Short-machine-surface crawler chassis adaptive to TBM (tunnel boring machine)
By adapting the TBM to a low-profile tracked chassis design, and utilizing lifting and swing cylinders to achieve precise guidance and attitude adjustment of the TBM, the problem of movement and attitude adjustment of traditional TBMs in complex construction environments is solved, improving the equipment's flexibility and construction efficiency in confined spaces.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202520018364.6
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-01-06
- Publication Date
- 2025-12-19
- Estimated Expiration
- 2035-01-06
AI Technical Summary
Traditional TBM equipment struggles to move flexibly and adjust its posture in complex construction environments, especially in confined spaces and curved trajectories, which affects construction efficiency and schedule.
It adopts a low-profile tracked chassis design adapted to TBM, including a middle frame structure, track assembly and guide structure. The chassis is precisely guided and its attitude is adjusted by using lifting cylinders and swing cylinders. The track assembly is responsible for movement and support functions, and the guide sleeve slides with the TBM superstructure to ensure stability and flexibility.
It improves the mobility and efficiency of TBMs in complex construction environments, solves the problem of difficult turning of traditional equipment in confined spaces and complex working conditions, and enhances the adaptability and stability of the equipment.
Smart Images
Figure CN223686696U_ABST
Abstract
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of track walking drive system, concretely is the low machine surface track chassis of adaptation TBM. BACKGROUND
[0002] The traditional TBM moving mode usually adopts the step type structure design, that is, through the auxiliary structure such as supporting shoe, propelling cylinder, guide groove or guide rail, the equipment is gradually propelled forward by relying on the hydraulic system drive, this mode can effectively guarantee the stability and safety of equipment in straight line or relatively simple construction environment, however, when the equipment needs to adapt to more complex construction requirements, such as the tunnel excavation of small turning radius, equipment transfer movement, tunnel operation posture adjustment and other working conditions, its mobility and flexibility have obvious defects, and it is difficult to meet the actual construction needs.
[0003] Taking small turning radius construction as an example, due to the rigidity of the supporting and propelling structure of the traditional TBM, the equipment main body cannot quickly adjust the posture and accurately turn, which leads to difficult operation in narrow or curved tunnel and greatly reduces the construction efficiency. In addition, when the equipment needs to be moved, due to the lack of efficient moving structure design, the traditional TBM usually needs to rely on external traction or auxiliary facilities for transfer operation, which not only consumes a lot of time, but also needs additional construction resources, seriously affecting the overall construction progress.
[0004] In the prior art, in order to improve the stability and safety of TBM in the moving process, the guide system (such as guide groove or guide rail) is usually combined with the shield body or support leg structure of the equipment to ensure the stable movement of the equipment along the predetermined track. However, this design mainly focuses on the stability of the equipment, and has significant defects in flexibility and efficiency improvement for complex construction conditions, which is specifically shown in the following aspects: the traditional step type moving mode is difficult to quickly adapt to the needs of transfer or complex posture adjustment, especially in narrow space, it shows insufficient adaptability, when facing curved track, complex terrain and specific environmental restrictions (such as smaller space in the tunnel), the existing equipment is difficult to complete flexible movement and adjustment. SUMMARY
[0005] The utility model provides a low machine surface track chassis of adaptation TBM to solve the technical problem that the existing equipment is difficult to complete flexible movement and adjustment.
[0006] According to one aspect of the utility model, provide a kind of short machine surface track chassis suitable for TBM, including intermediate frame structural member and the track assembly being arranged at the both sides of intermediate frame structural member, at least two guiding structures for being connected with TBM upper equipment are provided on the intermediate frame structural member, the guiding structure includes guide sleeve and the lifting cylinder being arranged in guide sleeve, lifting cylinder two ends are connected intermediate frame and TBM upper equipment respectively, guide sleeve is fixed on intermediate frame structure, for with the guiding hole on TBM sliding fit realizes guiding.
[0007] Optionally, the track assembly and the intermediate frame are connected with the swing cylinder, the first hinged seat and the second hinged seat are vertically distributed on the track assembly, the second hinged seat is hinged with the intermediate frame, and the swing cylinder is hinged at the first hinged seat and the intermediate frame at two ends, so that the track assembly is swung around the second hinged seat by the extension and retraction of the swing cylinder.
[0008] Optionally, the first hinged seat is located above the second hinged seat, so that the hinged swing point of the track assembly is located below the intermediate frame, and the swing cylinder is arranged above the intermediate frame.
[0009] Optionally, the swing cylinders connected to the tracks on the both sides of the intermediate frame are staggered distributed to realize compact layout.
[0010] Optionally, the track assembly includes a track frame structural member, a drive wheel and a speed reducer, the drive wheel and the speed reducer are coaxially arranged, are connected in series through a spline shaft, and the drive wheel and the spline shaft are supported on one side of the track frame structural member through tapered roller bearings.
[0011] Optionally, the drive wheel is mounted at the cantilever end of the spline shaft.
[0012] Optionally, an end cover is arranged at the end of the spline shaft to axially position the drive wheel.
[0013] Optionally, the spline shaft and the track frame are axially and radially positioned through bearings, and bear the load in the corresponding direction, so as to reduce the requirement of the output end of the speed reducer in axial and radial bearing.
[0014] Optionally, in terms of spatial distribution, the two guiding structures are respectively located at the two ends of the intermediate frame, and the swing cylinders are distributed on the intermediate frame between the two guiding structures.
[0015] Optionally, when the piston rod of the swing cylinder is extended, the track assembly is in a vertical working state, and when the piston rod of the swing cylinder is retracted, the track assembly swings upward around the second hinged seat and is in a retracted state, so as to make the track assembly fit the TBM upper equipment.
[0016] In summary, the present application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects:
[0017] The intermediate frame structure is provided with a guide sleeve, a lifting oil cylinder is installed in the sleeve, and the intermediate frame and the TBM upper assembly are connected through the two ends of the oil cylinder respectively. This design ensures the accurate guiding and positioning between the chassis and the TBM upper assembly, so that the equipment can maintain stable and accurate attitude adjustment in complex construction environment. The lifting oil cylinder provides the overall lifting power of the chassis, so that the tracked chassis can quickly switch between the grounded and ungrounded states, and adapt to different working condition requirements such as movement, attitude adjustment and scene transfer operation. The guide sleeve and the guide hole on the TBM are designed in a sliding fit to ensure the flexibility and accuracy of the guide structure in different heights and directions, thereby allowing the equipment to quickly adjust the attitude in a narrow space, avoiding the problems of steering difficulty and low efficiency caused by the traditional rigid support system. The guide structure provides independent support and guiding function in the vertical direction, and the tracked assembly is responsible for the movement function of the equipment. This structural separation effectively solves the problem that the traditional TBM equipment is difficult to adapt to complex space due to the overall rigid design when moving flexibly, so that the lifting, attitude adjustment and movement functions can be efficiently completed respectively.
[0018] In addition to the purposes, features and advantages described above, the present application has other purposes, features and advantages. The present application will be further described below with reference to the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0019] The accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application, are included to provide a further understanding of the application, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application. The embodiments of the present application illustrated in the drawings and their descriptions serve to explain the present application, and do not constitute an improper limitation on the present application. In the drawings:
[0020] Figure 1 Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the installation of the low-machine-face tracked chassis of the present application adapted to the TBM;
[0021] Figure 2 Figure 2 is a structural schematic diagram of the transmission part of the tracked assembly of the present application;
[0022] Figure 3 Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of the swing oil cylinder of the present application;
[0023] Figure 4 Figure 4 is a top view of the low-machine-face tracked chassis of the present application adapted to the TBM.
[0024] LEGEND:
[0025] 1, TMB upper assembly; 2, guide structure; 3, lifting oil cylinder; 4, tracked assembly; 5, speed reducer; 6, tracked frame structure; 7, bearing; 8, spline shaft; 9, drive wheel; 10, end cover; 11, left / right tracked assembly; 12, swing oil cylinder; 13, intermediate frame. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] The embodiments of the utility model are explained in detail below in combination with the drawings, but the utility model can be implemented in various different ways limited and covered by the following.
[0027] The embodiments of the utility model are explained in detail below in combination with the drawings, but the utility model can be implemented in various different ways limited and covered by the following. Figures 1-4 The application is further explained in detail.
[0028] The embodiments of the application disclose a short machine surface crawler chassis adapted to TBM.
[0029] Refer to Figure 1 The short machine surface crawler chassis adapted to TBM comprises a middle frame 13 structural member and a crawler assembly 4 arranged on both sides of the middle frame 13 structural member, at least two guide structures 2 for connecting with the upper installation of TBM are arranged on the middle frame 13 structural member, the guide structure 2 comprises a guide sleeve and a lifting oil cylinder 3 arranged in the guide sleeve, the lifting oil cylinder 3 is connected with the middle frame 13 structure and the upper installation of TBM at both ends respectively, the guide sleeve is fixed on the middle frame 13 structure and is used for sliding fit with the guide hole on the TBM to realize guiding.
[0030] The middle frame 13 structural member serves as an overall support framework, provides the installation basis for the crawler assembly 4 and the guide structure 2, and connects the upper installation of TBM to realize stable bearing; the crawler assembly 4 is installed on both sides of the middle frame 13 and is responsible for the moving function of the equipment, and provides flexible propulsion and attitude adjustment capacity for the TBM; the guide sleeve in the guide structure 2 is fixed on the middle frame 13 structure and is connected with the guide hole on the TBM through sliding fit and is used for guiding the precise positioning and docking of the chassis and the TBM in the vertical direction; the lifting oil cylinder 3 is located in the guide sleeve, and its both ends are connected with the middle frame 13 and the upper installation of TBM respectively, and the overall lifting switching of the chassis is realized through hydraulic power. In the ground state, the crawler assembly 4 provides stable support and propulsion for the equipment and meets the tunneling demand; in the non-ground state, the crawler is overturned through the switching of the lifting oil cylinder 3 and the control of the swing oil cylinder 12, so that the chassis is attached to the equipment or the attitude is adjusted, the attitude adjustment demand under complex working conditions is met, and the adaptability and construction efficiency of the equipment in the narrow space are improved.
[0031] In a specific embodiment, to ensure the sealing of the guide structure 2, a dust and mud prevention function can be achieved by adding a high-performance sealing device between the guide sleeve and the sliding guide hole. Specifically, a wear-resistant rubber sealing ring, a multi-layer labyrinth seal structure, or a metal mud scraping ring can be used to ensure that the sealing element can effectively block the entry of mud, dust, and water during sliding cooperation. The sealing device needs to have excellent wear resistance and extrusion resistance to adapt to long-term high-frequency sliding and complex construction environments, and corrosion-resistant materials are selected to resist chemical attacks in the mud. To further enhance the sealing effect, a protective cover can be designed on the outside of the guide sleeve to protect the sliding area from direct impact and pollution, or a self-cleaning function can be added, such as designing a mud scraper around the sealing ring to automatically remove adhered mud and impurities during sliding. Through such design, the service life of the guide structure 2 can be significantly prolonged, the failure frequency caused by sand abrasion can be reduced, the maintenance cost and downtime can be reduced, and the reliability and stability of the equipment in complex construction environments can be improved.
[0032] With reference to Figure 3 , the swing oil cylinder 12 is connected between the track assembly 4 and the intermediate frame 13 structure, the first and second hinge seats are vertically distributed on the track assembly 4, the second hinge seat is hinged with the intermediate frame 13 structure, and the two ends of the swing oil cylinder 12 are hinged on the first hinge seat and the intermediate frame 13 structure respectively, so as to drive the track assembly 4 to swing around the second hinge seat through the extension and retraction of the swing oil cylinder 12. The track assembly 4 and the intermediate frame 13 structure are connected through the swing oil cylinder 12, the first hinge seat is located above the track assembly 4 and used for being hinged with one end of the swing oil cylinder 12, the second hinge seat is located below the track assembly 4 and hinged with the intermediate frame 13 structure, forming a swing fulcrum of the track assembly 4; the swing oil cylinder 12 drives the track assembly 4 to swing around the second hinge seat through the extension and retraction action, so as to change the angle and posture of the track assembly 4, adapt to the working state or space requirement of the equipment. This design provides stable support and movement ability in the ground state, realizes upward overturning of the track assembly 4 in the non-ground state, makes the chassis fit the equipment, reduces the overall profile size, enhances the flexibility of the equipment in narrow space and complex construction environment, and improves the accuracy and efficiency of adjustment through the controllability of the swing oil cylinder 12.
[0033] The first hinge seat is located above the second hinge seat, so that the hinge swing point of the track assembly 4 is located below the intermediate frame 13 structure, and the swing cylinder 12 is arranged above the intermediate frame 13 structure. This structure makes the hinge swing point of the track assembly 4 located below the intermediate frame 13 structure, thereby lowering the center of gravity of the track assembly 4 and improving the overall stability of the equipment, and at the same time, the swing cylinder 12 is arranged above the intermediate frame 13 structure, and the track assembly 4 is driven to swing up and down through the extension and retraction action of the cylinder. The design uses the low swing fulcrum of the track assembly 4 and the upper layout of the cylinder, which not only saves space, but also optimizes the force distribution, improves the flexibility, stability and construction efficiency of the equipment in attitude adjustment.
[0034] When the swing cylinder 12 piston rod is extended, the track assembly 4 is in a vertical working state, and when the swing cylinder 12 piston rod is retracted, the track assembly 4 swings upward around the second hinge seat and is in a retracted state, so that the track assembly 4 is attached to the TBM upper equipment. The swing cylinder 12 is designed to have the track in a working state when the piston rod is extended, mainly to improve the stability and force performance of the equipment, and at the same time to optimize the structure layout and adapt to the construction requirements. When the piston rod is extended, the rodless cavity of the cylinder has a larger acting area, which can provide stronger thrust and support capacity, thereby ensuring the stability of the track in the ground state and meeting the load requirements of the TBM tunneling, and at the same time, the force path of the cylinder is shorter and the force arm is smaller in this state, reducing the stress concentration and wear risk of the structure. In addition, this design can minimize the occupied space of the track assembly 4 when the cylinder is retracted, so that it is attached to the TBM upper equipment, and the equipment profile is optimized to facilitate operation in narrow space or transfer operation.
[0035] In a specific embodiment, the piston rod end of the swing cylinder 12 is connected to the first hinge seat on the track assembly 4 through a high-strength hinge pin, and the first hinge seat is located at the upper part of the track assembly 4. Through the extension and retraction action of the piston rod, the track assembly 4 is driven to swing up and down around the second hinge seat. The second hinge seat of the track assembly 4 is hinged with the intermediate frame 13 structure, serving as the swing fulcrum of the track assembly 4. The cylinder body end of the swing cylinder 12 is connected to the fixed hinge seat on the intermediate frame 13 structure through another high-strength hinge pin. The hinge design of the cylinder body end allows the cylinder to rotate freely around this point to adapt to the angle change of the track assembly 4 during swinging. The hinge pin is made of high-pressure and high-strength alloy steel, equipped with wear-resistant bushings or rolling bearings 7 to reduce rotational friction, and equipped with sealing rings or mud scraping rings to prevent sand or water in the construction environment from entering to avoid wear or jamming problems. The hinge way of the piston rod end and the cylinder body end ensures that the swing cylinder 12 can accurately transmit torque during extension and retraction, and realize flexible swinging of the track assembly 4.
[0036] The swing cylinders 12 connected to the tracks on both sides of the intermediate frame 13 structure are staggered in position to achieve a compact layout. The positions of the swing cylinders 12 are staggered to save space and optimize the layout of the equipment. The intermediate frame 13 structure as a whole supports the frame, providing a mounting base for the track assembly 4 responsible for the movement and support functions of the equipment and the swing cylinders 12. The staggered arrangement of the swing cylinders 12 reduces the space between the left and right track assemblies 4, and through the extension and retraction of the cylinders, drives the track assembly 4 to achieve up and down swing or posture adjustment. This staggered design not only makes the internal structure of the equipment more compact, which is beneficial for arranging the track chassis in a narrow space, but also optimizes the force transmission and layout balance, improving the structural stability and operational flexibility of the equipment.
[0037] With reference to Figure 2 The track assembly 4 includes a track frame structure 6, a drive wheel 9 and a reducer 5. The drive wheel 9 and the reducer 5 are coaxially arranged and connected in series through a spline shaft 8. The drive wheel 9 and the spline shaft 8 are single-sidedly supported by a tapered roller bearing 7 and the track frame structure 6. The drive wheel 9 is used to transmit power output by the reducer 5 to the track, realizing the driving function of the track. The reducer 5 reduces the rotational speed of the power source output while increasing the torque, to meet the working requirements of the track under complex terrain and high load. The drive wheel 9 and the reducer 5 are coaxially arranged and connected in series through the spline shaft 8, making the power transmission more compact and efficient, and reducing the axial space occupation. The drive wheel 9 and the spline shaft 8 are single-sidedly supported by the tapered roller bearing 7 and the track frame structure 6, which simplifies the support structure and realizes the axial and radial positioning through the bearing 7, reducing the load requirements of the output end of the reducer 5
[0038] The drive wheel 9 is installed at the cantilever end of the spline shaft 8. The advantages of installing the drive wheel 9 at the cantilever end of the spline shaft 8 are that the structure design is simplified and the maintenance is convenient. The cantilever arrangement allows the drive wheel 9 to be directly disassembled from the non-supporting side without the need to disassemble the bearing 7 or other internal components, significantly shortening the maintenance time and operation complexity, while reducing the number of components and manufacturing costs. This design makes the drive system more compact and occupies less space, optimizing the overall size of the equipment, especially suitable for narrow construction environments. The cantilever arrangement also facilitates centering and positioning during assembly, reducing installation difficulty and improving production efficiency. Through efficient power transmission of the spline shaft 8, the stability of the output power can be maintained even if the drive wheel 9 is located at the cantilever end, meeting the requirements of heavy load working conditions. Therefore, this design has significant advantages in optimizing space layout, improving reliability and convenience.
[0039] The end cover 10 is arranged at the end of the spline shaft 8 to axially position the driving wheel 9. The advantage of arranging the end cover 10 at the end of the spline shaft 8 to axially position the driving wheel 9 is that the structure is simple and reliable, the axial movement of the driving wheel 9 can be effectively limited by the fixation of the end cover 10, and the stable working position of the driving wheel 9 can be ensured, thereby avoiding the wear or power transmission efficiency reduction caused by the axial movement, and meanwhile, the end cover 10 is designed to be convenient to install and disassemble, thereby improving the maintenance efficiency and reducing the assembly complexity and downtime. This positioning mode also avoids the use of a complex structure to achieve axial positioning, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost, optimizing the overall structural compactness, and ensuring the long-term stability and efficiency of the equipment operation.
[0040] The spline shaft 8 and the track frame are axially and radially positioned by the bearing 7, and bear the corresponding loads in the axial and radial directions, thereby reducing the requirement of the output end of the speed reducer 5 in the axial and radial directions. The advantage of axially and radially positioning the spline shaft 8 and the track frame by the bearing 7 is that the structure design is more reasonable and the division of labor is clear, the bearing 7 directly bears the axial and radial loads, thereby effectively reducing the load pressure of the output end of the speed reducer 5, and reducing the manufacturing difficulty and cost of the speed reducer 5, and prolonging the service life of the speed reducer 5. This design combines the positioning function and load sharing function of the bearing 7, makes the power transmission more stable, reduces the vibration and wear in operation, and improves the overall reliability and durability of the equipment.
[0041] In the specific installation, the speed reducer 5 is connected with the spline shaft 8 through spline, the output end of the speed reducer 5 is inserted into the spline shaft 8, the torque is efficiently transmitted through the spline tooth groove, and a certain axial sliding is allowed to reduce the assembly error; the spline shaft 8 is installed in the track frame structure 6, the tapered roller bearing 7 is fixed through the bearing 7 seat on the track frame, the bearing 7 realizes the axial and radial positioning of the spline shaft 8, and shares the radial load and part of the axial load from the driving wheel 9, thereby reducing the force directly borne by the speed reducer 5; the cantilever end of the spline shaft 8 is connected with the inner hole of the driving wheel 9 through the precise fit of the spline groove, so that the power is stably transmitted from the spline shaft 8 to the driving wheel 9 to drive the track to run, and meanwhile, the spline structure is convenient to disassemble and maintain; the axial position of the driving wheel 9 is fixed by the end cover 10, the end cover 10 is installed at the end of the spline shaft 8 through bolts or clamping springs, and directly contacts with the driving wheel 9, thereby preventing the axial movement of the driving wheel 9 and providing stable axial positioning.
[0042] Reference Figure 4In the spatial distribution, the two guide structures 2 are respectively located at two ends of the middle frame 13 structure, and the swing oil cylinders 12 are distributed on the middle frame 13 structure between the two guide structures 2. The design advantage of the swing oil cylinders 12 being distributed between the two guide structures 2 is that the structure layout is more reasonable and compact, the guide structures 2 arranged at the two ends can provide more stable support and precise guide function, and the reliable connection and stable operation of the track chassis and the TBM upper equipment are ensured; the swing oil cylinders 12 are located between the two guide structures 2 at the two ends, and are effectively distributed by using the middle space, so that interference with other components is avoided, the force transmission path is optimized, stress concentration in the structure is reduced, and the overall stability and operation efficiency of the equipment are improved.
[0043] The above merely describes preferred embodiments of the present application and is not intended to limit the present application. For those skilled in the art, the present application can have various modifications and changes. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present application shall be included in the protection scope of the present application.
Claims
1. A low machine surface track chassis adapted to TBM, characterized in that: it comprises a middle frame (13) structure and track assemblies (4) arranged on both sides of the middle frame (13) structure, the middle frame (13) structure is provided with at least two guide structures (2) for connecting with the upper equipment of the TBM, the guide structure (2) comprises a guide sleeve and a lifting oil cylinder (3) arranged in the guide sleeve, the two ends of the lifting oil cylinder (3) are connected with the middle frame (13) structure and the upper equipment of the TBM respectively, the guide sleeve is fixed on the middle frame (13) structure and is used for sliding fit with the guide hole on the TBM to realize guiding.
2. The low machine surface track chassis adapted to TBM according to claim 1, characterized in that: the track assembly (4) and the middle frame (13) structure are connected with a swing oil cylinder (12), the track assembly (4) is provided with a first hinged seat and a second hinged seat in the vertical direction, the second hinged seat is hinged with the middle frame (13) structure, and the two ends of the swing oil cylinder (12) are hinged on the first hinged seat and the middle frame (13) structure respectively, so that the track assembly (4) is driven to swing around the second hinged seat through the extension and contraction of the swing oil cylinder (12).
3. The low machine surface track chassis adapted to TBM according to claim 2, characterized in that: the first hinged seat is located above the second hinged seat, so that the hinged swing point of the track assembly (4) is located below the middle frame (13) structure, and the swing oil cylinder (12) is arranged above the middle frame (13) structure.
4. The low machine surface track chassis adapted to TBM according to claim 3, characterized in that: the swing oil cylinders (12) connected on the tracks on both sides of the middle frame (13) structure are staggered in position to realize compact layout.
5. The low machine surface track chassis adapted to TBM according to claim 4, characterized in that: the track assembly (4) comprises a track frame structure (6), a driving wheel (9) and a speed reducer (5), the driving wheel (9) and the speed reducer (5) are coaxially arranged, are connected in series through a spline shaft (8), and are single-sidedly supported by a conical roller bearing (7) and the track frame structure (6).
6. The low machine surface track chassis adapted to TBM according to claim 5, characterized in that: the driving wheel (9) is mounted on the cantilever end of the spline shaft (8).
7. The low machine surface track chassis adapted to TBM according to claim 6, characterized in that: an end cover (10) is arranged at the end of the spline shaft (8) to axially position the driving wheel (9).
8. The low machine surface track chassis adapted to TBM according to claim 6, characterized in that: the spline shaft (8) and the track frame are axially and radially positioned through the bearing (7) and bear the load in the corresponding direction, so as to reduce the requirement of the speed reducer (5) output end for axial and radial bearing.
9. The low machine surface track chassis adapted to TBM according to claim 2, characterized in that: in the spatial distribution, the two guide structures (2) are respectively located at the two ends of the middle frame (13) structure, and the swing oil cylinders (12) are distributed on the middle frame (13) structure between the two guide structures (2). 10. The low-profile track chassis adapted for a TBM of claim 3, wherein: when the swing cylinder (12) piston rod is extended, the track assembly (4) is in a vertical working position, and when the swing cylinder (12) piston rod is retracted, the track assembly (4) is swung upward about the second articulation to a retracted position to allow the track assembly (4) to conform to the superstructure of the TBM.