Automated trowel

• US 5,997,270 A
• Filed: 09/29/1997
• Issued: 12/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hubert Labonte
• Original Assignee: Hubert Labonte
• Inventors: LaBonte, Hubert
• Primary Examiner(s): Mackey, James P.
• Application Number:
  US08/939,708
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 425/63, 425/64, 425/185, 425/190, 425/470, 425/472, 249/158, 404/98, 404/105
• US Class Current: 425/64
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/4886 for forming in a continuous operation kerbs, gutters, berms, safety kerbs, median barriers or like structures in situ, e.g. by slip-forming, by extrusion removable forms for kerbs, gutters or similar structures E01C19/506; making conduits in situ E02D29/10

Abstract

A flexible automated trowel for sliding formwork machine allowing the finishing of a continuous trapezoidal wall of the type having one rectangular side and one side inclined towards the top or with two angular sides. A mold supporting the trowel comprises two straight sides, an enlarging setback originating from a formwork line. A driveway cutter proceeds from the enlarging setback in the direction of the slope of the angular wall. The cutter may have a concave face which is to be placed against a moldable face to produce a superior convex face to the continuous wall. Materials like concrete for curbs, gutters, driveway entrances may be continuously poured and necessitate little or no finishing touches.

Claims

1. A slip form comprising:

a frame (22)

a mold (20) supported by said frame (22) for movement along the ground, said mold (20) having a top (74), a front, a back and two converging sides (61,63) defining a trapezoidal section converging towards said top (74), one said converging side (61) being slanted relative to the ground;

a bin (25) secured to said frame (22) and communicating with said front of said mold for filling said mold with a partially fluid material, said top (74) having an opening intermediate said front and said back of said mold,

a powered cutter (28) mounted to said frame (22) for movement through said opening between a top position coinciding with said top (74) and a low-level position (76) below said top (74) and said powered cutter being movable in a direction parallel to said slanted converging side (61), said other converging side (63) having a recessed upper section (67) parallel to said slanted side and upwardly extending from said low-level position, said powered cutter (28) being guided by and in scraping engagement with both said slanted side (61) and said recessed upper section (67).

2. The slip form of claim 1 wherein said other converging side (63) is perpendicular to the ground and wherein said powered cutter (28) has a parallelogram cross-section with cutter sides parallel to said recessed upper section (67) and to said slanted side (61) and with a horizontal bottom.

3. The slip form of claim 2 wherein said cutter (28) has a bottom comprising a concave form (64) with an inner edge (66) engaging with said slanted side (61) and an outer edge (68) engaging with said other converging side (63).

4. The slip form of claim 2 wherein said frame comprises a wall (65) having a guide slot (58), said cutter comprising a bolt (70) having a protruding rectangular barrier (72) engaging through said guide slot (58).

5. The slip form of claim 1 wherein said two converging sides of said mold comprise a pair of extensible cutters (32) mounted vertically and driven by cutter cylinders (34) mounted on said frame (22).