Abstract:
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.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     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.  
         [0002]     Concrete slabs are ubiquitous in today&#39;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.  
         [0003]     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.  
         [0004]     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.  
         [0005]     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.  
         [0006]     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.  
         [0007]     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.  
         [0008]     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.  
         [0009]     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.  
         [0010]     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.  
         [0011]     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  
       [0012]     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.  
         [0013]     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.  
         [0014]     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.  
         [0015]     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.  
         [0016]     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.  
         [0017]     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.  
         [0018]     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.  
         [0019]     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.  
         [0020]     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.  
         [0021]     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.  
         [0022]     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.  
         [0023]     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 archive 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.  
         [0024]     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.  
         [0025]     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.  
         [0026]     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.  
         [0027]     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.  
         [0028]     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.  
         [0029]     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.  
         [0030]     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.  
         [0031]     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.  
         [0032]     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.  
         [0033]     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.  
         [0034]     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.  
         [0035]     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&#39;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.  
         [0036]     In its use with the present invention, the stinger&#39;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&#39;s previously illustrated attachments.  
         [0037]     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.  
         [0038]     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.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0039]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present invention which illustrates the manner in which it is deployed to finished a slab of concrete.  
         [0040]      FIG. 2  is a top elevation view of the drive assembly component of the present invention illustrating its manner of construction.  
         [0041]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of the drive assembly component of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0042]      FIG. 4  is a side elevation exploded view of the drive motor and drive plate assembly components of the present invention illustrating the manner by which they engage the screed roller member.  
         [0043]      FIG. 5  is a side elevation view of the screed roller member of the present invention illustrating its general manner of construction and the way two or more can be joined together to form a longer screed roller member.  
         [0044]      FIG. 6  is a side elevation view of a plurality of screed roller members illustrating the varying lengths in which they can be constructed.  
         [0045]      FIG. 7  is a side elevation cut-away view of the connection between two adjoining screed roller members illustrating the methods employed to make the connection.  
         [0046]      FIG. 8  is a front elevation view of the present invention illustrating its use in conjunction with the articulation member to finish a concrete slab having a valley running longitudinally through its center.  
         [0047]      FIG. 9  is a front elevation view of the present invention as configured in  FIG. 8  illustrating it as used to finish a concrete slab having a ridge running longitudinally through its center.  
         [0048]      FIG. 10  is a side elevation cut-away view of the articulation member component of the present invention illustrating the manner of construction of its internal components.  
         [0049]      FIG. 11  is a front elevation view of the present invention illustrating its use in conjunction with the counter rotation member to finish a wider that normal concrete slab.  
         [0050]      FIG. 12  is a side elevation cut-away view of the counter rotation member component of the present invention illustrating the manner of construction of its internal components.  
         [0051]      FIG. 13  is a front elevation view of the present invention illustrating its use in conjunction with the center anchor member to finish a circular concrete slab.  
         [0052]      FIG. 14  is a front elevation view of the center anchor component of the present invention illustrating its manner of construction.  
         [0053]      FIG. 15  is a side elevation cut-away view of the center anchor member component of the present invention illustrating the manner of construction of its internal components.  
         [0054]      FIG. 16  is a front elevation view of the existing slab drop-down member component of the present invention illustrating its manner of construction.  
         [0055]      FIG. 17  is a side elevation cut-away view of the existing slab drop-down member component of the present invention illustrating the manner of construction of its internal components.  
         [0056]      FIG. 18  is a front elevation view of the footing member component of the present invention illustrating its manner of construction.  
         [0057]      FIG. 19  is a side elevation cut-away view of the footing member component of the present invention illustrating the manner of construction of its internal components.  
         [0058]      FIG. 20  is a side elevation view of the drive assembly component of the present invention illustrating it as used in conjunction with a vibrational compacting member.  
         [0059]      FIG. 21  is a top elevation view of the drive assembly of  FIG. 20 .  
         [0060]      FIG. 22  is a side elevation view of the stinger body of the vibrational compacting member component of the present invention.  
         [0061]      FIG. 23  is a side elevation cut-away view of the vibrational compacting member component of the present invention illustrating the manner of construction of its internal components.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0062]     Referring now to the drawings, and more specifically to  FIGS. 1, 2 , and  3 , the powered rotational screed apparatus  10  has a screed roller member  12  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  12  comes into contact with both the upper surfaces of the concrete forms  14  and the unfinished concrete  16  contained therein. This is accomplished by placing the screed roller member  12  between the concrete forms  14  and over the area where the slab is to be formed.  
         [0063]     One end of the screed roller member  12  is rotationally attached to the drive assembly  20  and the other to a pull rope  22 . The drive assembly  20  is the component of the present invention that houses the drive motor  24  which in turn provides the rotational power necessary to operate the present invention. The drive motor  24  is fixed within the drive assembly  20  by the use of the motor frame  36  which also provides the point of fixed attachment for the handle assembly  26 . The handle assembly  26  extends upward through the extension bar  28  from the motor frame  36  to position the control handle  30  and the pull handle  32  in a position so that the entire handle assembly  26  can be easily controlled by an operator. Finally, the power to the drive motor  24  is supplied through the power cord  42  by way of the control handle  30 . The drive motor  24  may also be powered by an appropriate battery (not shown) which may be mounted to the drive motor  24  or extension bar  28 .  
         [0064]     The other end, or the non-powered end, of the screed roller member  12  provides the point of attachment for the pull rope  22  through the operation of a pull bearing assembly  84 . The pull bearing  84  operates to isolate the pull rope  22  from the rotational aspects of the screed roller member  12  allowing it to be fixedly attached to the pull rope  22 . The nature and manner of operation of the pull bearing  84  will be described in greater detail below with reference to other components of the present invention.  
         [0065]     Additionally, the handle assembly  26  of the present invention is equipped with a pivotally mounted stand  34 . The stand  34  allows the drive assembly  20  to be left in an upright position when not in use so that the control and pull handles,  30  and  32 , are in an easily accessible location. When not in use, the pivotal attachment of the stand  34  allows it to be rotated up next to the extension bar  28  so that it is not in the way during the operation of the handle assembly  26 .  
         [0066]     To perform the finishing operation, the drive motor  24  is engaged by the use of the control handle  30  which in turn powers the screed roller member  12 . As the screed roller member  12  spins, the drive assembly  20  operator and the pull rope  22  operator move the present invention in a direction that is opposite to the rotation of the screed roller member  12  over the unfinished concrete  16 . This action has been found to be effective in producing the desired finish on the upper surface of the finished concrete  18  while also causing the concrete to compact to the necessary consistency.  
         [0067]     The output of the drive motor  24  is configured so that it can be fitted to a drive socket  38  which is of a common 6 point impact type as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . As the drive socket  38  passes through the motor frame  36 , it is encased by the socket bearing  40 . The socket bearing  40  allows the drive socket  38  to spin freely with the drive motor  24  while securely holding it within the stationary motor frame  36 .  
         [0068]     The use of the drive socket  38  allows for the securement of the drive plate assembly  52  which in turn bolts to the proximal end of the screed roller member  12 . To facilitate this, the drive plate assembly  52  is equipped with a rearwardly extending hexagonal shaft  53  that is specifically designed to engage the internal surface of the drive socket  38 . Additionally, each of these components has an attachment pin hole  58 . The attachment pin holes  58  allow for the passage of an attachment pin (not shown) through the drive socket  38  and hexagonal shaft  53  which secures the two together.  
         [0069]     The drive plate assembly  52  also has a circular drive plate  44  that is of the same outside diameter as the screed roller member  12 . The drive plate  44  allows for the attachment of the drive plate assembly  52  to the screed roller member  12  through the use of a plurality of bolts  54 . Additionally, the distal surface of the drive plate  44  is equipped with a centrally located male shoulder  70  that operates to center the female attachment plug  46  of the screed roller member  12  with reference to the drive plate assembly  52 . This configuration not only transfers the rotational power of the drive motor  24  to the screed roller member  12 , but also ensures that all of the operational components are properly aligned.  
         [0070]     The screed roller member  12  is 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 member  12  is illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . The screed roller member  12  is made up of three primary components. The first of these is the tube body  50  which 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,  46  and  48 .  
         [0071]     The female and male attachment plugs,  46  and  48 , are relatively short cylindrical components having a shoulder of an identical outside diameter of the tube body  50  and an engagement body that has an outside diameter that is equal to the inside diameter of the tube body  50 . The screed roller member  12  is formed by fixedly attaching one female attachment plug  46  and one male attachment plug  48  to either end of the tube body  50 . 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.  
         [0072]     The above described method of constructing the screed roller members  12  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  12  of varying lengths that can then be quickly and easily added or removed to archive the desired length. This design allows for the construction of screed roller members  12  of varying lengths as illustrated by length A, B, C, and D screed roller members,  60 ,  62 ,  64 , and  66 . Additionally, it must be stated that the lengths of the screed roller members  12  as shown is intended to be for illustrative purposes only and the construction of a screed roller member of any usable length is possible.  
         [0073]     The female and male attachment plugs,  46  and  48 , also contain a threaded hole  74  that passes longitudinally through their center as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . The threaded hole allows  74  for the placement of a threaded rod  72  in a position so that it extends out beyond the outside end of the male attachment plug  48  to which it is fixedly attached. This attachment is accomplished by passing an attachment pin  56  through the body of the male attachment plug  48  in a manner so that it engages the threaded rod  72 . In this configuration, the attachment pin  56  is retained within the male attachment plug  48  even when the screed roller member  12  is disassembled.  
         [0074]     The female attachment plug  46  is designed with a centrally located, with respect to its longitudinal axis, female recess  68  that extends into its body at the initial segment of its threaded hole  74 . Conversely, the male attachment plug  48  is designed with a similarly positioned male shoulder  70  that fits within the female recess  68  of the female attachment plug  46 . Thus, the threaded rod  72 , the female recess  68 , and the male shoulder  70  components of the female and male attachment plugs,  46  and  48 , provide a means by which two or more screed roller members  12  can easily and securely connected to one another. Finally, once the proper connection has been accomplished through the described methods, the female attachment plug  46  can be locked in place with reference to the threaded rod  72 . This is accomplished by the use of the securement bolt  76  that passes through the body of the female attachment plug  46  and engages the surface of the threaded rod  72 .  
         [0075]     The connection of two or more screed roller members  12  is then simply accomplished by connecting the desired screed roller members  12  by the use of the threaded rod  72  and threaded hole  74  and their associated components. Also, this design provides a means of attaching additional components that will be discussed in greater detail below.  
         [0076]     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 in  FIGS. 8, 9 , and  10 . This is accomplished by the use of the articulation member  80 . The articulation member  80  is a self-contained device that is designed to be fitted between two screed roller members  12 . The placement of the articulation member  80  in this manner allows the connected screed roller members  12  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.  
         [0077]     To accomplish this, a center support  82  is positioned in the desired location at the longitudinal center of the concrete forms  14 . The articulation member  80  is then positioned between two or more screed roller members  12  in a location that it corresponds in its relative location to the center support. The articulation member  80  then rides along the top of the center support  82 , the height of which relative to the concrete forms  14 , determines the rise or drop in the finished concrete&#39;s  18  surface.  
         [0078]     The articulation member  80  contains three primary components that make this possible. The first of these is a centrally located U-joint  98  that is fixedly attached at either end to the other two components, the female and male articulation bodies,  81  and  83 . The U-joint  98  employed in this application is of a type that is commonly in automotive or other vehicle applications and allows the two screed roller members  12  to rotate around slightly different longitudinal axises.  
         [0079]     The U-joint  98  is located in a centrally located U-joint cavity  100  of the female and male articulation bodies,  81  and  83 , which operate to tie the articulation member  80  to the screed roller members  12 . The attachment of the U-joint  98  to the female and male articulation bodies,  81  and  83 , is accomplished through the use of the rod attachment cups  102 . The rod attachment cups  102  are fixedly attached to the U-joint  98  on their inside end and fit over the end of the present threaded rod  72  on their outside. With the threaded rod  72  so positioned, an attachment pin  56  is passed through the rod attachment cups  102  and the associated threaded rods  72 .  
         [0080]     The rod attachment cup  102  that is associated with the female articulation body  81  is also fixedly attached to an attachment cup flange  104 . The attachment cup flange  104  is then bolted to the inner surface of the female articulation body  81  by a plurality of bolts  54 . This not only fixedly attaches the U-joint  98  to the female articulation body  81 , but also serves to secure the female articulation body  81  to the associated male attachment plug  48  of the screed roller member  12 . Conversely, the male articulation body  83  is secured not only by the operation of its associated threaded rod  72 , but also by a securement bolt  76  that passes through it and engages the surface of the threaded rod  72 .  
         [0081]     An additional component of the articulation member  80  is the pull bearing assembly  84 . The pull bearing assembly  84  is the same component of the present invention that is used on the non-powered end of a conventional screed roller member  12  that allows for the attachment of a pull rope  22  as described above. The purpose of the pull bearing assembly  84  is to provide an external surface within the screed roller member  12  which is rotationally stationary when the bulk of the screed roller member  12  is rotating during use. This is accomplished by the incorporation of an outer bearing body  90  that is isolated from the remaining components by a bearing  88 . The bearing  88  fits within a bearing cavity  89  that is machined into the outer portion of the female articulation body  81 . Finally, the outer bearing body  90  is also equipped with a pull ring  86  that allows for the attachment of an external rotationally stationary device to the screed roller member  12 .  
         [0082]     The articulating ability of the articulation member  80  is facilitated by the methods employed to construct the female and male articulation bodies,  81  and  83 . The inner surfaces of these two components are manufactured flex gap  106  that provides room for them to longitudinally move in relation to one another. Additionally, the portion of the female and male articulation bodies,  81  and  83 , that is outside of the flex gap  106  contains a seal cavity  96 . The seal cavity  96  allows for the positioning of a seal  94  between the female and male articulation bodies,  81  and  83 . The use of the seal  94  ensures that concrete or other debris cannot enter the U-joint cavity  100  and damage the U-joint  98  contained therein. Finally, the seal  94  is isolated from the bearing  88  by the use of an isolation ring  92 .  
         [0083]     An additional component provides the present invention with the capability of finishing wide concrete pours that is illustrated in  FIGS. 11 and 12 . This is the counter rotation member  108  that, like the articulation member  80  described above, fits between and connects two sections of screed roller members  12 . Additionally, the use of the counter rotation member  108  employs the use of a center support  82  that functions in a similar manner as described above.  
         [0084]     The counter rotation member  108  provides a means by which these two screed roller members  12  can be rotated in opposite directions during finishing operations. This is necessary in wide pours because the drive motors  24  normally employed in screeding concrete are not powerful enough to provide the rotational force to long sections of screed roller members  12 . The use of the counter rotation member  108  allows for the placement of an additional drive assembly  20  in place of the pull rope  22  thereby providing the power to finish wide concrete pours.  
         [0085]     The counter rotation member  108  is constructed in a similar manner as described above for the articulation member  80  in that it contains a bearing  88  positioned in a bearing cavity  89  that rotationally isolates an outer bearing body  90  from the rotation of the screed roller members  12 . Additionally, the counter rotation member  108  also isolates the rotation of the two attached screed roller members  12  from one another. This is accomplished by the internal structure of the counter rotation member  108  in that its two primary components are the female and male counter rotation bodies,  110  and  112 . These two components serve to connect the counter rotation member  108  to the screed roller members  12 . Additionally, the female and male counter rotation bodies,  110  and  112 , are tied together though the internal components of the counter rotation member  108  which in turn serves to connect the entire structure.  
         [0086]     These internal components of the counter rotation member  108  consist primarily of two related components. The first of these is the female inner flange  114  that is attached to the female counter rotation body  110  through the use of the female counter rotation attachment flange  130  and a plurality of large bolts  124 . The second is the male inner flange  116  connected to the male counter rotation body  112  through the use of a male counter rotation attachment flange  128  and a plurality of bolts  54 . The female and male inner flanges,  114  and  116 , are positioned within the counter rotation cavity  126  located within the female and male counter rotation bodies,  110  and  112 .  
         [0087]     The female and male inner flanges,  114  and  116 , both extend from their connection to their respective component towards the center of the counter rotation cavity  126  in a manner so that the male inner flange  116  extends over approximately two thirds of the female inner flange  114 . These components are configured so that there is a space left between the inner surface of the male inner flange  116  and the outer surface of the female inner flange  114 . Additionally, the inner surface of the male inner flange  116  is equipped with a centrally positioned bearing spacer shoulder  118  and the female inner flange  114  has a corresponding bearing spacer shoulder  118  that is positioned so that an isolation bearing  120  can fit between it and the outer edge of the male inner flange&#39;s  116  bearing spacer shoulder  118 . The opposite end of the male inner flange&#39;s  116  operates to position an additional isolation bearing  120 .  
         [0088]     The isolation bearings  120  serve to rotationally isolate the female and male inner flanges,  114  and  116 , from one another. This is accomplished not only by their positioning within the gap between the female and male inner flanges,  114  and  116 , but also by the nature of their connection to the female and male inner flanges,  114  and  116 . This manner of construction allows the female inner flange  114  and all of the components of the present invention to which it is attached to rotate in one direction while the male inner flange  116  and 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 member  108 .  
         [0089]     As stated above the female and male inner flanges,  114  and  116 , also serve to tie the female and male counter rotation bodies,  110  and  112 , together. This is accomplished by the use of securement nuts  122 , one each of which is threaded over the ends of the female and male inner flanges,  114  and  116 . The securement nut that is threaded over the open end of the female inner flange  114  tightens down on the corresponding isolation bearing  120 . This serves to force this isolation bearing  120  against the bearing spacer shoulder  118  of the male inner flange  116  which in turn forces the other isolation bearing  120  against the female inner flange&#39;s  114  bearing spacer shoulder  118 . Thus, the nature of the construction of these components of the present invention serves to rotationally tie the female and male inner flanges,  114  and  116 , together by eliminating the possibility of lateral movement when assembled.  
         [0090]     This rotational connection is also reinforced by the use of the second securement nut  122 . When assembled, the second securement nut  122  is threaded over the open end of the male inner flange  116  and operates to force the pull bearing  88  against an additional bearing spacer shoulder  118  located on the outer surface of the male inner flange  116 . This then further restricts any lateral movement of the male inner flange  116 . Thus, the manner of construction of the counter rotation member  108  provides a means by which two connected screed roller members  12  can be rotated in opposite directions thereby allowing for the use of the present invention in the finishing of unusually wide concrete pours.  
         [0091]     Another optional component of the present invention that adds flexibility to its operations is the center anchor member  134  and is illustrated in  FIGS. 13, 14  and  15 . The center anchor member  134  allows 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 member  134  provides a means by which the non-powered end of the screed roller member  12  may be properly anchored in the center of the concrete pour and rotate freely therein.  
         [0092]     The center anchor member is made up of a stationary outer bearing ring  140  that is fixedly attached at its lower end to an anchor rod  144  and at its upper end to a handle  138 . The anchor rod  144  serves to provide the rotational aspect to the center anchor member  134  through its positioning within the anchor tube  136  that is positioned in the underlying ground at the desired location with respect to the concrete slab. The anchor tube  136  is simply an open-ended vertically oriented section of tubing that the lower end of the anchor rod  144  slips into. This method of securing the anchor rod  144  allows it to freely rotate supplying the pivotal action that is required by the operation of the center anchor member  134 . Additionally, the relative height of the anchor rod  144  in relation to the anchor tube  136  is controlled by the positioning of lock nuts  146  along the length of the anchor rod  144 .  
         [0093]     The outer bearing ring  140  of the center anchor member  134  also provides for the pivotal attachment of the bearing  88  which in turn allows for the attachment of the screed roller member  12 . This attachment is accomplished by the use of a threaded rod  72  that is positioned so that it extends out beyond the end of the screed roller member  12  and the attached center anchor member  134 . This then allows for the placement of a centering securement nut  150  that is threaded over this extending portion of the threaded rod  72 . The centering securement nut  150  also contains a shoulder that, when installed, fills the gap between the threaded rod  72  and the center anchor member&#39;s  134  center attachment hole  148 .  
         [0094]     The pivotal nature of the attachment of the bearing  88  within the bearing ring  140  is accomplished by a plurality of pivotal attachment bolts  142 . The pivotal attachment bolts  142  pass through the bearing ring  140  and into the outer bearing body  90  in a manner that allows pivotal motion of the outer bearing body  90  around the axis created by the pivotal attachment bolts  142 . This manner of construction allows for the altering of the angle of operation of the screed roller member  12  with relation to the center anchor member  134  providing a means by which an angled pour of the concrete can be accomplished in much the same manner as the articulation member  80 .  
         [0095]     A still further attachment for the present invention referred to as an existing slab drop-down member  152  is illustrated in  FIGS. 16 and 17 . The existing slab drop-down member  152  allows for the finishing of a concrete slab in a situation where it is desirable to construct a new concrete slab adjacent to an existing slab  154  with an upper surface that is slightly lower than that of the existing slab  154 . This application is most common in the pouring of driveways up to an existing garage.  
         [0096]     The existing slab drop-down member  152  is employed by attaching it to the non-powered end of a screed roller member  12 . 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 bearing  88  and an outer bearing body  90 . Additionally, the bearing  88  and outer bearing body  90  are isolated from the screed roller member  12  by the use of an isolation ring  92 . Finally, the bearing  88  and outer bearing body  90  are attached to the existing slab drop-down member  152  by the use of a plurality of large bolts  124  that pass through the isolation ring  92  and the inner bearing spacer  158  and into the existing slab drop-down body  153 . This allows for the attachment of a pull rope  22  on the non-powered end of the screed roller member  12  that provides a means of controlling this end of the present invention.  
         [0097]     The existing slab drop-down member  152  has an extending drop-down body  153  that has an outside diameter that is smaller than that of the screed roller member  12 . The drop-down body  153  allows the outer surface of the screed roller member  12  to operate at a level that is lower than the existing slab  154  thereby providing a means for finishing a concrete slab that is lower than the existing slab  154 . Thus, the use of the existing slab drop-down member  152  in conjunction with the present invention creates the desired relationship between the two adjacent concrete slabs.  
         [0098]     A yet further attachment for the present invention is the footing member  164  and is illustrated in  FIGS. 18 and 19 . The footing member  164  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  160  and walls  162  are already built. The footing member  164  is made up of a footing member body  165  that is attached to the non-powered end of a screed roller member  12  in the same manner as described for the previous attachments using an outer bearing body  90  and bearing  88  configuration.  
         [0099]     The footing member  164  is equipped with a ring spacer  166 . The ring spacer  166  is a circular plate that is inserted between the footing member body  165  and the footing member spacer  163  in a location so that it effectively raises the screed roller member  12  up off of the footing  160 . Additionally, the footing member spacer  163 , the ring spacer  166 , and the footing member body  165  are held together by the use of a plurality of large bolts  124 . This design allows for the simplified pouring of such a concrete slab up to the wall  162  and over the footing  160  to properly construct a basement floor.  
         [0100]     The final attachment for the present invention in terms of this discussion is the vibration compacting member  167  which is illustrated in  FIGS. 20, 21 ,  22 , and  23 . The vibration compacting member  167  operates to enhance the present invention&#39;s concrete compacting effect on the unfinished concrete slab  16 . This is accomplished by the employment of a device that is commonly used in the concrete industry known as a stinger  174 . The stinger  174  is made up of a vibrating rod that is inserted into wet concrete and which drives out air pockets contained within the concrete.  
         [0101]     In its use with the present invention, the stinger&#39;s  174  vibration drive motor  168  is attached to the drive assembly  20 . The vibration drive motor  168  has a flexible drive rod  170  that extends from it down to the stinger body  172  positioned at the drive end of the screed roller member  12  between the drive plate assembly  52  and the tube body  50 .  
         [0102]     The attachment of the vibration compacting member  167  to the screed roller member  12  is accomplished by the use of a stinger bearing assembly  178  in a similar manner as described above for the present invention&#39;s other attachments. The stinger bearing assembly&#39;s  178  primary component is the stinger body  172  which is in turn made up of a stinger tube  173  and a stinger ring  176 . The stinger body serves to contain the stinger  174  and transfer its vibrational motion to the stinger ring  176 . The stinger ring  176  is in turn attached to the stinger bearing assembly  178  and this component transfers the vibration of the stinger  174  to the screed roller member  12 . This design serves to impart a vibrational aspect to the motion of the screed roller member  12  during the finishing operation. This vibration has been found to enhance the compacting of the unfinished concrete  16  as it operates to drive off unwanted the air pockets that are inherent in all concrete pours.  
         [0103]     The positioning of the bearing  88  within the stinger bearing assembly  178  is accomplished by the use of the outer and inner housings,  180  and  182 . As previously stated, the stinger bearing assembly  178  is positioned between the drive plate assembly  52  and the screed roller member  12 . The inner housing  182  contains a female recess  68  and a male shoulder  70  enabling it to lock into these components. Additionally, the inner housing  182  is secured to the screed female attachment plug  46  of the screed roller member  12  by a plurality of large bolts  124 . Finally, the inner housing is constructed to have a bearing housing  184  centrally located on its outer surface. The bearing housing  184  provides a mechanism that allows the bearing  88  to be fitted within it.  
         [0104]     The outer housing  180  provides the means for the securement of the stinger ring  176  and all of the other components attached to it. This is accomplished by the inner housing being constructed of two halves that sandwich the stinger ring  176  and outer portion of the bearing  88 . This sandwich is then held together by passing a plurality of bolts  54  through the assembled components. Additionally, when the outer housing  180  is properly positioned within the stinger bearing assembly  178 , there is a remaining rotation gap  188  left between it and the drive plate assembly  52  and the screed roller member  12 . The rotational gap  188  allows the stinger ring  176  and its related components and the bearing  88  to remain stationary while the drive plate assembly  52  and screed roller members  12  rotate. Finally, there is also a housing gap  186  left between the outer and inner housings,  180  and  182 , for the same rotational purpose.  
         [0105]     Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein.