Concrete forming apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for forming, compacting and finishing the top surface of concrete poured between a pair of removable longitudinally extending parallel opposed forms, said apparatus comprising: (a) a frame having forward and rearward ends which extend transversely between opposed first and second sides of said frame, said ends and said sides substantially defining a plane; (b) a wooden concrete pre-finishing member disposed along the forward end of said frame, said member having a lower surface configured to vary in vertical distance from said plane along the transverse axes of the forms, and said member being relatively wide when measured in the direction of longitudinal extension of the forms; (c) vibrator means affixed to said frame for causing vibration of said member; (d) a finishing pan rigidly affixed beneath said frame to the rear of and adjacent said member and extending between said first and second sides of said frame and configured to vary in vertical distance from said plane along the transverse axes of the forms; (e) transporting means on said first side of said frame and transporting means on said second side of said frame for engaging said frame on top of the forms and permitting movement of the apparatus along the forms with said ends extending transversely of the forms and with said member extending transversely between the forms; and, (f) propulsion means affixed to said frame for propelling the apparatus along the tops of forms whereby poured concrete beneath the apparatus is formed, compacted and finished to a depth which varies along transverse axes of the forms; said member having a portion of said lower surface shaped to define a semi-conical recess in regions of relatively abrupt change in said vertical distance, the apex of said recess lying at the rearward edge of said lower surface and the base of said recess lying along the forward edge of said lower surface.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said member has a width of about 8 inches when measured in the direction of longitudinal extension of the forms.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said transporting means comprises first and second roller pairs respectively coupled to said first and second sides of said frame and further including extension means for adjustably fixing the vertical position of one of said roller pairs relative to said frame.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said extension means comprises: (a) a pair of cylindrically apertured sleeves rigidly affixed at opposed ends of one side of said frame and perpendicular to said plane; (b) a pair of tubes, each of said tubes being slidingly receivable by one of said sleeves and each of said tubes including means for coupling one of said rollers to one of said tubes; and (c) means for fixing said tubes at selected positions with respect to said sleeves.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 including means for selectably adjusting the spacing between said first and second sides of said frame.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said forward and rearward ends of said frame comprise slidable extension members for selectably adjusting the spacing between said first and second sides of said frame.

Claim 8

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said transporting means comprises first and second roller pairs and wherein said roller pairs further comprise flanges for preventing transverse slippage of said apparatus with respect to said forms.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the forms are supported above the grade on which the concrete segment is formed, further comprising a pair of skirts extending along either side of said frame to project ahead of said forward end of said frame between the lower surface of the forms and the grade, whereby poured concrete beneath said member is retained between said skirts.

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined in claim 8 further comprising means for holding said skirts in longitudinal alignment with the forms.

Claim 11

Apparatus for forming, compacting and finishing the top surface of concrete poured between a pair of removable longitudinally extending parallel opposed forms, said apparatus comprising: (a) a frame having forward and rearward ends which extend transversely between opposed first and second sides of said frame, said ends and said sides substantially defining a plane, wherein said forward and rearward ends comprise members for selectably adjusting the spacing between said first and second sides; (b) a wooden concrete pre-finishing member disposed along the forward end of said frame, said member having a relatively smooth lower surface configured to vary in vertical distance from said plane along the transverse axes of the forms, and said member being relatively wide when measured in the direction of longitudinal extension of the forms; (c) vibrator means affixed to said frame for causing vibration of said member; (d) a finishing pan rigidly affixed beneath said frame to the rear of and adjacent said member and extending between said first and second sides of said frame and configured to vary in vertical distance from said plane along the transverse axes of the forms; (e) a first pair of rollers on said first side of said frame and a second pair of rollers on said second side of said frame for engaging said frame on top of the forms and permitting movement of the apparatus along the forms with said ends extending transversely of the forms and with said member extending transversely between the forms; (f) extension means for adjustably fixing at least one pair of said first or second pairs of rollers at selected distances from said plane; and, (g) propulsion means affixed to said frame for propelling the apparatus along the tops of the forms whereby poured concrete beneath the apparatus is formed, compacted and finished to a depth which varies along transverse axes of the forms; said member having a portion of said lower surface shaped to define a semi-conical recess in regions of relatively abrupt change in said vertical distance, the apex of said recess lying at the rearward edge of said lower surface and the base of said recess lying along the forward edge of said lower surface.

Claim 12

Apparatus for forming, compacting and finishing the top surface of concrete poured between a pair of removable longitudinally extending parallel opposed forms, said apparatus comprising: (a) a frame having forward and rearward ends which extend transversely between opposed first and second sides of said frame, said ends and said sides substantially defining a plane, wherein said forward and rearward ends comprise members for selectably adjusting the spacing between said first and second sides; (b) a wooden concrete pre-finishing member disposed along the forward end of said frame, said member having a relatively smooth lower surface configured to vary in vertical distance from said plane along the transverse axes of the forms, and said member being relatively wide when measured in the direction of longitudinal extension of the forms; (c) vibrator means affixed to said frame for causing vibration of said member; (d) a finishing pan rigidly affixed beneath said frame to the rear of and adjacent said member and extending between said first and second sides of said frame and configured to vary in vertical distance from said plane along the transverse axes of the forms; (e) a first pair of rollers on said first side of said frame and a second pair of rollers on said second side of said frame for engaging said frame on top of the forms and permitting movement of the apparatus along the forms with said ends extending transversely of the forms and with said member extending transversely between the forms; (f) extension means for adjustably fixing at least one pair of said first or second pairs of rollers at selected distances from said plane; and, (g) propulsion means affixed to said frame for propelling the apparatus along the tops of the forms whereby poured concrete beneath the apparatus is formed, compacted and finished to a depth which varies along transverse axes of the forms; said member having a portion of said lower surface shaped to define a semi-conical recess in regions of relatively abrupt change in said vertical distance, the apex of said recess lying at the rearward edge of said lower surface and the base of said recess lying along the forward edge of said lower surface.

Claim 13

Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein the forms are supported above the grade on which the concrete segment is formed, further comprising a pair of skirts extending along either side of said frame to project ahead of said forward end of said frame between the lower surface of the forms and the grade, whereby poured concrete between said member is retained between said skirts.

Claim 14

Apparatus as defined in claim 11 comprising means for holding said skirts in longitudinal alignment with the forms.

Claim 15

Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said extension means comprises: (a) a pair of cylindrically apertured sleeves rigidly affixed at opposed ends of one side of said frame and perpendicular to said plane; (b) a pair of tubes, each of said tubes being slidingly receivable by one of said sleeves and each of said tubes including means for coupling said rollers to one of said tubes; and (c) means for fixing said tubes at selected positions with respect to said sleeves.

Claim 16

Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said roller pairs further comprise flanges for preventing transverse slippage of said apparatus with respect to said forms.