Screed apparatus

Abstract

A screed having a rectangular tube with a pair of cross braces. A rod extends the length of each cross brace and has threaded bores at the end thereof. The cross braces have legs that extend outward to the sides of the tube from the rod. An end plate is mounted on each end of the screen and is attached thereto by screws received in the threaded bores and passing through openings in the end plates.

Claims

1. A screed comprising: a) first and second parallel side walls each having the same length and width and third and fourth parallel side walls each having the same length and width; the first sidewall and third sidewalls each being fixedly joined at a first set of opposed edges along the length thereof and the second and fourth sidewalls each being fixedly joined at a second set of opposed edges along the length thereof so as to form a rigid rectangular shaped and hollow tube; b) first and second x-shaped supports, each support having four legs joined along a center axis of the screed; each leg having an outer end spaced away from the center axis and being joined to the interior of the tube; each leg extending the length of the tube along the center axis and having a common length; c) a rod structure centrally mounted about the axis and both fixedly and integrally joined to each of the legs; the rod structure being substantially thicker in width then the legs; the rod structure extending the length of the tube and having threaded bores at opposite ends thereof; and d) a pair of end plates; one end plate being mounted on a respective end of the tube; each end plate having a pair of bores that each receive a screw and are secured to the bores in the center bar.

2. The screed according to claim 1 wherein: a) the tube is 1 inches by 3 inches in width and depth; b) the tube walls and legs are constructed of aluminum that is 1/16.sup.th inch in thickness.

3. The screed according to claim 2 wherein the end plate is approximately .sup.th inch in thickness.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will now be described in more details with reference to preferred embodiments of the invention, given only by way of example, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first hand held screed being utilized to smooth the surface of freshly poured concrete.

(3) FIG. 2 is an exploded and partial perspective view of the first screed detailing interior and an end cap thereof.

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second screed showing utilization of the second screed in association with guide rails to hand smooth the surface of freshly poured concrete.

(5) FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of a prior art screed detailing interior thereof and with an end cap partly broken away.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.

(7) A prior art screed 100 is shown in FIG. 4. It has a rectangular shaped tube 102 with an interior x-shaped cross bracing 103 that extends between corners of the tube 100 on one side and the side of the tube 102 on the other side. An end plate 105 (partially shown in FIG. 4) is welded to the end of the tube 102.

(8) Shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a screed 1 in accordance with the present invention. The screed 1 has a thin walled and generally rectangular shaped enclosure, sleeve, or tube 2. The tube 2 includes a first pair of walls 5 and 6 having a first width and a second pair of walls 7 and 8 having a second width. Preferably, the first width is slightly more than twice the second width and further preferably the first width is 3.5 inches and the second width is 1.5 inches, although it is foreseen that various sizes would be functional within the scope of the invention. Each of the walls 5, 6, 7, and 8 are thin walled, preferably having a thickness of about 1/16.sup.th of an inch. The walls 5, 6, 7, and 8, as well as the screed 1, overall is preferably constructed of extruded aluminum.

(9) Located on the interior of the tube 2 are a pair of x-shaped braces or supports 10 and 11. The supports 10 and 11 are adjacent and abutting each other as well as the tube 2 and fixedly secured thereto. Each of the braces 10 and 11 include a center 14 having axes A and B from which radially extend four vanes or legs 20 that are angularly spaced from each other. As seen in FIG. 2, a first pair of each legs 20 extends to a pair of corners of the tube 2 and a second pair 21 extend to and engage the corresponding legs 21 on the opposite brace 10 or 11. Preferably, the legs are each 1/16.sup.th of an inch in thickness.

(10) Located in the center of each brace 10 and 11 is a core or rod 25 that has a diameter that is substantially thicker than the width of each leg 20 or 21 and is at least twice as thick. Preferably, the rod 25 is at least five times thicker than the legs 20 and is 5/16.sup.th of an inch in thickness. The tube 2, the x-shaped braces 10 and 11 with the legs 20 and 21 and the rods 25, all extend the length of the screed tube 2 and are integrally formed with each other in an extrusion process so as to produce a rigid and smooth surfaced structure suitable for finishing freshly laid construction materials, such as concrete, stucco, and plaster. Opposite ends 28 of each rod 25 are bored and threaded to form a receiver 29 adapted to receive a fastener 30.

(11) End caps or plates 32 are mounted on opposite ends of the tube 2. The end plates 32 are the same size as a cross section of the tube 2 perpendicular to the axes A and B, that is 3.5 by 1.5 inches. The end plates 32 include two bores 30 and 31 that are aligned to overlay the bores 29 and also receive the screws 27. The bores 30 and 31 are counter sunk and the screws 27 are of a counter sink type, so as to have a low profile when in use. The end plates 32, in conjunction with the tube 2, form an entirely enclosed screed 1. If necessary, the end plates 32 may be sanded to form a smooth transition with respect to the tube 2, but preferably require no sanding. The endplates are preferably .sup.th inch in thickness.

(12) In use, the screed 1 is used to smooth a freshly laid surface 40, such as in FIG. 1, or as is shown in FIG. 3, a longer screed 41 may be mounted on spaced rails 43 and 44 to smooth material 50. The screeds 1 and 41 are produced by a continuous extrusion process wherein screeds of a desired length are simply cut from a longer extrusion and then end plates 32 are placed thereon.

(13) It is to be understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangement of parts described and shown.