ROBBINS CONTINUOUS CONVEYORS HOW THEY WORK Modern contractors demand ever faster tunneling machines to insure they stay on schedule, and Robbins TBMs are delivering the speed to get the job done on time. With high speed tunneling, removing muck from the excavation heading has become more of a challenge than ever. Muck trains must have high speed and high capacity to keep up with modern TBM production. Even with the best trains available, the logistics of keeping a high speed, multiple train system up and running and on time is a complex management task. Robbins’ continuously advancing conveyors are designed to increase the efficiency of muck removal and vastly simplify tunneling logistics. With a reliable conveyor system constantly removing muck from the tunnel, trains are only required to deliver personnel and materials to the machine. Robbins Continuous Conveyors have been successfully employed on nearly 100 projects worldwide—more than any other TBM tunnel conveyor manufacturer. Designs are fully customizable and can be used for everything from a short, urban EPB tunnel to a large, multimachine hard rock project in the remote mountains spanning many kilometers, and everything in between. Crew members prepare a belt for vulcanizing ADVANTAGES OVER MUCK CARS • • • • • Logistics are simplified, particularly as tunnel length increases Trains can be fewer and smaller Track can be more lightweight Ventilation requirements are reduced Downtime is minimized and advance rates go up—as the tunnel gets longer, there is no time required to wait for muck cars • Personnel requirements are reduced. Fewer personnel are required to operate and maintain a conveyor as compared to multiple muck trains DESIGN OPTIONS A Robbins conveyor system hauls muck out of a deep shaft in Ohio, USA • Custom-designed systems for use behind EPB and Crossover TBMs, featuring sealed transfer points, conveyor wash boxes and more • A variety of belt materials for horizontal components, from steel cable to fabric belting to straight warp belting that minimizes belt maintenance • Space-saving options for small job sites and urban locations, including vertical belt cassettes and compact J-type vertical belts that take up a smaller footprint in the shaft • Belt systems may include: • Vertical conveyors for muck removal up shafts • Horizontal tunnel conveyors, crown-mounted or side-mounted in custom configurations • Overland conveyors for muck transfer across roadways or long distances to a storage area • Patented self-adjusting curve idlers for efficient muck transfer through tunnel curves • Radial or fixed stacker conveyors for efficient muck storage • Vertical or horizontal belt cassette to maintain belt tension and serve as storage • Belt splice stand to add more belt to the system • Advancing tail piece to add idler assemblies to the conveyor system as the machine advances • Efficient Variable Frequency Electric Drives (VFDs) Personnel oversee the operat

TO STACKER AND OVERLAND ON SURFACE ROBBINS CONTINUOUS CONVEYORS TUNNEL BORING MACHINE VERTICAL CONVEYOR MAIN DRIVE HORIZONTAL CONVEYOR BELT CASSETTE OPTIONAL: SPLICE STAND BOOSTER DRIVE BACK-UP SYSTEM SAMPLE SPECIFICATIONS: PROVEN IN THE FIELD • The Robbins Company has the longest history of continuous conveyor manufacture amongst all TBM suppliers. Robbins was involved in supplying the first conveyor used behind a TBM during Pakistan’s Mangla Dam Tunnel Construction in 1963. TUNNEL DIAMETER: 6.14 m SYSTEM LENGTH: 11,029 m HORIZONTAL CONVEYOR: Side mounted BELT WIDTH: 914 mm NUMBER OF CURVES:...

VERTICAL CONVEYORS Robbins’ vertical conveyor systems can move high volumes as quickly as a horizontal conveyor system, and can do so from a shaft hundreds of meters deep. Robbins has two vertical conveyor designs: the traditional “S” type and space-saving “J” type. For a deep shaft application, use a steel cord belt “S” type conveyor. For smaller diameter shafts where space is at a premium, “J” type conveyor may be the perfect economical solution. ROBBINS “J” TYPE FEATURES AND BENEFITS Space-saving J-type vertical conveyors have a smaller footprint for use in shafts • Belt tension is lower so...