Tunnel boring machine

Abstract

In a tunnel boring machine designed with a sliding tube (209) for replacing a digging tool (106), it is provided that the load measuring element (242) is fixed in an axially extending load measuring element receptacle (236) provided in the sliding tube (209). These load measuring elements (242) are located directly in the force flow from the digging tool (106) into the sliding tube (209) and remain in situ after initial installation and subsequent calibration even if the digging tool (106) is replaced. As a result, the load acting on the digging tool (106) can be stably obtained with little effort and over a long period of time.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a tunnel boring machine according to the features of the preamble of claim 1 .

[0002] Such a tunnel boring machine is known from patent document CN 207829897 U. Such a tunnel boring machine has a plurality of slide tubes in which excavation tools are each movably supported in order to change the tools. In addition, there are a plurality of load measuring elements which are provided for measuring the loads exerted on the excavation tools. The load measuring elements are integrated with the pure connecting screws into the connection between the annular flange connected to the slide tube and the slide tube support. This means that, due to the force flow associated with the structural design, a relatively large number of load measuring elements are required to achieve sufficient measurement accuracy.

[0003] The object of the present invention is to provide a tunnel boring machine of the type mentioned at the outset which is distinguished by relatively precise load measurement of an excavation tool mounted in a slide tube and by simple handling when changing the tool.

[0004] This object is achieved according to the invention in a tunnel boring machine of the type mentioned at the outset by the features of claim 1 .

[0005] According to the invention, at least one axially extending load measuring element receptacle is constructed in at least some of the slide tubes, which slide tube load measuring element receptacle is provided for receiving a load measuring element, whereby the or each load measuring element can be mounted and calibrated once in a fixed mechanical connection and then in the slide tube, which is usually designed as a cylinder, is located in a direct, purely axial force flow through the slide tube, in which force flow the or each load measuring element receptacle and the or each load measuring element installed therein are substantially subject to the same compression and tension. As a result, the load acting on the excavation tool can be measured with relatively high accuracy by a few load measuring elements, possibly only one load measuring element, permanently and unaffected by tool changes.

[0006] Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0007] Further advantageous embodiments and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings.

[0008] In the attached picture:

[0009] Figure 1 A front view showing a cutting wheel of an exemplary tunnel boring machine according to the present invention;

[0010] Figure 2A sectional view showing an exemplary embodiment of an excavation tool which is movably supported in a slide tube and has a load measuring element integrated in the slide tube;

[0011] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of a load measuring element receptacle constructed in a sliding tube and a sliding tube flange, the load measuring element receptacle having a load measuring element arranged therein;

[0012] Figure 4 A perspective view showing the design of a load measuring element;

[0013] Figure 5 A perspective view showing a design solution of an additional protective housing for accommodating a connecting cable and an adapter cable connected to a connector cable; and

[0014] Figure 6 A schematic diagram shows an arrangement for wirelessly transmitting data provided by a load measuring element to a data processing unit.

[0015] Figure 1 A view of a cutting wheel 103 of an exemplary tunnel boring machine according to the invention is shown, the view being viewed from the side pointing forward in the excavation direction and thus towards the working face. The cutting wheel 103 has a plurality of cutting rollers 106 as an excavation tool. At least some of these cutting rollers 106 are arranged in tool holders 109, which are arranged on the rear side of the cutting wheel 103, which is located at the rear in the excavation direction, in order to change the tool, in particular to change the tool without pressurization.

[0016] Figure 2 The cutter roller 106 arranged in the tool holder 109 is shown in a sectional view. The cutter roller 106 is supported rotatably about the cutter roller axis 203 and movably together with the tool fastening set 206 in a cylindrical slide tube 209 of the slide tube unit for tool replacement. The slide tube 209 is connected at its front end in the excavation direction, for example by welding, to a slide tube bearing ring 212 of the slide tube unit, by which the slide tube 209 is supported in the radial direction. At the end facing away from the slide tube bearing ring 212 and located at the rear in the excavation direction, the slide tube 209 is connected to a slide tube flange 215 of the slide tube unit, for example by welding.

[0017] The sliding tube flange 215 has an axial section 218, which directly adjoins the sliding tube 209 and is connected thereto, for example, by welding, and a radial section 221, which extends outward in a radial direction at right angles to the axial section 218. A plurality of screw recesses 224 are formed in the radial section 221, through which fastening screws 227 can be passed.

[0018] The radial section 221 rests with its front side in the excavation direction against a sliding tube support 230, which surrounds the rear region of the sliding tube 209 in the excavation direction. The sliding tube support 230 is designed to have blind holes 233 with internal threads that are aligned with the screw grooves 224 of the sliding tube flange 215, and the fastening screws 227 for fixing the sliding tube flange 215 on the sliding tube support 230 and thus for clamping the sliding tube 209 are screwed into these blind holes.

[0019] In addition, according to Figure 2 As can be seen from the figure, in the illustrated embodiment, the slide tube 209 has a plurality of load measuring element receptacles 236, which are designed as blind holes and extend in the axial direction from the end of the slide tube 209 located at the rear in the excavation direction toward the end located at the front in the excavation direction. In this embodiment, the axial section 218 of the slide tube flange 215 is designed to have a plurality of load measuring element bushings 239 that match the number of the load measuring element receptacles 236, and these load measuring element bushings are aligned with the load measuring element receptacles 236.

[0020] In addition, according to Figure 2 It can be seen from the illustration that a load measuring element 242 is arranged in a single load measuring element receptacle 236 with a correspondingly configured load measuring element bushing 239. Advantageously, provision is made that a load measuring element 242 is arranged in at least some of the load measuring element receptacles 236 with the associated load measuring element bushing 239.

[0021] The sliding pipe flange 215 has a number of additional protective housings 245 which corresponds at least to the number of load measuring elements 242 and are arranged in the region of the corresponding load measuring elements 242 .

[0022] In addition, according to Figure 2 It can be seen from the illustration that the sliding tube 209 together with the associated sliding tube flange 215 can be closed by a closing arrangement 248 on the side located at the rear in the excavation direction.

[0023] Figure 3 The arrangement of the load measuring element 242 inserted into the load measuring element receptacle 236 and the load measuring element bushing 239 is shown in FIG. Figure 2 The illustration is compared to the enlarged cross-sectional view.

[0024] from Figure 3It can be seen from the figure that the load measuring element receptacle 236 designed as a blind hole in the sliding tube 209 is designed in its closed end area to have a conically narrowed conical section 303 and a first cylindrical section 306 connected to the conical section 303. At the end opposite to the conical section 303, the first cylindrical section 306 has an internal thread area 309. In the direction of the end of the sliding tube 209 located at the rear in the excavation direction, a second cylindrical section 312 is connected to the internal thread area 309 of the first cylindrical section 306, which is enlarged in cross section compared to the first cylindrical section 306, and the second cylindrical section is connected to the load measuring element bushing 239 having a substantially identical cross section.

[0025] The load measuring element 242 again has a lens-shaped rounded end face section 315. Figure 3 In the illustration, the end face section is actually linearly closed against the conical section 303 in the circumferential direction. The end face section 315 is connected to the head section 318, which advantageously has a reduced cross section compared to the end face section 315. The head section 318 of the load measuring element 242 is connected to the external thread section 321, which has an external thread complementary to the internal thread area 309, so that the load measuring element 242 can be connected to the sliding tube 209 as a single component by threaded connection with a tightening torque predetermined for a calibration. Therefore, the composite structure composed of the sliding tube 209 and the load measuring element 242 is subjected to the same load in the axial direction without any obvious strain separation.

[0026] The external thread section 321 extends to a neck section 324, which is connected to the load measuring element bushing 239. In the region of the end region of the neck section 324 remote from the external thread section 321, there is an O-ring-like support ring 327 made of a relatively soft and elastic material, which cushions this end region of the neck section 324 against vibrations and supports it firmly by friction against rotation.

[0027] In a variant not shown, Figure 2 and Figure 3 Compared to the load measuring element 242 shown and described, this load measuring element is designed with a relatively short neck section 324 , so that it is completely received by the load measuring element receptacle 236 formed in the sliding tube 209 .

[0028] A connecting cable 330 projects from the end face of the neck section 324 , is located in a cable lead-through space 333 formed in the sliding tube flange 215 , and extends into a cable receiving space 336 formed in the additional protective housing 245 .

[0029] Due to the above-described construction, it is relatively easy to install the load measuring element 242 in the sliding tube 209 before installing the sliding tube flange 215 , since the neck section 324 is partially exposed and is therefore easily accessible to a tightening tool, in particular a torque wrench.

[0030] In a variant with a relatively short neck section, the load measuring element is mounted using a socket wrench which acts on the load measuring element at its end facing the opening of the load measuring element receptacle 236 .

[0031] Furthermore, after installation in the slide tube 209 and subsequent calibration, the or each load measuring element 242 is not affected even in the event of a tool change, for example by replacing the cutting roller 106 , and is protected by the then installed slide tube flange 215 , so that tool replacement is relatively simple.

[0032] Figure 4 Show with the help of Figure 3 A perspective view of the load measuring element 242 in the embodiment already described. Figure 4 It can be clearly seen in FIG. 3 that the end face section 315 is designed to be flattened in a rounded manner, or in a lens-like manner. The spatially defined and temporally constant force introduction to the load measuring element 242 is achieved by directrix contact between the load measuring element 242 and the load measuring element receptacle 236 or circumferentially in a narrow strip, which is achieved by cooperation with the conical section 303 of the load measuring element receptacle 236.

[0033] from Figure 4 It can also be seen that in this embodiment, a plurality of flat, small plate-shaped load sensor plates 403 are mounted as load sensor components on the head section 318 between the end face section 315 and the external thread section 321. The mechanical deformation of the head section 318 can be measured by the load sensor plates 403 and can be input into the connecting cable 330 as an electrical signal representing the load of the sliding tube 209.

[0034] Figure 5A perspective view of an embodiment of an additional protective housing 245 with associated components is shown. The additional protective housing 245 is mounted on the sliding tube flange 215 by means of connecting screws 503 and accommodates in its cable receiving space 336 the end region of the connecting cable 330 of the load measuring element 242 on the one hand and an adapter cable 506 on the other hand. The adapter cable 506 is connected to the connecting cable 330 via an intermediate plug connection 509 as a connector connection and to a connecting cable plug 512 as a further connector connection, which is arranged in a connector space 515 separate from the cable receiving space 336.

[0035] In order to ensure reliable electrical contact under harsh environmental conditions during operation of the tunnel boring machine, the connecting cable plug 512 is designed with an external contact strip 518 which is relatively easy to clean.

[0036] A connection cable 521 is provided for connecting the load measuring element 242, which has a connection cable socket 524 at one end. The connection cable socket 524 can be inserted into the connection space 515 through a wall groove 527 arranged in the wall of the connection space 515 in the area of ​​the connection cable plug 512 in the additional protective housing 245 and can be connected to the connection cable plug 512.

[0037] Advantageously, the cable receiving space 336 which is closed at the bottom can be closed with a closing cover 530 in order to protect the central plug connection 509 , while the connection space 515 is open on both sides of the connecting cable plug 512 in order to be able to clean the contact strips 518 relatively easily.

[0038] Figure 6 A schematic diagram shows an arrangement for wirelessly transmitting data provided by the load measuring element 242 to a data processing unit 603. Figure 6 The arrangement structure has a transmission module 606, which can be connected to the or each of the above through the connector cable 521. Figure 6 The load measuring element 242 not shown in the figure is electrically connected.

[0039] The load signal output from the corresponding load measuring element 242 and representing the load applied to the relevant sliding tube 209 can be advantageously input into the receiving module 612 via the wireless transmission link 609 through the transmission module 606, and the receiving module is connected to the data processing unit 603 via the connecting line 615.

[0040] The load state of the sliding tube 209 recorded by the load measuring element 242 can be output by the data processing unit 603 so that, by operating the tunnel boring machine with correspondingly less load, in particular local extreme loads or even overloads of the excavation tool connected to the relevant sliding tube 209, such as in particular the cutting roller 106, can be avoided as far as possible.

Claims

1. A tunnel boring machine having a plurality of slide tubes (209) in which an excavation tool (106) is movably mounted in each of the slide tubes for changing the tool, the tunnel boring machine also having at least one load measuring element (242) for measuring a load applied to the excavation tool (106), characterized in that: At least one load measuring element receiving portion (236) extending in the axial direction is configured in at least some of the sliding tubes (209), and a load measuring element (242) is arranged in at least one load measuring element receiving portion (236).

2. The tunnel boring machine according to claim 1, characterized in that The or each load measuring element receptacle (236) formed in the sliding tube (209) has an internal threaded region (309), and the load measuring element (242) has an external threaded section (321) corresponding to the internal threaded region (309).

3. The tunnel boring machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: Each load measuring element (242) has an end face section (315) and a head section (318) extending between the end face section (315) and the external thread section (321), wherein the end face section (315) and the end of the load measuring element receptacle (236) constructed in the sliding tube (209) are formed in such a way that a linear or strip-shaped circumferential contact area is formed between the end face section (315) and the end of the load measuring element receptacle (236) constructed in the sliding tube (209).

4. The tunnel boring machine according to claim 3, characterized in that Each load measuring element (242) is arranged on a head section (318) of at least one load sensor component (403).

5. The tunnel boring machine according to claim 4, characterized in that Each sliding tube (209) is connected to a sliding tube bearing ring (212) on the side opposite to the load measuring element (242).

6. The tunnel boring machine according to claim 5, characterized in that Each sliding tube (209) rests against a sliding tube flange (215) in the region of the load measuring element (242).

7. The tunnel boring machine according to claim 6, characterized in that The sliding tube flange (215) has a plurality of load measuring element bushings (239) corresponding to the number of the plurality of load measuring element receiving portions (236) constructed in the sliding tube (209), and the load measuring element bushings are aligned with the load measuring element receiving portions (236) respectively configured accordingly.

8. The tunnel boring machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that Each load measuring element (242) is connected to a connecting cable (330) for outputting an electrical signal.

9. The tunnel boring machine according to claim 8, characterized in that An additional protective housing (245) is provided, into which the connecting cable (330) leads.

10. The tunnel boring machine according to claim 9, characterized in that A transition cable (506) having two connector connections (509, 512) is provided and is arranged in an additional protective housing (245).

11. The tunnel boring machine according to claim 10, characterized in that The adapter cable (506) is connected to a connecting cable plug (512), which is designed with external contact strips (518).

12. The tunnel boring machine according to claim 11, characterized in that The connecting cable plug (512) is arranged in the connection space (515), and a wall recess (527) is formed in the wall of the connection space (515) in the region of the connecting cable plug (512).

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