TUNNEL EXCAVATOR ARTICULATE MECHANISM

To provide a tunnel excavator articulate mechanism that reduces a differential pressure borne by a front-stage articulate seal.SOLUTION: An articulate mechanism 12 according to one embodiment comprises three or more articulate seals 5 arranged between a rear end 31 of a front body 3 and a front end 41 of a rear body 4, and a grease supply device 7 that supplies grease to a plurality of seal chambers 61 to 63 formed between three or more articulate seals 5. The grease supply device 7 is controlled by a control device 8 such that a pressure P1 of the rearmost seal chamber 61 detected by a second pressure sensor 83 is higher than a pressure P0 around the articulate mechanism 12 detected by a first pressure sensor 80, and a pressure P3 of the frontmost seal chamber 63 detected by a third pressure sensor 83 becomes equal to or less than the pressure P1 of the rearmost seal chamber 61 detected by the second pressure sensor 81.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2 【課題】最前段の中折れシールが負担する差圧を低減するトンネル掘削機の中折れ機構を提供する。【解決手段】１つの実施形態に係る中折れ機構１２は、前胴３の後端部３１と後胴４の前端部４１との間に配置される３つ以上の中折れシール５と、３つ以上の中折れシール５の間に形成された複数のシール室６１〜６３へグリスを供給するグリス供給装置７を含む。グリス供給装置７は、制御装置８により、第２圧力センサ８３で検出される最後方シール室６１の圧力Ｐ１が第１圧力センサ８０で検出される中折れ機構１２の周囲の圧力Ｐ０よりも高くなるとともに、第３圧力センサ８３で検出される最前方シール室６３の圧力Ｐ３が第２圧力センサ８１で検出される最後方シール室６１の圧力Ｐ１以下となるように制御される。【選択図】図２