US3767312A — Apparatus for making concrete slabs

Claim 1

Independent Claim 270 words

A unitary self-powered self-propelled concrete mix distributing, levelling and compacting apparatus of a size manned by crewmen normally stationed on board while making large area concrete slabs suitable for a vehicle highway or tilt-up building structures, said apparatus having a unitary rigid main frame, a long wide large-area smooth-surfaced generally planar bottom plate immovably secured to the underside of said main frame adapted to rest in direct contact with the top surface of the slab and extending the full width of said slab and underlying said apparatus so as to support the major portion of the weight thereof on the underlying concrete mix, power generating means mounted on said frame for supplying the mechanical and electrical power requirements of said apparatus, said apparatus including support means mounted substantially flush with the lower surface crosswise of the opposite ends of said bottom plate and positioned to bear against the top edges of side forms for the concrete slab and cooperable therewith to limit and fix the surface level of the slab as substantially the full weight of said apparatus is supported on the mix by said bottom plate, power operated mix distributing means mounted on said main frame along the front thereof above said bottom plate extending lengthwise of said bottom plate for distributing mix to the front of said bottom plate along the length thereof and including mix receiving hopper means for supplying mix to said distributing means, and power-driven means mounted on said main frame above said bottom plate for advancing said apparatus along said slab while supported in major part on the surface of the underlying concrete mix.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 270 words

A unitary self-powered self-propelled concrete mix distributing, levelling and compacting apparatus of a size manned by crewmen normally stationed on board while making large area concrete slabs suitable for a vehicle highway or tilt-up building structures, said apparatus having a unitary rigid main frame, a long wide large-area smooth-surfaced generally planar bottom plate immovably secured to the underside of said main frame adapted to rest in direct contact with the top surface of the slab and extending the full width of said slab and underlying said apparatus so as to support the major portion of the weight thereof on the underlying concrete mix, power generating means mounted on said frame for supplying the mechanical and electrical power requirements of said apparatus, said apparatus including support means mounted substantially flush with the lower surface crosswise of the opposite ends of said bottom plate and positioned to bear against the top edges of side forms for the concrete slab and cooperable therewith to limit and fix the surface level of the slab as substantially the full weight of said apparatus is supported on the mix by said bottom plate, power operated mix distributing means mounted on said main frame along the front thereof above said bottom plate extending lengthwise of said bottom plate for distributing mix to the front of said bottom plate along the length thereof and including mix receiving hopper means for supplying mix to said distributing means, and power-driven means mounted on said main frame above said bottom plate for advancing said apparatus along said slab while supported in major part on the surface of the underlying concrete mix.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 71 words

Concrete slab making apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including a plurality of heavy duty vibrator means rigidly secured to said main frame at spaced apart points along the length thereof and effective to vibrate said flat bottom plate to expedite distribution and compaction of the mix in the zone underlying and contiguous to each energized vibrator means, and operator controlled means for selectively activating and deactivating said vibrator means.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 31 words

Concrete slab making apparatus as defined in claim 2 characterized in that said means for activating said vibrator means includes means for operating said vibrator means on an intermittent programmed cycle.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 29 words

Concrete slab making apparatus as defined in claim 2 further including timer controlled means for operating selected ones of said vibrator means independently of other of said vibrator means.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 44 words

Concrete slab making apparatus as defined in claim 2 characterized in that said means for activating said vibrator means is operatively associated with means for distributing cement mix to different selected delivery zones along the length of the advance side of said main frame.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 55 words

Concrete slab making apparatus as defined in claim 5 characterized in that said means for activating said vibrator means includes cycling timer means for periodically activating and deactivating the operation of selecteD vibrator means during a period when concrete mix is being distributed and compacted in the zone of influence of said selected vibrator means.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 61 words

A mechanical screed as defined in claim 1 characterized in that said power operated means for advancing said screed along the slab comprises winch means mounted on said main frame and a pair of cable means thereon equipped with means for anchoring the outer end portions thereof to fixed deadman means forwardly of the advance edge of the slab under construction.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 46 words

A mechanical screed as defined in claim 7 characterized in that said winch means includes an independently operable winch for each of said cable means and control means operatively connected thereto for operating said winches in unison and independently of one another at the operator''s election.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 62 words

Concrete slab making apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including a storage hopper for concrete mix supported on said main frame having a dispensing opening discharging onto said power operated means for distributing concrete mix, and a plurality of mix distributing means for delivering the mix to different zones of the slab crosswise of the advance side of said main frame.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 88 words

Concrete slab making apparatus as defined in claim 9 further including a plurality of separate vibrator means a rigid with said main frame operable when activated to vibrate the same to aid in compacting mix beneath said bottom plate, and control means operatively connected to said mix distributing means and to an adjacent one of said vibrator means to activate said vibrator means and the adjacent one of said mix distributing means whereby freshly distributed mix is agitated to expedite compaction thereof and the escape of entrapped air.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 31 words

A mechanical screed as defined in claim 10 further including an operator station on said main frame provided with separate control means for each of said plurality of mix distributing means.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 70 words

Concrete slab making apparatus as defined in claim 1 characterized in that said means for distributing concrete mix includes a storage hopper for bulk mix carried by one end of said main frame and discharging onto conveyor belt means extending lengthwise along the forward side thereof, and a plurality of movable mix distributing means for transferring mix from said belt means selectively at different points distributed along said belt means.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 92 words

A mechanical screed as defined in claim 12 characterized in that said movable mix transfer means comprises a plurality of separate barrier means normally aligned with one another along one lateral edge of said conveyor belt and cooperating to retain the mix on said belt means, and means for pivoting a selected mix transfer means to an open position extending crosswise of said belt means at an angle to cam the flow of mix off said belt means in the gap provided by pivoting said selected mix transfer to its open position.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 30 words

A mechanical screed as defined in claim 12 characterized in the provision of walk ways for crew member carried by said main frame along the advance and trailing sides thereof.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 246 words

A self-powered self-propelling concrete mix distributing, levelling and compacting apparatus for use in making large area concrete slabs on a horizontal support for said slabs and manned by an operating crew stationed on board said apparatus, said apparatus having an elongated rigid main frame, a wide area smooth surfaced bottom plate immovably secured to and underlying said main frame from side to side of said concrete slab and of sufficient size to rest on and virtually support the weight of said apparatus on freshly poured concrete mix, support means mounted on and extending transversely of the opposite ends of said bottom plate adapted to contact the top edges of forms for the slab and extending lengthwise of the opposite lateral sides of the slab and cooperating with said bottom plate to determine the height of the top surface of the slab, power driven means mounted on said apparatus for propelling the appAratus along the slab, power driven means carried by said rigid main frame to distribute concrete mix along the length of the forward edge thereof, power driven vibrating means mounted on said bottom plate operable to vibrate at least portions of said bottom plate to facilitate leveling and compaction of the mix in contact with the underside of said bottom plate, and power generating means mounted on said rigid main frame and including operator controlled drive connections to each of said power driven means regulatable from an operator control station mounted on said main frame.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 246 words

A self-powered self-propelling concrete mix distributing, levelling and compacting apparatus for use in making large area concrete slabs on a horizontal support for said slabs and manned by an operating crew stationed on board said apparatus, said apparatus having an elongated rigid main frame, a wide area smooth surfaced bottom plate immovably secured to and underlying said main frame from side to side of said concrete slab and of sufficient size to rest on and virtually support the weight of said apparatus on freshly poured concrete mix, support means mounted on and extending transversely of the opposite ends of said bottom plate adapted to contact the top edges of forms for the slab and extending lengthwise of the opposite lateral sides of the slab and cooperating with said bottom plate to determine the height of the top surface of the slab, power driven means mounted on said apparatus for propelling the appAratus along the slab, power driven means carried by said rigid main frame to distribute concrete mix along the length of the forward edge thereof, power driven vibrating means mounted on said bottom plate operable to vibrate at least portions of said bottom plate to facilitate leveling and compaction of the mix in contact with the underside of said bottom plate, and power generating means mounted on said rigid main frame and including operator controlled drive connections to each of said power driven means regulatable from an operator control station mounted on said main frame.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-10-22	1977-04-23	1977-10-23	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-10-22	1981-04-23	1981-10-23	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-10-22	1985-04-23	1985-10-23	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Apparatus for making concrete slabs

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