US3202068A - Slab finishing and curb building machine - Google Patents

Description

1965 B. L. LARSEN ETAL 3,202,068

SLAB FINISHING AND CURB BUILDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 21, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M 9 ATTORNEYS 1965 B., L. LARSEN ETAL 3,202,068

VSLAB FINISHING AND CURB BUILDING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 21, 1962 I NVENTOR. Barfilam Lle jen BYBernardJILarsen ATTORNEYS 3,202,068 SLAB FINISHING AND CURB BUILDING MACHINE Burnham L. Larsen and Bernard J. Larsen, Cedar Falls,

Iowa, assignors to Curbmaster of America, Inc, Cedar Falls, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Filed Dec. 21, 1962, Ser. No. 246,583 1 Claim. (Cl. 94-46) This invention relates to apparatus for building curb, or curb-gutter and widening, and also to apparatus which can finish slab simultaneously therewith.

In accordance with the present invention, curb can be built on one or both sides of concrete slab, and in one embodiment of the invention, can be finished simultaneously in an especially eificient manner.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an integral curb builder which can be converted to a curb and gutter or finishing machine, in one embodiment thereof, and which aliords electric power drive to all four wheels thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device as described which can be controlled for operation from either side of the machine, if desired, and is characterized by a strong tubular construction adjustable to any width.

Another object of the invention is to provide a four wheel drive machine as described having rubber wheels with steel flanges for maximum traction, with the wheels being easily converted to non-flange rubber wheels for running on adjacent slabs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device as described which will feed the correct amount of concrete to the curb mule, enabling it to leave a smoothfinished curb with even, straight lines so that no hand spading or mechanical tamping is necessary.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device and apparatus for finishing slab and forming curb which is light-weight, strong, durable, readily adjustable and easily operable with smooth steady power, and reversible by control switch means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine as described which, in another embodiment thereof, finishes flat slabs or builds curbs integrally while finishing slab, if desired;

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine which can build curb to any desired height or design and wherein the curb design can be changed in minutes.

Another object is to provide a device as described which travels on regular curb and gutter forms and in combination with the curb building means is capable of finishing with a variable speed vibrating screed adjustable to any crown.

Another object is to provide a troweling pan for finish ing which is adjustable to any crown.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device as described which can be used on steep grades with twin winches built in for additional pull, so that the curb building and finishing operation can be used in a broad range of situations.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds in accordance with the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a curb building and slab finishing machine according to the present invent on;

:FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a curb building machine according to the present invention but which is not utilized in combination with slabfinishing means;

FIGURE 3 is a schematic representation of curb and gutter and curb-gutter and widening cross-section which can be made by screeds and curb mules which can be utilized with the present invention; and g FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of asupport structure of the invention for supporting the screed.

Referring now to the drawings, and to FIGURE 1 in particular, a slab finisher and integral curb building machine 10 is shown in accordance with the present invention which includes a pair of power units 11 and 12 each provided with a pair of traction wheels 13. The wheels are adapted to run on forms providing rails 14 and 15, with the rails being adjustable by support brackets 16 for engagement with adjustable. support elements (not shown). i

In accordance with the present embodiment, front and rear screeds 17 and 18 are connected between the individual power units 11 and 12 by hydraulically or otherwise adjustable support means 19 on support structures 20 which may be widened as desired. The support structures 20 may include longitudinally extendingpairs of tubular members 23 and 24 mounted in supportmembers 25 provided for journalling the wheels, as hereinafter described, and the longitudinal tubular members 23 and 24 thus extend through the support members 25 on their respective sides corresponding to the power units l l and 12 and are locked in their respective support members 25 by means of a set screw 23a or the like fastener. The longitudinal tubular members 23 and 24 are interconnected by lateral or transverse tubular frame members 26 and 27, each of which is fixedly connected at opposite ends to the tubular members 23 and 24, and the individual supports 20 on their respective sides are interconnected by adjustable front and rear lateral tubular members 28 and 29 each including a relatively somewhat larger vtubular portion 30 and a smaller telescoping tubular portion 31, with adjustment bolts 32 being provided for the purpose. Each of the support means 19 comprises a shaft 19a fixedly connected at its lower end to a corresponding screed, and telescopically vertically adjustably received within a vertical tubular sleeve 1% fixedly connected to a longitudinal support bar 21 by means of, for example, a welded connection. A stop means ltQc which, in the illustrated embodiment, comprises a threaded nut, is carried on the shaft 19a above the sleeve 1% to limit the downward travel or position of the shaft 19a with respect to the sleeve 1% and therefore to limit the lowermost position of the screed. The support bars 21 are connected in fixed assembly to a pair of sleeves 26a and 27a which are slidably mounted, respectively, on the transverse tubular frame members 26 and 27. Members 26 and 27 provide a horizontal guide track for the support means 19 to enable the power units 11 and 12 to be moved away from each other. to widen the machine while providing support for the fixedlength screeds 17 and 18. It will thus be appreciated that each of the support structures 20 on each side of supported by and fixedly connected to the other tubular Patented Aug. 24, .1965.

3 member 23 by means of a pair of transverse frame members 26 and 27. The tubular members 23 are held against rotation in the sockets 25b of the support members 25 by means of the set screws 23a which extend through collars 25a mounted on their respective support member 25. In the event that the width of the machine 10 is changed the support means 19, which support the fixed-length screeds, are adjustably laterally slidable on the transverse tubular frame members 26 and 27 to accommodate such change in machine width. It will thus be :seen that widening to any desired extent is afforded. In order to afford adjustment of the crown of the screeds, individual bolts 33a may be bolted to the screed and to opposite sides of plates 33 of a transversely extending bar 34 on the screeds by means of nuts 35, with suitable connections 36 being provided between the bar 34 and the supports 19 as shown.

In accordance with the invention, a curb mule or molding structure 37 may be formed integrally with the screed by means of a channel shaped connection 38 on the adjacent end of the screed and with the flange 22 forming a part thereof. Thereby, a combined curb building and slab finishing machine is afforded which makes possible a uniquely'eflicient operation. The curb mule structure 37 may also have a flange 39 carrying a roller 40 engaging the rail 14 and the track position 14a thereof and may otherwise be supported as by a shaft 41 on a cross shaft 42. The wheels 13 may be journalled on a shaft such as the shaft 42 and are powered by the motors 40a through suitable chain and sprocket means (not shown) guarded by a shield 43 on each side of the power units 11 and 12.

An electric generator 44 is mounted on a platform 45 between the transverse frame members 28 and 29 and the relatively larger portions thereof, as supported on hooked frame tubes 46, to provide power for the motors 49a.

Also, -a seat 46a is provided adjacent a lever 47 so that the device may be readily controlled, as hereinafter described, a corresponding lever 48 being afforded on the opposite side so that the machine can be controlled from either side. The wheels 13 and the chain and sprocket means for the wheels may be driven from a gear box'structure b associated with the motors 49a. Anelectric vibrator power unit and associated means 49a for the flexible elongattd vibrator element 49 may be suspended from the cross tube structure 29 as shown, and turn buckle and support connections 51 may be extended between the support flange 52 on the tubular frame member 29, and the screed structure.

Further to facilitate operation of the device on steep grades or the like, a pair of winches 54 may be mounted in the respective forward supports 25.

In order to afford feeding of the concrete to the curb mold 37, a hopper 55 is mounted on the adjacent forward support structure 20, and a vibrator 56 is provided therefore in accordance with the understanding with those skilled in the art.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, it will be seen that a wide variety of shapes for curb and/or gutter may be formed in accordance with the present invention, with finishing being accomplished simultaneously by the screeds 17 and 18. Thus, curb and gutter, or curb-gutter and widening forms may be provided as desired and the curb design may be changed in a manner of minutes.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, another embodiment of the invention is shown which is substantially similar to the embodiment of FIGURE 1 but does not utilize the screed means therein provided, and is otherwise somewhat simplified structurally with respect thereto. Thus, a machine 10a is shown having left and right- hand power units 11a and 12a with wheels 13a being journalled in supports 25a for rubber traction engagement with forms providing rails as described as indicated at 14a. The

oppositely registered supports 25a are interconnected by transverse tubular members 28a and 29a having individual telescoping sections 3% and 31a for widening adjustment as desired. Motors 490 are mounted on each side of the device as energized by a generator 44a mounted on a platform 45a which assists in interconnecting the frame portions 28a and 29a. Thus, flanges 46b are provided on the platform at each end thereof to hook over the tubular portions 23a and 29a respectively. Again, control from each side is provided by levers 47a and 43a and the motors may energize the wheels 13a through gear box means 44M and through sprocket and chain means (not shown) guarded by guards 43a.

In accordance with the invention, a curb mold or mule 37a is mounted on one or both sides 11a and 12a as by means of vertical supports 41a which may be secured to the transverse supports 28a and 29a or otherwise mounted in association with the supports 25a for ready removal and changing thereof. A hopper a is similarly provided to supply concrete to the form 37a or mold, and a vibrator 56a is utilized in conjunction therewith as understood by those skilled in the art. Thus, a very efficient and easy to operate device is provided which can form a wide variety of shapes as suggested by the shapes shown in FIGURE 3, and which can be changed in a very small time as needed.

The curb builder, either in conjunction with the slab finisher or in itself, can thus be used in an extremely wide range of applications and so as to meet different requirements with minimal expense and difficulty. Thus, a flexible apparatus has been provided which is uniquely adapted for economical slab and curb construction, particularly where the curb and slab are to be formed integrally, and the slab is to be finished simultaneously with the curb.

Although we have herein set forth and described our invention with respect to certain specific principles and details thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that these may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the hereunto appended claim.

We claim as our invention:

A curb molding and slab finishing machine comprising,

a pair of power units,

wheels on each of said power units for engaging rail providing concrete forms or the like,

an electric motor on each of said power units for driving the wheels thereof,

a pair of transverse tubular support members interconnecting said power units each comprising an elongated inner tube fixedly connected to one of said power units and an elongated outer tube fixedly connected to the other of said power units and receiving in telescopic relation said inner tube whereby the width between said power units can be adjusted,

a platform carried by said power units having an electric generator mounted thereon for driving said motors,

a support member mounted on each of said power units and having a socket formed therein,

a longitudinally extending tubular member received in said socket of each of said support members,

locking means locking said tubular members in their respective sockets,

a screed of fixed length extending transversely between said power units,

a pair of vertically extending telescopically adjustable support means situated at opposite ends of said screed for supporting and for providing vertical adjustment of said screed,

each of said support means comprising, a vertical tubular sleeve carried by its respective tubular member,

a shaft telescopically received within said sleeve,

and a stop carried on said shaft for limiting the lowermost position of said shaft, and a pair of guide track means associated, respectively,

with each of the power units and extending horizon- :tally and transversely toward the other of said power units,

each of said track means interconnecting a corresponding support means and a longitudinally extending tubular member to slidably support said support means and said screed from said tubular member and to enable said power units to be widened while supporting said fixed-length screed.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATEIJTS McKelvey 9446 Leatherman 9439 Krehblel 9445 Hohnke 9446 Clark 94--46 Calabrese 9446 Andrus 9446 Freeman 9446 Konway 9445 Nave 9445 X Apel 9445 15 CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner.

JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Examiner.

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