Portable vibrating concrete screed

Claim 1

A lightweight portable vibrating concrete screed adapted for "wet" or "mud" type screeding without the use of forms, comprising: (a) an elongated open frame structure mounting a pair of spaced apart and fixedly positioned parallel screed blades of inverted T cross section and adapted to engage and level concrete as said screed is moved over the concrete and with he leading one of said blades in the direction of screeding being mounted and adapted whereby to effect a rough smoothing puddling-like action when lifted so as to avoid being fully supported on the concrete being screeded, said elongated open frame structure and blades being formed of lightweight metal members in a bolt-together construction and in the form of an isosceles triangle in cross section with the forward and trailing said screed blades being positioned at the lower outer corners of said triangle, said frame including an inverted V ridge member positioned at the apex of said triangle, said blades being positioned below and said apex being substantially evenly spaced between said forward and trailing blades and including cross braces fixed to and extending between said screed blades and said ridge member; (b) bearings mounted on said frame between and above the base of said blades and spaced inwardly from each end of said frame; (c) a vibrating element including a shaft supported for rotation in said bearings above said blades and extending throughout the length of said frame and beyond said bearings spaced inwardly from each end of said frame and structural means associated with said shaft designed upon rotation of said shaft to allow said shaft to vibrate said frame; (d) a drive source comprising a lightweight gasoline engine mounted on the leading side of said frame with reference to the direction of screeding and at an elevation above said shaft and belt and pulley means drivingly connected said engine to said shaft, said engine being adapted for rotating said shaft at a speed sufficient to cause said shaft to impart uniform vibrations throughout the length of said blades, said engine being mounted on said frame in a manner effective when the weight of said engine is relieved by the operators from being fully supported by the concrete being screeded to cause said screed to creep forwardly during the screeding operation; and (e) a pair of handles secured to said frame on the said leading side thereof and on either side of said drive source, said handles including vertical upright telescoping handle portions and horizontal outwardly and forwardly extending telescoping handle portions, said telescoping portions adapted to accommodate to the physical size and needs of the operators of said screed, and enabling said operators of said screed to partially support the frontal weight thereof during forward movement thereof to effect said forward creep.