Methods and apparatuses for surface finishing cured concrete

Abstract

A method and apparatus for finishing cured concrete floors using a riding trowel to which large diameter pans are attached having a balanced distribution of abraders releasably secured to the undersides of the pans. The individual abraders are preferably individually spring biased so as to maintain full contact with the floor when traversing undulations of the floor.

1 . A concrete finishing apparatus comprising:
 an annular pan, wherein said annular pan is removably secured to a plurality of rotating blades.   
   
   
       2 . The concrete finishing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of blades comprises a leading edge, and wherein said plurality of blades rotates around a central axis. 
   
   
       3 . The concrete finishing apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said annular pan further comprises a rotational axis, wherein said rotational axis of said annular pan is coaxial with said central axis. 
   
   
       4 . The concrete finishing apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said annular pan further comprises angle-shaped brackets, and wherein said angle-shaped brackets are dimensioned to receive said leading edges of said plurality of blades. 
   
   
       5 . The concrete finishing apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said angle-shaped brackets comprise a horizontal member. 
   
   
       6 . The concrete finishing apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said annular pan is removably secured to said plurality of blades via said angle-shaped brackets. 
   
   
       7 . The concrete finishing apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said leading edges of said plurality of blades are received by said angle-shaped brackets and are disposed in contact with said angle-shaped brackets during rotation of said plurality of blades, and wherein said horizontal member prevents vertical separation of said annular pan from said plurality of rotating blades. 
   
   
       8 . The concrete finishing apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said plurality of blades rotate in a direction that applies force by said leading edges of said plurality of blades against said horizontal member, thereby retaining said plurality of blades within said angle-shaped brackets. 
   
   
       9 . The concrete finishing apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising an abrading surface, wherein said abrading surface is removably secured to said annular pan. 
   
   
       10 . The concrete finishing apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said abrading surface is secured to said annular pan by hook-and-loop fasteners. 
   
   
       11 . The concrete finishing apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein said abrading surface comprises a plurality of abraders. 
   
   
       12 . The concrete finishing apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein each of said plurality of abraders is disposed on a thrust transmitting unit. 
   
   
       13 . The concrete finishing apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein said plurality of abraders comprises abraders having a shape selected from the group consisting of disc-shaped abraders, pie-shaped abraders, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       14 . The concrete finishing apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein said abraders have a balanced distribution about an underside portion of said annular pan. 
   
   
       15 . The concrete finishing apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein said abraders are positioned in concentric circles. 
   
   
       16 . A method of finishing concrete, said method comprising the steps of:
 obtaining a concrete trowel having at least one annular pan and at least one set of rotating blades, wherein said at least one annular pan comprises a rotational axis and removably-secured abrading pads, and wherein said at least one set of rotating blades comprises a central axis around which said blades rotate, and wherein said at least one annular pan is removably secured to said at least one set of rotating blades, and wherein said rotational axis and said central axis are coincident; and   rotating said at least one set of rotating blades and said at least one annular pan while said abrading pads of said at least one annular pan are in contact with a floor section to be rendered smooth.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of:
 removably securing said at least one annular pan to said at least one set of rotating blades via a set of angle-shaped brackets, each bracket of said set of angle-shaped brackets having a horizontal flange, and wherein each of said angle-shaped brackets is dimensioned to receive a corresponding rotating blade of set of said rotating blades, said rotating blade applying force against its corresponding angle-shaped bracket, and wherein said horizontal flanges prevent vertical separation of said at least one annular pan from said at least one set of rotating blades.   
   
   
       18 . A concrete finishing apparatus comprising:
 at least one annular pan having a plurality of angle-shaped brackets disposed on a top surface of said at least one annular pan, wherein each of said plurality of angle-shaped brackets comprises a horizontal flange; and   at least one set of rotating blades, wherein each blade of said at least one set of rotating blades comprises a leading edge, and wherein said leading edges apply force against said angle-shaped brackets when said at least one set of rotating blades is rotated, and wherein said horizontal flange retains said blade between said angle-shaped bracket and said top surface of said at least one annular pan, and wherein said horizontal flange prevents vertical separation of said at least one annular pan from said at least one set of rotating blades.   
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 removably-secured abrading pads, wherein said removably secured abrading pads are disposed on a bottom surface of said at least one annular pan.   
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein said removably-secured abrading pads are secured to thrust transmitting units.