Remote controlled concrete power float

Details Remote controlled concrete power float Remote controlled concrete power float

2002-05-17

2003-06-24

Will, Thomas B. (Department: 3671)

Road structure, process, or apparatus

Apparatus

Screed or drag

C404S133100

Reexamination Certificate

active

06582154

ABSTRACT:

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.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2341911 (1944-02-01), Drexler et al.
patent: 4132492 (1979-01-01), Jenkins
patent: 4371287 (1983-02-01), Johansson
patent: 4421489 (1983-12-01), Van Veldhuizen
patent: 4655633 (1987-04-01), Somero et al.
patent: 4848960 (1989-07-01), Kajioka et al.
patent: 5039249 (1991-08-01), Hansen et al.
patent: 5288166 (1994-02-01), Allen et al.
patent: 5328295 (1994-07-01), Allen
patent: 5503242 (1996-04-01), Jeffers
patent: 6106193 (2000-08-01), Allen et al.
patent: 6139217 (2000-10-01), Reuter

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