Method and apparatus for finishing concrete

Abstract

A power trowel is provided for finishing concrete. The trowel can be used to finish concrete at different stages of hardening. The handle of the trowel is rotated both to adjust the speed of rotation of the trowel blades and to administer a spray solution to the surface of concrete being finished with the trowel. The trowel includes dual rotating hubs with blades attached to and extending outwardly from each hub. The surface areas covered by the blades on one hub overlaps the surface area covered by the blades on the other hub. Each hub rotates in the same direction and non-synchronously with the other hub.

1 . A power trowel including
 (a) a frame including first and second collars ( 344 ,  444 );   (b) a pole having
 (i) a distal end shaped to be grasped as a handle, 
 (ii) a proximate end attached to said frame, 
 (iii) a longitudinal axis extending from said distal end to said proximate end, said pole rotatable along its entire length about said longitudinal axis; 
   (c) a plurality of spaced apart blades pivotally mounted on and radially extending from each of said collars, each of said blades having an outer tip and a lower surface area, the area covered by said blades on said first collar overlapping the area covered by said blades on said second collar;   (d) an engine mounted on said frame, having a throttle, and operatively associated with and rotating said collars such that said collars
 (i) each rotate at the same number of rotations per minute, 
 (ii) each rotate in the same direction, 
 (iii) rotate non-synchronously such that one of said outer tips of said blades on said first collar is never coincident with one of said outer tips of said blades on said second collar.