Method and apparatus for controlling a tunneling machine

Abstract

The displacement of a cutting tool carried by a pivot arm for universal movement on a tunneling machine is controlled to produce a tunnel having a desired profile by producing position signals representing a measured set of perpendicularly-related pivot angles corresponding to the relative position of the cutting tool with respect to the central axis of the tunneling machine when located at a set-point position at the heading face of the tunnel. Second position signals are generated after anchoring the tunneling machine and/or after a plunge cut by the cutting tool into the heading face. A computer coupled to a store or a scanner for a template shaped to correspond to the desired tunnel profile provides signals to represent set-point values of a desired tunnel profile. The first and second signals are generated when a laser detector is moved by the pivot arm into an impinging position by a laser beam which is projected along in a direction parallel with the desired tunnel heading toward the heading face. After the cutting tool is plunged into the heading face and before cutting along a course of travel, the first and second position signals are compared to obtain deviation signals which are used to modify the signals representing the set-point values of a desired tunnel profile while releasing material from the tunnel heading face.