Abstract:
A washer system comprising: an annular washer having a central opening and an annular packing member which is coaxially arranged with the annular washer, at least a portion of the annular packing member being arranged within the central opening of the annular washer; at least a portion of the outer surface of the annular washer being rust-proofed treated. A substantial portion of a contacting surface between the annular washer and the annular packing member is not rust-proofed treated. The annular packing member is made of an elastic water-swellable rubber. The annular packing member has a portion which extends radially outwardly from a portion of the annular washer defining the central opening, and contacts a portion of a lower substantially flat surface of the annular washer radially outwardly of the annular opening. The annular packing member has a portion extending below a lower substantially flat surface of the annular washer. The annular washer and the annular packing member are adhered together by a vulcanized adhesive.
Abstract:
Joints are provided between the members of a pair of elements, such as a pair of concrete tunnel lining segments which are secured together in compression by a fastening arrangement with a gasket between the end faces of the segments. The gasket has a multiplicity of spaced recesses or apertures to prevent the gasket from creating a surface tension in the end faces when the joint is subjected to compression.
Abstract:
Enclosing structures having tubular sections which are elliptical in cross-section, each section being an assembly of prefabricated components corresponding to a portion of the cross-section of the tubular section and including side components and a vault forming upper component, and optionally a base component, the side components having stabilizing members at their lowermost ends, joints being provided to integrally interconnect the components to form a unitary structure.
Abstract:
A buried conduit consisting, in transverse cross-section, of a lower component (2) and a covering upper component (1) which bears on the upper part of the side walls (22) of the lower component (2) by means of lengthwise bearing members (3). According to the invention, the upper component (1) forms an arched vault made so as to have sufficient flexibility to distort slightly under the effect of the forces to which it is subjected, and the lower component (2) is made so as to resist, without distortion, the forces transmitted by the ground and by the upper component (1), both components being fixed to each other along the lengthwise bearing members (3) and the latter consisting of socket joints, so as to permit the bearing parts of the distortable upper component to pivot without sliding relative to the undistortable lower component.
Abstract:
A shield tunneling machine in which a segment holding member is movable through a lifting beam in the radial direction of a shield frame so that the segment holding member holds a segment and sets it at a predetermined position in the circumferential direction of a tunnel within the shield frame; and an end balancer is pivotably connected to a base or root balancer which in turn is slidably mounted on the lifting beam so that the segment held by the segment holding member is correctly set at a predetermined position while the posture of the segment is suitably adjusted, whereby the erection and assembly of segments can be easily accomplished.
Abstract:
Two adjoining voussoirs 1, 2 in a tunnel shield are assembled by sandwiching a wedge 12 between their adjacent sides 7, 8. The wedge extends over the entire length and width of the voussoir sides, and has concave surfaces 12a of equal curvature radius to the convex surfaces of the voussoir sides. The angle .alpha. between the adjacent outer surfaces of the voussoirs may be adjusted by varying the radial disposition of the wedge before tightening the assembly. The full mating contact between the voussoir sides and the wedge evenly distributes the applied stress.
Abstract:
A tunnel lining comprises a plurality of arcuate concrete tunnel lining segments. Each segment has at each circumferential end thereof two semi-cylindrical grooves spaced apart along the end and extending partway across the end. One of the grooves has two semi-circular hoops projecting from the end of the segment across the groove at spaced postions along the groove and the other groove has a single semi-circular hoop projecting from the end of the segment across the groove. Two segment ends are located together with respective hoops in alignment and tapered pins or other fastening devices are driven into the aligned hoops to draw and hold the segment ends together in compression.
Abstract:
A collapsible tunnel liner section formed from a number of arcuate segments each connected together by hinges to form a closed loop. In collapsed condition the segments are arranged in a compact stack having a cross section less in its maximum dimension than the internal diameter of the erected liner section. Typically the stack has the appearance of a figure 8, having upper and lower cavities. .[.Air bags.]. .Iadd.Expansion means .Iaddend.are located within these cavities and are expanded to expand the collapsed tunnel liner section into its erected condition. During the expansion the liner section passes through an oversized condition before assuming its final erected condition. This ensures stability for the erected liner section. After erection, grout or other filler material is inserted between the liner section and the wall of the tunnel.
Abstract:
This casing voussoir is of the type comprising a metallic frame 1, 2, 3.sup.a, 3.sup.b, 9 and a mass 12 of concrete or other like material strong in compression and anchored to that frame, the assembly having the shape of a cylindrical ring sector, characterized in that the frame 1, 2, 3.sup.a, 3.sup.b, 9 comprises two plates 1, 2, arranged along radial faces of the voussoir and interconnected by bars 3.sup.a, 3.sup.b, constituted by distinct parts of these plates 1, 2 and fixed to these latter by means of a filler material 8. A particular applications can be found for this voussoir in the lining of tunnels or similar underground works.
Abstract:
A lining for a tunnel, shaft or the like comprising a series of rings joined in end-to-end relation wherein each ring comprises a plurality of segmental blocks connected together in side-by-side relation by at least one resiliently deformable fishplate which is secured to the blocks and wherein each ring is connected to an adjacent ring by bolts, each bolt passing through at least a portion of one block of each of two adjacent rings and serving to compress the or each fishplate located between said rings. Each block is made from a shell made of substantially water-proof, chemically inert material and comprising a base having a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls defining a mold cavity for receiving structural material, each side wall having an inwardly directed recess extending substantially the length of the side wall and each end wall having a groove adapted to receive part of a fishplate to secure the shell to another shell in side-by-side relation.