DEVICE AND METHOD TO MONITOR EFFICIENCY OF TUNNELLING Russian patent published in 2012 - IPC E21D9/06 E21D9/93 

FIELD: mining.

SUBSTANCE: tunnelling combine (90) for horizontal mines comprises a rotary cutting head (93), where there are many cutting assemblies (10) installed as capable of rotation. Multiple units of instruments (50) are connected with a rotary cutting head, at the same time each unit of instruments comprises a distal end in contact with the appropriate cutting assembly. Units of instruments comprise multiple sensors, including an accelerometer (32), a magnetometer (33) and a temperature sensor (34) to monitor the appropriate cutting assembly. Sensors are installed at the remote end of units of instruments pressed for contact with a cutting assembly. Units of instruments comprise a wireless transceiver and are connected to each other into a circuit of data transfer or a peer-to-peer network. A source (176) of power supply, such as a battery pack, is provided for each unit of instruments. Sensor data may be used to control operation of a tunnelling combine for horizontal mines and/or for monitoring condition of cutting assemblies.

EFFECT: enhancing effectiveness and reliability of tunnelling operation.

27 cl, 7 dwg