A local support device for TBMs and its application method

Abstract

This invention discloses a local support device suitable for TBMs and its usage method, relating to the field of tunnel and underground engineering construction technology. The device includes a ground rail module, an arch frame temporary storage module, a ground rail drive module, an arch frame transport module, and an arch frame lifting module. A movable arch frame temporary storage module is installed on the ground rail module to store multiple steel arch frames; the ground rail drive module drives the temporary storage module to move along the rail to the lifting position; the arch frame transport module can move the arch frames behind the temporary storage module forward; the arch frame lifting module has three hydraulic cylinders, with the middle cylinder equipped with a splicing clamp for connecting two arch frames, and the two side cylinders for support and synchronous lifting. The usage method includes arch frame temporary storage, transportation, splicing, lifting, anchoring, and retrieval. This invention achieves integrated operation of arch frame storage, transportation, splicing, and lifting, adapting to the narrow space at the front of the TBM and significantly improving the support efficiency and safety under locally fractured surrounding rock conditions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of tunnel and underground engineering construction technology, and in particular to a local support device suitable for TBMs and its application method. Background Technology

[0002] Tunnel boring machines (TBMs) are widely used in tunnel and underground engineering construction due to their advantages such as high efficiency, safety, and environmental friendliness. However, when TBMs traverse locally fractured strata, the surrounding rock has poor self-stabilizing ability, making it prone to disasters such as rockfalls and collapses, requiring timely support. Currently, common support methods include systematic rock bolts, shotcrete, and steel arch support. Among these, steel arch support is often used as an important support method for locally fractured sections due to its high rigidity and good support effect.

[0003] In actual construction, due to the limited working space in front of the TBM and the construction process, the storage, transportation, splicing, and lifting of steel arch frames often rely on manual labor or auxiliary equipment, which presents the following problems: 1. Existing arch support systems mostly rely on manual or simple mechanical assistance for installation. The processes are scattered and the connections are not smooth, making it difficult to achieve continuous and rapid installation of multiple arch frames, which affects the overall advancement efficiency of the TBM.

[0004] 2. In locally fractured surrounding rock environments, manual handling, alignment, and lifting of arch frames is not only labor-intensive, but also poses safety hazards due to the prolonged exposure of personnel to unsupported areas.

[0005] 3. Among the existing TBM supporting equipment, there is a lack of a dedicated device that integrates arch frame storage, transportation, splicing, lifting and locking for locally fractured strata, which makes it difficult to meet the comprehensive requirements of local support for working space, installation load and construction time.

[0006] Therefore, considering the support characteristics of TBMs in locally fractured strata, there is an urgent need to design a local support device and method that can make full use of the limited space in front of the TBM, achieve efficient temporary storage of the arch frame, flexible transportation, precise splicing of double supports, and reliable lifting over a large area, so as to provide a fast, safe, and standardized support solution for locally fractured tunnel sections. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a local support device for TBMs and its method of use in order to solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0008] The present invention achieves the above objectives through the following technical solutions: A local support device suitable for TBMs includes a ground rail module, an arch frame temporary storage module, a ground rail drive module, an arch frame transport module, and an arch frame lifting module. The ground rail module includes first linear guides symmetrically arranged on both sides, a first rack installed between the two first linear guides, a first slider slidably disposed on the first linear guides, and a movable chassis fixed to the first slider. The arch frame temporary storage module is fixedly installed on the movable chassis and includes a temporary storage frame with a slot on its upper part for placing steel arch frames. The ground rail drive module includes a stepper motor installed at the bottom of the temporary storage frame and a first gear driven by the stepper motor. The first gear meshes with the first rack; the arch frame moving module includes a second linear guide rail, a second rack, a second slider, a moving worktable, a servo motor and a second gear driven by the servo motor, a servo motor screw module, a connecting plate driven by the servo motor screw module, and an arch frame moving clamp mounted on the connecting plate. The second gear meshes with the second rack, and the arch frame moving clamp is used to clamp and move the steel arch frame on the temporary storage frame; the arch frame lifting module is located at the end of the ground rail module and includes a base, a hydraulic cylinder mounted on the base, and a clamp mounted on the top of the hydraulic cylinder.

[0009] Furthermore, the temporary storage frame includes two symmetrical portal steel structures, with a first steel base plate fixed at the bottom and a second steel base plate fixed in the middle. The slots are opened on the upper steel sections, with the width of the slots being the width of the steel arch frame plus 1cm, and a 5cm gap reserved between adjacent slots.

[0010] Furthermore, there are two second linear guides, one on the left and one on the right, both mounted on the second steel base plate. Two second sliders are mounted on each of the two second linear guides, and the four second sliders are respectively connected to the four corners of the lower surface of the movable worktable.

[0011] Furthermore, the servo motor lead screw module includes two independently driven ball screw components, and the moving ends of the two ball screw components are connected through the connecting plate.

[0012] Furthermore, the arch frame moving clamp is fixed to the connecting plate by a column, and the two sides of the arch frame moving clamp are provided with protrusions to limit the movement of the steel arch frame.

[0013] Furthermore, the base of the arch frame lifting module is fixedly installed at the end of the ground rail module; there are three hydraulic cylinders, with a splicing clamp fixedly installed on the top of the middle hydraulic cylinder, and support clamps hingedly installed on the tops of the hydraulic cylinders on the left and right sides.

[0014] Furthermore, the base is also equipped with a drive motor, a hydraulic pump, and an oil tank for supplying oil to the cylinder.

[0015] Furthermore, both sides of the splicing clamp and the support clamp are provided with protrusions to limit the steel arch frame, and the splicing clamp has a clearance notch in the middle for splicing two steel arch frames.

[0016] Furthermore, it also includes a control system, which is electrically connected to the stepper motor, servo motor and hydraulic system, and is used to control the movement of each component.

[0017] The present invention also provides a method for using a local support device suitable for TBMs, employing any of the local support devices described above, comprising the following steps: S1: Install and debug the ground rail module, arch frame temporary storage module, ground rail drive module, arch frame transport module and arch frame lifting module to ensure that each module is working properly; S2: Hoist the steel arch frame into the slot of the arch frame temporary storage module; S3: The control system controls the stepper motor to drive the ground rail drive module, moving the arch frame temporary storage module and the steel arch frame on it to the end of the ground rail module; S4: Remove the two steel arch frames and connect them into one piece on the splicing clamp (25) at the top of the cylinder in the middle of the arch frame lifting module. S5: Keep the middle cylinder stationary and control the cylinders on both sides to lift until the support clamps at the top of them contact the steel arch frame. S6: Controls three hydraulic cylinders to lift synchronously, raising the assembled steel arch frame to the design height and locking it hydraulically; S7: Install anchor bolts to fix the steel arch frame, and at the same time, use the arch frame transport module to move the steel arch frame at the rear of the temporary frame forward to the empty slot position. S8: Recycle three hydraulic cylinders; S9: Repeat steps S4 to S8 to complete the installation of the subsequent steel arch frame.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: This invention achieves fully mechanized operation of the entire arch frame process, from storage and transportation to lifting. Through a temporary storage frame and arch frame transportation module, multiple steel arch frames are continuously and automatically supplied, significantly improving support efficiency. The splicing clamps in the lifting module enable precise splicing of double arch frames, ensuring installation quality. The integrated design of the device adapts to the narrow space in front of the TBM, allowing for rapid lifting to a designated height and locking, meeting the stringent requirements of localized fractured strata for installation load and operation time. This solution significantly reduces manual labor intensity and safety risks, achieving compact, efficient, and reliable localized support operations. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a local support device for TBMs according to the present invention.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a front view structural schematic diagram of a local support device suitable for TBMs according to the present invention.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a right-side structural schematic diagram of a partial support device for TBMs according to the present invention.

[0023] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the method of using a local support device for TBMs as described in this invention.

[0024] The annotations in the attached figures are explained as follows: 1. First linear guide rail; 2. First rack; 3. First slider; 4. Moving chassis; 5. Temporary storage frame; 6. First steel base plate; 7. Stepper motor; 8. First gear; 9. Second steel base plate; 10. Second linear guide rail; 11. Second rack; 12. Second slider; 13. Moving worktable; 14. Servo motor; 15. Second gear; 16. Servo motor lead screw module; 17. Connecting plate; 18. Arch frame moving fixture; 19. Arch frame; 20. Base; 21. Drive motor; 22. Hydraulic pump; 23. Oil tank; 24. Oil cylinder; 25. Splicing fixture; 26. Support fixture; 27. Control system. Detailed Implementation

[0025] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention. In addition, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0026] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation", "connection", and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal connection of two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention can be understood through the specific circumstances.

[0027] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings: Example 1

[0028] like Figures 1-4 As shown, this embodiment provides a local support device suitable for TBMs, including a ground rail module, an arch frame temporary storage module, a ground rail drive module, an arch frame transport module, and an arch frame lifting module.

[0029] The ground rail module includes two symmetrically arranged first linear guide rails 1, with a first rack 2 installed between them. A first slider 3 is slidably mounted on each of the first linear guide rails 1, and a movable chassis 4 is fixedly mounted on the first slider 3. The movable chassis 4 is constructed from assembled steel sections and has sufficient load-bearing capacity.

[0030] The arch frame temporary storage module is fixedly installed on the mobile chassis 4. The arch frame temporary storage module includes a temporary storage frame 5, which consists of two symmetrical portal steel structures. A first steel base plate 6 is fixed to the bottom of the temporary storage frame 5, and a second steel base plate 9 is fixed to the middle. The upper steel structure has slots for placing the steel arch frame 19. The width of the slot is the width of the steel arch frame 19 plus 1cm, and a 5cm gap is reserved between adjacent slots to facilitate the movement of the steel arch frame 19 by the clamps of the arch frame transport module.

[0031] The ground rail drive module includes a stepper motor 7 mounted at the bottom of the temporary storage frame 5 and a first gear 8 driven by the stepper motor 7. The stepper motor 7 has a reducer to increase torque. The first gear 8 meshes with a first rack 2, preferably using helical gears to increase transmission smoothness. When the stepper motor 7 rotates, it drives the entire arch frame temporary storage module to move along the first linear guide rail 1.

[0032] The arch frame transport module is used to move the steel arch frame at the rear of the temporary storage frame to the front empty slot. This module includes two left and right second linear guide rails 10 mounted on the second steel base plate 9, and a second rack 11 between the two second linear guide rails. Two second sliders 12 are mounted on each second linear guide rail 10, and a total of four second sliders 12 are connected to the four corners of the lower surface of the movable worktable 13. A servo motor 14 is mounted on the movable worktable 13, which drives a second gear 15 to mesh with the second rack 11, thereby moving the movable worktable 13 longitudinally along the second linear guide rails 10. A servo motor screw module 16 is also mounted on the movable worktable 13. This module includes two independently driven ball screw components, the movable ends of which are connected by a connecting plate 17. The connecting plate 17 is fixed to an arch frame moving clamp 18 via a column. The arch frame moving clamp 18 has protrusions on both sides for limiting the movement of the steel arch frame 19.

[0033] The arch frame lifting module is fixedly installed at the end of the ground rail module, including a base 20. The base 20 is a welded steel structure, fixedly installed on the ground at the end of the ground rail module or on the TBM trolley. A drive motor 21, a hydraulic pump 22, and an oil tank 23 are installed on the base 20 to supply oil to the hydraulic cylinders 24. Three hydraulic cylinders 24 are vertically installed on the base 20. A splicing clamp 25 is fixedly installed on the top of the middle cylinder 24, and support clamps 26 are hinged to the tops of the cylinders on the left and right sides. Both sides of the splicing clamp 25 and the support clamps 26 have protrusions to limit the movement of the steel arch frame 19, and the splicing clamp 25 has a clearance notch in the middle to facilitate bolting or welding of two steel arch frames at the notch. The curvature of the splicing clamp 25 and the support clamps 26 is consistent with the design curvature of the steel arch frame to ensure a good fit.

[0034] The control system 27 is electrically connected to the stepper motor 7, servo motor 14, and various hydraulic valves to control the sequence and precision of the actions of each component. The hydraulic cylinder 24 has a built-in displacement sensor, and the hydraulic system is equipped with a servo valve and a pressure sensor to achieve synchronous lifting and locking.

[0035] like Figure 4 As shown, this embodiment also discloses a method for using a local support device suitable for TBMs, as follows: S1: Install the ground rail module, arch frame temporary storage module, ground rail drive module, arch frame transport module, and arch frame lifting module at appropriate positions at the front of the TBM, and perform debugging to ensure that each motor, sensor, and hydraulic cylinder works normally and that the action logic and accuracy meet the requirements.

[0036] S2: Using an external crane or the arch frame transfer crane built into the TBM, the steel arch frames 19 are lifted one by one into the slots on the upper part of the temporary storage frame 5, and multiple arch frames can be stored at one time.

[0037] S3: The stepper motor 7 is controlled to rotate by the control system 27. The first gear 8 meshes with the first rack 2, driving the entire arch frame temporary storage module to move along the first linear guide rail 1 towards the working face until it moves to the end of the ground rail module, which is close to the arch frame lifting module.

[0038] S4: The operator removes the two steel arch frames 19 and uses the avoidance notch on the splicing clamp 25 at the top of the middle oil cylinder 24 to connect the two steel arch frames 19 into one piece by bolts or welding.

[0039] S5: Keep the middle cylinder 24 stationary and control the cylinders 24 on both sides to lift synchronously until the support clamp 26 contacts both sides of the assembled steel arch frame 19.

[0040] S6: Controls three hydraulic cylinders 24 to lift synchronously, raising the assembled steel arch frame to the designed height of the tunnel arch top, and locking it through the hydraulic locking valve in the hydraulic system to maintain a stable position.

[0041] S7: Install anchor bolts to fix the steel arch frame 19 to the surrounding rock. At the same time, the arch frame moving module moves the next steel arch frame at the rear of the temporary storage frame forward to the empty slot position in accordance with the method in S4, in preparation for the next installation; specifically, the control system can start the arch frame moving module: the servo motor 14 drives the second gear 15 to rotate, so that the moving worktable 13 moves to the bottom of the steel arch frame to be transported, the servo motor screw module 16 drives the connecting plate 17 to rise, the arch frame moving clamp 18 lifts the steel arch frame 19 so that its bottom surface is higher than the upper end surface of the slot, then the moving worktable 13 moves forward and then lowers to put the steel arch frame 19 into the front empty slot, thereby realizing the automatic forward movement and loading of the steel arch frame.

[0042] S8: Recover the three hydraulic cylinders 24 and lower them to their initial positions.

[0043] S9: Repeat steps S4 to S8 to complete the connection, lifting and installation of the subsequent steel arch frames in sequence until the work on this local support section is completed.

[0044] Through the above steps, the present invention realizes the mechanized and continuous installation of steel arch frames under the condition of TBM locally fractured surrounding rock, which significantly improves support efficiency and safety.

[0045] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are only illustrative of the principles of the present invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the present invention as claimed.

Claims

1. A local support device suitable for use with a TBM, characterized by: It includes a ground rail module, an arch frame temporary storage module, a ground rail drive module, an arch frame transport module, and an arch frame lifting module; The ground rail module includes a first linear guide rail (1) arranged symmetrically on the left and right, a first rack (2) installed between the two first linear guide rails (1), a first slider (3) slidably arranged on the first linear guide rail (1), and a movable chassis (4) fixed on the first slider (3). The arch frame temporary storage module is fixedly installed on the mobile chassis (4). The arch frame temporary storage module includes a temporary storage frame (5). The upper part of the temporary storage frame (5) is provided with a slot for placing the steel arch frame (19). The ground rail drive module includes a stepper motor (7) installed at the bottom of the temporary storage frame (5) and a first gear (8) driven by the stepper motor (7), the first gear (8) meshing with the first rack (2); The arch frame moving module includes a second linear guide rail (10), a second rack (11), a second slider (12), a moving worktable (13), a servo motor (14) and a second gear (15) driven by the servo motor, a servo motor screw module (16) and a connecting plate (17) driven by the servo motor screw module (16) and an arch frame moving clamp (18) mounted on the connecting plate. The second gear (15) meshes with the second rack (11), and the arch frame moving clamp (18) is used to clamp and move the steel arch frame (19) on the temporary storage frame. The arch frame lifting module is located at the end of the ground rail module and includes a base (20), a hydraulic cylinder (24) mounted on the base (20), and a clamp mounted on the top of the hydraulic cylinder (24).

2. A local support device suitable for TBMs according to claim 1, characterized in that: The temporary storage frame (5) includes two symmetrical portal steel structures, with a first steel base plate (6) fixed at the bottom and a second steel base plate (9) fixed in the middle. The slots are opened on the upper steel sections, with the width of the slots being the width of the steel arch frame plus 1cm, and a 5cm gap reserved between adjacent slots.

3. A local support device suitable for TBMs according to claim 2, characterized in that: The second linear guide (10) consists of two left and right rails, both of which are mounted on the second steel base plate (9). Two second sliders (12) are mounted on each of the two second linear guides (10), and the four second sliders (12) are respectively connected to the four corners of the lower surface of the movable worktable (13).

4. A local support device suitable for TBMs according to claim 1, characterized in that: The servo motor lead screw module (16) includes two independently driven ball screw components, and the movable ends of the two ball screw components are connected through the connecting plate (17).

5. A local support device suitable for TBMs according to claim 4, characterized in that: The arch frame moving clamp (18) is fixed to the connecting plate (17) by the column, and the two sides of the arch frame moving clamp (18) are provided with protrusions to limit the steel arch frame (19).

6. A local support device for TBMs according to claim 1, characterized in that: The base (20) of the arch frame lifting module is fixedly installed at the end of the ground rail module; there are three oil cylinders (24), with a splicing clamp (25) fixedly installed on the top of the middle oil cylinder (24), and support clamps (26) hinged on the top of the oil cylinders (24) on the left and right sides.

7. A local support device for TBMs according to claim 6, characterized in that: The base (20) is also equipped with a drive motor (21), a hydraulic pump (22) and an oil tank (23) for supplying oil to the oil cylinder (24).

8. A local support device for TBMs according to claim 6, characterized in that: Both sides of the splicing clamp (25) and the support clamp (26) are provided with protrusions to limit the steel arch frame (19), and the splicing clamp (25) has a clearance notch in the middle for splicing two steel arch frames.

9. A local support device suitable for TBMs according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a control system (27), which is electrically connected to the stepper motor (7), the servo motor (14) and the hydraulic system, and is used to control the actions of each component.

10. A method of using a local support device suitable for TBMs, characterized in that, The use of the local support device according to any one of claims 1 to 9 includes the following steps: S1: Install and debug the ground rail module, arch frame temporary storage module, ground rail drive module, arch frame transport module and arch frame lifting module to ensure that each module is working properly; S2: Hoist the steel arch frame (19) into the slot of the arch frame temporary storage module; S3: Control the stepper motor (7) through the control system to drive the ground rail drive module, and move the arch frame temporary storage module and the steel arch frame on it to the end of the ground rail module; S4: Remove the two steel arch frames (19) and connect the two steel arch frames (19) into one piece on the splicing clamp (25) on the top of the oil cylinder (24) in the middle of the arch frame lifting module; S5: Keep the middle cylinder (24) still and control the cylinders (24) on both sides to rise until the support clamp (26) at the top of them contacts the steel arch frame; S6: Control the three oil cylinders (24) to lift synchronously, raise the assembled steel arch frame to the design height, and lock it by hydraulic means; S7: Install anchor bolts to fix the steel arch frame, and at the same time, use the arch frame transport module to move the steel arch frame at the rear of the temporary frame forward to the empty slot position. S8: Recycle three oil cylinders (24); S9: Repeat steps S4 to S8 to complete the installation of the subsequent steel arch frame (19).

Images