Patent ID: 8998531
Filing Date: 2015-04-07
Classification: E01C,E04F

Abstract:
1. A self-propelled power trowel, for finishing a concrete surface, which comprises: a rigid frame means adapted to be disposed over a surface, the rigid frame having a front and a rear and defining a centerline from front to rear; an engine assembly for powering the power trowel supported by the rigid frame; a pair of rotor assemblies for frictionally contacting the surface and supporting the rigid frame on the surface, tiltably connected to the rigid frame and operably connected to the engine, with each of the rotor assemblies having a plurality of individual troweling blades forming a troweling blade assembly with each individual troweling blade configured for adjustable pitch; one or more steering actuators or mechanical linkages operably interconnected between the rigid frame and each of the rotor assemblies for tilting the rotor assembly fore and aft and left and right; a first pitch actuator operably connected to a first rotor assembly, with the first pitch actuator configured to controllably change a pitch position of the individual troweling blades of the first rotor assembly; a second pitch actuator operably connected to a second rotor assembly, with the second pitch actuator configured to controllably change a pitch position of the individual troweling blades of the second rotor assembly; a first troweling blade pitch position sensor for detecting and reporting a pitch position of at least one of the troweling blades of the first rotor assembly; a second troweling blade pitch-position sensor for detecting and reporting a pitch position of at least one of the troweling blades of the second rotor assembly; and a control unit for receiving a pitch position signal from each of the first and second troweling blade pitch position sensors, and controlling, via the first and second pitch actuators, the pitch position of the first and second troweling blades of the first and second rotor assemblies with control logic that provides for either a synchronous pitch mode or a manual pitch mode and the ability for a trowel operator selectively switch from one to other the pitch modes.