JAPANESE ENGINEERS SEE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL

A Japanese company called Mac has filed a British patent application (2 143 396) for a laser surveying system which guides tunnellers in straight lines and steers them around corners. A laser is mounted near the tunnel entrance and its beam centred on a target box on the excavating machine. In the box is a video camera which produces a replica of the beam's spot on a television screen. The spot's position is logged in a digital memory. As the excavator moves off a straight line route the beam's spot moves accordingly on the screen and the digital circuits log its motion. This log is compared with a program written onto a computer's tape or disk when the tunnel was planned. When the beam's position matches the computerized plan the machine is on course. Any discrepancy results in a signal to bring the excavator back in line with the planned route. (TRRL)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/02624079
• Corporate Authors:

  IPC Magazine Limited

  King's Reach Tower, Stamford Street
  London SE1 9LS,   England 
• Authors:
  • FOX, B
• Publication Date: 1985-7-4

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 36
• Serial:
  • NEW SCIENTIST
  • Volume: 106
  • Issue Number: 1463
  • Publisher: REED BUSINESS INFORMATION LTD
  • ISSN: 0262-4079

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Computer programs; Itinerary; Lasers; Particle beams; Remote control; Surveying; Television; Television cameras; Tunnel borers; Tunneling machines; Tunnels
• Uncontrolled Terms: Guidance
• Geographic Terms: Japan
• Old TRIS Terms: Laser applications
• ITRD Terms: 6737: Beam (ray); 3383: Full face tunnelling machine; 699: Itinerary; 8053: Japan; 6772: Laser; 3893: Remote control; 8645: Software; 4025: Surveying (land); 6949: Television; 3374: Tunnel
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Construction; Highways; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00451332
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: May 31 1986 12:00AM