Method and apparatus for cutting wet concrete

• US 5,305,729 A
• Filed: 02/14/1992
• Issued: 04/26/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Soff-Cut International Incorporated (HUSQVARNA)
• Original Assignee: Alan R. Chiuminatta, Edward Chiuminatta
• Inventors: Chiuminatta, Edward R., Chiuminatta, Alan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): RACHUBA, MAURINA T
• Application Number:
  US07/837,248
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 125/12, 125/13.01, 30/371, 30/374, 30/375, 30/377, 30/388, 30/390
• US Class Current: 125/12
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 59/001 Measuring or control devices, e.g. for automatic control of work feed pressure on band saw blade measuring in general G01; controlling in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 19/02 for grinding grooves, e.g. on shafts, in casings, in tubes, homokinetic joint elements
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 23/02 with rotating grinding tools; Accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 27/08 being portable
• CPC Class Codes: B28D 1/045 Sawing grooves in walls; sawing stones from rocks; sawing machines movable on the stones to be cut

Abstract

A concrete cutting saw is provided for the cutting of grooves in the surface of wet concrete. The concrete saw generally comprises a motor driven rotating cutting blade mounted on a support structure. The concrete saw is supported during cutting by wheels, and has a skid plate with a slot through which the rotating cutting blade passes to cut the concrete. The skid plate is movably attached to the concrete saw and resiliently urged against the concrete during cutting so that it remains in contact with the surface of the concrete surrounding the cutting blade during cutting. The skid plate is constrained into a bowed configuration so that it is substantially flat during cutting. A variable speed transmission is drivingly connected to the wheels to propel the saw across the concrete during cutting. Sensors detect the relative position of the skid plate and the cutting blade to generate an electric signal which cooperates with the variable speed transmission to slow down the saw as it encounters hard aggregate, and to speed up the saw as it encounters soft concrete.

Claims

1. A skid plate assembly for use with a concrete saw having a rotating cutting blade with a leading cutting edge which cuts a groove in a concrete surface as the saw is moved across the surface, comprising:

a first and second mounting portion configured to be releasably fastened to the concrete cutting saw;

a support portion depending from between the first and second mounting portions such that during cutting the support portion supports the surface being cut adjacent at least the leading cutting edge of the blade to inhibit raveling of the edges of a groove cut by the rotating blade as the blade moves across the concrete to cut the groove, the support portion having a slot through which the cutting blade extends during cutting; and

a load bearing member communicating with the first and second mounting portions to urge them to assume a predetermined position relative to one another, whereby said support portion is caused to bow.

2. A skid plate assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the support portion is bowed in a direction that would be toward the concrete surface to be cut if the skid plate were installed on a saw, but before the skid plate is placed in contact with the concrete surface for cutting.

3. A skid plate assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the support portion is bowed in a direction that would be away from the concrete surface if the skid plate were installed on a saw for use in cutting concrete, but before the skid plate is placed in contact with the concrete surface for cutting.

4. A skid plate assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the load bearing member deforms the support portion when the skid plate is not resting against a surface for cutting, and wherein the support portion is substantially flat when the skid plate is installed on a saw and used to cut concrete.

5. A skid plate assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the load bearing member causes the relative position of the first and second mounting portions to move toward one another so that the support portion deforms toward the surface to be cut when the skid plate is installed on a saw and before the support portion contacts the surface to be cut.

6. A skid plate assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the deformation of the support portion causes the middle of the support portion to extend away from the surface to be cut when the skid plate is installed on a saw and before the support portion contacts the surface to be cut.

7. An apparatus for use with a saw having a rotating cutting blade with a leading cutting edge, comprising:

a skid plate having first and second mounting portions configured to be releasably fastened to the saw;

a substantially flat support portion depending from between the first and second mounting portions such that during cutting the support portion rests on the surface being cut, the support portion having a slot through which the cutting blade extends during cutting; and

a tension member connected to at least one of the mounting portions to bend the support portion a predetermined amount into a curved position.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein the support portion is deformed toward the surface to be cut by the saw when the skid plate is mounted on the saw.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein support portion is deformed away from the surface to be cut by the saw when the skid plate is mounted on the saw.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein support portion is bowed when the saw when the skid plate is mounted on the saw but not resting against the surface to be cut, and wherein the support portion is substantially flat when placed against the surface for cutting.

11. A skid plate for use with a concrete saw having a rotating cutting blade with a leading cutting edge, comprising:

a first mounting portion configured to be releasably fastened to the saw;

a support portion having a slot through which the cutting blade extends during cutting, the support portion depending from the first mounting portion such that during cutting the support portion supports the surface being cut adjacent at least the leading cutting edge of the blade to inhibit raveling of the edges of a groove cut by the rotating blade in a concrete surface as the blade extends through the slot; and

means for urging the support portion into a substantially flat position adjacent a sufficient portion of the cutting blade to inhibit raveling of the edge of the groove cut by the blade and wherein the means causes the middle of the support portion to extend toward the surface to be cut before the support portion is placed in contact with the surface to be cut.

12. A skid plate for use with a concrete saw having a rotating cutting blade with a leading cutting edge, comprising:

a first mounting portion configured to be releasably fastened to the saw;

a support portion having a slot through which the cutting blade extends during cutting, the support portion depending from the first mounting portion such that during cutting the support portion supports the surface being cut adjacent at least the leading cutting edge of the blade to inhibit raveling of the edges of a groove cut by the rotating blade in a concrete surface as the blade extends through the slot; and

means for urging the support portion into a substantially flat position adjacent a sufficient portion of the cutting blade to inhibit raveling of the edge of the groove cut by the blade and wherein the means causes the middle of the support portion to extend away from the surface to be cut before the support portion is placed in contact with the surface to be cut.

13. A method for forming a skid plate assembly for use with a concrete saw having a rotating cutting blade with a leading cutting edge which cuts a groove in a concrete surface as the saw is moved across the surface, comprising the steps of:

configuring a first and second mounting portions to be releasably fastened to the concrete cutting saw;

depending a support portion from between the first and second mounting portions a distance sufficient so that during cutting the support portion is substantially flat against the concrete surface;

forming a slot in the support portion through which the cutting blade extends during cutting so that the slot surrounds a sufficient portion of the blade during cutting, and is sufficiently close to at least the leading cutting edge of the blade during to inhibit raveling of the edges of a groove cut by the rotating blade as the blade moves across the concrete to cut the groove; and

constraining the first and second mounting portions in a deformed position relative to one another so that the support portion is bowed when the skid plate is mounted on the saw but not resting against the surface to be cut, but wherein the support portion is substantially flat when placed against the concrete surface for cutting.

14. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein the constraining step comprises the step of constraining the support portion to bow in a direction toward the concrete surface when the skid plate is installed on a saw for use in cutting concrete, but before the skid plate is placed in contact with the concrete surface for cutting.

15. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein the constraining step comprises the step of constraining the support portion to bow in a direction away from the concrete surface when the skid plate is installed on a saw for use in cutting concrete, but before the skid plate is placed in contact with the concrete surface for cutting.