Wide swath offset concrete screed

• US 10,233,597 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2018
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dragon Screed LLC
• Original Assignee: Dragon Screed LLC
• Inventors: Terstriep, Luke
• Primary Examiner(s): Addie, Raymond W
• Application Number:
  US15/875,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20180142429A1
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• Field of Search: 404 75, 404103, 404104
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/40 adapted to impart a smooth finish to the paving, e.g. tamping or vibrating finishers
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/405 with spreading-out, levelling or smoothing means other than the tamping or vibrating means for compacting or smoothing, e.g. with screws for spreading-out the previously dumped material, with non-vibratory lengthwise reciprocated smoothing beam E01C19/407 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/42 Machines for imparting a smooth finish to freshly-laid paving courses other than by rolling, tamping or vibrating for distributing only E01C19/12; hand-actuated smoothing tools E01C19/44
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 2019/209 with transverse auger
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 2301/14 Extendable screeds
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 21/05 Supports for jointing rulers
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 21/241 Elongated smoothing blades or plates, e.g. screed apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 21/242 with vibrating means, e.g. vibrating screeds
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 21/10 Devices for levelling, e.g. templates or boards smoothing tools E04F21/16, E04F21/24

Abstract

Methods and systems for making and using a wide swath offset concrete screed apparatus for screeding wet concrete slurry. The apparatus includes a cross support bar, an attachment mechanism for attaching the cross support bar to a liftable arm of a motorized vehicle, and a roller screed attached to the cross support bar. The roller screed is positioned offset from the motorized vehicle used to operate the screed, allowing the motorized vehicle to drive outside the forms.

Claims

1. An offset concrete screed apparatus for screeding wet concrete slurry, comprising:

a cross support bar;

means for attaching the cross support bar of the offset concrete screed apparatus to a liftable arm of a motorized vehicle;

a roller screed attached to the offset concrete screed apparatus, the roller screed being configured to come in contact with the wet concrete slurry in response to the liftable arm of the motorized vehicle being lowered; and

a power unit attached to the offset concrete screed apparatus, the power unit being configured to controllably rotate the roller screed;

wherein the roller screed is positioned offset from the motorized vehicle allowing the motorized vehicle to be driven outside forms containing the wet concrete slurry during the screeding.

2. The offset concrete screed apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a roller support structure configured to attach the roller screed to the offset concrete screed apparatus; and

means for reducing mechanical friction between the roller support structure and the roller screed.

3. The offset concrete screed apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power unit is an electric motor.

4. The offset concrete screed apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more lateral support bars attached between the roller screed and the cross support bar;

wherein the one or more lateral support bars hinge downward by no more than a predetermined amount from horizontal, defined as a support bar angle, wherein the support bar angle is no less than 3 degrees and no greater than 45 degrees; and

wherein the roller support structure is positioned above the roller screed.

5. The offset concrete screed apparatus of claim 4, wherein the support bar angle is no less than 5 degrees and no greater than 25 degrees.

6. The offset concrete screed apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a screed bar attached to one or more lateral support bars;

wherein the roller screed is attached to the screed bar.

7. The offset concrete screed apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

a screed bar spacer configured to be affixed to an end of the screed bar adjacent a surface of a previously poured concrete swath, the previously poured concrete swath being used as one of the forms for containing the wet concrete slurry during the screeding;

wherein the screed bar spacer has a predetermined thickness of at least ⅛

inch but no great than ⅜

inch to compensate for the screeding process delta.

8. The offset concrete screed apparatus of claim 6 for screeding the wet concrete slurry into a concrete pad of a predetermined thickness, further comprising:

a subgrade screeder attachment configured to be removably attached to the screed bar;

wherein the subgrade screeder attachment extends below the underside of the screed bar by a depth equal to the predetermined thickness.

9. A method of screeding wet concrete slurry with an offset concrete screed apparatus, the method comprising:

attaching a cross support bar of the offset concrete screed apparatus to a liftable arm of a motorized vehicle;

attaching a roller screed to the offset concrete screed apparatus;

attaching a power unit to the roller screed;

controlling the power unit to rotate the roller screed;

lowering the liftable arm of the motorized vehicle until the roller screed comes in contact with the wet concrete slurry; and

driving the motorized vehicle forward to screed the wet concrete slurry;

wherein the roller screed is positioned offset from the motorized vehicle allowing the motorized vehicle to be driven outside forms containing the wet concrete slurry during the screeding.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing a roller support structure to attach the roller screed to the offset concrete screed apparatus; and

providing mechanical structure for reducing mechanical friction between the roller support structure and the roller screed.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

hinging one or more lateral support bars downward by no more than a predetermined amount from horizontal, defined as a support bar angle, wherein the support bar angle is no less than 5degrees and no greater than 25 degrees; and

attaching the roller screed to the offset concrete screed apparatus with the one or more lateral support bars.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the power unit is an electric motor.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

attaching a screed bar to one or more lateral support bars;

wherein the roller screed is attached to the screed bar.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

using a previously poured concrete swath as one of the forms for containing the wet concrete slurry during the screeding;

affixing a screed bar spacer to an end of the screed bar adjacent a surface of the previously poured concrete swath; and

wherein the screed bar spacer has a predetermined thickness to compensate for the screeding process delta, the predetermined thickness being at least ⅛

inch but no great than ⅜

inch.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

removably attaching a subgrade screeder attachment to the screed bar, wherein the subgrade screeder attachment extends below an underside of the screed bar by a depth equal to a predetermined thickness; and

smoothing subgrade material between the forms with the subgrade screeder attachment to a level the predetermined thickness below top edges of the forms.