METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF UNDERGROUND PIPELINES

Abstract: Method and apparatus for producing underground pipeline containing head part (3) with cutting (17) rotating tool or hammering tool, loosened soil is transported out of tunnel with transportation drum (1) which contains spiral (2). Drum (1) is supported by roll device (13) (14) against pipe (8). Rotating movement is transmitted to rotating drill head (3) from transportation drum (1), which is driven by motor (27). Cylinders (28) are pushing whole the system and force is transmitted by outer pipe (8) to head part (3) and guiding of head part (3) is done by cylinder (9). Entering and direction of head part (3) is observed through free opening of transportation drum (1).

Description: METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR fPRODUCTION OF UNDERGROUND PIPELINES This invention relates to method and to an apparatus for the production of tunnel for underground pipelines without moving soil above pipeline. Soil or rocks meant to be removed are loosened by some known method. Loosened material is removed from the tunnel by rotating transportation drum. Transportation drum is rotating on rolls inside the pipe meant to be assembled into the ground. Building of underground pipeline can be done according to several different principals. The most simple way is to dig ground away in the place , where pipeline is planned to be and lay down pipes in the excavation and refill the excavation. However this can not always be done with open excavation, for instance because of roads or lakes. In these cases one must use some kind of underground method. In case of small diameter pipes and short distances , can soil displacing methods be used , in which pipe is pressed to desired direction by force strong enough. In end of pipe there is used a formed point , which is displacing soil as much as the pipe requires. An apparatus based on such replacement of soil is presented in patent document FI-51726 , in this document is said , that it is relatively easy to make small holes by this method , in case of larger diameter holes friction against replacement becomes so strong , that energy sources available used in this purpose , can not produce force needed, or use of them is uneconomical. Because of this, in case of larger diameter holes , one has to use mechanical hammers or cutters . In production of larger diameter holes loosened soil must be removed from the hole. For instance in patent document FI- 51726 is shown a method to remove broken soil from the hole through pipe by pressurized air. An other earlier known method for removal of loosened soil is for instance a transportation screw assembled in pipe following the drill head, as it's shown for instance in Germa patent document DE 33 06 047. In the system described in this document drill head is assembled in supporting pipe , which contains transportation screw. Diameter of this screw is such, that its outer diameter is nearly equal to inner diameter of supporting pipe. In this construction transportation screw is moving in relation to supporting pipe. In German patent document DE 32 28 684 there is shown a construction in which transportation screw is located in the supporting pipe , diameter of this pipe is essentially smalle than diameter of the pipe assembled. In this case location or direction determination of drill head can be executed through upper area of pipe , which is remaining free. As defects of present methods one can mention , that visual observation of drill head is limited , also reparation possibly needed demand to draw out drill head , which operation in many cases is difficult and last long time. Also as a defect can be mentioned , that construction of transportation screw is limiting diameter of rocks able to be transported through the screw. Also emptying of clogged transportation screw is difficult , because construction of the screw is closed. With apparatus and method according this invention one can make a remarkable improvement in said defects. Characteristic of apparatus and method according this invention are presente in patent claims. As the most significant benefit of this invention one can mention , that drill head can easily be observed and there is spacious and small fraction way to transport loosened soil. Also because of large diameter transportation pipe it is possible to transmit large torsional moment to drill head. While free center of transportation pipe is large , one can transport through the drum for instance tools etc. This is good , when after drilling with only drill head in soft soil one meets rock, then one has to transport hammering tool to drill head and assemble it. Also whole rocks with diameter almost same as drum can be transported through transportation drum. While drilling it is possible to observe end of tunnel and quality of ground can be seen and examined through pipe and also tools can be assembled and removed same way in case that free hole is large enough for man to go. In following the invention will be examined more closely referring to drawings enclosed. Fig 1 shows section of transportation drum and protective pipe. Fig 2 shows section of drill head and transportation drum. Fig 3 shows drill head with rotating cutting head. Fig 4 shows from side end part of device located in starting hole . Fig 5 shows from up end part of device located in starting hole. Fig 6 shows an alternative way to fix the cutter. In fig 1 is shown schematically transportation drum (1) , which is rotating on rolls (14) of supporting roll device (13), which are fixed in pipe (8) assembled. Hydraulic cylinders (9) guiding drill head get their pressure through hoses (15) , which are led through lower part of pipe (8). Roll device (13) can be fixed in pipe (8). In fig 2 is shown head of device , which is going into ground. Soil or rock (19) hammering tools are fixed in rotating conical part (3) with fixtures (33) (34) and screws (45,46), in which fixtures tools can slide in parts (16) , in case one wants to move tools in with cylinders (10) or (35). While hammering tools can move against force caused by pressurized materia in cylinders (10,35). Entering into rock is most suitable done when one tool (36) is drilling large diameter hole in the center of tunnel and another tool (17) is drilling circle in outer part of hole. Supporting rolls (11) are giving axial support. Rolls (11) are supported by flange (6) , which can be adjusted to desired direction in relation to cylindrical part (7) by hydraulic cylinder (9). The cylinders (9) have been jointed with parts (43,44). Adjustment of direction penetration is done with cylinder (9) by turning flange (6) to desired direction. Supporting rolls (12) are fixed in cylinder part (4) , which is turning in relation to cylinder part (7) , while head part is turned. Flange (6) is fasten to cylinder part (5) , which can slide and when needed turn in relation to cylinder part (7). Hydraulic cylinders (9) are fasten in other end to cylinder part (7) and in other end to guiding cylinder part (5) and to flange (6). Rotating movement of head (3) is caused by inner pipe (1) , which is jointed to head (3) , even in case of small internal difference in direction. Inner pipe (1) has internal spiral (2), which is transporting from the ground loosened material (19) to back of device. Energy that hammering tool (17,36) needs is delivered through pneumatic hose (18) , which is located in back side of spiral (2) , where it is protected against abrasive effect of soil. Pneumatic air is also led to cylinders (10) and (35) , which are moving tools (17), (36). Outer pipe (8) is most usually concrete and it is left in the tunnel. Motion and force needed by head is transmitted with outer pipe (8). These motion and force variate according to quality of the ground. In fig 3 is shown head of device penetrating into the ground , rotating cutters (20) and (21) are jointed in heads rotating conical part (3) with bearings , cutters rotate around shaft of their own because of rotating movement of conical part (3) and because of their own angular position. In figures 4 and 5 is shown back part of starting hole , there is frame construction (23) , over which new outer pipe (8) parts and inner pipe (1) parts are lifted while head of device is entering and push cylinders (28) have pushed earlier pipe parts into the hole. Push cylinders are supported with plates (31) and (32) to back wall of starting hole. Cylinders (28) are so jointed in to frame construction with parts (29) that cylinders are able to slide on parts (29) backwards, incase soil in back wall of the starting hole is moving because of push force and frame construction (23) can stay in its original position , because exact starting direction of the tunnel has been adjusted with frame construction. Cylinders are pushing outer pipe (8) with special flange (24) with help of adapters (30). In the flange (24) there is rotatable cogged part (26) , which is rotated with motor (27) and cogwheel (25). Rotating cogged part (26) is quick-jointed with some known method to that inner pipe (1) , which is in turn to be pushed. Every inner pipe is tied to next one by known quick- joint method , for instance with chain , so that rotating movement is transmitted to head part (3). Transporting spiral (2) is transporting loosened soil to starting hole , from which it soil can be ejected. During whole working period filling rate of spiral is low , thus even continuous drill head observation is possible. In fig 6 is shown cutting tool (38) which is fastened in drill head (3). Cutting tool (38) contains cutting head (39) and cylinder (37) able to push to other direction and retreat to an other direction. Tool is fastened with screws (42) in holes (41) in crosswise bar (40) jointed to drill head. Tool can cut especially in rock different diameter ring shape cuttings. It is possible to have several tools jointed in bar (40) , and it can be possible to choose diameter or position of tool in bar can be adjusted by moving tools in bar (40) for instance with hydraulic or pneumatic pressure. While only one embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail herein , various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A method for the production of underground tunnel , in which - protective pipe or equal cylinder part is assembled in the tunnel while production of tunnel - tunnel is made with rotating tool/tools - soil or rocks is transported out of tunnel with rotating transportation spiral - drill head can be guided and observed through free center part of transportation pipe c h a r a c t e r i z e d in , that - rotating transportation drum (1) is supported by-roll mechanism (13,14) to protective pipes (8) inner surface - tunnel is drilled with one or several tool/tools , which tool/tools can be transported through transportation drum to drill head and can also be removed same way - soil and rocks are removed from tunnel by rotating transportation drum, diameter of free hole in middle of transportation drum is at least 40 % of the inner diameter of outer pipe (8) - wall of tunnel being drilled can be observed through free hole of transportation drum. 2. A method according to claim 1 c h a r a c t e r i z e d in , that hoses (15) are led to drill head in protection of stabile frame (13) of roll mechanism. 3. A method according to claims 1 and 2 c h a r a c t e i¬ z e d in , that drilling is made with at least one tool , which tools radial position can be adjusted. 4. A method according to claims 1 and 2 c h a r a c t e r i¬ z e d in , that drilling is done with two or more tools , while drill head is rotating , while at least one tool is cutting round hole , which is formed in the center of tunnel and at least one tool is cutting ring shaped outer part of tunnel. 5. A method according to one of claims 1-4 c h a r a c t e¬ r i z e d in , that frames of tools are able to make retreating movement against force caused with pressurized materia. 6. A method according to one of claims 1-5 c h a r a c t e¬ i z e d in , that into tunnel formed by drilling work is pushed one after another together bound elements , which are build about protective pipe (8) and essentially same length transportation drum (1) having roll system (14) with frame (13) between them. 7. A method according to one of claims 1-6 c h a r a c t e ¬ r i z e d in, that pressurized materia for tools is led through hoses (18) , which are located in the back side of spiral (2) in transportation drum (1). 8. A method according to one of claims 1-7 c h a r a c t e¬ r i z e d in, that diameter of free hole in the center of transportation drum is at least half of the outer diameter of protective pipe (8). 9. Apparatus for carrying out the method according to claim 1, where is - rotatable head part (3) and cylinders (9) for guiding head part - transportation drum (1) with inner spiral (2) - motor (27) which is transmitting rotating movement to transportation drums outer circle - cylinders (28) and their frame (23) , which cylinders are delivering pushing force to drill head and protective pipes (8) c h a r a c t e r i z e d in , that - transportation drum pipeline , which is built about one after another bound parts , has free hole with diameter of at least 40 % of the inner diameter of protective pipe (8) - roll device (14) with to pipe (8) fastened frame (13) is located in essentially lower part of protective pipe (8). 10. Apparatus according to claim 9 c h a r a c t e r i z e d in , that it includes one or more of tools fixed in drill head and fixtures , in which tool/tools can be adjusted in direction of tunnels radius. 11. Apparatus according to claim 9 c h a r a c t e r i z e d in r that drill head includes two or more tools (17,36,20,21), at least one of which is drilling center hole and at least one which is drilling ring shaped outer circle of the tunnel. 12. Apparatus according to one of claims 9-11 c h a r a c¬ t e r i z e d in , that fixtures of one or more of tools (17,36,20,21,39) contain fixture slide , in which -tool/tools can be moved in its axial direction by cylinder driven by pressurized materia. 13. Apparatus according to one of claims 9-12 c h a r a c¬ t e r i z e d in , that fixtures of tool/tools contain fixture slide , in which tool can move in its axial direction against force caused by pressurized materia in special cylinder (10,35,37).

Inventors: ILOMAEKI VALTO, ILOMAEKI, VALTO
Applicants: TAMPEREEN ALITUSPALVELU OY
Application year: 1989
Main classification: E21D9
IPC codes: E21B7, E21D9