Patent Application
20210079672
Embodiments described herein generally relate to concrete finishing devices, and more particularly to a combined bull float-roller concrete finishing device.
Providing a good finish to many concrete surfaces involve rolling the wet concrete mix in order to push the heavier parts of the mix to the bottom while drawing the lighter/wetter part to the surface, and then drawing a finishing float over the surface in order to produce a really smooth finish. Normally this is done in two stages, using separate tools. First, one uses a heavy roller to run over the entire surface and then a separate bull float to finish the job. However, when a large area of concrete is being laid or when the work is being done in very hot weather, the concrete tends to dry out rapidly before the float work can be completed. This makes for a lot of extra work to get the job finished. Conventional tools have been developed to perform both the rolling function and the float work, but these tools are very tiring to use and take up too much time to get the job done.
The various advantages of the embodiments of the present disclosure will become apparent to one skilled in the art by reading the following specification and appended claims, and by referencing the following drawings, in which:
The present disclosure relates to a combined bull float-roller concrete finishing device. The device includes a bull float having a roller attachment along the rear of the bull float. The bull float member including a handle and a blade. The bull float member is configured to smooth an underlying surface. The roller member including a pair of rotatable attachment bars which are each connected to the blade in a perpendicular orientation at a right and left side of the blade respectively. A roller is attached between the pair of attachment bars. The roller member is configured to rotate the roller downward to a position behind a rear end of the bull float member to roll the roller over an underlying surface and is configured to rotate the roller upward to a position above the bull float member to prevent the roller from rolling over an underlying surface.
In some exemplary embodiments, each attachment bar includes an aperture for receiving one end of the roller.
In some exemplary embodiments, the roller is attached to the pair of attachment bars in a perpendicular position.
In some exemplary embodiments, the roller member can be adjusted to vary an amount of pressure being exerted in an underlying surface.
In some exemplary embodiments, the underlying surface is concrete.
The present disclosure describes a combined bull float-roller concrete finishing device (“the device”). As illustrated in
Each attachment bar 17a, 17b is rotatably connected (e.g., connected using a hinge) to the blade 14 in a perpendicular orientation at a right and left side of the blade respectively with the rear end of each bar extending outward from a rear surface of the blade 14. The pair of attachment bars (and thereby the roller member 16, 17a, 17b) may be rotated in an upwards direction (e.g., in a direction above blade 14) or a downward direction (e.g., in a direction to the rear of blade 14) upon a manual force exerted thereon by a user to push the pair of attachment bars in an upward direction or in a downward direction. Moreover, each attachment bar 17 includes an aperture for receiving one end of the roller 16 which is attached thereto in a perpendicular position. The roller 16 is positioned behind handle 13 and the roller member (16, 17a, 17b) may be positioned above or at the rear of the bull float member 12 by rotating the pair of attachment bars 17a, 17b. The roller 16 may be fixedly attached to the pair of attachment bars using hardware fasteners. In embodiments, the roller 16 may be detachably connected to the pair of attachment of bars 17a, 17b by using hardware that may be fastened and unfastened. In this instance, different types of rollers 16 may be connected to the pair of attachment bars 17a, 17b for increased effectiveness and flexibility.
The device 10 combines the functionality of a bull float and a concrete roller in one device. The roller member (16, 17a, 17b) can be adjusted to vary the amount of pressure being exerted on the concrete (i.e., underlying surface). For example, a user may apply more force by pushing down on handle 13 to thereby exert more pressure from roller member onto the underlying surface. As a concrete worker moves forward over newly poured concrete, the roller member will be locked in the lower position (i.e., rotated downward) and its job of rolling the concrete will be performed. The roller member may be locked in the lower position using a mechanical lock, such as, for example, a latch, ratchet or a spring. Any suitable mechanical locking structure may be used.
Once the worker reaches the far side of the working surface, the roller member will be raised (i.e., rotated upwards) and locked in the upper position and the worker can then walk backward, finishing the surface with the bull float member. The device eliminates the need to change tools, and therefore the worker can roll and finish the whole job with just one pass over the entire surface. The roller member may be locked in the upper position using a mechanical lock, such as, for example, a latch, ratchet or a spring. Any suitable mechanical locking structure may be used.
Accordingly, while example embodiments are capable of various modifications and alternative forms, embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the figures and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit example embodiments to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, example embodiments are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure. Like numbers refer to like/similar elements throughout the detailed description.
It is understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another element, there are no intervening elements present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.)
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups thereof.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, e.g., those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art. However, should the present disclosure give a specific meaning to a term deviating from a meaning commonly understood by one of ordinary skill, this meaning is to be taken into account in the specific context this definition is given herein.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad techniques of the embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while the embodiments of this invention have been described in connection with particular examples thereof, the true scope of the embodiments of the invention should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings, specification, and following claims.
This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/880,128 filed on Jul. 30, 2019, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62880128 | Jul 2019 | US |
