US2032736A - Concrete spreading machine - Google Patents

Description

March 3, 1936. R. W. BRIGGS CONCRETE SPREADING MACHINE Filed July 20, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 3, 1936.

R. W. BRIGGS ETE SPBEADING MACHINE CONCR Filed July 20, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Hl l.l |IllllllllllllI||l||I IIIIINII IllIlIIIlI|ll|l Patented Mar. 3, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanism for handling concrete and pertains particularly to such mechanism by which the concrete may be spread or distributed.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide. a machine by means of which con- 'crete may be distributed to and spread out over an area at a uniform thickness without the employment of manual labor for spreading and smoothing, as is done at the present time.

, A further object of the invention is to provide a machine by which ditches or canals may be lined with concrete and in which a novel means employedfor effecting the even distribution of the concrete over the entire inner surface of the ditch or canal area which is formed in the earth and which is to be lined.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel mechanism for distributing and spreading concrete in which the concrete is caused to move over a distributing surface through the combined action of gravity and jarring or vibrating means whereby its even distribiition is eifected.

. The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of'the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a view in top plan of a machine embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Referring now more particularly to the. drawings, wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the machine embodying the present invention is illustrated in position over a ditch or canal l, the inner surface of which is being lined with a layer of concrete which is indicated by the numeral 2.

In the operation of the present machine, the borders or the ditch I have placed. therealong,

- forms which. facilitate the formation of. the

concrete lining above the surrounding ground surface. At either side of the ditch in parallel spaced relation with the forms 3, a track rail 4 of any suitable character is disposed, on which the carriage wheels of the concrete distributing 5 machine move for the movement of the machine along and over the ditched area.

The machine embodying the present invention comprises a carriage structure, which is indicated as a whole by the numeral 5, and which comprises two spaced parallel beams 6 connected together at their forward ends by the two spaced cross beams l and at their rear ends by the two spaced cross beams 8. Over the front and rear crossv beams are disposed the front and rear platforms or plates 9 and It respectively for the purpose hereinafter pointed out. The beams 6 at their forward and rear ends carry on their under sides the bearings H in which axles l2 are supported and which carry at their outer ends the carriage wheels i3 which are adapted to travel upon the tracks 4.

At the front end of the machine there is mounted upon the longitudinal center of the same and upon the platform 9, a gear box l4 and upon the .25 rear platform upon opposite sides of the longitudinal center of the machine are two gear boxes, each of which is indicated by the numeral [5. Through these forward and rear gear boxes 14 and 15 extend the forward and rear vertical 3O screws 5'! and i8 respectively, the upper ends of which are threaded and pass through and have threaded engagement with the lift wheels I9 and 20 which rest upon the adjacent gear boxes I 4 and i5 respectively. The screws I1 and I8 pass downwardly through their respective plates 9 and I0 and terminate at their lower ends a substantial distance beneath the carriage 5 where they are connected with the concrete spreader or screed which is about to be described.

The concrete spreading screed or template is indicated by the numeral 2! and comprises an elongated sheet metal plate of arcuate cross section or of a cross section to conform with the cross sectional design of the ditch or canal which is to be lined. At its rear end this template extends upwardly at its sides to a height or elevation equal to or greater than the depth of the ditch. Preferably, it extends to the tops of the forms 3 at the sides of the ditch. The side edges of the template are parallel throughout a portion of the length of the plate from the rear end forwardly and they then converge, as indicated by the numerals 22, and flow intoa rounded nose edge 23, the apex of which lies on the longitudinal center of the ditch.

Extending longitudinally of the inner surface of the template are the two spaced parallel beams 24 which are secured to the template, terminating at their forward ends adjacent the converging edges of the plate and at their rear ends projecting rearwardly of the plate where they are joined by the transverse plate 25. This transverse plate 25 has a pair of apertures formed therethrough through each of which the lower end of a screw l8 passes and above and below the plate 25 each plate carries a collar 26. Surrounding each of the screws l8 above and below the plate 25 are springs 27 each of which bears at one end against a collar 26 and at the other end against the plate 25, thus resiliently suspending the template at its rear end on the screws l8 through the medium of the beams 24,

plate 25 and springs 21.

The entire template 2| is covered by a concrete receiving deck, which is indicated generally by the numeral 28, and which is divided or broken up into four major areas, indicated by the numerals 29, 39 and 3i. The numerals 39 indicate two similar lateral areas, while the numerals 29 and 3| indicate longitudinally extending central areas. These areas of the deck 28 all have 'a general forward slope but certain ones thereof in addition to sloping forwardly, slope laterally. As shown in the top plan view the areas 29 and 3! are divided by a central transverse ridge 32 and the rear central area is divided at its sides by the hips 33 from the side areas 39, while the forward central area 29 is divided at its sides by the hips 34 from the side or lateral areas 30. The

area 3| has a forward and downward slope from The lateral areas 30 of the deck slope downwardly and forwardly and join along their outer edges with the converging edges 22 of the template. These areas 39 are broken, however, by the minor hips which extend laterally and rearwardly, as indicated at 35, so that the portion of each area lying forwardly of these minor hips has a sharper forward and downward slope than the portions lying rearwardly thereof. Upon the top of the forward part of the deck area 29, two spaced parallel reinforcing bars 36 are secured to extend longitudinally of the structure uponopposite sides of the longitudinal cen ter thereof and between these bars 36 a collar '31. is secured which extends through the deck and through which the lower end of the forward screw IT projects. This screw also carries above and below the deck the collars 38 and between each of these collars and the deck is a coil spring 39 by which a resilient connection is maintained between the screw I1 and the forward end of the concrete spreader and former unit.

Mounted within the template beneath the deck 28 are one or more vibrators which are indicated generally by the numeral 40. These vibrators may be of any suitable design and operated in any suitable manner to efiect a jarring of the template and deck when concrete is being spread and molded to the surface of the ditch over which the machine is working. Since the specific design or construction of vibrator forms no part of the present invention, a detailed description of the same will not be given.

In the use of the present machine, after the ditch I has been formed in the earth and the forms 3 and tracks 4 laid, at opposite sides thereof, the machine is placed in position over the ditch with the carriage-wheels. resting upon the tracks 4 and the position of the template is regulated relative to the surface of the ditch in accordance with the thickness of concrete liner to be spread therein.

The concrete to be spread is then dumped from the mixer on to the deck 28 and as the carriage is moved forwardly on the tracks 4 the vibrators 40 are operated and jarring or vibrating effect causes the concrete to gravitate over the areas of the deck in the direction of the arrows toward the front and the sides of the machine. The concrete will thus be fed from the front end of the area 29 and from the side edges of the areas 30 of the machine deck and as the machine moves along it will be worked under the template and spread out over the entire surface of the ditch. The screed or template thus forms what might be termed a movable form, from the sloping top or deck of which the concrete is caused to flow by the vibrating apparatus smoothly and unlformly to all points along the edge of the template, thereby furnishing a constant and uniform supply of concrete all along the perimeter of the plate. The forward motion of the machine and the vibration thereof automatically forces the concrete upward and against the sloping sides of the earth section to be lined and the face of the screed or template smooths the same out to a constant thickness.

Any suitable means may be employed for moving the machine carriage on the track, therefore no particular means has been illustrated or described and in addition other means may be employed for operating the screws I1 and I8 for the raising and lowering of the template and deck and, as previously stated, any suitable means may be employed for vibrating the machine in order to effect the constant movement of the concrete over the deck areas.

While the present invention has been illustrated and described as a concrete spreading and forming machine, it is to be understood that it is not to be limited to such use, but may be used for any purpose for which it is found adaptable.

I claim:---

1. A machine of the character described, com.- .prising a wheeled carriage, a plurality of standards carried by and depending from the carriage, means for vertically shifting said standards, a smoother plate disposed beneath and extending longitudinally of the carriage, said plate having forwardly converging side edge portions and a rounded nose at its forward end connecting said portions, a deck overlying said plate and having its central part raised and extending forwardly and laterally at a downward inclination and joining the converging edge portions and the rounded nose of the plate, and means resiliently connecting the plate with the lower ends of said standards for supporting the plate and deck from the standards.

2. A machine for distributing concrete to and spreading the same over the surface of a ditchaor 75 til similarly formed area, comprising a wheel supported carriage adapted to position over and move longitudinally of the said area, a plurality of vertically disposed standards longitudinally adjustably secured to the carriage, an elongated template body disposed beneath the carriage and having an exterior cross sectional contour conforming with the cross section of said area, said template having forwardly converging side edge portions terminating in a rounded nose, a deck overlying said template and having a forwardly and downwardly extending central area and forwardly and laterally sloping side areas, said deck along the outer edges of said side areas and at the forward end edge of said central area joining the converging side edges and the rounded forward edge of the template, and means resiliently attaching the template and deck structure to the lower ends of said standards.

3. A machine for distributing concrete to and spreading the same over the surface of a ditch or similarly formed area, comprising a wheel supported carriage adapted to position over and move longitudinally of the said area, a plurality of vertically disposed standards longitudinally adjustably secured to the carriage, an elongated template body disposed beneath the carriage and having an exterior cross sectional contour conforming with the cross section of said area, said template having forwardly converging side edge portions terminating in a rounded nose, a deck overlying said template and having a forwardly and downwardly extending central area and forwardly and laterally sloping side areas, said deck along the outer edges of said side areas .and at the forward end edge of said central area joining the converging side edges and the rounded forward edge of the template, means resiliently attaching the template and deck structure to the lower ends of said standards, and means on the inner surface of said template for imparting a vibratory motion thereto.

4. A plastic material distributer and spreader, comprising an elongated smoother, carriage means for said spreader, and a material receiving and spreading deck overlying said smoother and formed to provide a central transverse hip between a forwardly and downwardly inclined surface area and a rearwardly extending surface area and a laterally and downwardly inclined surface area at each side of said first inclined area, said first and last mentioned areas having bordering edges joined with the edge of said smoother.

5. A plastic material distributer and spreader, comprising an elongated smoother, carriage means for said spreader, and a material receiving and spreading deck overlying said smoother and formed to provide a central transverse hip between a forwardly and downwardly inclined surface area and a rearwardly extending surface area, and a laterally and downwardly inclined surface area at each side of said first inclined area, said first and last mentioned areas having bordering edges joined with the edge of said smoother, and vibrator units mounted beneath said deck.

6. A machine of the character described, comprising a wheeled carriage including forwardly and rearwardly disposed transverse platforms, a pair of standards extending downward from said latter platform, a single standard extending downwardly from said forward platform, means associated with each of said standards for moving the same vertically, a spreader and smoother structure disposed beneath the carriage and the area lying between said platforms, said smoother being tapered toward one end, means connecting the lower end of the standard which is suspended from the front platform with the tapered end of the smoother, means coupling the lower ends of the other standards with the opposite end of the smoother, and a deck structure overlying said smoother and having a raised central portion with areas sloping forward and laterally downward toward the forward and lateral edges of the smoother.

7. A machine of the character described, comprising a wheeled carriage including forwardly and rearwardly disposed transverse platforms, a pair of standards extending downward from said latter platform, a single standard extending downwardly from said forward platform, means associated with each of said standards for moving the same vertically, a spreader and smoother structure disposed beneath the carriage and the area lying between said platforms, said smoother being tapered toward one end, means connecting the lower end of the standard which is suspended from the front platform with the tapered end of the smoother, means coupling the lower ends of the other standards with the tapered end of the smoother, said smoother being of arcuate crosssectional contour, and a deck structure overlying the smoother and having a forwardly and downwardly inclined central area which merges at its forward edge with the tapered edge of the smoother, and laterally and downwardly inclined side areas which merge at their outer edges with the said edges of the smoother.

8. Mechanism for spreading and smoothing concrete in excavations in the earth, comprising a carriage structure, a spreader and smoother plate suspended from said carriage and having .an under surface which is transversely convex throughout the entire length thereof and further having forwardly converging side portions and a rounded nose at its forward end connecting said portions, and a deck overlying said plate and having forwardly and downwardly inclined surface areas from which concrete may be distributed forwardly over said nose and laterally over the side edges of the plate,

9. Mechanism for spreading and smoothing concrete in excavated areas in the earth, comprising a carriage structure, a spreader and smoother plate suspended from said carriage and having a transversely rounded under surface and forwardly converging side edge portions and a rounded nose at its forward end connecting said portions, a deck overlying said plate and having forwardly and downwardly inclined surface areas from which concrete may be distributed forwardly over said nose and laterally of the plate, and means for vibrating said plate to effect the movement of the concrete over said deck.

ROBERT W. BRIGGS.

Images