Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02486188 2009-01-13
TITLE: DROPPED CURB FINISHER
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a dropped curb finisher for use with a curb mold
to slip-form concrete curbs and gutters..
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Self-propelled slip form paving machines for forming continuous curbs
and gutters, sidewalks, safety barrier or the like by causing concrete or
other suitable
flowable material to be molded by a slip form mounted on the machine are well
known. These paving machine typically comprise a frame, a drive engine, a
hopper for
concrete or other suitably flowable paving material and a mold in the desired
configuration of the pavement to be formed i.e. sidewalk, curb, gutter, safety
barriers
etc. Typical machines are manufactured by Gomaco Corporation Inc., Power
Curbers
Inc. and others. See for example U.S. Patent No. 5,662,431; U.S. Patent No.
6,508,606.
Manually operable concrete curb and gutter apparatus are also known. For
example see
U.S. Patent No. 4,566,823 and U.S. Patent No. 5,527,129.
While these known devices adequately form a curb of standard height,
problems are encountered when the height of the curb needs to be lower to
accommodate driveway entrances or ramps. If no provision is made for forming a
section of the curb with a lower height (dropped curb), the curb would need to
be cut
with a concrete saw after the concrete is cured. This is time consuming and
does not
provide a finished appearance to the concrete surface.
To overcome this problem several different solutions have been
proposed. The most common approach is the use of a vertical plate that can be
placed
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in the slip form in order to reduce the height of the curb by reducing the
height of the
concrete being extruded through the form. When the vertical plate (knife) is
lowered to
form a dropped curb for a driveway entrance the concrete is ripped off leaving
a rough
surface. In order to finish the surface, it is necessary to have up to four
men following
the slip form concrete mold and gutter device to form up and hand trowel the
dropped
concrete surface to remove excess concrete and finish the surface. This is
time
consuming and physically demanding work as the labourers are bent over
continuously. This slows down the number of linear feet of curb that can be
formed in
a day and adds to the expense of the project. Examples of these types of
devices are
illustrated in U.S. Patent No. 3,797,958 and Canadian Patent No. 2,043,773 and
are
found on machines such as the GT-6300 Curb & Gutter paver from Gomaco.
Other proposed solutions involve replacement of the mold as shown for
example in U.S. Patent No. 5,662,431. U.S. Patent No. 6,709,195 utilizes a
moveable
tailpiece that is rotated into position at the end of the mold to form a low
curb section.
None of these proposed solutions has proven to be effective and simple to
operate.
There is a need for a device that will fmish the surface of the dropped
curb concrete, reduce the manpower required and improves the number of lineal
feet
that can be formed in a day where a number of driveway entrances or ramps need
to be
formed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a dropped curb finisher for use
with slip form concrete curb and gutter apparatus.
Thus in accordance with the present invention there is provided a
dropped curb finisher for use with a slip form paving machines for forming
continuous
curbs and gutters. The dropped curb finisher has a vertical mounting plate, a
finishing
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plate, an end plate and means for imparting vibration to the end plate and the
finishing
plate. The finishing plate extends rearwardly from the bottom edge of the
mounting
plate and the end plate inclines upwardly from the end of the finishing plate
remote
from the mounting plate
In another embodiment the present invention comprises a method of
forming a dropped curb with a slip form paving machine for forming continuous
curbs
and gutters. The slip form paving machine has a slip-form concrete curb and
gutter
mold consisting of an external housing having a cross section corresponding to
the size
and shape of the curb and gutter being formed. A dropped curb finisher
according to
the present invention may be inserted into the opening in the open end of mold
when a
dropped curb is to be formed. The method comprises the following steps:
(a) the slip form paving machine is stopped at about a point where the dropped
curb
is to begin.
(b) then means to stop the flow of concrete to the curb forming section of
mold is
activated,
(c) the paving machine is moved ahead slightly to clear the mold of concrete
(d) a dropped curb finisher according to claim 1 is inserted into the mold
through
an opening in the open end of the mold.
(e) as the slip form paving machine then moved forward, the flow of concrete
is
recommenced and means to impart vibration to said dropped curb finisher is
activated
(f) when the desired length of dropped curb has been formed, the paving
machine
is stopped and the dropped curb finisher of the present invention removed from
mold..
Further features of the invention will be described or will become
apparent in the course of the following detailed description.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, the preferred
embodiment thereof will now be described in detail by way of example, with
reference
to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a typical known self-propelled slip form paving machines for
forming continuous curbs and gutters,
Figure 2 is an end plan view of a prior art slip-form concrete curb and gutter
mold apparatus and one embodiment of a dropped curb finisher inserted therein
according to the present invention together with the concrete curb and gutter
being formed.
Figure 3 is a cross-section through line "A-A" of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a side plan view of the slip-form concrete curb and gutter mold
apparatus and one embodiment of a dropped curb finisher of Figure 2.
Figure 5 is an exploded view of the components of a dropped curb finisher
according to the present invention.
Figure 6 is an end view of the dropped curb finisher of Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a side view of the dropped curb finisher of Figures 5 and 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to Figure 1, a known prior art self propelled slip-form paving
machine, as illustrated in U.S. Patent No.5,6262,431, is generally indicated
at 10. The
paving machine 10 basically consists of a frame 12 supported on front and rear
drive
tracks 14,16, and an engine 18 or other suitable power generator. A mold 22 is
supported from the frame and having the configuration of the pavement to be
formed
i.e. sidewalk, curb, gutter, safety barriers etc. In Figure 1, mold 22 is
shown with a
form suitable to form a curb and gutter generally indicated in Figure 1 at C.
A concrete
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delivery system includes an upright hopper 24 mounted to the frame 12 in
upstanding
disposition above the mold 22 to provide a continuous supply of concrete or
other
suitable flowable paving material into mold 22. A conveyor 26 extends at an
incline
from the opposite side of frame 12 terminating into the upper end of hopper
24. A
concrete mixing truck (not shown) is typically used to provide a continuous
supply of
concrete to conveyor 26. While Figure 1 is intend to illustrate a prior art
self propelled
slip-form paving machine other configurations are known and the present
invention is
not restricted to use with any one configuation of prior art manually
oeperated or self
propelled slip-form paving machines.
With reference to Figures 2-4, Figure 2 is an end plan view of a typical
slip-form concrete curb and gutter mold 22 and one embodiment of a dropped
curb
finisher 30 according to the present invention together with the concrete curb
and
gutter, generally indicated at 32, being formed. The mold 22 consists of an
external
housing 23 having a cross section corresponding to the size and shape of the
curb and
gutter being formed. The housing 23 has a first concrete delivery end 25 in
communication with the concrete delivery system noted above and through which
concrete enters the mold 22. The opposite end 27 of the housing 23 is open to
permit
the formed concrete to exit the mold in the desired shape. The interior
configuration of
housing 23 of mold 22 has a gutter forming section 34 and a curb forming
section 36.
The gutter forming section 34 has a generally vertical front wall 37 having a
bottom
side 38 and a top side 39. A generally horizontal top gutter wall 40 extends
inwardly
from the top side 39 of front wall 37. The top gutter wal140 slopes away from
the top
side 39 of front wall 37. The curb forming section 32 has generally vertical
back wall
41 having a bottom side 42 and a top side 43. A generally horizontal top curb
wall 44
extends inwardly from the top side 43 of back wall 37. A second curb side wall
45
depends from the end 46 of the top curb wall 44 and connects to the end 47 of
the top
gutter wall 40. The housing 23 of mold 22 is open to the ground (i.e. has no
floor).
While the configuration of the mold 22 has been defined in reference to
vertical and
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horizontal it is understood that the size and shape of mold 22 can vary
greatly from
local to local depending on the specifications for curbs and gutters.
An upper portion 48 of the vertical back wall 41, curb top wall 44 and
second curb side wall 45 define an opening 49 in the open end 27 of mold 22.
The
dropped curb finisher 30 of the present invention is inserted into opening 49
in the
open end of mold 22.
A vertical plate or knife 50 is adapted to pivot around pivot point 51 by
activation of a piston 52 from an open to a closed position. When knife 50 is
in the
open position the flow of concrete to mold 22 is unimpeded and the concrete
fills both
gutter forming section 34 and a curb forming section 36 to form curb and
gutter 32.
When the knife 50 is in the closed position as shown in Figure 2, the flow of
concrete
to the mold 22 is restricted and is blocked from the curb forming section 36
of mold 22
while still being able to fill the gutter forming section 34 of mold 22. The
resulting
reduction in height of the curb to form a ramp or driveway entrance is termed
a
dropped curb. If the dropped curb finisher 30 of the present invention was not
inserted
into the curb forming section 36 of mold 22, the surface of the dropped
concrete left by
the curb forming section 36 is a rough surface. In order to finish the surface
without
use of the present invention, it is necessary to form up and hand trowel the
dropped
concrete surface to remove excess concrete and finish the surface. In the
embodiment
shown knife 50 is longer than it is wide. The end 54 of rod 53 of piston 52 is
attached
to an upper corner 55 of knife 50. As rod 53 extends, it pivots knife 50
around pivot
point 51 into the open position. While one known method of restricting the
flow of
concrete to the mold 22 has been illustrated other methods are known and the
present
invention is not restricted to the use of any particular method.
Figure 3 shows the formation of a dropped curb 56 for a driveway or
ramp in the curb and gutter 32 formed by mold 22. Arrow 57 indicates the
direction of
travel of the slip form paving machine. The slip form paving machine was
stopped at
about point 58 where the dropped curb 56 is to begin. Then knife 50 is moved
to the
closed position to stop the flow of concrete to the curb forming section 36 of
mold 22.
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The slip form paving machine is moved ahead slightly to clear the curb forming
section 36 of concrete. The dropped curb finisher 30 of the present invention
was then
inserted into mold 22 through opening 49 in the open end 27 of mold 22. As the
slip
form paving machine then moved forward, the knife 50 was moved to the open
position. As described below the dropped curb finisher 30 forms dropped curb
56 as
the paving machine moves forward preferably with knife 50 in the open
position.
When the desired length of dropped curb has been formed, the paving machine is
stopped and the dropped curb finisher of the present invention removed from
mold 22.
The only area of the curb required to be formed up and finished with a hand
trowel is
at the beginning of the dropped curb section at point 58 and the end of the
dropped
curb section 57. The limited forming and hand troweling required can be
efficiently
and quickly done by one person.
One embodiment of a dropped curb fmisher 30 of the present invention
is best described with reference to Figures 5-7. The embodiment of the dropped
curb
finisher 30 illustrated has a generally vertical mounting plate 60 which is
sized and
shaped to cover the opening 49 in the open end 27 of mold 22. Mounting plate
60 has a
bottom edge 61 front and rear surfaces 62, 63 respectively. In the embodiment
illustrated as best shown in Figure 6, the mounting plate 60 is generally in
the form of
a quadrilateral having opposite sides 64,65, a bottom edge 61 and top edge 66.
Bottom
edge 61 is shown as inclining slightly up from the bottom of the first side 65
to the
bottom of the second side 64. The angle of incline can vary depending on the
form of
curb and gutter to be formed.
As shown in Figures 5 and 7, a generally planar finishing plate 67 having
a top surface 68 and bottom surface 69 extends rearwardly from the bottom edge
61 of
the mounting plate 60. At the end 70 of the finishing plate 67 remote from the
mounting plate 60, is an upwardly extending end plate 71. The bottom edge 72
of the
end plate 71 is connected to the rear edge 73 of the finishing plate 67. The
end plate 71
has a top surface 74 and a bottom surface 75. End plate 71 is sized and shaped
to
correspond to the size and shape of the opening 49 defined by the upper
portion 48 of
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the vertical back wal141, curb top wall 44 and second curb side wall 45 of
curb
forining section 36 of mold 22.
In the embodiment illustrated means for imparting vibration to the end
plate 71 and finishing plate 67 includes a vibrator tube 76 extending through
an
opening 77 in mounting plate 60. Vibrator tube 76 has a first end 78 connected
to the
top surface 74 of end plate 71. The other end 79 of vibrator tube 76 that
extends past
mounting plate 60 is open to permit insertion of a rotating vibrator 80. The
rotating
vibrator 80 is held in place by any suitable method. In the embodiment shown
in Figure
5, a vibrator mounting plate 81 is attached to the vibrator tube 76 adjacent
open end 79.
A U-bolt 82, or other suitable fastener, is used to hold rotating vibrator 80
in place.
In the embodiment shown finishing plate 67 is inclined upwardly at an
angle of about 1.5 from the horizontal from the mounting plate 60. End plate
71 is
inclined at an angle of about 30 from the top surface 68 of finishing plate
67.
After the dropped curb finisher 30 is inserted into the mold 22, a pin is
installed through flange 83 on mounting plate 60 and a corresponding flange
(not
shown) on the housing 23 of mold 22. The rotating vibrator 80 is turned on
causing
vibration transmitted to the end plate 81 and finishing plate 67 to smooth the
surface of
the dropped curb section 56 of the curb and gutter 32 being formed.
Having illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention
and certain possible modifications thereto, it should be apparent to those of
ordinary
skill in the art that the invention permits of further modification in
arrangement and
detail. All such modifications are covered by the scope of the invention.
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