Patent ID: 6048130
Filing Date: 2000-04-11
Classification: E04F

Abstract:
A motorized riding trowel for finishing concrete, said riding trowel comprising:a rigid, generally triangular frame having a front and a rear;seat means disposed on said frame for supporting a driver;a pair of spaced-apart, rear rotors gimbaled to said frame rear, wherein the axes of rotation of said rear rotors establish a biaxial plane, and wherein said rear rotors tilt in a plane coincident with or parallel to said biaxial plane;a front rotor gimbaled to said frame front, wherein the front rotor tilts in a plane perpendicular to said biaxial plane;wherein the front and rear rotors each comprises a plurality of radially spaced-apart blades for frictionally contacting the concrete surface;a separate hydraulic motor for powering each rotor;tilting cylinder means for selectively tilting said rotors for steering and maneuvering the trowel;internal combustion motor means for powering the trowel;hydraulic tilting circuit means for controlling said tilting cylinder means;hydraulic drive circuit means for controlling each hydraulic motor;hydraulic pump means driven by said internal combustion motor means for powering said hydraulic drive circuit means and said hydraulic tilting circuit means;driver-operated means for operating said hydraulic tilting circuit means, whereby the driver can steer and control the trowel hydraulically, said driver-operated means for operating said hydraulic tilting circuit means comprises steering wheel means accessible to the driver of said trowel for remotely activating said hydraulic tilting cylinders from a seated position and foot-operated pedal means accessible to the driver of said trowel for remotely activating said hydraulic tilting cylinders from a seated position and,wherein said steering wheel means controls the hydraulic steering control valve associated with said rotor that tilts perpendicularly to said biaxial plane, and said foot-operated pedal means controls the hydraulic steering control valves associated with said rotors that tilt within or parallel to said biaxial plane.