US2155571A - Road tool - Google Patents

Description

April 25, 1939. J G u s 2,155,571

ROAD TOOL Filed Feb. 13, 1937 l ml I Mil I llllllA IEI IlIlllIllII/IIIIlllllllllllllllln JASPER E TULL1S- I HVENT DH.

3y @ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 25, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Cleveland Formgrader Company, Cleveland,

Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application February 13, 1987, Serial No. 125,538

3 Claims.

This invention relates to road tools and particularly to a float for striking off and finishing the surface of concrete pavements and the like.

I-Ieretofore floats of this general character have comprised a heavy sheet metal channel disposed with the flanges upwardly, the web of the channel providing the finishing surface. Upright handles were provided at the ends for operation of the float by the workmen, the general operation being for the workmen, one at each end, to

draw the float to and fro transversely of the pavement while moving it forwardly along the surface to be finished. By this operation excess wet concrete was struck off and caused to tumble along in front of the float for filling depressions.

The necessities of openv road work subject such tools to very severe usage, as a result of which the channel comprising the float proper becomes distorted and bent, rounded at the leading or striking edge at the juncture of the flange and base, and twisted and warped so that the smooth finishing surface is distorted and untrue.

Since the channel used must necessarily have very large flange portions to render it sufficiently rigid and to retain a suiflcient amount of concrete in front of the leading face, it is almost impossible to straighten and repair any damage thus occasioned. Again, since the channel is formed of a single piece of sheet metal, a rounded edge is necessarily present at the juncture of the flange and web. The rounded edge, striking when the tool is in operation, causes the tool to ride up over the excess concrete instead of striking off the excess concrete. This rounded striking edge becomes worn rapidly and after it has been subjected to a certain degree of wear, the entire tool must be discarded.

One of the principal objects of the present invention therefore is to provide a more rigid and durable tool of this character having a sharp working edge which is so arranged that it may be adjusted to compensate for wear.

An equally important object is to provide a replaceable striking edge on a tool of this character.

Still another object is to provide a concrete float which is as rigid and durable as floats heretofore provided and which, at the same time, may readily be reformed or repaired in case of distortion and damage.

Another object is to provide a concrete float having a striking surface which may be adjusted within certain limits of curvature so as to fit a slightly curved road surface.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following specification wherein reference is made to the drawing in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a concrete float embodying the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the float taken on a plane indicated by the line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on a plane indicated by the line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4: is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view illustrating the connection between the striking edge and finishing surface of the float:

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view showing the connection between the handles of the float; l5 and Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross sectional View of the float taken on a plane indicated by the line 68 in Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawing in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown for purposes of illustration, the tool comprises a relatively heavy sheet metal channel, designated generally as I, and having at its lateral margins upturned flanges 2, the bottom face or under surface of the web- 3 of the channel providing the finishing surface of the tool. The flanges 2 are of considerably less height than heretofore provided for such purposes and are less in height than would be necessary to tumble the concrete along in front of the tool as it is moved progressively along the roadway. Necessarily in forming sheet metal in this manner, the outer edges formed at the junction of the flanges 2 and the under surface of the web 3 are rounded, as indicated at 4, so that the channel would tend to lift and ride up over any concrete being tumbled along thereby.

In order to provide a sharp angular striking edge, rigid metal plates 5 are connected to the flanges 2 and extend the full length of each flange, the lower edges of such plates providing a sharp angular edge exposed outwardly from the channel I. Ordinarily the plates 5 are disposed with their lower edges in the plane of the 15, under surface of the web 3 and extend upwardly therefrom a suflicient distance to prevent the concrete, being moved along thereby, from passing over the top onto the tool. The plates 5 and flanges 2 are connected together, as will later be described, in a manner such that when installed an extremely rigid channel structure is provided. At their upper margins the plates 5 are secured together by suitable angles 3 connected thereto at spaced points along the plates 5;

by suitable bolts, the angles likewise being connected together as indicated at I at intermediate points along their length and forming between the plates 5 a reinforcing lacework or truss construction, thus rendering the entire structure extremely rigid and preventing it from bending and warping. Thus the tool in its entirety is extremely rigid and sharp striking edges are provided at both edges of the finishing surface.

As explained in the objects, however, it sometimes becomes necessary to adjust the plates 5 or replace the same and also to straighten the web of the channel. Obviously this would be very diflicult, if not almost impossible, were the flanges 2 sufliciently deep to provide the necessary rigidity. Even with comparatively limited flanges, such as illustrated, straightening of the channel would be difficult. In order to mount the plates 5 on the flanges 2 while permitting adjustment of the plates 5 and straightening of the web 3, each flange 2 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced bores or apertures 8, which are preferably circular in form. Correspondingly, the juxtaposed portions of the plates 5 are provided with apertures 9, positioned for registry with the apertures 8. The apertures 9, however, are elongated longitudinally of the 7 channel.

aligned apertures of the flanges 2 and plates 5 for securing the plates firmly in juxtaposition with the flanges 2, the bolts receiving suitable nuts H I with interposed lock washers l2. Each flange 2 is also provided with a series of upright slots or kerfs 13 which preferably extend at right angles to the plane of the web 3 and diametrically through the apertures 8, the slots l3 opening through the upper limits of the flanges and preferably extending entirely to the inner surface of the web 3. If desired, the apertures 8 may be slightly elongated parallel to the slots l3 or may be made slightly oversize. Consequently, if the angle becomes warped or bent, it is only neces sary to loosen the bolts ill and bend the. web 3 to its original condition. If the web is bent over a large area it can be straightened and brought to a true surface substantially in the same manner as a flat piece of metal as the slots l3 may close or open a slight amount so that the flanges 2 do not resist straightening of the web 3 nor tend to buckle during such straightening process.

If the tool is to be used only with a flat and plane working surface, however, the apertures 8 may be substantially the same diameter as the bolts It] so that after the straightening is completed and the flange portions brought to their original position, the bolts received through the apertures will render the flange portions 2 substantially as rigid as though they were unslotted. Again, if it is desired to warp the entire web along a gradual curve for a particular piece of work,

cured to the plates 5. It is often desirable to adjust the handles toward and away from each other to accommodate different workmen and for this purpose the handles are connected at their upper ends by suitable angles l1 having apertures 18 which may be brought into registry in different positions and which, when in registry, receive suitable bolts H! for clamping the angles ll firmly together. Thus the handles may be spread apart or drawn more closely together as desired. Asuitable brace 20 is connected betwen the handles for affording additional rigidity.

In order to accommodate such adjustment, however, while one end of the brace 29 is fixedly secured to one of the handles, the other end is adjustably secured to the other handle. This adjustment may be effected by providing in one end of the brace a suitable elongated slot 2! through which is received a bolt 22 with a cooperating wing nut 23, the bolt 22 being fixedly mounted in one of the handles l5. Thus during adjustment the wing nut 23 is loosened and, due to the slot 2!, the brace 20 may accommodate itself to any particular adjustment of the handles and then tightly secured in place.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a road tool of the character described, a sheet metal channel having a web portion and lateral upturned flanges along the lateral margins thereof, each of said flanges having a piurality of apertures therethrough spaced longitudinally of the channel, slots extending from the upper ends of the flanges substantially to the upper face of said web portion and intersecting the apertures, face plates disposed in juxtaposition with the outer faces of said flanges and extending lengthwise of the channel, said plates having apertures registering with the apertures in, the flanges, and means received through the registered apertures for clamping said plates to said flange, and said plates terminating at their lower edges substantially in the plane of the bottom face of the web member.

2. In a road tool of the character described, a sheet metal channel having a web portion and a lateral upturned flange along a lateral margin thereof, said flange being kerfed to provide slots extending from the upper edge of the flange downwardly a predetermined distance, whereby the channel web may be flexed without interference of the flange, a face plate disposed in juxtaposition with the outer face of said flange and extending therealong, means for clamping said plate to said flange with the plate terminating at its lower edge substantially in the plane of the web member.

3. In a road tool of the character described, an elongated sheet metal member having a substan tially flat bottom portion and a lateral upturned flange thereon, said flange having slots extending from the upper edge of the flange downwardly and terminating close to the upper surface of said bottom portion, whereby the bottom portion may be flexed without interference of the flange, a face plate disposed in juxtaposition with the outer face of said flange and extending therealong, means for clamping said plate to said flange in predetermined flexed position of said bottom portion for constraining the bottom portion of said metal member in predetermined. flexed positions.

JASPER G. TULLIS.

Images