Patent ID: 8662796

Claim:
A method for lining tunnel walls or tunnel ceilings with protective nets, comprising: arranging a reel of web-shaped protective net material on a shaft to enable the reel to rotate about the shaft, securing ends of the shaft, using a securing system, rotating the reel using a rotation system that engages with a surface of the reel to cause rotation of the reel, while the ends of the shaft are secured by the securing system, and thus unwinding of the protective net material from the reel, the rotation system comprising a pressure roller engaging with the surface of the reel, and controlling rotational movement of the reel by maintaining engagement of the rotation system with the surface of the reel during unwinding of the reel and selectively actuating the rotation system, while engaged with the surface of the reel, to provide for unwinding of the protective net material from the reel and for braking of the reel, the reel being movable along the tunnel walls or tunnel ceiling, wherein the step of controlling rotational movement of the reel comprises: controlling rotational movement of the pressure roller; and moving the pressure roller in a radial direction of the reel as the protective net material unwinds from the reel to maintain contact between the pressure roller and the surface of the reel.