The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 10, 1990
Filed:
Apr. 18, 1988
Tyman H Fikse, LaConner, WA (US);
Other;
Abstract
A tunneling machine body carrying a rotary cutterhead can be advanced continuously by exerting advancing thrust forces on it, first by top and bottom bipods reacting from top and bottom anchor shoes, respectively, in anchored condition against the tunnel wall and alternately by side bipods exerting advancing force on the tunneling machine body and reacting from side anchor shoes set in anchored condition against the tunnel wall. The anchor shoes are floating relative to the tunneling machine body and connected to it only by the bipods producing the thrust for advancing the tunneling machine body. The top and bottom anchor shoes are directly connected by two pairs of upright fluid-pressure shoe-setting jacks extending chordwise between such shoes. The side anchor shoes are directly connected by two pairs of transverse fluid-pressure shoe-setting jacks extending chordwise between such shoes. The two pairs of upright anchor-setting jacks are located close together longitudinally of the tunnel boring machine and between the two pairs of transverse jacks. A conveyor for removing muck from a location adjacent to the tunnel face extends rearwardly through the tunneling machine body and between the pairs of the upright and transverse anchor shoe-setting jack pairs.