US3596578A

US3596578A - Apparatus for finishing concrete surfaces

Info

Publication number: US3596578A
Application number: US791068A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mason Eugene Jones
Original assignee: MASON E JONES Inc
Current assignee: MASON E JONES Inc
Priority date: 1969-01-14
Filing date: 1969-01-14
Publication date: 1971-08-03
Anticipated expiration: 1988-08-03

Abstract

An apparatus for finishing the surface of concrete pavements which includes a frame means provided with rotatably mounted wheels adapted to ride along the forms used in concrete paving construction. The frame means includes a plurality of brushlike or bristled finishing members flexibly connected thereto for limited vertical movement responsive to the contour of the pavement being finished and adapted to impart upon the surface of the pavement a plurality longitudinal grooves of relatively uniform depth.

Description

United States Patent Mason Eugene Jones Columbus, Ohio 791,068

Jan. 14, 1969 Aug. 3, 1971 Mason E. Jones, Inc. Columbus, Ohio Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee APPARATUS FOR FINISHING CONCRETE SURFACES 4 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

us. Cl 94/45 rm. Cl E01c 23/08 Field of Search 15/49, 78,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1928 Shaw 15/78 2,962,946 12/1960 Neff 94/44 FOREIGN PATENTS 8,620 4/1907 Great Britain 94/44 434,146 811935 Great Britain 94/44 588,858 5/1925 France 94/44 Primary Examiner-Jacob L. Nackenofi" Anomey Francis T. Kremblas, Jr.

ABSTRACT: An apparatus for finishing the surface of concrete pavements which includes a frame means provided with rotatably mounted wheels adapted to ride along the forms used in concrete paving construction. The frame means includes a plurality of brushlike or bristled finishing members flexibly connected thereto for limited vertical movement responsive to the contour of the pavement being finished and adapted to impart upon the surface of the pavement a plurality longitudinal grooves of relatively uniform depth.

PATENTEU Am; 3:971

SHEET 2 OF 2 INVENTOR. E. J ONES A TTORNEY APPARATUS FOR FINISHING CONCRETE SURFACES The present invention relates generally to apparatus for finishing the surface of a concrete road pavement and particularly to an improved apparatus for finishing concrete road pavements.

In general the apparatus of the present invention comprises a plurality of brushlike finishing members disposed in adjacent relationship to one another to span the width of a road pavement. The finishing members are connected to a suitable supporting means for limited vertical movement responsive to the contour of the pavement. When the members engage the surface of the pavement and are moved in a longitudinal direction relative to the length of the pavement, they impart a texture in the form of a plurality of longitudinal grooves of predetermined depth.

The great expansion of both federal and state high-speed highway systems and the resulting increase of trafiic has raised a serious safety problem that has plagued designers and contractors alike.

Studies have indicated that one of the causes of a substantial number of accidents if the low frictional gripping between vehicle tires and the road surface, particularly when wet, because of the smoothness of the surface.

Of course, texturing the surface during the concrete finishing process is one of the answers to this problem, but the technique and equipment to accomplish this has heretofore been less than desirable. One of the obvious limiting factors in accomplishing a desirable result in surface finishing to solve this problem is the cost involved and the particular circumstances and dimensions of modern highways. Further, the surface roughness is limited by the factor of affording reasonable comfort to vehicle passengers and complicated by the knowledge that some textures wear rapidly and soon reach a hazardous state due to the wear of the tremendous volume of vehicular traffic.

As one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for finishing a concrete road surface is provided which imparts a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves of predetermined depth to the road surface which increases the coefficient of friction between the vehicle tire and the road surface while keeping any discomfort to vehicle passengers at a minimum.

As another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus of the type described permits the surface of the road to be textured in a relatively easy manner with no substantial delay in the construction process.

As another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for finishing a concrete road surface is provided which includes a plurality of novel brushlike members which ride freely over the surface of the freshly poured concrete with each of the members being independently responsive to minor undulations in the surface to ensure a more uniform surface finish.

As another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for finishing a concrete road surface is provided which may be easily adapted to operate upon roads of any width which applies a desirable roughened finish to a large surface area in a relatively fast and easy manner.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide an apparatus of the type described which applies a desirable texture to concrete road surfaces in an efficient, labor-saving manner which substantially increases the traction between the road surface and vehicle tires.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of embodiment of the invention is clearly shown.

IN THE DRAWINGS P16. 1 is top plan view of an apparatus for finishing concrete road pavements constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial perspective view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

Referring in detail to the drawings, an apparatus for finishing concrete road pavements constructed in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and includes a supporting means in the form of a frame, indicated generally at 20.

Frame 20 includes a pair of lower longitudinal support members 22, lateral support members 24, an upper longitudinal support member 26 and truss members 28.

A pair of wheels 30 are rotatably mounted on each outer end of frame 20 and each wheel includes a flange plate 32. Wheels 30 are adapted to ride on the outer pavement forms 34 of a roadbed 36 and flange plates 32 limit inward movement of each wheel 30 to keep wheels 30 on the rail formed by forms 34.

A handle means is mounted on each end of support members 26 to permit the frame to be manually pulled in a longitudinal direction along the leng'thof the'roadbed 36.

A plurality of brushlike finishing members 38 are flexibly connected in adjacent relationship to one another to the rear lower support member22, by means of flexible drag means connecting chains 40. Each chain 40 is secured-to support member 22 and a respective one of finishing members 38. The projections or bristles 39 of each finishing members are preferably relatively flexible.

It has been found that the heads of conventional industrialtype brooms perform in an excellent manner, however, other means could be used which perform in a similar manner to impart a desirable surface texture without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

The length of each connecting chain 40 is preferably adapted to permit each finishing member 38 to rest on the surface of the concrete pavement 36 independent of the weight of the frame 20 and further to permit a limited degree of vertical movement responsive to the minor undulations of the level of the surface of pavement 36. In this manner, upon forward movement of frame 20 along the roadbed 36, the brushlike finishing members 38 are dragged across the surface of pavement 38 and the lower edges of bristles 39 imparting longitudinal grooves in the surface of the pavement.

it should be noted that the backboard or supporting base of members 38 in which the upper ends of bristles 39 are attached must be suspended above the pavement surface when frame 20 is moving in a forward direction to assure that only the bristles 39 engage the pavement surface to provide the most desirable results. As seen in H0. 2, the amount of clearance between the lower end of the backboard-carrying bristles 39 and the pavement need not be great, as long as the backboard itself is not gouging the pavement surface when members 38 are being dragged.

It is important to point out that other means could be used to flexibly connect finishing members 38 to the frame 20 without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

In operation, the apparatus of the present invention is positioned with wheels 30 on the pavement forms 34 and located at some distance behind the paving machine which pours the concrete forming the road pavement 36. This distance depends upon the hardening time of the particular concrete mixture.

it is important that the concrete is not too firm to prevent the brushlike projections of each finishing member from biting into the surface and not so wet that any grooves formed will tend to run back together. For most concrete mixtures, assuming dry weather conditions, the preferred time to apply a finishing texture to the surface occurs at some time between 5 to 30 minutes after the concrete has been poured.

After the frame 20 is positioned with wheels 30 riding on forms 34, the apparatus is merely moved along the length of the pavement in a direction toward the freshest poured concrete.

Finishing members 38 are adapted to impart upon the fresh concrete surface a plurality of substantially longitudinally extending grooves, preferably approximately one-sixteenth of an inch deep.

the scope of the claims which follow:

to a smaller number of members of greater width'to obtain a higher degree of uniformity in the depth of the grooves.

This is true because the poured pavement is not perfectly level and minor undulations are present. Therefore the wider each finishing member is, the greater is the possibility that theseminor undulations will occur within the width of an individual finishing member and cause a variance in the depth of the grooves imparted to the pavement surface by that member.

The uniformity of the grooves formed by the individual finishing member is also enchanced because of the limited flexiblity of the projections or bristles 39. The projections tend to flex upon contact and therefore unless'there are substantial differences in the total weight of each finishing member relative to the adjacent members, or there are major undulations in the surface pavement between the width of an individual membenthe depths of the grooves made by each member 38 will be substantially the same.

It is also important to point out that the apparatus of the present invention may conveniently follow the paving apparatus at a relatively close distance under normalconditions and at a similar rate of movement. This permits the user to impart a desirable uniform textured finish in a most convenient and timesaving manner without any substantial delay in th overall construction process.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within l. A cement-finishing apparatus for concrete highway pavements or the like comprising, in combination, frame means; wheel means rotatably mounted on the outer ends of said frame means and adapted to move in a longitudinal direction relative to the length of said pavement; concrete-finishing means disposed-along said frame means between said wheel means, and extending across the width of said pavement, said finishing means comprising a plurality of brushlike members extending downwardly below said frame means; and flexible drag means independently suspending each of said brushlike members from said frame means for freely dragging said brushl ike members across the pavement surface to impart longitudinal grooves to said surface. I

2. A cement-finishing apparatus for concrete highway pavements or'the like, comprising, in combination, frame means adapted to extend across the width of a highway pavement; a pair of wheel means rotatably mounted on said frame means in spaced relationship from .one another and adapted to ride on the outer forms for said pavement; a plurality of separate downwardly extending brushlike finishing members disposed in adjacent relationship to one another across the width of .the

. pavement; and flexible drag means independently suspending projections, the lower edges of said projections engaging said 7 pavement surface to impart the longitudinal grooves on said surface.

4. An apparatus for finishing the surface of concrete highway pavements of the type'having raillike forms defining the width of said pavements comprising, in combination, frame means extending across the width of said highway pavement, wheel means rotatably mounted on the outer ends of said frame means and adapted to ride on said raillike forms, said wheel means including an outer flange engaging the outer edge of said forms to limit inward movement of said wheel means; and a plurality of brushlike finishing members including bristles; and flexible drag means independently suspending each of said backboards from said frame meansfor. freely dragging said finishing members over the pavement surface with the lower edge of said bristles engaging the pavement surface for imparting grooves in said surface and with the lower edge of said backboards being raised above the surface of said pavement. I

Claims

1. A cement-finishing apparatus for concrete highway pavements or the like comprising, in combination, frame means; wheel means rotatably mounted on the outer ends of said frame means and adapted to move in a longitudinal direction relative to the length of said pavement; concrete-finishing means disposed along said frame means between said wheel means, and extending across the width of said pavement, said finishing means comprising a plurality of brushlike members extending downwardly below said frame means; and flexible drag means independently suspending each of said brushlike members from said frame means for freely dragging said brushlike members across the pavement surface to impart longitudinal grooves to said surface.

2. A cement-finishing apparatus for concrete highway pavements or the like, comprising, in combination, frame means adapted to extend across the width of a highway pavement; a pair of wheel means rotatably mounted on said frame means in spaced relationship from one another and adapted to ride on the outEr forms for said pavement; a plurality of separate downwardly extending brushlike finishing members disposed in adjacent relationship to one another across the width of the pavement; and flexible drag means independently suspending each of said brushlike members from said frame means for freely dragging said brushlike members across the pavement surface to impart longitudinal grooves to said surface.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein each of said finishing members includes a plurality of flexible, bristlelike projections, the lower edges of said projections engaging said pavement surface to impart the longitudinal grooves on said surface.

4. An apparatus for finishing the surface of concrete highway pavements of the type having raillike forms defining the width of said pavements comprising, in combination, frame means extending across the width of said highway pavement, wheel means rotatably mounted on the outer ends of said frame means and adapted to ride on said raillike forms, said wheel means including an outer flange engaging the outer edge of said forms to limit inward movement of said wheel means; and a plurality of brushlike finishing members including a backboard provided with a plurality of outwardly extending bristles; and flexible drag means independently suspending each of said backboards from said frame means for freely dragging said finishing members over the pavement surface with the lower edge of said bristles engaging the pavement surface for imparting grooves in said surface and with the lower edge of said backboards being raised above the surface of said pavement.