Power roller screed with multiple screed rollers

A rotating cylinder cement screeding system having a drive assembly and handle at one end for powering and controlling the screeding system. The rotating cylinder is made of tubular screed rollers of varying lengths allowing a user to customize the length of the system to match a specific cement pour. Further, each tubular screed roller is supplied with a male and female end for interlocking with each other and for receiving a variety of add on attachments. The rotating cylinder may also be equipped with a constant velocity type U-joint to allow the rotating cylinder to flex and thus, allow for pours with crowns or valleys, as need by the cement installer.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an improvement in the methods used to level and finish freshly poured concrete slabs. More specifically, to a powered screed apparatus having an elongated cylindrical roller that is composed of connecting sections of varying length allowing for the use of the apparatus with concrete slabs of varying widths. Additionally, this screed apparatus contains components that enable it to be further adapted to be used with concrete slabs of differing shapes and profiles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Concrete slabs are ubiquitous in today's world. From highways to airport runways to parking lots to building floors, sidewalks, and driveways, concrete slabs form the durable surfaces we depend on for modern life. The methods used to construct all these differing structures are essentially the same in that they all require that the wet concrete mixture be poured into a form and a mechanism by which the concrete can be leveled and compacted.

In its simplest form, this process is accomplished by the use of wooden forms, most commonly 2 by 6 or 2 by 8 material, that is positioned in a parallel manner at the desired width. This form then operates to contain the poured concrete in a lateral area that is to be covered by the concrete slab. When the required amount of concrete is thus positioned, it is then necessary to level it off to the height of the forms. It is this later process in which the screed is employed. In this method the leveling process is accomplished by moving a flat piece of material spanning the two parallel forms in a back and forth manner. This operation serves to move any of the excess concrete that extends above the upper surfaces of the forms either into any low areas or off of the prospective slab altogether.

While the manual method described above works well enough on small jobs such as the repair of short sections of sidewalk, it has numerous deficiencies. The first of these is, that even in small jobs, it is labor intensive and therefore costly over the long term. Additionally, the use of a manual screed is not very effective at distributing and compacting the concrete within the form therefore producing a finished slab of a lesser quality than is generally desired. More importantly, the manual screed is effectively useless in larger jobs where wide slabs of concrete are required.

Many of the problems associated with the use of manual screeds have been solved by the use of powered models. The power screeds available today come in two general forms. The first of these generally consist of a flat screed bar that is attached to a motorized articulation apparatus. In use, the screed bar fits over existing forms in much the same manner as the manually operated screed. The screed bar is then moved back and forth over the concrete by the articulation motor. While this system solves some of the problems associated with screeds, especially in larger jobs, it is cumbersome both in construction and operation.

The other type of powered screed is referred to as a powered roller screed. The powered roller screed generally consists of an elongated tube that is rotationally driven by an attached motor. In operation, the roller tube is positioned over the raw concrete at a position on the upper edges of the forms. The roller tube is then moved along the top of the forms in a direction that is opposite the rotational motion of the roller tube at its point of contact with the concrete. This apparatus produces a smooth and flat finish to the concrete and is generally considered to be the preferred method in the industry today.

While the powered roller screeds described above are effective, they do suffer from a number of operational deficiencies. The first of these is that they are designed and built in fixed lengths and are therefore not adjustable to accommodate concrete pours of varying widths. While this is not a huge problem, it results in the use of screed apparatuses that extend well over the forms making them difficult to maneuver at the job site.

Another problem with the powered roller screeds of the prior art is that they offer no way to compensate for special application concrete pours. It is often desirable to pour a concrete slab that either has a ridge or valley running longitudinally through its center. This form of concrete slabs is an effective way of controlling water with respect to the surface of the slab. The prior art consists entirely of screed apparatuses that have rigid rolling tubes. Therefore, in the past the only way of constructing ridges or valleys in concrete slabs was to pour each side of the slab independently. While this method works, it is more time consuming than it would be to perform the entire pour in one pass.

A further problem existing in the prior art is that they provide no reasonable means by which an extremely wide concrete pour can be accomplished as a single operation. This problem arises because the power sources are not powerful enough to drive long sections of screed roller tubes. A possible solution to this is to place a power unit on either side of the roller tube. For this approach to work, however, the power units must be capable of operating in opposite directions and their rate of rotation must be matched exactly. While possible, these requirements of such an apparatus make it impractical to build and operate such an apparatus.

A still further problem in the prior art is the inability of screed apparatuses to operate effectively in construction circumstances that require a circular concrete slab. Circular concrete slabs are commonly used in the construction of grain silos and other similar buildings. In the past the only way to finish these types of slabs was to run a screed apparatus over the pour from one end to the other or to manually rotate it around the pour. These methods work but produce results that are less than desirable.

From the forgoing discussion it can be seen that is would be desirable to provide a screed apparatus that is easily adjustable in the length of its roller thereby allowing it to be fitted to specific job applications. Additionally, it can be seen that it would be desirable to provide a screed apparatus that is capable of flexing to accommodate concrete pours containing ridges or valleys. It can also be seen that it would be desirable to provide a screed apparatus that is capable of operating in extremely wide concrete pours. Finally, it can be seen that it would be desirable to provide a screed apparatus that can be operated effectively in the finishing of circular concrete slabs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a powered roller screed apparatus that has the capacity of adjusting the length of the roller member to accommodate concrete pours of varying widths.

It is an additional objective of the present invention to provide such a powered roller screed apparatus that employs an articulating roller member allowing for its use with concrete pours having a ridge or valley extending down its longitudinal center.

It is a further objective of the present invention to provide such a powered roller screed apparatus that can employ the use of a roller member that has a center counter rotational assembly allowing for the use of two rotational drive motors on either end of the roller member thereby providing a means by which extremely wide concrete pours can be effectively accomplished.

It is a still further objective of the present invention to employ such a powered roller screed apparatus that can employ the use of a roller member that can be rotationally anchored at the center of a circular concrete pour thereby providing a means by which such slabs can be effectively finished.

These objectives are accomplished by the use of a powered rotational screed apparatus having a screed roller member that is adaptable to accommodate any number of specialized concrete slab pouring applications. The present invention is designed generally to facilitate the finishing process necessary in the formation of concrete slabs. In the accomplishment of this process, the present invention is deployed on a slab pour site in a manner so that its screed roller member comes into contact with both the upper surfaces of the concrete forms and the unfinished concrete contained therein. This is accomplished by extending the screed roller member between the forms and over the area where the slab is to be formed.

One end of the screed roller member is rotationally attached to the drive assembly and the other to a pull rope. The drive assembly is the component of the present invention that houses the drive motor which in turn provides the rotational power necessary to operate the present invention. The drive motor is fixed within the drive assembly by the use of the motor frame which also provides the point of fixed attachment of the handle assembly. The handle assembly extends upward from the motor frame to position the control handle and pulling handle in a location so that the entire drive assembly can be easily controlled by an operator. The other end of the screed roller member provides the point of attachment for the pull rope through the operation of a pull bearing. The pull bearing operates to isolate the pull rope from the rotational aspects of the screed roller member allowing it to be fixedly attached to the pull rope.

To perform the finishing operation, the drive motor is engaged which in turn powers the screed roller member. As the screed roller member spins, the drive assembly operator and the pull rope operator move the present invention in a direction that is opposite to the rotation of the screed roller member over the unfinished concrete. This action has been found to be effective in producing the desired finish on the upper surface of the slab while also causing the concrete to compact in the necessary consistency.

The drive assembly of the present invention is made up of a handle assembly that is attached at its proximal end to a drive motor frame. The drive motor frame houses the drive motor that provides the rotational force for the operation of the present invention. The handle assembly serves to position the control handle and the pull handle in a position so that they may easily be grasped and manipulated by the operator. Additionally, the control handle contains the switch that controls electrical power to the drive motor.

The output of the drive motor is configured so that it can be fitted to a drive socket which is of a common impact type. This in turn allows for the attachment of the drive plate assembly which in turn bolts to the proximal end of the screed roller member. The screed roller member is the elongated cylindrical component of the present invention that is used to perform the finishing operation that is the object of the present invention.

The screed roller member is made up of three primary components. The first of these is the tube body which is a tube of the desired inside and outside diameter and is generally composed of a high strength aluminum alloy. Aluminum is used in this application due to its desirable strength to weight ratio. The other components are the female and male attachment plugs. The female and male attachment plugs are relatively short cylindrical components having a shoulder of an identical outside diameter of the tube body and an engagement body that has an outside diameter that is equal to the inside diameter of the tube body. The screed roller member is formed by fixedly attaching one female and one male attachment plug to either end of the tube body.

The female and male attachment plugs also contain a threaded hole that passes longitudinally through their center. The threaded hole allows for the placement of a threaded rod in a position so that it extends out beyond the outside end of the male attachment plug to which it is fixedly attached. Additionally, the female attachment plug is designed with a recess that extends into its body at the initial segment of its threaded hole. Conversely, the male attachment plug is designed with a similarly positioned shoulder that fits within the recess of the female attachment plug. Thus, the threaded rod and the recess and shoulder components of the female and male attachment plugs provide a means by which two or more screed roller members can easily and securely connect to one another. Also, this design provides a means of attaching additional components that will be discussed in greater detail below.

The above described method of constructing the screed roller members provides a means by which the present invention can be adapted to match the width of all possible concrete pours. This is facilitated by the building of screed roller members of varying lengths that can then be quickly and easily added or removed to achieve the desired length. The operator then simply connects the desired screed roller members by the use of the threaded rod and threaded hole and secures them together by the use of a securement bolt which extends through the body of the female attachment plug and engages the threaded rod contained therein.

The present invention is also capable of being employed to finish a concrete slab that has either a ridge or valley running longitudinally though its center. This is accomplished by the use of the articulation member. The articulation member is a self-contained device that is designed to be fitted between two screed roller members. The placement of the articulation member in this manner allows the connected screed roller members to vary in their longitudinal axis with respect to one another thereby allowing the present invention to finish a concrete slab that contains either a central ridge or valley.

The articulation member contains two primary components that make this possible. The first of these is a centrally located U-joint that is fixedly attached at either end to the two joined screed roller members. The U-joint employed in this application is of a type that is commonly in automotive or other vehicle applications and allows the two screed roller members to rotate around slightly different longitudinal axises. The U-joint is located in a central cavity of the female and male articulation bodies which operate to tie the articulation member to the screed roller members.

The second component of the articulation member is the pull bearing assembly. The purpose of the pull bearing assembly is to provide an external surface within the screed roller member which is rotationally stationary when the bulk of the screed roller member is rotating during use. This is accomplished by the incorporation of an outer bearing body that is isolated from the remaining components by a bearing. The use of the pull bearing assembly in this application allows the articulation member to interact with a center support that is incorporated within the pour forms. The center support is positioned longitudinally within the form at the position where the center of the ridge or valley is to be located. The articulation member then runs along the top of the center support thereby finishing the concrete at the levels dictated by the forms and the center support.

An additional component provides the present invention with the capability of finishing wide concrete pours. This is the counter rotation member that, like the articulation member described above, fits between and connects two sections of screed roller members. The counter rotation member provides a means by which these two screed roller members can be rotated in opposite directions during finishing operations. This is necessary in wide pours because the drive motors normally employed in screeding concrete are not powerful enough to provide the rotational force to long sections of screed roller members. The use of the counter rotation member allows for the placement of an additional drive assembly in place of the pull rope thereby providing the power to finish wide concrete pours.

The counter rotation member is constructed in a similar manner as described above for the articulation member in that it contains a bearing that rotationally isolates an outer bearing body from the rotation of the screed roller members. Additionally, the counter rotation member also isolates the rotation of the two screed roller members attached to it from one another. This is accomplished by the internal structure of the counter rotation member in that its two primary components are the female and male counter rotation bodies. These two components serve to connect the counter rotation member to the screed roller members. Additionally, each of these is equipped with an inner flange which are rotationally isolated from one another by a pair of isolation bearings. This configuration provides the means by which the two screed roller members can rotate in opposite directions thereby allowing the present invention to finish wide concrete pours.

Another optional component of the present invention that adds flexibility to its operations is the center anchor member. The center anchor member allows the present invention to finish circular concrete pours such as those used in the construction of grain silos and other similar buildings. The center anchor member allows the non-powered end of the screed roller member to be properly anchored in the center of the concrete pour and to rotate freely therein.

The center anchor member is made up of a stationary outer ring that is fixedly attached at its lower end to an anchor rod and at its upper end to a handle. The anchor rod serves to provide the rotational attachment to the anchor tube that is positioned in the desired location with respect to the concrete slab.

The outer bearing ring also provides for the pivotal attachment of the bearing that allows for the attachment of the screed roller member that is accomplished by the use of an extending threaded rod and a centering securement nut. The pivotal nature of the attachment of the bearing also allows for the altering of the angle of attachment of the screed roller member providing a means by which an angled pour of the concrete can be accomplished for much the same reasons as described above for the articulating member.

A still further attachment for the present invention is provided that allows for the finishing of a concrete slab in a situation where it is desirable to construct a concrete slab adjacent to an existing one with an upper surface that is slightly lower than the existing one. This application is most common in the pouring of a driveway up to a garage slab. This attachment consists of an existing slab drop-down member that is attached to the non-powered end of a screed roller member. The existing slab drop-down member is attached in much the same manner as described above for other components of the present invention in that it contains an isolated bearing and an outer pull ring. This allows for the attachment of a pull rope on the non-powered end of the screed roller member that provides a means of controlling this end of the screed roller member.

Finally, the existing slab drop-down member has an extending drop-down body that has an outside diameter that is smaller than that of the screed roller member. This drop-down body allows for the finishing of a concrete slab that is lower than the existing slab thereby creating the desired relationship between the two concrete slabs.

A yet further attachment for the present invention is the footing member. The footing member provides the present invention with the capability of finishing a concrete slab that is used to form the floor of a basement where the footings and walls are already constructed. The footing member is made up of a footing member body that is attached to the non-powered end of a screed roller body in the same manner as described for the previous attachments using an outer bearing body and bearing configuration. Additionally, the footing member is equipped with a ring spacer. The ring spacer is a circular plate that is inserted into the footing member in a location so that it effectively raises the screed roller member up off of the footing. This design allows for the simplified pouring of such a concrete slab up to the wall and over the footing to properly construct a basement floor.

The final attachment for the present invention in terms of this discussion is the vibration compacting member. The vibration compacting member operates to enhance the present invention's concrete compacting effect of the unfinished concrete slab. This is accomplished by the employment of a device that is commonly used in the concrete industry known as a stinger. The stinger is made up of a vibrating rod that is inserted into wet concrete and which drives out air pockets contained within the concrete.

In its use with the present invention, the stinger's vibration drive motor is attached to the drive assembly. The vibration drive motor has a flexible drive rod that extends from it down to the stinger body positioned at the drive end of the screed roller member between the drive plate assembly and the screed body. The attachment of the vibration compacting body to the screed roller member is accomplished by the use of an outer bearing body and stinger bearing assembly in a similar manner as described above for the present invention's previously illustrated attachments.

The stinger body is made up of a stinger tube and a stinger ring. The stinger body contains the stinger and transfers its vibrational motion to the stinger ring. The stinger ring is in turn attached to the stinger bearing assembly that transfers the vibration to the screed roller member. This design serves to impart a vibrational aspect to the motion of the screed roller member during the finishing operation. This vibration has been found to enhance the compacting of the unfinished concrete as it operates to drive off unwanted the air pockets that are inherent in all concrete pours.

For a better understanding of the present invention reference should be made to the drawings and the description in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings, and more specifically toFIGS. 1,2, and3, the powered rotational screed apparatus10has a screed roller member12that is adaptable to accommodate any number of specialized concrete slab pouring applications. The present invention is designed generally to facilitate the finishing process necessary in the formation of concrete slabs. In the accomplishment of this process, the present invention is deployed on a slab pour site in a manner so that its screed roller member12comes into contact with both the upper surfaces of the concrete forms14and the unfinished concrete16contained therein. This is accomplished by placing the screed roller member12between the concrete forms14and over the area where the slab is to be formed.

One end of the screed roller member12is rotationally attached to the drive assembly20and the other to a pull rope22. The drive assembly20is the component of the present invention that houses the drive motor24which in turn provides the rotational power necessary to operate the present invention. The drive motor24is fixed within the drive assembly20by the use of the motor frame36which also provides the point of fixed attachment for the handle assembly26. The handle assembly26extends upward through the extension bar28from the motor frame36to position the control handle30and the pull handle32in a position so that the entire handle assembly26can be easily controlled by an operator. Finally, the power to the drive motor24is supplied through the power cord42by way of the control handle30. The drive motor24may also be powered by an appropriate battery (not shown) which may be mounted to the drive motor24or extension bar28.

The other end, or the non-powered end, of the screed roller member12provides the point of attachment for the pull rope22through the operation of a pull bearing assembly84. The pull bearing84operates to isolate the pull rope22from the rotational aspects of the screed roller member12allowing it to be fixedly attached to the pull rope22. The nature and manner of operation of the pull bearing84will be described in greater detail below with reference to other components of the present invention.

Additionally, the handle assembly26of the present invention is equipped with a pivotally mounted stand34. The stand34allows the drive assembly20to be left in an upright position when not in use so that the control and pull handles,30and32, are in an easily accessible location. When not in use, the pivotal attachment of the stand34allows it to be rotated up next to the extension bar28so that it is not in the way during the operation of the handle assembly26.

To perform the finishing operation, the drive motor24is engaged by the use of the control handle30which in turn powers the screed roller member12. As the screed roller member12spins, the drive assembly20operator and the pull rope22operator move the present invention in a direction that is opposite to the rotation of the screed roller member12over the unfinished concrete16. This action has been found to be effective in producing the desired finish on the upper surface of the finished concrete18while also causing the concrete to compact to the necessary consistency.

The output of the drive motor24is configured so that it can be fitted to a drive socket38which is of a common6point impact type as illustrated inFIG. 4. As the drive socket38passes through the motor frame36, it is encased by the socket bearing40. The socket bearing40allows the drive socket38to spin freely with the drive motor24while securely holding it within the stationary motor frame36.

The use of the drive socket38allows for the securement of the drive plate assembly52which in turn bolts to the proximal end of the screed roller member12. To facilitate this, the drive plate assembly52is equipped with a rearwardly extending hexagonal shaft53that is specifically designed to engage the internal surface of the drive socket38. Additionally, each of these components has an attachment pin hole58. The attachment pin holes58allow for the passage of an attachment pin (not shown) through the drive socket38and hexagonal shaft53which secures the two together.

The drive plate assembly52also has a circular drive plate44that is of the same outside diameter as the screed roller member12. The drive plate44allows for the attachment of the drive plate assembly52to the screed roller member12through the use of a plurality of bolts54. Additionally, the distal surface of the drive plate44is equipped with a centrally located male shoulder70that operates to center the female attachment plug46of the screed roller member12with reference to the drive plate assembly52. This configuration not only transfers the rotational power of the drive motor24to the screed roller member12, but also ensures that all of the operational components are properly aligned.

The screed roller member12is the elongated cylindrical component of the present invention that performs the finishing operation that is the object of the present invention. The external manner of construction of the screed roller member12is illustrated inFIGS. 5 and 6. The screed roller member12is made up of three primary components. The first of these is the tube body50which is a tube of the desired inside and outside diameter and is generally composed of a high strength aluminum alloy, although the use of other materials for this purpose is possible. Aluminum is used in this application due to its desirable strength to weight ratio. The other components are the female and male attachment plugs,46and48.

The female and male attachment plugs,46and48, are relatively short cylindrical components having a shoulder of an identical outside diameter of the tube body50and an engagement body that has an outside diameter that is equal to the inside diameter of the tube body50. The screed roller member12is formed by fixedly attaching one female attachment plug46and one male attachment plug48to either end of the tube body50. This forms a complete unit that is then capable of being used individually or in conjunction with another as will be described in greater detail below.

The above described method of constructing the screed roller members12provides a means by which the present invention can be adapted to match the width of all possible concrete pours. This is facilitated by the building of screed roller members12of varying lengths that can then be quickly and easily added or removed to achieve the desired length. This design allows for the construction of screed roller members12of varying lengths as illustrated by length A, B, C, and D screed roller members,60,62,64, and66. Additionally, it must be stated that the lengths of the screed roller members12as shown is intended to be for illustrative purposes only and the construction of a screed roller member of any usable length is possible.

The female and male attachment plugs,46and48, also contain a threaded hole74that passes longitudinally through their center as illustrated inFIG. 7. The threaded hole allows74for the placement of a threaded rod72in a position so that it extends out beyond the outside end of the male attachment plug48to which it is fixedly attached. This attachment is accomplished by passing an attachment pin56through the body of the male attachment plug48in a manner so that it engages the threaded rod72. In this configuration, the attachment pin56is retained within the male attachment plug48even when the screed roller member12is disassembled.

The female attachment plug46is designed with a centrally located, with respect to its longitudinal axis, female recess68that extends into its body at the initial segment of its threaded hole74. Conversely, the male attachment plug48is designed with a similarly positioned male shoulder70that fits within the female recess68of the female attachment plug46. Thus, the threaded rod72, the female recess68, and the male shoulder70components of the female and male attachment plugs,46and48, provide a means by which two or more screed roller members12can easily and securely connected to one another. Finally, once the proper connection has been accomplished through the described methods, the female attachment plug46can be locked in place with reference to the threaded rod72. This is accomplished by the use of the securement bolt76that passes through the body of the female attachment plug46and engages the surface of the threaded rod72.

The connection of two or more screed roller members12is then simply accomplished by connecting the desired screed roller members12by the use of the threaded rod72and threaded hole74and their associated components. Also, this design provides a means of attaching additional components that will be discussed in greater detail below.

The present invention is also capable of being employed to finish a concrete slab that has either a ridge or valley running longitudinally though its center as illustrated inFIGS. 8,9, and10. This is accomplished by the use of the articulation member80. The articulation member80is a self-contained device that is designed to be fitted between two screed roller members12. The placement of the articulation member80in this manner allows the connected screed roller members12to vary in their longitudinal axis with respect to one another thereby allowing the present invention to finish a concrete slab that contains either a central ridge or valley.

To accomplish this, a center support82is positioned in the desired location at the longitudinal center of the concrete forms14. The articulation member80is then positioned between two or more screed roller members12in a location that it corresponds in its relative location to the center support. The articulation member80then rides along the top of the center support82, the height of which relative to the concrete forms14, determines the rise or drop in the finished concrete's18surface.

The articulation member80contains three primary components that make this possible. The first of these is a centrally located U-joint98that is fixedly attached at either end to the other two components, the female and male articulation bodies,81and83. The U-joint98employed in this application is of a type that is commonly in automotive or other vehicle applications and allows the two screed roller members12to rotate around slightly different longitudinal axises.

The U-joint98is located in a centrally located U-joint cavity100of the female and male articulation bodies,81and83, which operate to tie the articulation member80to the screed roller members12. The attachment of the U-joint98to the female and male articulation bodies,81and83, is accomplished through the use of the rod attachment cups102. The rod attachment cups102are fixedly attached to the U-joint98on their inside end and fit over the end of the present threaded rod72on their outside. With the threaded rod72so positioned, an attachment pin56is passed through the rod attachment cups102and the associated threaded rods72.

The rod attachment cup102that is associated with the female articulation body81is also fixedly attached to an attachment cup flange104. The attachment cup flange104is then bolted to the inner surface of the female articulation body81by a plurality of bolts54. This not only fixedly attaches the U-joint98to the female articulation body81, but also serves to secure the female articulation body81to the associated male attachment plug48of the screed roller member12. Conversely, the male articulation body83is secured not only by the operation of its associated threaded rod72, but also by a securement bolt76that passes through it and engages the surface of the threaded rod72.

An additional component of the articulation member80is the pull bearing assembly84. The pull bearing assembly84is the same component of the present invention that is used on the non-powered end of a conventional screed roller member12that allows for the attachment of a pull rope22as described above. The purpose of the pull bearing assembly84is to provide an external surface within the screed roller member12which is rotationally stationary when the bulk of the screed roller member12is rotating during use. This is accomplished by the incorporation of an outer bearing body90that is isolated from the remaining components by a bearing88. The bearing88fits within a bearing cavity89that is machined into the outer portion of the female articulation body81. Finally, the outer bearing body90is also equipped with a pull ring86that allows for the attachment of an external rotationally stationary device to the screed roller member12.

The articulating ability of the articulation member80is facilitated by the methods employed to construct the female and male articulation bodies,81and83. The inner surfaces of these two components are manufactured flex gap106that provides room for them to longitudinally move in relation to one another. Additionally, the portion of the female and male articulation bodies,81and83, that is outside of the flex gap106contains a seal cavity96. The seal cavity96allows for the positioning of a seal94between the female and male articulation bodies,81and83. The use of the seal94ensures that concrete or other debris cannot enter the U-joint cavity100and damage the U-joint98contained therein. Finally, the seal94is isolated from the bearing88by the use of an isolation ring92.

An additional component provides the present invention with the capability of finishing wide concrete pours that is illustrated inFIGS. 11 and 12. This is the counter rotation member108that, like the articulation member80described above, fits between and connects two sections of screed roller members12. Additionally, the use of the counter rotation member108employs the use of a center support82that functions in a similar manner as described above.

The counter rotation member108provides a means by which these two screed roller members12can be rotated in opposite directions during finishing operations. This is necessary in wide pours because the drive motors24normally employed in screeding concrete are not powerful enough to provide the rotational force to long sections of screed roller members12. The use of the counter rotation member108allows for the placement of an additional drive assembly20in place of the pull rope22thereby providing the power to finish wide concrete pours.

The counter rotation member108is constructed in a similar manner as described above for the articulation member80in that it contains a bearing88positioned in a bearing cavity89that rotationally isolates an outer bearing body90from the rotation of the screed roller members12. Additionally, the counter rotation member108also isolates the rotation of the two attached screed roller members12from one another. This is accomplished by the internal structure of the counter rotation member108in that its two primary components are the female and male counter rotation bodies,110and112. These two components serve to connect the counter rotation member108to the screed roller members12. Additionally, the female and male counter rotation bodies,110and112, are tied together though the internal components of the counter rotation member108which in turn serves to connect the entire structure.

These internal components of the counter rotation member108consist primarily of two related components. The first of these is the female inner flange114that is attached to the female counter rotation body110through the use of the female counter rotation attachment flange130and a plurality of large bolts124. The second is the male inner flange116connected to the male counter rotation body112through the use of a male counter rotation attachment flange128and a plurality of bolts54. The female and male inner flanges,114and116, are positioned within the counter rotation cavity126located within the female and male counter rotation bodies,110and112.

The female and male inner flanges,114and116, both extend from their connection to their respective component towards the center of the counter rotation cavity126in a manner so that the male inner flange116extends over approximately two thirds of the female inner flange114. These components are configured so that there is a space left between the inner surface of the male inner flange116and the outer surface of the female inner flange114. Additionally, the inner surface of the male inner flange116is equipped with a centrally positioned bearing spacer shoulder118and the female inner flange114has a corresponding bearing spacer shoulder118that is positioned so that an isolation bearing120can fit between it and the outer edge of the male inner flange's116bearing spacer shoulder118. The opposite end of the male inner flange's116operates to position an additional isolation bearing120.

The isolation bearings120serve to rotationally isolate the female and male inner flanges,114and116, from one another. This is accomplished not only by their positioning within the gap between the female and male inner flanges,114and116, but also by the nature of their connection to the female and male inner flanges,114and116. This manner of construction allows the female inner flange114and all of the components of the present invention to which it is attached to rotate in one direction while the male inner flange116and all of the components to which it is attached to rotate in the other thereby providing the function that is central to the counter rotation member108.

As stated above the female and male inner flanges,114and116, also serve to tie the female and male counter rotation bodies,110and112, together. This is accomplished by the use of securement nuts122, one each of which is threaded over the ends of the female and male inner flanges,114and116. The securement nut that is threaded over the open end of the female inner flange114tightens down on the corresponding isolation bearing120. This serves to force this isolation bearing120against the bearing spacer shoulder118of the male inner flange116which in turn forces the other isolation bearing120against the female inner flange's114bearing spacer shoulder118. Thus, the nature of the construction of these components of the present invention serves to rotationally tie the female and male inner flanges,114and116, together by eliminating the possibility of lateral movement when assembled.

This rotational connection is also reinforced by the use of the second securement nut122. When assembled, the second securement nut122is threaded over the open end of the male inner flange116and operates to force the pull bearing88against an additional bearing spacer shoulder118located on the outer surface of the male inner flange116. This then further restricts any lateral movement of the male inner flange116. Thus, the manner of construction of the counter rotation member108provides a means by which two connected screed roller members12can be rotated in opposite directions thereby allowing for the use of the present invention in the finishing of unusually wide concrete pours.

Another optional component of the present invention that adds flexibility to its operations is the center anchor member134and is illustrated inFIGS. 13,14and15. The center anchor member134allows the present invention to finish a circular concrete pours such as those used in the construction of grain silos and other similar buildings. The center anchor member134provides a means by which the non-powered end of the screed roller member12may be properly anchored in the center of the concrete pour and rotate freely therein.

The center anchor member is made up of a stationary outer bearing ring140that is fixedly attached at its lower end to an anchor rod144and at its upper end to a handle138. The anchor rod144serves to provide the rotational aspect to the center anchor member134through its positioning within the anchor tube136that is positioned in the underlying ground at the desired location with respect to the concrete slab. The anchor tube136is simply an open-ended vertically oriented section of tubing that the lower end of the anchor rod144slips into. This method of securing the anchor rod144allows it to freely rotate supplying the pivotal action that is required by the operation of the center anchor member134. Additionally, the relative height of the anchor rod144in relation to the anchor tube136is controlled by the positioning of lock nuts146along the length of the anchor rod144.

The outer bearing ring140of the center anchor member134also provides for the pivotal attachment of the bearing88which in turn allows for the attachment of the screed roller member12. This attachment is accomplished by the use of a threaded rod72that is positioned so that it extends out beyond the end of the screed roller member12and the attached center anchor member134. This then allows for the placement of a centering securement nut150that is threaded over this extending portion of the threaded rod72. The centering securement nut150also contains a shoulder that, when installed, fills the gap between the threaded rod72and the center anchor member's134center attachment hole148.

The pivotal nature of the attachment of the bearing88within the bearing ring140is accomplished by a plurality of pivotal attachment bolts142. The pivotal attachment bolts142pass through the bearing ring140and into the outer bearing body90in a manner that allows pivotal motion of the outer bearing body90around the axis created by the pivotal attachment bolts142. This manner of construction allows for the altering of the angle of operation of the screed roller member12with relation to the center anchor member134providing a means by which an angled pour of the concrete can be accomplished in much the same manner as the articulation member80.

A still further attachment for the present invention referred to as an existing slab drop-down member152is illustrated inFIGS. 16 and 17. The existing slab drop-down member152allows for the finishing of a concrete slab in a situation where it is desirable to construct a new concrete slab adjacent to an existing slab154with an upper surface that is slightly lower than that of the existing slab154. This application is most common in the pouring of driveways up to an existing garage.

The existing slab drop-down member152is employed by attaching it to the non-powered end of a screed roller member12. This attachment is accomplished in much the same manner as described above for other components of the present invention in that it contains an isolated bearing88and an outer bearing body90. Additionally, the bearing88and outer bearing body90are isolated from the screed roller member12by the use of an isolation ring92. Finally, the bearing88and outer bearing body90are attached to the existing slab drop-down member152by the use of a plurality of large bolts124that pass through the isolation ring92and the inner bearing spacer158and into the existing slab drop-down body153. This allows for the attachment of a pull rope22on the non-powered end of the screed roller member12that provides a means of controlling this end of the present invention.

The existing slab drop-down member152has an extending drop-down body153that has an outside diameter that is smaller than that of the screed roller member12. The drop-down body153allows the outer surface of the screed roller member12to operate at a level that is lower than the existing slab154thereby providing a means for finishing a concrete slab that is lower than the existing slab154. Thus, the use of the existing slab drop-down member152in conjunction with the present invention creates the desired relationship between the two adjacent concrete slabs.

A yet further attachment for the present invention is the footing member164and is illustrated inFIGS. 18 and 19. The footing member164provides the present invention with the Figures of finishing a concrete slab that is used to form the floor of a basement where the footings160and walls162are already built. The footing member164is made up of a footing member body165that is attached to the non-powered end of a screed roller member12in the same manner as described for the previous attachments using an outer bearing body90and bearing88configuration.

The footing member164is equipped with a ring spacer166. The ring spacer166is a circular plate that is inserted between the footing member body165and the footing member spacer163in a location so that it effectively raises the screed roller member12up off of the footing160. Additionally, the footing member spacer163, the ring spacer166, and the footing member body165are held together by the use of a plurality of large bolts124. This design allows for the simplified pouring of such a concrete slab up to the wall162and over the footing160to properly construct a basement floor.

The final attachment for the present invention in terms of this discussion is the vibration compacting member167which is illustrated inFIGS. 20,21,22, and23. The vibration compacting member167operates to enhance the present invention's concrete compacting effect on the unfinished concrete slab16. This is accomplished by the employment of a device that is commonly used in the concrete industry known as a stinger174. The stinger174is made up of a vibrating rod that is inserted into wet concrete and which drives out air pockets contained within the concrete.

In its use with the present invention, the stinger's174vibration drive motor168is attached to the drive assembly20. The vibration drive motor168has a flexible drive rod170that extends from it down to the stinger body172positioned at the drive end of the screed roller member12between the drive plate assembly52and the tube body50.

The attachment of the vibration compacting member167to the screed roller member12is accomplished by the use of a stinger bearing assembly178in a similar manner as described above for the present invention's other attachments. The stinger bearing assembly's178primary component is the stinger body172which is in turn made up of a stinger tube173and a stinger ring176. The stinger body serves to contain the stinger174and transfer its vibrational motion to the stinger ring176. The stinger ring176is in turn attached to the stinger bearing assembly178and this component transfers the vibration of the stinger174to the screed roller member12. This design serves to impart a vibrational aspect to the motion of the screed roller member12during the finishing operation. This vibration has been found to enhance the compacting of the unfinished concrete16as it operates to drive off unwanted the air pockets that are inherent in all concrete pours.

The positioning of the bearing88within the stinger bearing assembly178is accomplished by the use of the outer and inner housings,180and182. As previously stated, the stinger bearing assembly178is positioned between the drive plate assembly52and the screed roller member12. The inner housing182contains a female recess68and a male shoulder70enabling it to lock into these components. Additionally, the inner housing182is secured to the screed female attachment plug46of the screed roller member12by a plurality of large bolts124. Finally, the inner housing is constructed to have a bearing housing184centrally located on its outer surface. The bearing housing184provides a mechanism that allows the bearing88to be fitted within it.

The outer housing180provides the means for the securement of the stinger ring176and all of the other components attached to it. This is accomplished by the inner housing being constructed of two halves that sandwich the stinger ring176and outer portion of the bearing88. This sandwich is then held together by passing a plurality of bolts54through the assembled components. Additionally, when the outer housing180is properly positioned within the stinger bearing assembly178, there is a remaining rotation gap188left between it and the drive plate assembly52and the screed roller member12. The rotational gap188allows the stinger ring176and its related components and the bearing88to remain stationary while the drive plate assembly52and screed roller members12rotate. Finally, there is also a housing gap186left between the outer and inner housings,180and182, for the same rotational purpose.