A tunnel boring apparatus includes a shield body and a cutting disc provided at a front portion of the shield body. The tunnel boring apparatus includes a high pressure liquid device, which includes a liquid storage tank for storing a predetermined amount of liquid, a pressure raising device for increasing a pressure of the liquid, and a plurality of nozzles. The pressing raising device is connected to the liquid storage tank, and to a central rotating head through a first guiding pipeline. The nozzles are provided on the cutting disc, and are connected to the central rotating head through a second guiding pipeline.

A drilling and bursting heading machine, comprising a drilling and bursting device (1), an angle control device, a forward-backward telescopic device and a cantilever type heading machine (2), wherein the drilling and bursting device (1) is mounted on a forward-backward moving component of the forward-backward telescopic device by means of the angle control device, and the forward-backward telescopic device is mounted on the cantilever type heading machine (2); the drilling and bursting device (1) comprises a fixing support (1-20), as well as a rock drill component and a bursting component fixedly mounted on the fixing support (1-20) respectively; the angle control device comprises a mounting base (1-15), an auxiliary rotary hydraulic motor (1-14), an adjustment hydraulic cylinder (1-13) and a main rotary hydraulic motor (1-12); and when the forward-backward moving component of the forward-backward telescopic device completely extends out, the distance from a front end of the drilling and bursting device (1) to a working plane is shorter than the distance from a front end of a cutting head of the cantilever type heading machine (2) to the working plane. The drilling and bursting heading machine has a compact structure and is able to implement quick drilling and bursting on a hard rock stratum having a rock hardness f greater than 10 without increasing the energy consumption, so that the heading efficiency is improved and potential safety risks are reduced.

A control system may be provided for operating a machine having a rotary cutting head. The control system may include a wrist capable of rotating about a wrist axis, a gear mechanism capable of driving rotation of the wrist. A cutting head may be attached to the wrist and capable of rotating about a cutter axis that is substantially perpendicular to the wrist axis. The control system may also include primary and redundant angular sensors capable of generating signals indicative of angular orientations of the wrist. The control system may additionally include a controller, capable of controlling operation of the wrist and the cutting head, comparing an actual angular orientation of the wrist to a target angular orientation, as indicated by the primary and secondary signals, and selectively inhibiting the cutting head from operating when the actual angular orientation differs from the target angular orientation by an operation threshold.

A cutting assembly for a rock excavation machine having a frame includes a boom and a cutting device supported on the boom. The boom includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion supported for pivotable movement relative to the frame. In some embodiments, the first portion includes a first structure extending along a longitudinal base axis and a second structure moveable relative to the first portion in a direction parallel to the longitudinal base axis, and at least one bearing supports the second portion for movement relative to the first portion. In some embodiments, the second portion is pivotably coupled to the first portion by a universal joint, and a suspension system including a plurality of biasing members may be coupled between the first portion and the second portion.

An inline mounting assembly for a TBM cutter assembly includes first and second housing mounts, having upper and lower ear portions, and an inline channel sized to receive an end of the cutter assembly. The housing mounts include a first guide and a second guide defining forward and rearward abutment faces. A wedge assembly includes a bolt that extends through the first guide and engages a wedge configured to clamp the cutter shaft to the housing mount. A back support assembly includes a clamp block that abuts the rearward abutment face, a bridge block that abuts the forward abutment face, and a bolt that extends through the blocks. The bridge block abuts the shaft to provide support.

A cutter disc for a tunnel boring machine includes a middle disc portion defining a radially outer surface or edge for engaging a surface, a left toothed portion defining a first set of teeth set back from the outer edge, and a right toothed portion defining a second set of teeth set back from the outer edge. In an embodiment, a central bore through the cutter disc is configured to attach the cutter disc to a hub for rotatably mounting the cutter disc on a shaft. In an embodiment, the hub is formed integrally with the cutter disc. The left and right toothed portions provide structural support to the middle portion and facilitate rotation of the cutter disc when boring in soft or mixed conditions, but do not interfere with boring in hard rock conditions.

An inline mounting assembly for a TBM cutter assembly includes first and second housing mounts, having upper and lower ear portions, and an inline channel sized to receive an end of the cutter assembly. The housing mounts include a first guide and a second guide defining forward and rearward abutment faces. A wedge assembly includes a bolt that extends through the first guide and engages a wedge configured to clamp the cutter shaft to the housing mount. A back support assembly includes a clamp block that abuts the rearward abutment face, a bridge block that abuts the forward abutment face, and a bolt that extends through the blocks. The bridge block abuts the shaft to provide support.

The present disclosure provides an apparatus for forming an underground tunnel. The apparatus comprises a cutting head for removing material from a wall portion of the tunnel and thereby forming a portion of the tunnel. Further, the apparatus comprises a support structure for supporting a previously formed portion of the tunnel. The support structure is arranged to provide a supporting force against a surface of the tunnel when stationary and when being moved along the tunnel. Further, the apparatus comprises a conveyor for conveying removed material from the cutting head to a location remote from the cutting head during formation of the portion of the tunnel.

A rotary digging drill includes three disk drills arranged in ascending order of diameter, each with a cavity therein. The disk drill includes two circular ring seats arranged side by side, multiple toothed digging buckets disposed at peripheries of the two circular ring seats, and ring gear racks respectively disposed on inner sides of the two circular ring seats. Adjacent ones of the disk drills have the toothed digging buckets facing opposite directions, and the disk drills all rotate in a direction facing a large opening, enabling adjacent two of the three disk drills to rotate in opposite directions. The rotary digging drill further includes three disk drill supports that match the three disk drills in quantity and are configured to support and drive the three disk drills.

In an embodiment, a disc cutter for use on a tunnel boring machine may include a shaft and a cutter assembly rotatably mounted on the shaft. The cutter assembly may include a cutter ring extending circumferentially about a central axis and one or more bearing apparatuses rotatably mounting the cutter assembly to the shaft. Each bearing apparatuses may include a rotor extending circumferentially about the central axis and a first plurality of superhard bearing elements distributed circumferentially about the central axis. Each first superhard bearing element may be attached to the rotor and may include a bearing surface. The bearing apparatuses may further include a stator extending circumferentially about the central axis and a second plurality of superhard bearing elements attached to the stator that are generally opposed to the first plurality of superhard bearing elements of the rotor.