Patent ID: 7192093
Filing Date: 2007-03-20
Classification: E02F

Abstract:
1. An excavation method, comprising: providing an excavator, the excavator having a powered, rotating cutting head, the cutting head having at least a plurality of cutting elements located on a side of the cutting head; contacting the cutting head with a hard rock excavation face, wherein, at any one time, a first set of the cutting elements is in contact with the excavation face and a second set of the cutting elements is not in contact with the excavation face and wherein, in the contacting step, the cutting head excavates the excavation face in at least a first direction; and during the contacting step, using an elongated support member extending from the excavator to a powered device to apply a force to the excavator in at least the first direction to provide at least a portion of the cutting force, wherein the powered device is located at a distance from the excavator and wherein a plane defined by the force applied by the elongated support member and the first direction is normal to a plane of rotation of the cutting head.