Abstract: A riding trowel used for concrete finishing includes a dolly wheel lifting system. The lifting system elevates the trowel out of contact with the concrete surface when transporting, adjusting, or maintenancing the trowel. The trowel comprises a rigid metallic frame normally offset from the concrete surface to be finished by a pair of downwardly projecting, bladed rotors. A pair of primary steering control levers is linked to the rotors beneath the frame for trowel operation. Each rotor assembly comprises a rotatable blade assembly depending downwardly into contact with the concrete surface. The wheel system comprises a cooperating pair of spaced apart, dolly wheel assemblies which are removably fitted to the front and back of the frame, so that the trowel may be pushed around for loading and unloading purposes in directions generally coincident with its longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A compact, lightweight riding trowel for finishing concrete of enhanced maneuverability. A rigid frame is supported above the concrete by a pair of downwardly projecting synchronized rotors, each of which revolves multiple blades frictionally contacting the surface. Lights attached to frame corners provide illumination. The operator manually steers with a pair of primary control levers which tilt the rotors to generate steering forces. The pitch of each rotor blade is controlled manually or electrically, and a cable-driven clutch fork system is activated to vary pitch between minimum and maximum. Each of the tiltable rotor assemblies is driven by gear boxes coupled to the motor through a flexible disk drive shaft. Each gear box is mounted to the frame underside by a pivot steering box. Parallel lever arms extending beneath the frame in a direction generally perpendicular to the biaxial plane defined by the rotors are deflected by the primary control levers.

Abstract: A vibrating screed for striking off, float finishing and vibrating plastic concrete in a single pass, without being supported upon forms. A rigid, buoyant pan which floats and supports the screed comprises a generally planar surface portion in contact with the plastic concrete and a terminal portion coupled to an associated blade assembly. The blade assembly includes a central L-bracket having a lower horizontal portion substantially parallel with the pan, which terminates in a leading edge adapted to first contact and strike-off unfinished concrete. An associated face plate includes a central portion adapted to be rigidly fastened to the pan terminal portion with the L-bracket substantially sandwiched therebetween. The face plate comprises a downwardly angled guard member which defines a flotation volume between itself and the lower L-bracket, and an upper, diverging wing portion which prevents the accumulation of stricken-off concrete interiorly of the pan.

Abstract: A concrete finishing apparatus includes a supporting frame having first and second spaced apart end sections engaging first and second guide tracks for advancing the apparatus along the length of an area of plastic concrete. A support element extends between the first and second end sections and includes vertically extending front and rear surfaces and an upper surface interconnecting the front and rear surfaces. A carriage is laterally translatable along the length of the support element and includes front and rear legs which straddle the support element. The carriage includes a concrete finishing device which is coupled to the front leg of the carriage for engaging and finishing the plastic concrete in front of the support element. A power source is coupled to the rear leg of the carriage and is interconnected with the concrete finishing device to energize the concrete finishing device.

Abstract: A material spreader system is designed to dispense a topping material through a widthwise slot onto the surface of a plastic substance such as concrete lying within an area having a length, width, and opposing sides. The material spreader system includes a spreader for storing a supply of topping material and for dispensing a layer of the topping material as the spreader is translated along a path. A drive system is coupled to the spreader to translate the spreader across the path formed by the bridge to thereby dispense a layer of topping material over the entire area. Sequential translations of the spreader across the bridge followed by sequential translations of the bridge along the length of the area covers the entire surface of the area with a layer of topping material.

Abstract: A rotating tube concrete finisher is controlled and driven by an end handle assembly including an internal combustion engine. An outrigger wheel unit is coupled to the end handle assembly to form a stable end support for the end handle assembly and to support the weight of the end handle assembly including the engine. A pair of end handle assemblies can be coupled to opposing ends of a cylindrical finishing roller and may be selectively operated to drive the finishing roller in either a first or a second direction of rotation. A winch system facilitates uphill and downhill translation of the concrete finisher on a sloping concrete surface and enables the system to be operated by one man without undue effort.

Abstract: A material spreader system is designed to dispense a topping material onto the surface of a plastic substance lying within an area having opposing sides. The material spreader system includes a spreader for storing a supply of topping material and for dispensing a layer of the topping material as the spreader is translated along a path. A bridge provides an elevated path to permit widthwise translation of the spreader across the area. Translatable bridge support structure is coupled to the bridge for supporting the bridge above the area while permitting translation of the bridge along the entire length of the area. Drive means is coupled to the spreader to translate the spreader across the path formed by the bridge to thereby dispense a layer of topping material over the entire area. Sequential translations of the spreader across the bridge followed by sequential translations of the bridge along the length of the area covers the entire surface of the area with a layer of topping material.

Abstract: A vibratory concrete screed includes a frame having first and second ends and a length equal to or greater than the width of plastic concrete to be finished. A screed blade is coupled to the screed frame and engages the full width of the plastic concrete. Vibration generating structure is coupled to the screed for vibrating the screed blade. An oscillating strike-off is positioned in front of the vibrating screed blade to level, smooth and compact the plastic concrete surface before engagement by the vibrating screed blade. The oscillating strike-off includes a strike-off blade having a vertically oriented front face and a horizontally oriented lower face. Suspension means maintains the desired orientation of the front and lower faces of the strike-off blade, maintains the strike-off blade at a fixed vertical position with respect to the screed blade, and enables the strike-off blade to be laterally displaced within a horizontal plane.

Abstract: A material spreader system includes an elevated bridge for spanning a section of plastic concrete. A spreader including a hopper having an elongated rectangular slot is translated back and forth across the bridge to dispense a widthwise stream of topping material onto the underlying surface. Vibration generating elements are coupled at spaced apart intervals to the spreader hopper to provide for a uniform flow of topping material to the slot. A flow control device spans the length of the slot to dispense a continuous stream of topping material from the slot. A rotating metering device meters the flow of topping material through the slot. A motor translates the spreader back and forth across the bridge and rotates the rotating metering device as the spreader moves such that sequential translations of the spreader across the bridge followed by sequential translations of the bridge along the length of the plastic surface covers the entire surface with a uniform blanket of topping material.

Abstract: A concrete form includes a horizontal base and a vertical face joined to the base. Load bearing brackets are coupled at spaced apart intervals along the exterior side of the concrete form to loosely support a detachable equipment rail from below while maintaining the upper surface of the rail parallel to the form base. A rail alignment bracket includes a pair of vertically oriented, spaced apart edges or slots for receiving vertically projecting, spaced apart sides of the equipment rail and maintaining the equipment rail in a fixed position with respect to the form base. A clamping device secures a stake to the load bearing bracket to maintain the concrete form in a fixed position with respect to the subgrade.

Abstract: A subgrading machine precisely levels and contours the subgrade within an area having first and second parallel oriented forms including parallel upper surfaces vertically spaced above the subgrade and defining a form surface plane. A grading blade extends along the front of a triangular truss frame terminated by first and second end sections and having a length less than the spacing between the forms. The front and rear edges of the frame define a frame base plane. An adjustable end bracket is coupled to each frame end section and includes a form contact element for maintaining a parallel alignment between the frame base plane and the form surface plane. The form contact element is coupled at a selectable vertical position to each end bracket to vary the spacing between the frame base plane and the form surface plane to thereby determine the grading depth of the grading blade.

Abstract: An engine-driven trowel includes a handle, a set of blades rotated within a single plane, a blade pitch control unit having a swash plate, a swash plate actuator arm and a pivot pin for pivotally coupling the actuator arm to the trowel. A blade pitch adjustment mechanism includes a lever-actuated cam assembly which engages and deflects the outboard end of the swash plate actuator arm. Up and down movements of the lever rotate the cam and displace the swash plate actuator arm to change the pitch of the trowel blades.

Abstract: The present invention levels freshly poured concrete, internally vibrates a linear segment of that concrete and then moves forward and remixes a surcharged concrete layer to yield a more uniformly dense mass of concrete. The apparatus includes a bridge spanning the width of a plastic concrete surface and is suppported above and maintained substantially parallel to the plastic concrete surface. A small diameter auger is coupled to a carriage suspended beneath the bridge and is laterally translatable back and forth along the length of the bridge within the linear segment of concrete to level the irregular concrete surface to form a flat intermediate surface. An internal vibrator module is laterally translatable along the bridge for internally vibrating the plastic concrete to densify material within the linear segment into a surcharge layer.

Abstract: The present invention simultaneously finishes the surface of an area of plastic concrete and forms a curb along one or both sides of the area as the apparatus is translated along the length of the area. The apparatus includes a vibratory concrete finishing machine such as a triangular truss concrete screed having first and second sides and spaced apart front and rear screed blades. The two sides of the finishing machine are supported by roller support units which engage each of the spaced apart forms. Coupling means connects the first roller support unit to the first side of the finishing machine, adjusts the lateral spacing between the first side of the finishing machine and the form, and adjusts the elevation of the screed blades with respect to the form. A curb form is coupled to the finishing machine between the form and the first side of the finishing machine.

Abstract: A material spreader system is designed to dispense a topping material onto the surface of a plastic substance lying within an area having a length, width and opposing sides. The material spreader system also includes features which enable it to dispense topping material within an area including a vertically extending obstruction positioned adjacent one of the sides of the area and extending a predetermined distance into the area. The obstruction defines a reduced width section of the area. The material spreader system includes a spreader for storing a supply of topping material and for dispensing a layer of the topping material as the spreader is translated along a path. An adjustable bridge provides an elevated path to permit widthwise translation of the spreader across the area. The normal bridge span has a length equal to or greater than the full width of the area.

Abstract: A vibratory concrete screed includes a frame having first and second ends and a length equal to or greater than the width of plastic concrete to be finished. A screed blade is coupled to the screed frame and engages the full width of the plastic concrete. Vibration generating structure is coupled to the screed for vibrating the screed blade. A concrete spreading device is coupled to the screed frame to level the surface of the plastic concrete and to evenly distribute excess plastic concrete in front of the screed blade. The concrete spreading device includes a grading device having either an auger or a grading blade or both an auger and a grading blade. A carriage maintains the grading device at a desired relative elevation to the screed blade and translates the grading device back and forth along the length of the screed frame. The side to side translation of the grading device along the screed frame laterally distributes the excess concrete and displaces the concrete forward and away from the screed blade.

Abstract: A laterally and vertically adjustable support bracket can be coupled to an end of concrete finishing equipment such as a vibratory concrete screed to permit the equipment to be operated on a concrete surface which includes obstructions extending vertically from the edge area. The adjustable support bracket includes a vertical bracket element which is coupled to the end of the concrete finishing equipment. A vertically extending member is spaced apart from the vertical bracket element and engages a load bearing surface located outboard of the concrete surface. A laterally extending member extends between the vertical bracket element and the vertically extending member and includes various adjustment devices for varying the lateral spacing and relative vertical alignment between the vertical bracket element and the vertically extending member.

Abstract: A screed includes a triangular truss frame having first and second ends and a top support member forming the apex of the triangular truss. Front and rear screed blades are coupled in a spaced apart relationship to the lower portion of the front and rear of the frame. The screed includes a detachable screed blade extension bracket which is coupled to the top support member and to the front and rear screed blades. The detachable screed blade extension bracket includes a bracket frame, front and rear blade extension elements which are coupled to the bracket frame and aligned respectively with the front and rear screed blades for extending the effective length of the blade by a predetermined, desired amount. The detachable end bracket extends the effective length of the front and rear screed blades without extending the length of the top support member or the triangular truss frame of the screed.

Abstract: A triangular truss screed includes first and second vertically oriented end brackets coupled to the first and second ends of the screed frame. Each end bracket includes front and rear vertically extending, spaced apart side members. A detachable guide bracket can be coupled to one of the screed end brackets for the purpose of supporting and guiding one end of the screed along a horizontally oriented guide member coupled to the wall of a building at a vertical position well above the concrete surface. The guide bracket includes first and second spaced apart side members which are detachably coupled to a screen end bracket. The guide bracket includes guide elements which laterally extend from the guide bracket to engage the wall-mounted guide member.