Patent ID: 8052347

Claim:
A floating screed device, comprising: a first section defining a leading edge for cutting through plastic concrete; a second section having a planar bottom for floating on the plastic concrete; a pivot coupling a longitudinal end of said first section to a single location on said second section wherein said first section can move rotationally about said pivot in a plane of rotation defined relative to said second section and substantially perpendicular to said planar bottom of said second section; elevation determining means coupled to said second section for determining elevation of said second section relative to a datum; and means coupled to said first section and said second section for supporting said first section relative to said second section and for causing said first section to move rotationally about said pivot by an amount based on said elevation so-determined as said floating screed device is moved through a volume of the plastic concrete that is unfinished with said leading edge defining an initial contact edge between said floating screed device and the volume of the plastic concrete that is unfinished.