TRANSPORTER FOR RIDE-ON POWER TROWEL
A vehicle for transporting a ride-on trowel includes: a vehicle frame defining a bay sized and shaped to receive the ride-on trowel, including a lower frame surrounding the bay on three sides, a U-shaped rear frame, and an L-shaped upper frame connected at the lower frame and the rear frame; wherein the lower frame is configured to closely match the shape of an outer frame of the ride-on trowel, so that the ride-on trowel will not swing or sway in the bay when supported from the vehicle frame; wheels mounted to the lower frame; guides extending downward from the lower frame, the guides being located to limit motion of the ride-on trowel in both left-right and fore-aft directions with respect to the vehicle frame while being lifted or lowered; means for driving at least one of the wheels; and means for supporting the ride-on trowel from the vehicle frame.
This invention relates generally to the field of transporters. More particularly, the invention relates to a transporter for industrial ride-on power trowels used for surface treatment of concrete floors.
Many large facilities, such as buildings for expositions or tradeshows, “big-box” retail stores, warehouses, etc., have concrete floors. After the concrete has been poured and set, the floor is troweled to achieve a smooth surface. The trowel was initially a powered trowel that the operator walked beside as it moved across the concrete surface, similar to the operation of a lawnmower. The size of the pours has increased greatly in recent years and ride-on trowels have been developed to make it easier to trowel such large areas. These ride-on trowels are large, extremely heavy power machines. Not only does the trowel have very heavy gear for grinding the concrete surface to a smooth finish, but it also is equipped with the drive means and a seat for the operator, who rides on the trowel and guides it across the floor. One example of such ride-on trowels is the HYDROSTATIC STX-55J-6 by Whiteman, which has a footprint of 125×65 inches, is 57 inches high, and weighs 2,270 lbs. Even the smallest of the ride-on power trowels has a footprint of 71×39 inches and weighs 440 lbs.
What is needed therefore is a transportation means for quickly and safely transporting a ride-on trowel. What is further needed is such a means that lifts the ride-on trowel above the ground surface and moves it to another location.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe problem of maneuvering and transporting the ride-on trowel is solved by providing a trowel transporter that lifts and transports the ride-on trowel, safely, and without danger of injuring personnel or damaging the ride-on trowel itself In one embodiment, the trowel transporter is a wheeled vehicle comprising a hydraulic lift system for lifting and lowering the ride-on trowel, a frame for securing the ride-on trowel above ground, and drive means for moving the trowel transporter across a ground surface.
The frame is a rugged steel vehicle frame that forms a receiving bay for receiving the ride-on trowel. A drive system with wheels and a brake provides the trowel transporter with mobility and maneuverability. The hydraulic lift system and the drive system are powered by a hydraulic power plant that includes conventional hydraulic components, such as a fluid reservoir, hydraulic fluid lines, valves and controls, a hydraulic pump unit, and an engine for driving the pump unit.
The hydraulic lift system includes a hydraulic piston-and-cylinder unit that is assembled on the frame. Attachment means are provided on the frame for coupling the frame with lifting points on the ride-on trowel. The attachment means may include lifting pins or studs mounted on a movable or slidable bracket. The lifting studs are insertable into lifting points that are bores provided on the lower portion of the ride-on trowel. Once attached, the ride-on trowel is lifted above the ground surface by the piston-and-cylinder unit. This is done, for example, by hydraulically lifting the bracket or portion of the frame to which the lifting studs are attached. It is also possible to provide hooks and cables as an attachment means. The cables are suspended from an upper portion of the frame. The hooks are attachable to lifting points that are eye bolts provided on readily accessible areas of the ride-on trowel. The hook ends of the cables are lifted or lowered by the hydraulic lift system
To move a ride-on trowel, the trowel transporter is driven into an operating position, in which the ride-on trowel is received into the receiving bay. The attachment means are attached to the lifting points on the ride-on trowel. It may be desirable to provide buffers or other securing means between the ride-on trowel and the frame to prevent damage to the ride-on trowel or the trowel transporter during transportation. Once the ride-on trowel is lifted and secured within the trowel transporter, the trowel transporter with ride-on trowel may be driven to a new location. In addition, the trowel transporter and ride-on trowel may be driven onto another means of transportation, such as a flatbed trailer, a closed trailer, or the like, for transporting the trowel transporter and ride-on trowel to a different location.
The scope of the invention includes various configurations of the drive system. Often, the trowel transporter will be used to transport the ride-on trowel a short distance, from one area of a construction site to another, or onto or off of a loading ramp. For such purposes, a three-wheeled drive system provides the necessary stability and mobility, and is economical. A drive wheel is provided at a first end of the frame and two follower wheels at a second end of the frame. The drive wheel is provided with steering linkage and a brake. It is, of course, within the scope of the invention to provide a four-wheeled trowel transporter. It is also within the scope of the invention to provide various ways of providing operator control of the trowel transporter. For example, in a simple configuration, a steering bar with a brake control is linked to the drive wheel. To operate the trowel transporter, the operator starts the drive motor, grasps the steering bar and walks alongside the trowel transporter, steering the drive wheel by moving the steering bar to the right or left. It is, however, within the scope of the invention to incorporate an operator seat and control panel within the vehicle frame, to enable the operator to be seated while driving the trowel transporter.
The invention may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures in which:
The engine 210, the hydraulic pump 220, the drive motor 320, the chain-and-sprocket mechanism 330, the steering unit 600, and the brake 340 are conventional assemblies, well-known in the art, and are not described in greater detail herein. The following examples of suitable assemblies are provided for illustration purposes only and it is understood that the scope of the invention is not limited to any particular make, model or size of these assemblies. The drive motor 320 is a hydraulic general purpose CHAR-LYNN ORBIT motor from the Eaton Corp. In this embodiment, the engine 210 is a GX 240-390 series gasoline engine from the Honda Motor Co., Ltd. The pump 220 is a hydraulic GC Series pump from Haldex, rated at 8 GPM at 3600 RPM. The chain-and-sprocket mechanism 330 is available from any automotive parts store, and the brake 340 is a hydraulic MICO disc brake. The drive motor 320 and the brake 340 are powered by the hydraulic power means 200.
The conventional ride-on trowel RT is typically provided with attachment points, such as eye bolts E or other suitable means for attaching two cables 11 OA and 11 OB with their corresponding attachment means 120A and 120B, as shown in
Turning now to
Referring to
The lower frame 724 surrounds the bay 734 on three sides and is configured to closely match the shape of the outer frame of a ride-on trowel (most commercial ride-on trowels have similarly shaped outer frames). One common type of outer frame defines a racetrack shape including two spaced-apart generally semicircular ends interconnected by two parallel sides. The width of the lower frame 724 is only slightly larger than the width of a standard ride-on trowel outer frame, and the front end of the lower frame 724 is tapered to simulate the shape of one end of a standard ride-on trowel outer frame. Accordingly, the lower frame 724 closely matches the shape of the ride-on trowel outer frame in that there is little clearance between the outer frame and the lower frame when a ride-on trowel is placed in the receiving bay 734.
In the illustrated embodiment, the lower frame 724 comprises five straight segments: a front segment 724a, two side segments 724b arranged perpendicularly to the front segment 724a, and two slanted segments 724c that connect the front segment 724a to the side segments 724b. In other words, one of the slanted segments 724c extends from a first end of the front segment 724a to a first end of one of the side segments 724b, and the other slanted segment 724c extends from a second end of the front segment 724a to a first end of the other side segment 724b. The slanted segments 724c are slanted in the sense that they define an oblique (i.e., neither perpendicular nor parallel) angle with the front and side segments. This angle is preferably, but not necessarily, around 45 degrees. The lower frame 724 is thus open at the rear and has a tapered front end. The width of the lower frame (i.e., the distance between the parallel side segments 724b) is only slightly larger than the width of a standard ride-on trowel outer frame. Generally, the width will be no greater than 73 inches, and preferably can be in the range of about 39-65 inches. With of this configuration of the lower frame 724, a ride-on trowel suspended from the vehicle frame 702 will not be able to swing or sway in the receiving bay 734. Thus, there is no need to use straps or other means to prevent the ride-on trowel from swinging. As an alternative to the angled segments, the front end of the lower frame could be curved to provide a tapered configuration. Furthermore, the trowel transporter 700 can be sized so as to fit inside an enclosed car hauler or trailer.
The vehicle frame 702 further includes a number of guides 736 extending downward from the lower frame 724. The guides 736, which are elongated members located near to where the wheels are mounted to the frame 702, function to keep a ride-on trowel centered with respect to the vehicle frame 702 when the trowel is being lifted. This prevents the trowel from getting caught on the lower frame 724 and potentially being damaged. The guides 736 are bent toward the front of the frame 702 so as to provide better ground clearance when the trowel transporter is being moved up or down a ramp.
The guides may be implemented in various ways. for example,
As another alternative,
As another alternative,
The various configurations of guides described above may be incorporated to the vehicle frame 702 in any combination. For example, a different type of guide may be used at each wheel.
A mounting platform 738 is attached to the front of vehicle frame 702 for supporting the hydraulic pump 718 and the engine 720. The hydraulic fluid reservoir 722 is mounted to the upright legs 730 of the upper frame 728. The mounting platform 738 also supports the steering wheel assembly 706. As shown in
The base 740 further includes a cylindrical mounting sleeve 752. As best seen in
As best seen in
In use, the trowel transporter 700 is positioned over a ride-on trowel so that the trowel is situated in the receiving bay 734. The hydraulic system 716 is operated to lower the cables 712, which are then connected to the ride-on trowel using the hooks 714. (As mentioned above, the hooks could be replaced with lifting pins or studs that are insertable into lifting points provided on the ride-on trowel for attaching the cables to the ride-on trowel.) The hydraulic system 716 is then operated to raise the cables 712, which raises the trowel. The hydraulic system 716 can then be operated to drive the wheels 704, 708 and move the trowel transporter 700 and the trowel to the desired location. In this way, the trowel can be moved easily around a work site. Furthermore, the trowel transporter 700 and the trowel can be loaded onto a trailer, such as an enclosed car hauler, so that the trowel transporter 700 and the trowel can be transported to another work site. A cable and ratchet device (not shown) can be optionally used to prevent the rear frame 726 from spreading, particularly when transporting particularly heavy trowels. This would comprise attaching a cable to each side of the rear frame 726 and using a ratchet device to pull the cable tight. The ratchet device could be a commercial, off-the-shelf item such as a come along or power puller.
The foregoing has described a vehicle for transporting a ride-on power trowel. While specific embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications thereto can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A vehicle for transporting a ride-on trowel of the type having an outer frame, the vehicle comprising:
- a vehicle frame defining a bay that is sized and shaped to receive the ride-on trowel, the vehicle frame including a lower frame that surrounds the bay on three sides, a rear frame that is a generally U-shaped structure open at one end, and an L-shaped upper frame connected at one end to the lower frame and at another end to the rear frame;
- wherein the lower frame has an open rear end and a tapered front end and is configured to closely match the shape of the ride-on trowel outer frame, and wherein the lower frame is sized with respect to the ride-on trowel so that the ride-on trowel will not swing or sway in the bay when supported from the vehicle frame;
- first and second rear wheels mounted to the rear end of the lower frame and a front wheel mounted to the front end of the lower frame;
- a plurality of guides extending downward from the lower frame, the guides being located so as to limit motion of the ride-on trowel in both left-right and fore-aft directions with respect to the vehicle frame while being lifted or lowered;
- means for driving at least one of the wheels; and
- means for supporting the ride-on trowel from the vehicle frame.
2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein at least one of the guides comprises an upright frame member which extends downward below a rotational axis of one of the wheels, and which includes an angled face at a lower end thereof
3. The vehicle of claim 2 wherein the angled face faces towards a middle of the lower frame.
4. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein at least one of the guides comprises a plate-shaped member attached to the lower frame so that it extends downward below a rotational axis of an adjacent one of the wheels, the plate-shaped member including a convex-curved lower edge.
5. The vehicle of claim 2 wherein the guide is angled such that its lower edge extends away from a middle of the lower frame.
6. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein at least one of the guides comprises a housing attached to the lower frame, and a strut received in the housing and moveable up and down between retracted and extended positions relative to the housing, such that the strut extends downward below a rotational axis of an adjacent one of the wheels in the extended position.
7. The vehicle of claim 6 further comprising a resilient bumper mounted on a lower end of the strut.
8. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the lower frame comprises:
- a front segment;
- first and second side segments arranged perpendicularly to the front segment; and
- first and second slanted segments, wherein the first slanted segment extends from a first end of the front segment to a first end of the first side segment and the second slanted segment extends from a second end of the front segment to a first end of the second side segment.
9. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the means for supporting comprises:
- a slider slidingly mounted to the vehicle frame above the bay;
- a hydraulic cylinder unit arranged to move the slider relative to the vehicle frame; and
- a cable having a first end attached to the slider and a second end supporting means for attaching the cable to the ride-on trowel.
10. The vehicle of claim 9 wherein the means for attaching the cable to the ride-on trowel comprises a hook.
11. The vehicle of claim 9 wherein the means for supporting further comprises a second cable having a first end attached to the slider and a second end supporting means for attaching the second cable to the ride-on trowel.
12. The vehicle of claim 9 further comprising a hydraulic pump that actuates the hydraulic cylinder unit and means for powering the hydraulic pump.
13. The vehicle of claim 12 wherein the means for powering the hydraulic pump is a combustion engine.
14. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the means for driving the vehicle includes a hydraulic drive motor associated with at least one of the wheels.
15. The vehicle of claim 14 wherein the means for driving the vehicle further includes a hydraulic pump for actuating the hydraulic drive motors and means for powering the hydraulic pump.
16. The vehicle of claim 15 wherein the means for powering the hydraulic pump is a combustion engine.
17. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a steering wheel assembly, wherein the steering wheel assembly comprises:
- a base rotatively mounted to the vehicle frame;
- a steering arm extending outwardly from the base; and
- a wheel mounted to the base.
18. The vehicle of claim 14 further comprising a hydraulic drive motor mounted to the base and connected to the wheel.
19. A vehicle for transporting a ride-on trowel of the type having an outer frame defining a racetrack shape including two spaced-apart generally semicircular ends interconnected by two parallel sides, the vehicle comprising:
- a vehicle frame defining a bay that is sized and shaped to receive the ride-on trowel, the vehicle frame including a lower frame that surrounds the bay on three sides, a rear frame that is a generally U-shaped structure open at one end. and an L-shaped upper frame connected at one end to the lower frame and connected at another end to the rear frame;
- wherein the lower frame has an open rear end and a tapered front end and is configured to closely match the racetrack shape of the ride-on trowel outer frame, and wherein the lower frame is sized with respect to the ride-on trowel so that the ride-on trowel will not swing or sway in the bay when supported from the vehicle frame;
- wherein the lower frame comprises:
- a straight front segment;
- straight first and second side segments arranged perpendicularly to the front segment; and straight first and second slanted segments, wherein the first slanted segment extends from a first end of the front segment to a first end of the first side segment and the second slanted segment extends from a second end of the front segment to a first end of the second side segment, such that the first and second slanted segments both extend at acute angles to the front segment.
- wherein the lower frame and the rear frame are joined together at their respective open ends and define a substantially 90-degree angle with one another;
- means for driving the vehicle; and
- means for supporting the ride-on trowel from the vehicle frame.
20. A method for transporting a preselected ride-on trowel of the type having an outer frame defining a racetrack shape including two spaced-apart generally semicircular ends interconnected by two parallel sides, the method comprising:
- positioning a vehicle having a bay that is sized and shaped to receive the ride-on trowel over the ride-on trowel so that the trowel is situated in the receiving bay, wherein the vehicle includes: a vehicle frame comprising: a frame defining the bay, the vehicle frame including a lower frame that surrounds the bay on three sides, a rear frame that is a generally U-shaped structure open at one end, and an L-shaped upper frame connected at one end to the lower frame and connected at another end to the rear frame; wherein the lower frame has an open rear end and a tapered front end and is configured to closely match the racetrack shape of the ride-on trowel outer frame, and wherein the lower frame is sized with respect to the ride-on trowel so that the ride-on trowel will not swing or sway in the bay when supported from the vehicle frame; wherein the lower frame and the rear frame are joined together at their respective open ends and define a substantially 90-degree angle with one another; means for driving the vehicle; and means for supporting the ride-on trowel from the vehicle frame.
- using the means for supporting, supporting the ride-on trowel from the upper frame such that the trowel is blocked from swinging or swaying in the bay by the lower frame; and
- using the means for driving, transporting the vehicle with the ride-on trowel to a desired location.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 13, 2012
Publication Date: Nov 21, 2013
Inventor: Scott A. Richer, SR. (Sanford, ME)
Application Number: 13/675,047
International Classification: E04F 21/24 (20060101);