Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6582154
-
Patent Number
6,582,154
-
Date Filed
Friday, May 17, 200222 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, June 24, 200321 years ago
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Inventors
-
-
Examiners
- Will; Thomas B.
- Addie; Raymond W
Agents
- Gene Scott-Patent Law & Venture Group
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 440 37
- 404 101
- 404 118
- 404 13305
- 404 1331
- 404 1332
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A remotely controlled power float apparatus comprises a horizontally oriented platform supported on a pair of spaced apart, rotationally mounted, floats. The floats each provide a downwardly directed flat surface for moving in contact with, and thereby smoothing, a non-hardened concrete surface. Mounted on the platform is a fan, rotationally adapted for directing a horizontal thrust vector in a variably selectable direction for moving and steering the apparatus over the concrete surface. The floats are adapted for being tilted thereby enabling a variable contact area between the floats and the concrete surface.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE: Applicant(s) hereby incorporate herein by reference, any and all U.S. patents, U.S. patent applications, and other documents and printed matter cited or referred to in this application.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to tools for smoothing and leveling poured concrete slabs and surfaces, and more particularly to a power float machine, remotely controlled, driven and steered by a fan and capable of tiling forward and aft floats upon which the machine is supported.
2. Description of Related Art
The following art defines the present state of this field:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,371,287—discloses and illustrates a surface laser controlled trowelling device. Refer to the Abstract; FIG.
1
and column
2
, line
31
et seq. U.S. Pat. No. 4,132,492—discloses and illustrates a self-propelled concrete screed machine in which the prime mover is remotely operated. Refer to
FIG. 2
(elements
12
and
162
); column
2
, line
13
et seq.; and claim
8
. U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,166—discloses and illustrates a laser operated concrete finishing tool. Refer to the Abstract;
FIGS. 1 and 2
; and column
4
, lines
48
-
52
. U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,193—discloses and illustrates a concrete finishing device having a seated operator control station. Refer to the Abstract; FIG.
1
and column
6
, line
26
. U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,633—discloses and illustrates a screeding apparatus having a seated operating station. Refer to the Abstract;
FIG. 2
; and column
9
, line
12
et seq. U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,249—discloses and illustrates a manually operated screeding device for concrete and the like. Refer to the Abstract and FIG.
1
.
The prior art teaches troweling and screeding devices and machines including those controlled by a laser line and other relatively new technical methods, but does not teach a remotely operated and controlled concrete leveling and smoothing machine with fan drive and variable weight control. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below.
A power float apparatus comprises a horizontally oriented platform supported on a pair of spaced apart, rotationally mounted, floats. The floats each provide a downwardly directed flat surface for moving in contact with, and thereby smoothing, a non-hardened concrete surface. Mounted on the platform is a fan, rotationally adapted for directing a horizontal thrust vector in a variably selectable direction for moving and steering the apparatus over the concrete surface. The floats are adapted for being tilted thereby enabling a variable contact area between the floats and the concrete surface. The primary use of this invention is to level and vibrate a concrete surface after the screeding phase and before the surface is finished or polished. The invention replaces the well known hand operations using a bull float and the Fresno process. The invention is placed on the surface to be leveled by a hoist and operated, preferably by a hand-held remote control unit manipulated by a workman standing to one side of the surface being worked on.
A primary objective of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method of use of such apparatus that provides advantages not taught by the prior art.
Another objective is to provide such an invention capable of smoothing freshly poured concrete.
A further objective is to provide such an invention capable of being controlled by a remotely located operator.
A still further objective is to provide such an invention capable of adjusting smoothing forces delivered to the concrete surface.
A yet further objective is to provide such an invention driven and steered by a angularly directable fan.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The accompanying drawing illustrates the present invention. In such drawing,
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The above described drawing figures illustrate the invention in at least one of its preferred embodiments, which is further defined in detail in the following description.
The present invention is a power float apparatus including a horizontally oriented platform
10
supported on a pair of spaced apart, rotationally mounted, floats
20
,
20
′. The platform
10
and the floats
20
,
20
′ are preferably made of steel, aluminum or similar structural materials.
Each of the floats
20
,
20
′ provides a downwardly directed flat surface
22
for moving in contact with, and thereby smoothing and leveling, a non-hardened concrete surface. The concrete surface is not shown in the illustration. Mounted on the platform
10
is a fan
30
, rotationally adapted for directing a horizontal thrust vector
32
in a variably selectable direction for moving and steering the apparatus over the concrete surface. This type of drive and steering system is well known in the swamp boats used in the Florida Everglades. A means for tilting
40
of the floats
20
,
20
′ enables a variable contact area between the floats
20
,
20
′ and the concrete surface. Each of the floats
20
,
20
′ comprises a generally elongated horizontally oriented, planar, bottom panel
24
enclosed by a peripheral, upwardly extending sidewall
26
so that concrete cannot enter the floats
20
,
20
′. The fan
30
comprises a propeller
34
mounted within a surrounding fixed cowling
36
, and a drive motor
38
engaged, by belt
35
, with the propeller
34
for rotating it. Preferably this drive is set-up in such a manner as to vary the magnitude of the thrust vector
32
for controlling the speed by which the apparatus moves over the concrete surface. The tilting means
40
preferably comprises a tilt motor
42
engaged with one
20
of the floats
20
,
20
′ so as to rotate it about a longitudinal axis
28
. Such rotation need only be over a few degrees and causes the weight of the apparatus to be shifted to the rear edge of each the floats
20
,
20
′. A pair of push rods
50
is engaged between the floats
20
,
20
′ for rotating the other
20
′ of the floats
20
,
20
′ in correspondence with the driven one
20
. The rods
50
are therefore rotationally coupled with the floats
20
,
20
′ as is clearly shown in FIG.
1
. By shifting the weight of the apparatus to the rear edges of the floats
20
,
20
′ the force per square area applied to the concrete surface may be greatly varied, so that the apparatus is able to level a highly roughened surface quickly and also to accomplish fine smoothing as well. The engagement of the tilt motor
42
is preferably through worm gear
41
and linkage
43
. The rotational adaptation of the fan
30
comprises a rotation motor
60
mounted on the platform and a support column
70
engaging the fan
30
, drive motor
38
, rotation gear
37
, and a bearing
39
, which enables rotation of the support column
70
about a vertical axis
72
so as to direct the propeller
34
. The rotation gear
37
engages with the rotation motor
60
, via motor gear
62
, for directing the fan
30
and thereby, the thrust vector
32
. The fan
30
, tilting means
40
and rotation motor
60
are enabled for remote control, preferably by wave energy transmission, in a manner common to radio controlled aircraft which is well known in the art.
While the invention has been described with reference to at least one preferred embodiment, it is to be clearly understood by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited thereto. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be interpreted only in conjunction with the appended claims.
Claims
- 1. A power float apparatus comprising: a horizontally oriented platform supported on a pair of spaced apart, rotationally mounted, floats, wherein the floats each provide a downwardly directed flat surface for moving in contact with, and thereby smoothing, a non-hardened concrete surface; and, mounted on the platform, (a) a fan, rotationally adapted for directing a horizontal thrust vector in a variably selectable direction for moving and steering the apparatus over the concrete surface; and (b) a means for tilting of the floats, thereby enabling a variable contact area between the floats and the concrete surface.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the floats comprise a generally horizontally oriented, planar, bottom panel enclosed by a peripheral, upwardly extending sidewall.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fan comprises a propeller within a surrounding cowling, and a drive motor engaged with the propeller for rotation thereof.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tilting means comprises a tilt motor engaged with one of the floats so as to rotate the one of the floats about a longitudinal axis thereof; and a pair of push rods engaged between the floats for rotating the other of the floats in correspondence with the one of the floats.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the rotational adaptation of the fan comprises a rotation motor mounted on the platform; and a support column engaging the fan, the drive motor, a rotation gear, and a bearing enabling rotation of the support column about a vertical axis; the rotation gear engaged with the rotation motor for directing the fan and thereby, the thrust vector.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the fan, tilting means and rotation motor are enabled for remote control.
US Referenced Citations (12)