M-b-w Incorporated

Kelley Company, Inc.

Wacker Corporation

Thomas G Artzberger

Gregory S Dombek

Thomas J Wiener

A truss screed includes a shaft guard that covers the screed's exciter shaft to protect it from concrete and debris and that protects the surroundings from the rotating exciter shaft. The shaft guard includes a plurality of tubing sections that surround the shaft and that are supported on joints disposed between the guard sections. In a first preferred embodiment of the shaft guard, each joint includes a resilient spring ring, a support cup that receives the spring ring and an end of an associated tubular section, and a bearing that engages the support cup and that supports the joint and a portion of the exciter shaft on the screed's frame. In a second preferred embodiment, each joint includes a support cup that supports an end of the associated tubular section, a bearing, and a U-shaped bracket that couples the support cup to the bearing. The bearing and/or the bracket have elongated slots therethrough for accommodating misalignment of joint components. Joints located at a juncture between adjacent screed sections also include a cup guide that bears the associated support cup while permitting limited tilting movement of the support cup relative to the bearing. Hence, both types of joint accommodate component misalignment, provide an at least limited seal, and permit adjustment of the angular orientation of adjacent screed sections relative to one another.

Truss screed with covered vibrator shaft

A vibratory compactor includes a frame which carries a soil compacting plate, and a drive mechanism such as a gasoline engine, is mounted on the frame and has a rotatable drive shaft. A pair of eccentricly weighted shafts are mounted for rotation on the frame and the weights are in the same phase relation on the shafts. The drive shaft carries a pair of pulleys and single belt connects the pair of pulleys on the drive shaft to pulleys on the eccentric shafts. The drive shaft is connected to the drive shaft pulleys through a centrifugal clutch, which acts to selectively connect the drive shaft to one or the other of the drive shaft pulleys to thereby effect forward and reverse travel of the compactor plate of the compactor over the terrain.

Drive mechanism for a vibratory compactor

The compactor includes a frame which carries a soil-compacting plate and a drive mechanism, such as a gasoline engine, is mounted on the frame and has a rotatable drive shaft. A pair of eccentrically weighted shafts are mounted for rotation on the frame and the weights are in the same phase relation on the shafts. A belt drive connects the drive shaft to at least one of the eccentric shafts, and a timing belt is connected between the eccentric shafts, so that both eccentric shafts rotate in the same direction to vibrate the compactor plate and affect travel of the compactor over the terrain.

A vibratory compactor attachment for mechanical equipment, such as an excavator or backhoe. The attachment includes a support frame which is pivotally attached to both the boom and the tilt arms of the excavator. One end of the support frame carries a scraper blade that can be used for leveling soil prior to compaction. A drum frame is connected to the support frame and a compaction drum is mounted for rotation on the drum frame. To vibrate the drum, an exciter is mounted on the drum frame and resilient isolation mounts interconnect the support frame and the drum frame to minimize the transmission of vibration to the support frame.

Vibratory compactor attachment for mechanical equipment

A clutch construction for a reversible walk-behind soil compactor. The compactor includes a frame which carries a soil compacting plate and a drive mechanism, such as a gasoline engine is mounted on the frame and has a rotatable drive shaft. A pair of eccentrically weighted shafts are mounted for rotation on the frame and a belt drive connects each eccentric shaft with the drive shaft in a manner to rotate the eccentric shafts in opposite directions. Each belt drive is connected through a clutch to the drive shaft and the clutch is arranged such that each eccentric shaft is individually engaged with the drive shaft. Through manual operation of the clutch, the eccentric shafts are selectively rotated to thereby move the compactor in a forward or reverse direction over the soil to be compacted.

Clutch construction

A high velocity pneumatic device having particular use for excavating or dislodging soil. The device includes a body or housing having a passage that connects a source of air under pressure, such as a compressor, to an elongated discharge tube. A valve mechanism is disposed in the passage and controls the flow of air through the tube. Mounted in the distal end of the tube is a nozzle having an inwardly converging upstream and an outwardly diverging downstream end which increases the velocity of the air being discharged through the tube. A manually operable trigger is directly connected to the valve mechanism and actuates the valve to discharge air through the tube. The nozzle is formed of a non-sparking metal, such as brass, while the tube is composed of an electrically nonconductive material, such as glass reinforced resin.

High velocity pneumatic device

An improved drive mechanism for a reversible walk-behind soil compactor. The compactor includes a frame which carries a soil compacting plate and a drive mechanism, such as a gasoline engine is mounted on the frame and has a rotatable drive shaft. A pair of eccentrically weighted shafts are mounted for rotation on the frame and a belt drive connects each eccentric shaft with the drive shaft in a manner to rotate the eccentric shafts in opposite directions. Each belt drive is connected through a clutch to the drive shaft and the clutch is arranged such that each eccentric shaft is individually engaged with the drive shaft. Through manual operation of the clutch, the eccentric shafts are selectively rotated to thereby move the compactor in a forward or reverse direction over the soil to be compacted.

Reversible drive for a vibratory compactor

A high velocity pneumatic device for excavating and removing material such as soil. The device includes a pressure tube having an inlet connected to a source of gas, such as air, under pressure and an outlet end connected to the distal end of a removal conduit. An annular member is secured in the distal end of the removal conduit and defines an annular chamber that communicates with the outlet end of the pressure tube. A plurality of first nozzles communicate with the chamber and face outwardly of the distal end of the removal conduit, while a plurality of second nozzles communicate with the chamber and face inwardly of the conduit. A manually operated valve member is disposed in the chamber and rotation of the valve member will selectively discharge air through the first nozzles to provide an excavating action, or through the second nozzles to provide an aspirating action for the removal of material or through both the first and second nozzles to create both an excavating and removal mode of operation.

Pneumatic device for excavating and removing material

A pitch control mechanism for a surface finishing machine. The machine inclueds a series of tiltable horizontal blades carried by a rotor and the blades are adapted to rotate in contact with and finish a concrete surface. The pitch control mechanism for tilting the blades includes an internally threaded sleeve located within the handle of the machine. The sleeve is operably connected through a cable to the blades and the sleeve is threaded to a rod or shaft. The engaged threads of the sleeve and the shaft have a pitch in the range of two to six threads per inch. The shaft is mounted for rotation in a manner such that a relatively small frictional resistance to rotation of the shaft occurs when the shaft is rotated in a direction to tilt the blades from a horizontal to a tilted position, but a substantially increased frictional resistance occurs when the blade is rotated in the opposite direction to thereby prevent free rotation of the shaft and unthreading of the threads due to the weight of the machine acting on the tilted blades.

Pitch control mechanism for a surface finishing machine

A compactor and blade attachment for a front-end loader. The attachment comprises a compaction drum that is journalled for rotation on the side plates of the frame. A vibratory mechanism is connected to the drum to vibrate the drum and aid in the compaction. A blade is secured to the frame and is located ahead of the drum in the direction of movement of the loader. A pair of lift arms of the loader are pivoted to the lower end of the frame, while a pair of tilt arms of the loader are pivoted to the upper portion of the frame. By operation of the tilt arms, the frame can be tilted about the pivotal connections of the lift arms to thereby selectively move the blade between a non-operative position above the level of the lower surface of the drum to an operative position beneath the level of the drum where the blade will engage the terrain.

Compactor and blade attachment for loader

A high velocity pneumatic device for excavating and removing material such as soil. The device includes an elongated pressure tube having an inlet end connected to a source of gas, such as air, under pressure and the opposite or distal end is bent and projects into a removal tube. The projecting end of the pressure tube is provided with a pair of outlets with a first of the outlets facing away from the inlet end and the second outlet facing toward the inlet end. A nozzle is removably connected in the first outlet and is constructed to increase the velocity of air being discharged through the nozzle toward the soil to thereby dislodge or excavate the soil. A plug containing an orifice is connected to the second outlet and air flowing from the pressure tube through the orifice creates as aspirating action to draw the dislodged soil upwardly through the removal tube to a discharge site. By incorporationg a solid plug or closure in the second outlet in place of the orifice, the device can be used solely for excavating, and by connecting a solid plug in the first orifice the tool can be used only for removal of material.

A shaft coupling construction for a vibratory screed. The screed includes at least two vibratory shafts which are disposed in end-to-end relation and an end of each shaft is secured within a bore in a sleeve or connecting member. Each shaft is mounted for eccentric motion to impart vibration to the screed. Each adjacent pair of connecting members are secured together by a flexible tubular coupling, and to transmit rotation between the shafts, the connecting members are provided with external splines which mate with internal splines on the tubular coupling. The spline connection is not symmetrical and is arranged so that the connecting members can be engaged with the tubular coupling only in one circumferential position, thereby insuring that the eccentricity of one shaft is circumferentially aligned with the eccentricity of the other shaft.

Shaft coupling construction for a vibratory screed

A compaction apparatus including a pair of frames. A compaction drum is mounted for rotation on a first of the frames and resilient isolation mounts interconnect the two frames. A vibratory unit is mounted on the first frme and includes pair of eccentric weights arranged so that vertical vibratory forces generated by the weights are added, while fore-and-aft vibratory forces are cancelled. The isolation mounts are at different distances on opposite sides of a vertical plane passing through the axis of the drum, so that the vertical vibratory forces acting through the two isolation mounts produce unequal moments tending to rotate the drum and subject the soil to a shear-type action.

Vibratory mechanism for a compaction roller

An adjuster handle construction for a soil compactor such as a percussion rammer. The compactor includes a shoe adapted to engage the surface to be compacted and the shoe is driven in a reciprocating path by a drive cylinder which, in turn, is operated by an engine located at the upper end of the compactor. A tubular guard surrounds the engine and engine components, and a handle is pivotally connected to the guard. The handle can be locked to the guard through an adjustable locking mechanism, so that the handle can be positioned in a plurality of different elevations.

Adjustable handle construction for a compaction apparatus

An improved directional control mechanism for a riding-type surface working machine. The machine includes a pair of frame sections which are disposed in fore and aft relation. A rotor that carries surface working implements, such as trowel blades, is mounted for rotation on each frame section and an engine is mounted on one of the frame sections and is operably connected to the rotors to drive the rotors in opposite directions. The frame sections are connected together by a mounting arrangement that permits each frame section to be tilted in a fore and aft direction, as well as laterally, with respect to the other frame section. Manually operated levers are connected to each frame section to pivot the frame sections in a fore and aft direction, while a foot pedal is operable to tilt the frame sections laterally. By selective tilting of the frame sections, directional control of the machine can be obtained.

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Menomonee Falls, WI, United States of America

Thomas G Artzberger