This invention relates to blades used to cut concrete.
As concrete slabs harden the concrete shrinks and cracks form. Grooves are placed in the slabs so that these cracks form along the grooves rather than form randomly throughout the slab. In small concrete surfaces, these grooves are formed by hand operated grooving trowels which push the aggregate in the concrete aside to form the groove and in the process form a thin cement layer on the surface of the groove. The groove may have to be troweled several times in order to maintain the shape of the groove. These grooves have rounded edges and may also have flattened areas by the grooves left from the trowels. These rounded edges are aesthetically pleasing to many people and reflect a hand finished slab of concrete.
On large slabs of concrete, hand troweling of grooves is impractical. The hand troweling of the grooves must be done while the concrete is soft enough for the trowel to push the aggregate aside, and at that stage the concrete is not hard enough support the weight of the person troweling the groove. It is impractical to support people over large slabs of concrete to perform the troweling. Repeatedly troweling the grooves is also expensive, and for large slabs of concrete the costs are further increased.
For large slabs of concrete, the grooves are cut in the concrete by saws using thin, rotating cutting blades that cut through the aggregate. These cuts were historically made the day after the concrete was poured and after the concrete had set enough to walk on it without leaving indentations in the concrete surface. These grooves were formed by large saws using concrete-cutting discs that cut thin grooves in the concrete. More recently the cutting of grooves has been used where the concrete is cut by rotating saw blades at the time of finishing or within a few hours of finishing the concrete surface. This early cutting requires special saws and blades in order to avoid unacceptably damaging the concrete surface, but the earlier cut grooves control cracks better than the prior practice where the concrete is cut the next day. Such systems use the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 4,769,201.
When the concrete is cut by saws the grooves are typically small in width, about 0.1 inch (2.5mm), and have square corners. The wider the groove, the greater the amount of concrete that has to be removed and that takes a larger saw, takes a longer time, and wears out the expensive cutting blades faster. Further, the wider the groove the greater the likelihood that the square edges on the groove will crack, chip and spall.
These square corners that occur on machine cut grooves lend themselves to cracking or chipping easier than the rounded corners formed by the trowels. The square corners also do not appear as aesthetically pleasing to many people as do the rounded corners. Further, the square corners do not give the appearance of hand finishing as do the troweled corners.
Blades having an inverted T shape have been used to cut sealant wells in concrete, but these grooves have the deficiencies discussed above with the square corners and appearance of a machine cut groove. Some concrete saw blades have opposing sides slanting toward each other to form a V shaped groove are used to place an inclined surface on a previously cut groove. These blades have sharp corners that suffer from the same problems as the square corners, but to a slightly smaller degree.
There remains a need for a fast, economical way to provide concrete surfaces, especially large concrete surfaces, with grooves that appear to have been formed by hand trowels.
[Type in brief summary]
These as well as other features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reference to the drawings in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout, and wherein:
a shows a cross-section of the blade of
b shows an enlarged portion taken along section 2b—2b of
a, 5b show a cross section of a groove before and after being cut by the blade of
Referring to
Referring to
The side segments 20 extend axially, parallel to the rotational axis 22 a predetermined distance. As used herein, the axial direction is parallel to the rotational axis 22. Preferably, but optionally, the side segments 20 have a convex shoulder 24 that the curves toward the rotational axis 22. Preferably, but optionally, the radiused juncture between the pilot segment 18 and the side segments 22 is tangential to the pilot segment 18 and tangential to the shoulder 24. Advantageously, the shoulder 24 is radiused, with a radius about half that of the concave radius 22 joining the pilot segment to the shoulder 24, but curving in the opposite direction. For a blade 10 having a diameter of about 5 inches (about 180 mm) the cutting segment 16 is about ⅝ inches (about 16 mm) wide measured along the rotational axis 22.
The shoulder 24 begins where the radiused corner of the side segments 22 change curvature from a concave, interior corner, and begin to form a convex, exterior corner or shoulder. During use, the shoulder 24 is not intended to cut into the concrete for any appreciable distance or depth, and thus preferably does not extend for any appreciable distance radially toward the longitudinal or rotational axis 22. A shoulder 24 extending for about ⅛ to ¼ inch (about 4-7 mm) along the radial direction is believed suitable.
Referring to
The blade 10 cuts a radius on these corners 32, with the radius of curvature preferably being selected to make the corners have the shape of hand troweled corners. The radius is from about ⅛ to ½ inch (about 3 to 13 mm), and preferably from ¼ to ⅜ inch (about 6 to 9 mm), and ideally about ¼ inch (6 mm). Larger radii can be used, but they are less desirable.
Forming this radius on the corners 32 is achieved by placing the pilot segment 18 of blade 10 in groove 26 so the pilot guides the blade along the groove. The side cutting segments 20 are urged toward the exterior surface of the concrete 28 so that a radiused corner is formed. That gives the rounded appearance many people find pleasing and desirable. Advantageously the blade 10 forms a radiused corner that is tangential with the exterior surface of the concrete 28, but that need not be the case. The radius preferably extends around a sufficient portion of the corner 32 so that the sharp edge is broken and the corner is less likely to chip, crack and break off. The blade 10 is preferably not urged against the concrete surface 28 sufficiently that the lateral edges of the side segments 20 or the shoulder 24 cut into the exterior concrete surface 28. That would form an indentation or well in the concrete surface 28 that is likely to be undesirable. The curved shoulders 24 help avoid a sharp corner in the event that the side cutting surfaces 20 cut too deeply into the concrete surface 28.
As the side cutting segments 20 cut the corners 32, they cut through and expose the aggregate in the concrete. The exposed aggregate gives a different appearance than that of a hand troweled groove because the hand troweling covers the aggregate with a thin layer of cement. The exposed aggregate is believed to be more pleasing and desirable. The larger radius corners expose more aggregate and are thus believed more desirable than the corners with smaller radii.
The blade 10 is preferably used to cut the concrete after the concrete is hardened. Next-day cutting is preferred as the concrete corners 32 are sufficiently hard that cutting with the blade 10 will not unacceptably damage the concrete surface 28. No skid plate need be used to support the concrete surface within a very small distance of the cutting blade as is the case with the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,597. Water may be used to lubricate the cutting, or dry cutting blades can be used. For early-entry systems that cut at the finishing of the concrete or shortly after the finishing, the use of the blade 10 is preferably slightly delayed from the time the groove 26 is cut. Advantageously, the concrete 28 is not cut until the concrete has a hardness of about 800 psi in a compressive strength test, which corresponds to the final set of the concrete. This is toward the end of the window in which the wet-cutting systems can cut concrete. Preferably, though, the cutting occurs the next-day, after pouring and finishing. On a hot, dry day, the cutting can occur toward the end of the same day as the concrete will set faster with the increased temperature and low humidity.
The disc 12 is made of metal, preferably a steel suitable for cutting blades. The cutting segments 16 are made of suitable abrasive material for cutting concrete, or made of metal coated with a suitable abrasive. The cutting segment could be made integrally and entirely of abrasive material, or it could be made of metal coated with abrasive material. The cutting segments 16 may extend continuously around the periphery of the blade 10, or they may be segmented into any desirable number of cutting segments. Further, the pilot segment 16 can be continuous while the side segments 20 and shoulders 24 are segmented.
As seen in
The opposing sides of the pilot segment 18 may be coated with abrasive cutting material, or optionally, may have no cutting material on them. If cutting material is provided on the sides of the pilot segment 18, it may widen the groove slightly, and may widen the groove unevenly causing an undesirable appearance.
The pilot segment 18 is used to guide the blade 10. It is desirable to have the radial periphery of the segment 18 coated with abrasive material so that it can clean the groove 26 of debris. But the radial length of the pilot segment 18 is preferably shorter than the depth of the groove 26 so that the blade 10 does not increase the depth of the groove 26. Indeed, the longer the pilot segment 18, the more power is required to rotate the blade 10 and it is desirable to use as little power as possible. Thus, the radial length of the pilot segment 18 is preferably selected so that it does not contact the bottom of the groove 26 internal to the concrete. The pilot segment preferably has a radial length of about ¼-⅜ inch (about 8-10 mm) above the lateral or axially extending portion of the side segments 20 and above the shoulder 24. This distance is believed suitable for blades 10 with diameters of about six inches or less. For larger diameter blades 10, the radial length of the pilot segment 18 can extend up to about ½ inch (13 mm). Longer pilot segments 18 can be used, but they are less preferable. A radial length of about 0.4 inches (about 10 mm) is believed suitable for a blade 10 having a diameter of about 5 inches (150 mm) Because the pilot segment 18 determines the maximum diameter of the blade 10, the blades used for cutting the radiused corners are generally smaller in diameter than the corresponding blades used to cut the crack control grooves 26.
Further, the pilot segment 18 is preferably not intended to widen the previously cut groove, and is not intended to form the groove in the first place. The blade 10 can have a slight wobble or misalignment during use and that can cause the abrasive coating on the sides of the pilot segment 18 to contact and abrade the sides 30 of the groove 26 during cutting and that will slightly enlarge the groove 26 and require more power from the motor rotating the saw blade 10. But the width of the groove 26 is not substantially changed after the blade 10 cuts the radiused corners on the groove. As used here, no substantial change in the width of the groove means an increase of about 10% of the width or less, and preferably less than about 5% and ideally no change at all.
Thus, the pilot segment 18 is preferably smaller along the axial direction than the width of the groove 26, but still wide enough to perform its guiding function. As the groove 26 is typically cut by blades about 0.1 inch thick (2.5 cm) the pilot segment 18 is preferably smaller. A width of about 0.06 inches (about 1.5 mm) is believed suitable for grooves 26 cut with a 0.09 inch (2.3 mm) wide blade. Thus, the width of the pilot portion 18 is about ⅔ the width of the groove 26. Larger diameter cutting blades may be thicker, with 0.125 inch (3.2 mm) wide grooves 26 being one common size. For these wider grooves, pilot segments 18 having a width of about 0.05 to 0.075 inches (about 1.3 to 1.9 mm) are believed suitable. For grooves 26 cut by crack control blades the pilot segment can be sized according to the larger width of the grooves 26. For general guidance, the width of pilot 18 measured along the rotational axis 22 is preferably about 0.6 times the width of the groove 26. Advantageously, but less desirably, the width of the pilot 18 is from 0.4 to 0.8 times the width of the groove 26, and more advantageously from about 0.6 to 0.8 times the width of the groove 26. Preferably the pilot 18 is less than 0.8 times the width of the groove 26. It is possible, but not desirable, that the pilot segment 18 can cut the groove 26 to slightly widen it, or to ensure the groove has a minimal depth. But this is not preferred.
The side cutting segments 20 thus have a first end that joins the pilot segment 18 at a location which has a width less than the width of the groove 26 to be cut. Preferably the juncture of the first end of the side cutting segments 20 and the pilot segment 18 is tangential. A stepped juncture could also be used but preferably a juncture that avoids forming sharp corners in the cut concrete, are avoided. The side cutting segments have a second end that joins shoulder segment 24. The shoulder segment 24 is preferably a convexly curved portion and the juncture is tangential as shown in
A further embodiment of the blade 10 is shown in
The offset allows the cutting segment to be mounted on some saws that otherwise do not have enough room to accommodate the wide cutting segment 16 or that have slots in base plates that require alignment with the blade. These concrete saws typically have a base plate on which the motor is mounted, and a slot in the baseplate allows the blade to pass through the slot to the concrete. Depending on the particular saw used and the location of the blade mounting arbor relative to the slot, the offset may be needed to center the blade in the slot. This offset has been used before on prior art saw and blades.
The use of the cutting blade avoids the labor and difficulties of repeated troweling needed to achieve the radiused corners using hand trowels. The use of the pilot segment to follow a previously cut groove achieves a straighter and more uniform groove than is achieved by hand troweling.
There is thus advantageously provided a method of providing radiused corners 32 on crack control grooves 26 previously cut in a concrete surface 28. The pilot segment 18 provides a means for guiding the blade along previously cut grooves 26. The side cutting segments 20 provide means for providing a radius to the corners 32 of the previously cut groove 26. The shoulders 24 provide means for reducing the formation of a well or secondary groove along the previously cut groove 26 and for providing a gradual juncture between the radiused corner and the exterior surface of the concrete 28 and the radiused groove.
There is also advantageously provided a method of cutting radiused grooves on the edges of crack control groves. A concrete slab is finished. Crack control grooves 26 are cut in the slab using a first rotating blade. The grooves 26 are cut at the time of finishing or shortly thereafter, or cut the next day. The grooves 26 have opposing side walls 30 having a first depth and a first width with two corners 32 joining the two opposing side walls to the exterior surface of the concrete along opposing edges of the groove. Thereafter, a radius on the two opposing corners 32 is simultaneously formed by inserting a pilot segment 18 of a second cutting blade 10 into the groove to chase the groove with the blade. The cutting blade has side cutting segments 20 on opposing sides of the pilot segment. The side cutting segments 20 have a concave shape with abrasive material thereon and are located and sized to cut a predetermined radius on the opposing corners 32.
Preferably, but optionally, the pilot segment 18 has a width along a rotational axis of the blade that is smaller than the first width of the groove 26, and that extends above the side cutting segments 20 a distance less than the first depth so that the groove has substantially the same depth and width before and after the corners are cut. The concrete surface formed by this method is believed to be different than previously known. Cutting through the aggregate in the concrete to form the corners forms a different appearing radiused edge on the groove.
The above description is given by way of example, and not limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention, including various ways of mounting the cutting segments 16 on discs 12. Further, the various features of this invention can be used alone, or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to the specific combination described herein. Thus, the invention is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments but is to be defined by the following claims when read in the broadest reasonable manner to preserve the validity of the claims
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20030192524 A1 | Oct 2003 | US |