CONCRETE WORKING TOOL AND KIT FOR MAKING THE SAME

Abstract

A concrete working tool may include a pivot bearing attached to a first attachment bracket, a second attachment bracket and a screed board attached to the first attachment bracket and the second attachment bracket. The pivot bearing may be attached to the first attachment bracket by a hinge and the second attachment bracket may include a swivel with a handle attachment attached thereto. A kit for making a concrete working tool may include the pivot bearing and first attachment bracket and the second attachment bracket. In one application the pivot bearing may be attached to a pivot pin that was movable along a support rail so the concrete working tool can be used between a form and a wall or form work.

Description

BACKGROUND

Field of the Art

The present disclosure relates to a tool for leveling semi flowable material. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a concrete working tool which may be used to screed concrete.

State of the Art

The preparation of certain flowable materials such as concrete is a physically demanding task. First, the surface on which the material will be laid must be prepared and forms set in place to define the parameters of the surface being laid. For concrete slabs this typically includes placing 2×4s or 2×6s in the shape of the perimeters of the pour and pounding stakes into the ground to hold the forms in place. For small concrete jobs the person laying the concrete may simply mix the concrete components with water and mix them in a wheelbarrow or the like prior to pouring the mixture into the area defined by the forms. A small mixer may also be used to ensure that the water and the concrete components are thoroughly mixed.

For large concrete pours, one or more mixing trucks, each holding several cubic yards of mixed concrete, will arrive and extend a boom into the area in which the concrete is to be laid. As the concrete mixture comes out of the boom, workers spread the concrete mixture in order to try to get the concrete mixture as even as possible.

Once the concrete mixture has been spread out so that it is generally even, the concrete is screeded. Screeding involves taking a board, a piece of aluminum, or other similar material, that has a flat edge, disposing it on opposite sides of the forms and dragging the board across the wet concrete. The board, etc., removes any concrete which extends above the top of the forms and fills in any voids in the concrete below the tops of the forms. On a very small job this can be done by an individual holding the screed board near the middle and dragging the board toward himself or herself. However, because most concrete pours are at least 10′×10′, screeding usually requires a person on both ends of the board.

Screeding can be physically demanding. Not only are the persons doing the screeding usually on their knees, but they are also dragging a large board pushing excess concrete and filling voids located in the pour area. The process can place substantial strain on the knees and back of those doing the screeding.

There have been numerous attempts to provide alternative mechanisms for screeding. Some attempts use a pivot point which gets mounted in and remains in the concrete. While this makes the screeding easier, it results in the pivot point remaining in the concrete and is problematic for driveways and the floors of buildings in which the pivot point cannot be ready covered.

Other attempts have been made to use powered equipment which screeds the concrete either with a screw or with vibrators. While such devices can be useful, they can also be expensive and somewhat cumbersome to carry around.

Still other devices are designed to screed the concrete so as to leave a conical depression, such as the drain in a bathroom or a basement. While such devices work well for forming the slope into the concrete, they are generally problematic for use in forming flat surfaces.

Thus, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a concrete working tool, and/or a kit containing portions thereof, which facilitates the screening of concrete in a less expensive and/or less physically demanding manner.

SUMMARY

The following summary of the present disclosure is not intended to describe each illustrated embodiment, or every possible implementation of the concrete working tool and methods discussed herein, but rather to give illustrative examples of application of principles of the present disclosure.

In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a kit may be provided for forming a concrete working tool. A kit may include a pivot shaft or bearing for rotating about a stake and an attachment bracket for attaching the pivot bearing to a board.

In one or more embodiments, the pivot bearing may be attached to the attachment bracket by a hinge to allow the attachment bracket to pivot with respect to the pivot bearing.

In one or more embodiments, the attachment bracket may be generally U-shaped and may have a plurality of holes formed therein.

In one or more embodiments the pivot bearing may be generally cylindrical and having a void extending therethrough.

In one or more embodiments, the pivot bearing may be formed from a plurality of rings disposed in alignment.

In one or more embodiments, the pivot bearing may have a long axis and the hinge may allow the attachment bracket to pivot in alignment with the long axis.

In one or more embodiments, the cap may also include a second attachment bracket.

In one or more embodiments, the second attachment bracket may include a handle adapter for attaching a handle.

In one or more embodiments, the handle adapter may be threaded and configured to receive a threaded handle.

In one or more embodiments, the second attachment may include a handle swivel for enabling a handle attached to the second attachment to rotate relative to the second attachment.

In one or more embodiments, an elongate board may be attached to the first attachment bracket at one end of the board and to the second attachment in the opposing end of board.

In one or more embodiments, a formwork stake includes one or more retainers, such as pins, nails, screws, or bolts.

In one or more embodiments, the formwork stake extends through the pivot bearing and one or more of the retainers extends through the formwork stake to limit movement of the pivot bearing along the formwork stake.

In accordance with a method of the present disclosure, a formwork stake may be driven into the surface on which the concrete will be poured. The pivot bearing may be mounted on the formwork stake and one or more retainers slid into holes in the formwork stake to limit vertical movement of the pivot bearing.

In accordance with another aspect of the method of the present disclosure, a board may be attached to the first attachment bracket either before or after the pivot bearing is disposed on the formwork stake.

In accordance with another aspect of the method of the present disclosure, the second attachment bracket may be attached to the opposing end of the elongate board. A handle may be attached to the second attachment bracket either before or after that is attached to the elongate board.

In accordance with another aspect of the method of the present disclosure, the handle can be used to drag the second attachment bracket and/or the elongate board along the top of forms defining the perimeter of a pour to thereby screed concrete disposed under the arc formed by rotating the elongate board about the formwork stake.

In another aspect of the method of the present disclosure, once an area has been screeded, the user may remove the formwork stake and relocate it to another area in which concrete is being poured.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a support rail may be disposed along a wall or along a concrete form. The support rail may be used to support a pivot pin about which a pivot bearing may be placed to facilitate pivoting of a concrete working tool without having to place a formwork stake in the concrete.

In accordance with one or more embodiments, the concrete working tool may include a support rail which has a slidable or rollable member which moves thereon to allow the location of a pivot point to be moved as concrete is being worked.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, the support rail may be a strut rail having a trolley disposed in the strut rail for allowing the pivot pin to me moved along the strut rail as the concrete is worked.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a bracket and a fastener can be used to secure the support rail to a wall or formwork.

It will be appreciated that different embodiments or methods may include some aspects discussed herein and not others, and that the scope of the disclosure provided herein is defined by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are shown and described in reference to the numbered drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of a concrete working tool disposed to screed concrete to be laid upon the ground or other surface;

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of various components of the concrete working tool;

FIG. 3 shows a kit for making a concrete working tool in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 shows a top view of the kit shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows an example of an area 14′×20′ being screeded with the concrete working tool consistent with the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 shows an alternate configuration of the pivot bearing and first attachment bracket disposed on a formwork stake;

FIG. 7 shows an alternate configuration of the pivot bearing and first attachment bracket disposed about a stake for screening concrete;

FIG. 8 shows another configuration of a pivot bearing on a formwork stake;

FIG. 9 shows an alternate configuration of a hinge used to attach the pivot bearing to the attachment bracket;

FIG. 10 shows a view of a concrete working tool disposed along a support rail on a wall or formwork;

FIG. 11 shows a side view of the concrete working tool attached to the support rail;

FIG. 12 shows a close-up view of the support rail and a trolley disposed therein carrying a pivot pin about which the concrete working tool can pivot.

FIG. 13 shows a side view of the trolley.

FIG. 14 shows a top view of the trolley.

FIG. 15 shows an end view of an alternate arrangement of the rail and trolley.

FIG. 16 shows a front view of a bracket and rails mounted therein, and

FIG. 17 shows an alternate configuration of the support rail with the rail adapted to change elevation.

It will be appreciated that the drawings are illustrative and not limiting of the scope of the invention which is defined by the appended claims. The embodiments shown accomplish various aspects and objects of the invention. It will be appreciated that it is not possible to clearly show each element and aspect of the present disclosure in a single figure, and as such, multiple figures are presented to separately illustrate the various details of different aspects of the invention in greater clarity. Similarly, not all configurations or embodiments described herein or covered by the appended claims will include all of the aspects of the present disclosure as discussed above.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various aspects of the invention and accompanying drawings will now be discussed in reference to the numerals provided therein so as to enable one skilled in the art to practice the present invention. The skilled artisan will understand, however, that the methods described below can be practiced without employing these specific details, or that they can be used for purposes other than those described herein. Indeed, they can be modified and can be used in conjunction with products and techniques known to those of skill in the art in light of the present disclosure. The drawings and the descriptions thereof are intended to be exemplary of various aspects of the invention and are not intended to narrow the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that the drawings may show aspects of the invention in isolation and the elements in one figure may be used in conjunction with elements shown in other figures.

Reference in the specification to “one embodiment,” “one configuration,” “an embodiment,” or “a configuration” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment, etc. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places may not necessarily limit the inclusion of a particular element of the invention to a single embodiment, rather the element may be included in other, or all embodiments discussed herein.

Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of embodiments of the present disclosure may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details may be provided, such as examples of products or manufacturing techniques that may be used, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that embodiments discussed in the disclosure may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations may not be shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.

Before the present invention is disclosed and described in detail, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to any particular structures, process steps, or materials discussed or disclosed herein, but is extended to include equivalents thereof as would be recognized by those of ordinarily skill in the relevant art. More specifically, the invention is defined by the terms set forth in the claims. It should also be understood that terminology contained herein is used for the purpose of describing particular aspects of the invention only and is not intended to limit the invention to the aspects or embodiments shown unless expressly indicated as such. Likewise, the discussion of any particular aspect of the invention is not to be understood as a requirement that such aspect is required to be present apart from an express inclusion of that aspect in the claims.

It should also be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, singular forms such as “a,” “an,” and “the” may include the plural unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a bracket” may include an embodiment having one or more of such brackets, and reference to “the target plate” may include reference to one or more of such target plates.

As used herein, the term “substantially” refers to the complete or nearly complete extent or degree of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result to function as indicated. For example, an object that is “substantially” enclosed would mean that the object is either completely enclosed or nearly completely enclosed. The exact allowable degree of deviation from absolute completeness may in some cases depend on the specific context, such that enclosing nearly all of the length of a channel or lumen would be substantially enclosed, even if the distal end of the structure enclosing the channel or lumen had a slit or opening formed along a portion thereof. The use of “substantially” is equally applicable when used in a negative connotation to refer to the complete or near complete lack of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result. For example, structure which is “substantially free of” a bottom would either completely lack a bottom or so nearly completely lack a bottom that the effect would be effectively the same as if it completely lacked a bottom.

As used herein, the term “generally” refers to something that has characteristics of a quality without necessarily being exactly that quality. For example, a structure said to be generally vertical would be at least as vertical as horizontal, i.e., would extend 45 degrees or greater from horizontal. Likewise, something said to be generally circular may be rounded like an oval but need not have a consistent diameter in every direction.

As used herein, the term “about” is used to provide flexibility to a numerical range endpoint by providing that a given value may be “a little above” or “a little below” the endpoint while still accomplishing the function associated with the range.

As used herein, a plurality of items, structural elements, compositional elements, and/or materials may be presented in a common list for convenience. However, these lists should be construed as though each member of the list is individually identified as a separate and unique member.

Concentrations, amounts, proportions, and other numerical data may be expressed or presented herein in a range format. It is to be understood that such a range format is used merely for convenience and brevity and thus should be interpreted flexibly to include not only the numerical values explicitly recited as the limits of the range, but also to include all the individual numerical values or sub-ranges encompassed within that range as if each numerical value and sub-range is explicitly recited. As an illustration, a numerical range of “about 1 to about 5” should be interpreted to include not only the explicitly recited values of about 1 to about 5, but also include individual values and sub-ranges within the indicated range. Thus, included in this numerical range are individual values such as 2, 3, and 4 and sub-ranges such as from 1-3, from 2-4, and from 3-5, etc., as well as 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, individually. This same principle applies to ranges reciting only one numerical value as a minimum or a maximum. Furthermore, such an interpretation should apply regardless of the breadth of the range, or the characteristics being described.

Turning now to FIG. 1, there is shown a side view of a completed concrete working tool, generally indicated at 4. In the preparation of concrete, a surface 8, such as the ground is prepared and forms 12 are disposed to identify the perimeter of the concrete to be poured. The forms 12 are normally held in place by formwork stakes 16. One common type of formwork stake is circular in cross-section and can range from 12 to 48 inches long, and have holes formed therein at predetermined distances. The length of concrete stake used will depend on conditions such as the firmness of the soil on which the concrete is being poured.

In conventional screeding, a board, aluminum bar, or some other form with a generally flat bottom, (commonly referred to as a screed board), is pulled across the top of the forms 8 and concrete so that a flat surface is formed along a line extending between the top of the forms as indicated by dashed line 20. If the distance between the forms is more than about 6 feet, screeding usually takes two people to perform, with one person holding each end of the screed board.

The concrete working tool 4 of the present disclosure solves these problems by providing a pivot bearing 24, such as a cylindrical tube, with a first attachment bracket 28 attached to the pivot bearing with a hinge 54. The pivot bearing 24 is designed to rotate about a pivot pin, such as a formwork stake 30, as will be explained in additional detail below. A screed board 32 may be attached to the first attachment bracket 28 on one end, and a second attachment bracket 36 on an opposing end of the board so the board can be used as a screed board. (This may occur before or after the pivot bearing 24 is disposed on the formwork stake 30). The second attachment bracket 36 may have a swivel 40 formed by a rod and a pivot bearing (discussed in additional detail below) and a handle attachment 44. The handle attachment 44 may be threaded so as to receive a common broom handle 48 or other type of handle.

Rather than requiring two workers to get down on their knees and drag the screed board across the tops of the forms 8 to screed the concrete, the present disclosure allows a single individual to screed the concrete and allows them to remain upright while doing so. The worker screeding the concrete with the concrete working tool 4 simply grabs the handle 48 and commences walking in a generally circular pattern with the screed board 32 or second attachment bracket 36 resting on the forms 12. The user may change directions if necessary and lift the board to ensure that concrete is pushed into any voids below the top of the forms 12 as indicated by the dashed line 20. It will be appreciated that the screed board 32 or second attachment bracket can also rest on previously hardened concrete and can be used for floating on top of previously leveled and screeded concrete.

In smaller pours using a 14-foot or 16-foot-long screed board, a single person can screed the entire pour without moving the formwork stake 30. For larger pours, the formwork stake 30 can be removed and placed in a new area multiple times to allow the entire area to be screeded. Because formwork stakes 30 are typically about ¾ths of an inch in diameter and are anchored in the ground, the hole left by removing the stake can be easily filled in so that the concrete has a continuous surface. This is unlike some arcuate screeding devices which leave an anchor in the concrete.

Turning now to FIG. 2, there is shown a close-up, cross-sectional side view of portions of the concrete working tool 4. As mentioned previously, the pivot pin in the form of a formwork stake 30 may have a plurality of holes 30b disposed therein. The pivot bearing 24 is disposed about the formwork stake 30 and may be sized so that the top of the pivot bearing will be disposed just below one hole when the bottom of the pivot bearing is disposed just above a second hole. One retainer 50 may be placed in the lower hole 30b in the formwork stake 30 so that the pivot bearing 24 may rest on the retainer while the pivot bearing rotates. The retainer 50 may be a nail, a screw, a bolt, or a pin which fits into the formwork stake. It will be appreciated that a formwork stake could also be formed with a flange at the desired height for maintaining the height of the pivot bearing 24 as it is being rotated. The formwork stake may include a tapered point 30a to facilitate pounding into the ground.

A second retainer 50 may be inserted in the hole 30b immediately above the pivot bearing 24 to prevent the pivot bearing from moving upwardly as the screed board 32 (FIG. 1) engages concrete which is piled higher than the top of the forms 12 (FIG. 1).

The pivot bearing 24 may be formed by a cylindrical tube having an interior diameter just larger than the outer diameter of the formwork stake 30. Many common formwork stakes have a diameter of ¾ths of an inch. Thus, the pivot bearing 24 may have an interior diameter of just greater than ¾ths of an inch. It will be appreciated that the pivot bearing 24 need not be a single tube or be completely cylindrical. For example, a slot could be formed in the bearing of a plurality of smaller bearings or even rings could be used to allow the first attachment bracket 28 to rotate about formwork stake 30. Likewise, pivot pins, such as the formwork stake 30 can be of different diameters.

The pivot bearing 24 is attached to a hinge 54. This may be accomplished, for example, by welding a first arm 58 of the hinge 54 to the exterior of the pivot bearing 24. Other attachment mechanisms such as adhesives or mechanical fasteners could also be used.

A second arm 62 of the hinge 54 may be attached to one or more metal plates 28a and 28b (FIG. 4) to form the first attachment bracket 28. In a presently preferred embodiment, the metal plates may be formed from ⅛-inch steel plate. However, other sizes and materials may also be used. The metal plates 28a and/or 28b may include a plurality of holes 70 through which screws, bolts, or other mechanical fasteners can be used to engage and hold a screed board (32, FIG. 1). Clamps and other fastening mechanisms may also be used to secure the screed board.

An adjustable gap 64 between the first arm 58 and the second arm 62 of the hinge 54 may be provided to accommodate concrete with sloped surfaces, such as a section which may require a small downward slope. Additionally, the gap 64 can be used to compensate in the event that the stake 30 is driven in at a slight angle.

The screed board 32 (FIG. 1) can be attached to the first attachment bracket 28 by cutting the end of the board to match the slope of the second arm 62. Alternatively, a butting plate 66 may be added in the first attachment bracket 28 so that the end of the screed board has a flat surface to but up to. By way of another alternative, the second arm 62 may include a bend so that in a resting position at least a portion of it is generally parallel with the first arm 58 of the hinge 54 as shown in FIG. 9. In one preferred embodiment, the space between the first arm 58 and the second arm 62 is about 0.5 inches.

In its resting position, a bottom 34b of the metal plates 28a or 28b may be positioned to align with the ideal bottom of the screed board. The top 34a of the metal plates 28a and 28b may be sized to align with the top of a 2×4 or 2×6 screed board. While the present disclosure will likely most often be used with wood screed boards, it will be appreciated that aluminum screed boards could also be attached to the first attachment bracket 28. Additionally, it will be appreciated that a screed board could be permanently attached to the attachment bracket 28 and/or second arm 62.

Also shown in FIG. 2 is the second attachment bracket 36. The second attachment bracket 36 includes one or more metal plates, such as plate 36a or 36b (FIG. 4), which may be made in a manner similar to that discussed with respect to the first attachment bracket 28. A plurality of holes 74 may be formed in the attachment bracket 28 for facilitating attachment of the screed board 32 (FIG. 1). The second attachment bracket 36 may include a swivel 40 which is formed by a shank 84 and a swivel bearing 80 which rotates about the shank. The shank may be larger on an end opposite the metal plates 36a, 36b of the attachment bracket to hold the bearing in place. The shank may be welded to the remainder of the attachment bracket or may be attached by adhesives or mechanical fasteners.

Attached to the swivel bearing 80 may be a handle attachment 44. The handle attachment 44 may include a handle pivot 88 which can adjust the orientation of a threaded receptacle or void 92 which receives a threaded end of a broom handle. Alternatively, the handle attachment may include some other form of void for receiving one end of a handle. The handle pivot 88 allows a user to adjust a handle attached to the handle attachment 44 so that the handle is disposed at a comfortable angle while they use the concrete working tool 4 of the present disclosure. For example, if a portion of the concrete pad being laid was at an elevated height, such as in a tiered patio or amphitheater, the handle pivot 88 can be loosened and the handle attachment adjusted so that the handle extended more horizontally. Likewise, if there was an obstruction adjacent the form 12 as shown in FIG. 1, the handle can be disposed vertically or even leaning over the screed board if necessary.

It will also be appreciated that the swivel 40 could have a locking mechanism so as to selectively prevent the swivel bearing 80 from rotating about the shank 84. This could be accomplished, for example, by inserting a pin 94 which extends through the swivel bearing 80 and into or through the shank 84. Thus, a user can selectively utilize the swivel feature or prevent the swiveling depending on the particular circumstances of the concrete being excreted and other personal preferences for using the working tool.

Turning now to FIG. 3, there is shown a kit, generally indicated at 100 for making a concrete working tool, such as the concrete working tool 4 shown in FIG. 1. One of the advantages of the concrete working tool discussed in regard to FIGS. 1 and 2 is its simplicity of design and use of commonly available components which a concrete installer would typically have. Rather than specialized components that would require considerable space to ship and would be expensive, the concrete working tool 4 can be formed by an inexpensive kit, along with formwork stake, 2×4 and handle which would already be owned by a concrete contractor or mason.

The kit 100 may include a pivot bearing 24 attached to an attachment bracket 28. As with the concrete working tool discussed previously, the pivot bearing 24 may be attached to the attachment bracket 28 by a hinge 54. This may include the pivot bearing 24 being welded or otherwise attached to a first arm 58 of the hinge 54, and a second arm 62 of the hinge being welded or otherwise attached to one or more metal plates 28a, 28b, for attachment to a 2×4 to form the screed board.

The kit 100 may also include a second attachment bracket 36 which includes one or more metal plates 36a, 36b (FIG. 4) for attachment to an end of the screed board opposite the first attachment bracket 28. The metal plates may have a plurality of holes 74 for inserting screws or other fasteners. The second attachment bracket may also include the swivel 40 formed by a swivel bearing 80 which rotates about a shank 84. A handle attachment 44 may be welded or otherwise attached to the swivel bearing 80 may include an adjustment joint 88 and a receptacle or void 92, which may be threaded or otherwise configured to receive the end of the handle.

The kit 100 allows a worker to carry the essential components of a concrete working tool such as that shown in FIG. 1 in a small bag. On a concrete installation worksite, a worker would likely find a spare formwork stake to serve as the pivot pin, a 2×4 and broom handle which could be used to complete the assembly of concrete working tool. In a manner of a couple of minutes the worker could put the attachment brackets 28 and 36 on opposite ends of a 2×4 by driving a plurality of screws. A broom handle could be threadedly engaged into the void 92 in the second attachment bracket and the formwork stake could be inserted into the pivot bearing 24 and one or more pins, screws, bolts, etc. inserted into the formwork stake to hold the pivot bearing in place. It will be appreciated that often the formwork stake will be driven into the ground so that a lower of two holes is disposed just about the desired level of the concrete prior to the pour. Once the concrete is in place, the pivot bearing 24 can be slid onto the formwork stake and secured by placing a second retainer just above the top of the pivot bearing. The device is ready to use. If multiple different areas of concrete need to be covered, the formwork stake can be pulled out of the ground and relocated to the next area in the concrete and the worker with a trowel can fill in a small void in the concrete left by the formwork stake.

It will be appreciated that the kit 100 may also include a pivot pin in the form of a stake 30 and retainers 50. While such are readily available on a typical concrete poor, the stake 30 and retainers 50 may be less available for an individual finishing their own concrete. Thus, it will be appreciated that the kits may contain additional items as well.

FIG. 4 shows a top view of the kit 100 shown in FIG. 3. The first attachment bracket 28 may be formed by two metal plates 28a and 28b to receive one end of a 2×4, an aluminum screed board, etc. The metal plates 28a and 28b may be welded or otherwise attached to the second arm 62 of hinge 54, while a first arm (not visible) may be welded or otherwise attached to the pivot bearing 24.

The second attachment bracket 36 may be formed by a first metal plate 36a and a second metal plate 36b being welded to a third metal plate 36c. Alternatively, a single plate to be formed in a U-shape or other configuration for attachment to one end of the screed board. The shank 84 of the swivel attachment 40 may be welded to the one or more plates or could be mechanically attached, such as by the shank 84 having a threaded void in the carriage bolt or similar fastener being inserted through the plate to engage the threaded void.

Turning now to FIG. 5 there is shown how a single person can screed the area larger than the length of the screed board. A first area 104 is screeded and then the formwork stake or other pivot point is removed to allow the user to screed a second area 106. The same stake may be used for another area, or a plurality of stakes may be used at predetermined locations around the pour so that the person using the tool does not need to waste time driving in a stake while the concrete is being poured or after the concrete has been poured.

The second area 106 may overlap the first area 104 so that in the process of screening the second area 106, the user is able to fill in the hole in the concrete left by the initial placement of the formwork stake. For larger pours, the same process can be repeated in area after area until the entire surface of the concrete has been screeded and all of the voids left by the formwork stake have been filled and covered.

Turning now to FIG. 6, there is shown an alternate embodiment of the kit 110. Instead of using a single pivot bearing such as pivot bearing 24 in FIG. 1-4, a plurality of pivot bearings 24a, 24b and 24c are used. These can be welded or mechanically attached to first arm 58 of the hinge 54. The remaining components of the kit 110 are similar to those discussed previously and are numbered accordingly.

FIG. 7 shows a top view of an alternate configuration where in the pivot bearing 24d is substantially cylindrical, but has a slot formed therein. The remaining structures are similar to those discussed previously and that discussion is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the present disclosure. Rather than using a formwork stake with holes, a pivot pin in the form of a solid stake 130 may be used with a pivot bearing 124 which has a closed or substantially closed end 124a which holds the pivot bearing in place on the stake. In use the user would drive the stake 130 into the surface so that the bottom end of the pivot bearing 124 would be positioned at the desired height for screening concrete. A screw 76 or other fastener may be used to secure the pivot bearing 124 to the stake 130 to prevent the pivot bearing 124 from being lifted off the stake as the screed board passes over the concrete.

In the various embodiments discussed herein, the first attachment bracket 28 is attached to the pivot bearing 24, 124 by a hinge 54. The hinge 54 is not required for use. However, the hinge 54 provides several advantages. First, the hinge allows the worker to lift the screed board to a position which makes working the concrete most efficient without changing the vertical orientation of the stake or the pivot bearing. For example, in the process of screeding the user of the concrete working tool 4 may come to a void in the concrete where in the concrete is below the level of the top of the form 12, followed by an area in which the concrete extends above the top. The user can use the hinge 54 to lift the screed board out of contact with the concrete and over the protruding concrete. He or she can then set the screed board back down on the form on the opposing side of the protruding concrete and then work the screed board backward to push the protruding concrete into the board. This is substantially easier than walking the screed board all the way around in the opposing direction to push protruding concrete into voids disposed nearby.

Another advantage of the hinge is that it allows the screed board to follow forms which are placed non-linearly. For example, there may be situations where an owner wants a gentle slope on a portion of concrete to facilitate drainage. The hinge 54 allows the screed board to track a rise or fall in the form to thereby provide the concrete with the desired contour.

After the concrete has been poured and screeded, the concrete working tool 4 may be kept as is, or the screens or other fasteners can be removed from the screed board and the pivot bearing removed from the stake to again have the kit. The kit can be kept in a toolbox or other container until it is again needed.

Turning now to FIG. 10, there is shown a wall 116, such as a concrete wall or a form work. Disposed along the wall is a support rail 120 which may be attached by a bracket 122 and fasteners 128, such as screws, nails, etc. Extending downward from the support rail 120 is a pivot pin 130 onto which a concrete working tool may be attached. FIG. 10 only shows the second attachment bracket 36 and handle attachment 44 which are typically disposed at the opposite end of the concrete working tool from where the concrete working tool attaches to the pivot pin 30. Also shown in FIG. 10 is a form 12 which may be held in place by a formwork stake 16. As will be explained in additional detail below, the concrete working tool is movable along the support rail 120 so that concrete between the form 10 and the wall 116 can be screeded.

FIG. 11 shows a side view of the concrete working tool 4 attached to the support rail 120 which may be mounted buy a bracket 122 and fastener 128 to the wall 116. As will be discussed in additional detail, the support rail 120 may be a strut rail and a trolley 130, which may be provided with a plurality of wheels 132, may roll within the strut rail forming the support rail 120 between opposing ends of the wall 116.

The concrete working tool 4 may include a pivot bearing 24 which mounts on a pivot pin 30 which extends from the trolley 130. The pivot bearing, in turn, may be connected to a first attachment bracket 28 by means of a hinge 54 similar to the hinge discussed previously. A screed board 32, most commonly a piece of aluminum or a 2×4 or 2×6 made from wood, may be attached at one end to the first attachment bracket 28 and at an opposing end to a second attachment bracket 32. The second attachment bracket 36 includes a handle attachment 44 for attaching a handle to control movement of the concrete working tool.

The concrete working tool 4 may also include a third attachment bracket 36′ which is show in FIG. 11 as being similar to the second attachment bracket 36. The third attachment bracket 36′ may include a swivel 40 and a handle attachment 44. The third attachment bracket 36′ may be attached near a first of distal end 4a (relative to the user) of the concrete working tool 4 to so that when a handle (not shown) is disposed in the handle attachment 44 of the third attachment bracket 36′ a user may move the first/distal end 4a of the concrete working tool 4 along the wall by applying force near the first/distal end 4a to move the trolley 130 along the support rail 120. In contrast the second attachment bracket 36 and associated handle attachment 44 are used with handle 48 to move the second/proximal end 4b (relative to the user) back and forth in a pivoting motion centered at the pivot pin 30 to screed the concrete between the wall 116 and the form 12. It will be appreciated that the concrete that would normally be between the ground 8 and the screed board 32 have been omitted for clarity. The concrete below the location of the trolley 130 is screeded by moving the trolley to the right or left and then rotating the concrete working tool 4 to engage the area that was previously below the trolley.

FIG. 12 shows a close-up view of the support rail 120 and attachment bracket 122. The attachment bracket 122 is shown in FIG. 12 as being an L bracket and it will be appreciated that a large number of different support rails 120 and support brackets can be used. In FIG. 12, a bolt and nut fastener 136 is used to attach the support rail 120 to the attachment bracket 122. Numerous other types of attachments could be used, and the support rail 120 and the attachment bracket 122 could be formed as a single piece.

FIG. 12 also shows a trolley 130 which may be disposed in or on the support rail 120. The trolley 130 may include wheels 132 which roll within the support rail 120, and a pivot pin 30 which extends outwardly. As shown in FIG. 12, the pivot pin 30 may extend downwardly from the trolley 130. With minor modifications, it would also extend upwardly or horizontally.

The wheels 132 of the trolley 130 may be attached by axels 140 to plates 144. The pivot pin 30 may be attached to the bottom of the plates 144 as shown in FIG. 12 or may be attached to plates 144 on either side as is shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. Likewise, the plates 144 and the pivot pin 30 may be formed from a single piece of material.

Extending downwardly from the trolley 130 is the pivot pin 30 which may be include a plurality of holes 30a for placing retainers 50 to limit the vertical movement of the pivot bearing 24 on the pivot pin 30. The pivot bearing 24 may be attached to the first attachment bracket 28 by a hinge 54 having one arm 58 attached to the pivot bearing and the other attached to the first attachment bracket.

By using the support rail 120 to hold the pivot pin 30, a user can move along a wall and screen the concrete adjacent thereto without having to pull the pivot pin out of the concrete each time he or she needs to move. It will be appreciated that once the person screeding has completed the area along the wall 116, (FIGS. 10-11), the retainers 50 can be released. This could happen, for example, by proving strings on the retainers 50 and pulling them to remove the retainers and allowing the pivot bearing 24 to be removed from the pivot pin 30. This may include tilting the concrete working tool 4 (FIG. 11) upwardly at the second/proximal end 4a to open the hinge to allow the pivot bearing 24 to slide off the pivot pin 30. Stings 150 could be provided to allow release of the retainers (such as by pulling on the strings) without having to walk on the concrete.

FIGS. 13 and 14 show, respectively, a side view and a top view of the trolley 130. The wheels 132 may be attached to the plates 144 by the axels 140 and the plates may be attached to the pivot pin 30 by welding or some other attachment method. It will be appreciated that numerous other configurations could be used. For example, instead of a trolley a sled or other device could be used to movably holding the pivot pin 30 so it can be moved along the support rail 120 (FIGS. 10-11).

Turning now to FIG. 15, there is shown an close-up end view of the support rail 120 and attachment bracket 122. The wheels 132 of the trolley 130 may be attached by axels 140 and may roll within the support rail 130 so that the trolley can move back and forth. The attachment bracket 122 holds the support rail 120 at the proper height so that the pivot pin 30 extends downwardly from the trolley 130 and so that pivot bearing 24 can pivot about the pivot pin as discuss previously,

The attachment bracket 122 is shown in FIG. 16 as having an upper attachment arm 123 and a lower attachment arm 125 along with a housing 127 for receiving ends of the support rails 120. A pair of set screws 138 can be used to engage the ends of the support rails 120 in the housing 127 and hold them in an abutting configuration to provide a continuous track for the wheels 132 of the trolley 130 to travel back and forth within the support rails. In FIG. 16 the pivot bearing 24 and structures carried thereby have been removed. It will be appreciated that the pivot pin 24, etc., can be removed when no longer needed so that they do not interfere with other work on the concrete or adjacent structures.

It will be appreciated that the bracket(s) 122 allows a large number of different support rails 120 to be used and allows multiple to be placed end so end to the overall support rail can extend to almost any length desired. Moreover, curved rails may be used to follow curved walls, etc., so that a combined support rail could extend along a long wall and then curve to follow a change in direction of the wall. Likewise, combined support rail (i.e. multiple support rails 120 held together by brackets 122, could curve upwardly or downwardly to match the slope of the floor. This could be done, for example, for an area of the floor which will have a wheelchair ramp, or which is concave or convex if desired as shown in FIG. 17. The forms 12 can also be concave or convex to parallel the support rail 120.

It will be appreciated that the present disclosure teaches a kit for making a concrete working tool, a concrete working tool and a method for using a concrete working tool. While various components of the kit, tool and method are disclosed individually, it will be appreciated that various components can be utilized together in a variety of combinations. For example, a kit for making a tool may include a pivot bearing, a first attachment bracket attached to the pivot bearing, a second attachment bracket; and a handle attachment attached to the second attachment bracket. The pivot bearing may be attached to the first attachment bracket by a hinge. The hinge may have a first arm. The pivot bearing may be welded to the first arm. The hinge may have a second arm, and the attachment bracket may have at least one metal plate welded to the second arm. The second attachment bracket may a swivel. The handle attachment may be attached to the swivel. The swivel may include a shank. A swivel bearing may be disposed about the shank. The handle attachment may be attached to the swivel bearing.

The kit for making a tool may have a handle attachment with a threaded void. The handle attachment may also include a pivot. The kit may also include a formwork stake and/or a plurality of retainers. A broom handle may also be included.

The kit may include a pivot bearing which is formed from an elongate tube, or a plurality of pivot bearings. The kit may also include a screed board attachable to the first attachment bracket and the second attachment bracket.

The concrete working tool may include a handle attached to the second attachment bracket. The concrete working tool may also include a stake disposed partially in the pivot bearing.

A method for forming a concrete working tool may include selecting a pivot bearing having a first attachment bracket attached thereto, selecting a second attachment bracket having a handle attachment attached thereto; selecting a stake; and selecting an elongate board; and attaching the elongate board to the first attachment bracket and the second attachment bracket and disposing the stake in the pivot bearing. The method could further include disposing at least one retainer in the stake to limit movement of the pivot bearing along the stake.

A method of screeding concrete may include disposing a stake in the ground, mounting a pivot bearing attached to a first attachment bracket, an elongate board and a second attachment bracket on the stake, positioning the elongate board at a height at which the concrete is to be screeded and rotating the pivot bearing about the stake and screeding concrete. The method may further include the pivot bearing being hingedly attached to the pivot bearing and wherein screeding concrete comprises lifting the elongate board and lowering the concrete board without changing a vertical orientation of the stake and pivot bearing.

The concrete working tool may be rotated or pivoted relative to a pivot pin which is secured into the ground, such as a formwork stake, or to a pivot pin which is connected to a support rail which allows the pivot pin to be moved to a variety of locations along the support rail. The pivot pin may, for example, be attached to a trolling that runs in or along the rail to allow the concrete working tool to be used at a number of locations along a wall.

Thus, there is disclosed a concrete working tool and a kit for making the same. Those skilled in the art will appreciate numerous modifications which can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The appended claims are intended to cover such modifications.

Claims

1. A kit for making a tool, the kit comprising: a pivot bearing;a first attachment bracket attached to the pivot bearing;a second attachment bracket;a handle attachment attached to the second attachment bracket;a support rail anda pivot pin movable attached to the support rail, the pivot bearing being mountable on the pivot pin.

2. The kit for making a tool according to claim 1, further comprising a trolley movable along the support rail and wherein the pivot pin is attached to the trolley.

3. The kit for making a tool according to claim 2, wherein the support rail is a strut rail and the trolley is disposed inside of the strut rail.

4. The kit for making a tool according to claim 1, further comprising a bracket for holding the support rail to a wall.

5. The kit for making a tool according to claim 1, further comprising a third attachment bracket

6. The kit for making a tool according to claim 5, wherein the second attachment bracket and the third attachment bracket each comprise a swivel and a handle attachment attached to the swivel.

7. The kit for making a tool according to claim 6, further comprising at least one broom handle.

8. A method for forming a concrete working tool comprising: selecting a pivot bearing having a first attachment bracket attached thereto;selecting a second attachment bracket having a handle attachment attached thereto;selecting a support rail and a pivot pin movably attached to the support rail;selecting an elongate board; andattaching the elongate board to the first attachment bracket and the second attachment bracket and disposing the pivot bearing on the pivot pin; andscreeding concrete and moving the pivot pin along the support rail.

9. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the support rail being attached to at least one of a wall or a formwork.

10. The method according to claim 17, wherein the method includes disposing a trolley inside of the support rail with the pivot pin being attached to the trolley.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the pivot pin extends downwardly from the trolley and wherein the method comprised sliding the pivot bearing onto the pivot pin and holding the pivot bearing below the trolley by inserting one or more retainers.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the method includes advancing the trolley to enable the concrete working tool to screen below a prior location of the trolley.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the method includes removing the pivot bearing from the pivot pin while the support rail remains attached to a wall.

14. A method of screeding concrete comprising: attaching a support rail on a wall or form work so that a pivot pin extends from the support rail;mounting a pivot bearing attached to a first attachment bracket, an elongate board and a second attachment bracket on the pivot pin;positioning the elongate board at a height at which the concrete is to be screeded; androtating the pivot bearing about the stake and screeding concrete.

15. The method of screeding concrete according to claim 14, where in the pivot bearing is hingedly attached to the pivot bearing and wherein screeding concrete comprises lifting the elongate board and lowering the elongate board without changing a vertical orientation of the pivot pin and pivot bearing.

16. The method for screeding concrete according to claim 14, wherein the method comprises selecting a pivot pin which is movable along the support rail.

17. The method for screeding concrete according to claim 16, wherein the pivot pin is attached to a trolley or sled and the method comprises moving the trolley or sled along the support rail.

18. The method for screeding concrete according to claim 14, further comprising attaching a third attachment bracket to the elongate board between the first bracket and the second bracket.

19. The method for screeding concrete according to claim 14, wherein the method comprises disposing a form adjacent to the wall on which the support rail is disposed and screeding the concrete between the form and the wall.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the concrete working tool is suspended at one end from the support rail and wherein the concrete working tool rests on the form at an opposing end.