connected to said mounting bracket and to said removal arm
for effecting pivoting of said removal arm.
10. A driving shield according to claim 9, in which a support
pressure control valve is associated with said pneumatic
conduit.
11. A driving shield according to claim 9, which includes a viewing
plate arranged in said transverse wall above said pressure
duct.
12. A driving shield according to claim 11, which includes a
monitor for monitoring said mining, and a camera associated with
said monitor and directed into said work chamber.
Description
The present invention relates to a driving shield having a shield
shell and a transverse wall for defining a work chamber, and a work
or removal arm pivotally journalled on the transverse wall. The
removal arm has a cutting or removal tool for working or removing a
work face or face wall which also delimits the work chamber. A
pressure medium supply is provided for attaining a support pressure
in the work chamber. Also provided is a discharge conduit, arranged
essentially along the bottom of the shield shell, for discharge of
the removed material worked away from the face wall.
With a known driving shield of this type (German Pat. No. 24 31
512), a fluid or liquid is introduced by way of the pressure medium
supply into the work chamber. This fluid, at an overpressure, fills
the work chamber and accordingly is also effective against the face
wall. The material removed from the wall by the removal tool is
withdrawn through discharge conduits with the aid of the fluid in
the work chamber. In this connection, it is disadvantageous that
while carrying out the work, the entire work chamber is completely
non-transparent because of the contaminated support fluid or
liquid, so that an observation of the face wall is not possible
during the mining or removal work, and the driving or advancing
accordingly occurs practically blind. A further disadvantage
consists in that the work chamber, with its complicated pivot
mechanism, is always exposed to the surrounding support fluid,
which is practically corrosive because of its contamination,
whereby particularly the movably guided parts are subjected to an
increased frictional loading, and hence are also subject to
premature failure.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve a
driving shield of the initially described type in such a way that a
fluid-free transparent medium support is attained in a removal arm
environment protective against wear, and that a good sealing of the
face wall is attained with seal renewal which directly follows the
removal tool.
This object, and other objects and advantages of the present
invention, will appear move clearly from the following
specification in connection with the accompanying drawing, which
schematically illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
The driving shield of the present invention is characterized
primarily in that the removal arm is journalled on the transverse
wall in a pneumatic pressure duct or lead-in means, in that the
pressure medium supply is embodied as a pneumatic conduit, and in
that a sealing medium application device is movably coupled with
the removal arm, the application nozzle of the sealing medium
application device being directed upon the immediate surroundings
at the free end of the removal tool.
An advantage attained with the present invention is that the
driving or advancing work at the face wall can be continuously
accurately observed since no contaminated support fluid or liquid
is present in the work chamber; rather, the support pressure in the
work chamber is maintained exclusively by compressed air which is
introduced into the work chamber through the pneumatic conduit. By
means of the thus possible visual working, the mining of the face
wall can be carried out very precisely, since an operator or
observer can react immediately upon spotting obstacles such as
rocks, boulders, or the like so that damage to the removal tools or
other devices can be avoided, whereby repair work is extensively
eliminated and a savings in replacement part costs and wages is
attained. The removal of the face wall is effected while taking
into consideration the existing geology entirely individually in
conformity with the respectively existing ground conditions,
whereby already one person can readily observe and control the
removal. In this way, the ground conditions can be continuously
examined and controlled, so that also immediately conclusions can
be drawn concerning further enlargement, extension, or completion
of the tunnel.
A further advantage of the present invention teaching consists in
that, for example with possible maintenance work or a replacement
of the removal or mining tool, the entire support fluid or liquid
need not be entirely removed from the work chamber, as was
necessary previously, which is costly in work and time. Rather,
with the present inventive teaching, after opening an air lock or
the like, the necessary work can be readily carried out at the
specific location without having to reduce or even completely
remove the support pressure. Additionally, there is attained the
advantage that the degree of wear of the removal tools, as for
example the wear on the cutting teeth of the removal tool, can be
accurately observed, so that at the correct time, the removal tool
can be replaced. Also, upon striking a boulder with the known
apparatus, the supporting fluid or liquid must be drained
completely so that an operator can go into the work chamber in
order at that location to manually eliminate the obstacle. In
contrast, with the present inventive driving shield, a boulder can
be immediately removed by the operator without support pressure
reduction, whereby additionally with the aid of the visibly
controlled removal or working arm, any boulder encountered in the
face wall can be removed precisely without the removal tool being
damaged thereby.
Additionally, with the present invention there is attained the
advantage that the face wall, except for a small working region, is
nearly completely sealed by a membrane-like sealing medium layer.
Consequently, support medium losses are extensively reduced, and a
high support pressure constancy or stability is attained, so that
only extremely nominal subsequent supplying is required to be
introduced through the pneumatic conduit. Since the sealing medium
application device is positively or automatically controlled with
the removal arm, and the discharge nozzle applies the sealing
medium closely adjacent to the removal tool during removal of the
face wall, during further advancement of the removal arm the just
worked location of the face wall is immediately tightly closed
again. Since with the inventive driving shield, the utilization of
a very expensive support fluid or liquid is eliminated, no liquid
or fluid influences enhanced by dirt deposits are any longer
encountered on the removal arm structure, so that a long and
service-free operation is provided. The material worked or mined
away with the inventive apparatus is discharged outwardly from the
work chamber by way of the discharge conduit arranged near the
bottom of the shield shell. Additionally, the inventive pneumatic
pressure procedure likewise contributes to high support pressure
constancy or stability in the work chamber, so that also in this
region of the transverse wall, in which the work arm is brought
outwardly, no compressed air can escape.
According to specific features of the present invention, the
sealing medium discharge or application device may be arranged on a
cylinder tube of the removal arm. The sealing medium application
device may be fastened on the removal arm and be pivotable in all
directions as required. The removal tool may be arranged on a
piston rod extensibly journalled in the cylinder tube.
The sealing medium discharge device may have a supply conduit which
passes through the pneumatic pressure duct in the region of the
removal arm. The removal arm may be journalled in a turntable in
the region of the pneumatic pressure duct. The removal arm may be
pivotable about a pivot pin on a guide part mounted in the
turntable. The pneumatic pressure passage duct, on the removal arm,
may have a sealing sleeve in the region of the turntable and the
guide part. A mounting bracket of a lifting element capable of
pivoting the work arm may be arranged on the turntable.
A support pressure control valve may be associated with the
pneumatic conduit. A viewing plate may be arranged in the
transverse wall above the pneumatic pressure duct. A monitor may be
provided for observation, and may include a camera directed into
the work chamber and associated with the transverse wall or the
shield shell.
By utilizing these preferred embodiments and further improvements
of the present invention in an advantageous manner, an expedient
sealing medium application as well as advantageous mounting and
movement possibilities on the work arm can be attained, and
advantageous observation features for the face wall removal as well
as extensively dust-free discharge of the removed material are
attained.
Referring now to the drawing in detail, the illustrated driving
shield 1 is located in a gallery, shaft or tunnel 2 which is driven
or pushed ahead by removal or mining of a work face or face wall 3.
The driving shield 1 has a shield shell 4 which is provided with
shield cutters 5 facing the wall 3. The driving shield 1 is
shiftable or displaceable by way of driving presses 6 which engage
the shield shell 4. A transverse wall 7 is arranged in the shield
shell 4 at a distance from the shield cutters 5. A work or removal
chamber 8 is thus defined by the transverse wall 7, the shield
shell 4, and the wall 3.
A discharge conduit 9 is arranged near the bottom of the shield
shell 4. This discharge conduit 9 passes through the transverse
wall 7, and a suction end 10 of the conduit 9 projects into the
work chamber 8. The discharge conduit 9 is provided with a feed
control valve 11.
The suction end 10 of the discharge conduit 9 is located in the
region of a feed box 12, which has an opening 13. The feed box 12
has a rinsing device 14 associated therewith which is located
before the suction end 10 of the discharge conduit 9 and is
supplied by a conduit 15 which passes through the transverse wall 7
and has a valve 16.
At the top, below the shield shell 4, there is arranged a pneumatic
conduit 17 which passes through the transverse wall 7 and projects
into the work chamber, so that compressed air can be introduced
into the work chamber 8. This compressed air is controllable by a
support-pressure control valve 18 for building up a constant
support pressure in the work chamber 8.
A window shield or viewing plate 19 is arranged in the transverse
wall 7 below the pneumatic conduit 17. Through this viewing plate
19, an operator can look from the outside/into the work chamber 8.
So that in particular the entire wall 3 can be observed without
hindrance, visual inclines 20 are provided on the transverse wall 7
along the peripheral region of the viewing plate 19 in such a way
that a larger free space or viewing angle is provided for
observation purposes.
A pneumatic pressure passage or duct 21 is arranged directly below
the viewing plate 19 approximately in the middle region of the
transverse wall 7; a work or removal arm 22 is guided through this
duct 21. The removal or mining arm 22 is pivotable about a pivot or
king pin 23 which is journalled in a guide part 24. This guide part
24 in turn is journalled in a turntable 25, which externally
delimits the pneumatic pressure duct 21, is rotatably journalled in
the transverse wall 7, and is capable of being rotated by a drive
motor 26. Additionally, a sealing collar or sleeve 27 is arranged
on the removal arm 22 in the region of the turntable 25 and the
guidance part 24 so that the pneumatic pressure duct 21 in the
central region of the transverse wall 7 has a high assurance
against compressed air leakage.
The removal arm 22 is pivoted by means of a lifting element 28,
which is supplied by a control circuit 29 from a unit 30. One end
of the lifting element 28 is pivotally connected to the removal arm
22, and the other end to a mounting bracket 31 which is fastened to
the turntable 25.
The removal arm 22 has a cylinder tube 32 in which a piston rod 33
is journalled which is extensible and retractable in the direction
of the longitudinal axis 34, and which likewise can be controlled
from the unit 30. At the free end of the piston rod 33 is located a
removal tool 35 embodied as a cutting head, which works away the
material at the wall 3.
A sealing medium delivery or application device 36 is arranged at
the free end region of the cylinder tube 32. This sealing medium
delivery device 36 is secured in such a way that it can be rotated
as required about the longitudinal axis 34 of the removal arm 22,
and simultaneously can be tilted about the joint 42. The sealing
medium delivery device 36 is embodied as a spray device having
delivery nozzles 37 which are directed in such a way that sealing
medium 38 sprayed therefrom directly adjacent the free end of the
removal tool 35 strikes the wall 3, thus assuring that immediately
after further pivoting of the removal arm 22, the mined area of the
wall 3 is automatically directly sealed off again, so that a
sealing membrane 39, advantageously comprising a fine granular
fraction or a bentonite suspension, always covers nearly the entire
surface of the wall 3. The sealing medium delivery device 36 is
supplied by a supply conduit 40 which extends along the cylinder
tube 32 and is guided outwardly through the pneumatic pressure duct
21, so that the conduit 40 here can be supplied externally of the
work chamber 8 with the respectively needed sealing medium 38.
It is clearly recognizable from the drawing that with the inventive
driving shield it is possible to achieve an exact working under
accurate and continuous observation of the working location. The
observation of the working location need not absolutely occur
directly through the viewing plate 19, but, according to a
preferred embodiment, can, for example, also occur in connection
with a remote controlled operation by way of a monitor M, whereby a
suitable pick-up or surveying camera C is arranged either on the
inner side of the transverse wall 7 facing the work chamber 8 or on
the shield shell 4, or is installed externally behind the viewing
plate 19.
The removed material 41 worked away from the wall 3 with the
removal tool 35 passes through the opening 13 into the conveying
box 12, where it is wetted or washed by the rinsing device 14, and
is subsequently withdrawn outwardly through the suction end 10 of
the discharge conduit 9. In this way, it is possible to again
separate the fine components of the removed material 41 and to mix
them with the sealing medium 38 for renewal of the sealing membrane
39.
The present invention is, of course, in no way restricted to the
specific disclosure of the specification and drawing, but also
encompasses any modifications within the scope of the appended
claims.
* * * * *