METHOD FOR CONTROLLING SHIELD MOTION Russian patent published in 1994 - IPC

FIELD: mining industry. SUBSTANCE: to change the shield motion direction (up, down), side-action flaps 6 are installed into the corresponding apertures 9. Two vertical-action flaps 7 and 8 are additionally installed into apertures 9 of the upper zone of shield body support section 3. Should the need arise to change the shield motion direction in the horizontal plane, opposite side-action flaps 6 are installed in apertures 9. In that case leading edges 11 of the flaps face the opposite directions, with leading edge on the turn side facing up. Vertical-action flaps 7 and 8 are mounted in cutter section 2 and bearing section 3 on opposite sides in relation to the vertical axial shield plane 13. The vertical-action flap leading edges are facing in relation to the vertical axial shield plane in the direction of the shield displacement. By turning the shield in the horizontal plane the condition is taken into account that resistance moments appearing on side-action flaps 6 were equal in magnitude but opposite in sign to the resistance moment appearing on vertical-action flaps 7 and 8. EFFECT: increased efficiency of control; prevention of shield twisting by change of advancement direction. 2 cl, 7 dwg