US1025029A - Apparatus for tunneling rock. - Google Patents

Description

. H. P. SUTTON.

APPARATUS FOR TUNRELING BOOK.

. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7,1911.

Patented Apr. 30, 1912.

. Attorneys HARVEY F. SUTTON, F SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

APPARATUS FOR TUNNELING ROCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. so, 1912.

Application filed March 7, 1911. Serial No. 612,740.

T 0 all whom it may concern I Be it known'that I, HARVEY F. SUTTON, a icitizen of the United States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake Fl and State of Utah, have invented a new and useful Apparatus for Tunneling Rock, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a new and use ful apparatus for tunneling rock.

The principal object of the invention is to subject rock alternately to the action of opposite extremes of temperature, it hav ing been found that when rock is first heated and then suddenly chilled, it becomes softened or partly disintegrated so as to be easily removed by hand or by pneumatic tools or the like. v

Another objectis to provide new and novel means whereby the rock. can be treated in the manner set forth.

{Vith the foregoing and other objectsin view the invention consists in setting up against the face of the rock a heater of such form as [0 subject the rock to a high temperature, means being provided where by the heat can be quickly cut off and a blast of cold air or any other chilling me dium directed against the heated surface so as to quickly lower the temperature thereof.

in the accompanying drawings, apparalus to be used in carrying out the process,

has been illustrated;

In said drawings :--Figure l is a perspective view of the head of the apparatus set up for use and showing the various pipe connections, a portion of said head being broken away. Fig. 2 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section of said head and portions of the pipes. Fig. 3 is a transverse section through a modified form of head.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates a hollow head of sheetmetal or other suitable material, said head being of any proportions desired and having its advancing or working face formed with a large number of small openings such as indicated at 2. One side portion of the head may be mounted on a pivot stud 3 and a socket- 4 may be formed in the upper portion of the head and in vertical alinement with said stud, for the reception of a jack 5 designed to engage the top of the tunnel, this stud cooperating with the stud 3 to permit the head to be swung laterally away from the end wall of the tunnel.

The head 1 is provided with an inlet pipe 6 preferably located at the center thereof and provided with branches 7 and 8, the branch 7 being connected to a valve casing 9 from which extends a fuel pipe 10. This pipe is directed along one side of the head and thence abate and in clgse proximity to a fuel cup 11 carried by the head. A. connecting pipe 12 Off any desired length is coupled to the pipe and a flexible tube 13 serves. to connectthis pipe 12 with a main pipe 14' arranged within the tunnel and connected to a fuel tank not shown. Pipe 12 is to be of such length to allow the flexible tube 13 to lie at a point where it will not be affected by the heat generated. The branch 8 of pipe 6' is connected, by means of a pipe 15 of suitable length, to a flexible tube 16 which in turn is coupled to a 'main air supply pipe 1? extending from suitable air forcing means not shown. Valves l8 and 19 may be connected to the pipes 14 and 17 respectively or may be located at" any other points desired, these valves being employed for the purpose of controlling the supply of fuel and air to the head 1. y

In using the apparatus, the head 1 is set up' close to the rock to beacted on, lugs 3 being mounted on the bottom of the tunnel while the jack 5, which is mounted in the socket 4, is shifted into engagement with the top of the tunnel, thus cooperating with the lug to form means for holding the head'in. upright position although permitting it to swing back against the side of the tunnel. Air is admitted in a predetermined quantity to the interior of the head 1 and fuel is then directed into the pipe 10, itmixing with the air within the pipe 6 and in the head 1. By burning fuel in the cup 11, the contents .of pipe 10 can be vaporized, this vapor mixing with the air in pipe 6 and forming a highly combustible gas which will escape, in minute jets, through the openings 2- where itwill be ignited, these ets being directed against the rock forming the wall of the tunnel and heating said rock to. a high temperature. The supply of fuel is then cut ofiby means of valve 18 or any other valve which may be provided and air, in a cold state, is directed into the head 1 and escapes through the openings 2 into contact with the heated rock' the same transverse area as the tunnel or can be made much smaller than the tunnel if deemed desirable.

In Fig.3 a inodified form of head has been disciosed, this head which hasbeen indicated at 20, being formed with a concaved working face 21 in which apertures 22 are produced. This head has an inlet pipe 23 corresponding with the pipe 6 but to which only an airsupply pipe is connected. The heat to be used 111 connection with this form of head is generated electrically, one means being the provision of electrodes 24 at opposite sides of the head so that arcing Wlll occur between the said concaved face 21 and the surface of the rock. After the rock has been heated in this manner, the current may be cut .ofi' and air directed against the rock from the interior of the liead 20.

While the apparatus has been described for use in tunneling through rock, it is to be understood that by the term rock, is meant any, non-combustible depbsit of a silicious nature.

The head 1, it Will be noted, not only constitutes means for distributing heat, as well as jets of a chilling medium, upon the surface of the substance being acted on, but also constitutes a reflector to reflect heat against face of tunnel.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatusfor tunneling rock, including a hollow head having a mixing chamber therein, said head having a working face formed with a plurality of minute apertures, means for pivotally supporting the head close to the surface to be acted upon, means for directing fuel into the head, valves for controlling the passage of fuel through said means, and means for directing air under pressure into the head.

2. Apparatus for tunneling rock, includ' ing main fuel and air conducting pipes, a. hollow head, upper and lower alining pivot devices upon the head, said head being shiftable about the axis of the pivot devices and into and out of operative relation to the surface to be acted upon, the working face of the head having a plurality of minute apertures, a fuel pipe opening into the head, a valve for controlling the passage of fuel therethrough, an air pipe opening into the head, said fuel and air pipes being movable with the head, and flexible pipe connections between the movable fuel and air pipes and the main fuel and air pipes respectively.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, .l have hereto aiiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HARVEY F. SUTTON.

Witnesses F. C. N. Gannon, JOHN J. Hugues.

Images