Transporter for ride-on power trowel

Abstract

A vehicle for transporting a ride-on trowel includes: a vehicle frame defining a bay sized and shaped to receive the ride-on trowel, including a lower frame surrounding the bay on three sides, a U-shaped rear frame, and an L-shaped upper frame connected at the lower frame and the rear frame; wherein the lower frame is configured to closely match the shape of an outer frame of the ride-on trowel, so that the ride-on trowel will not swing or sway in the bay when supported from the vehicle frame; wheels mounted to the lower frame; guides extending downward from the lower frame, the guides being located to limit motion of the ride-on trowel in both left-right and fore-aft directions with respect to the vehicle frame while being lifted or lowered; means for driving at least one of the wheels; and means for supporting the ride-on trowel from the vehicle frame.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle for transporting a ride-on trowel of the type having an outer frame, the vehicle comprising:
 a vehicle frame defining a bay that is sized and shaped to receive the ride-on trowel, the vehicle frame including a lower frame that surrounds the bay on three sides, a rear frame that is a generally U-shaped structure open at one end, and an L-shaped upper frame connected at one end to the lower frame and at another end to the rear frame;   wherein the lower frame has an open rear end and a tapered front end and is configured to closely match the shape of the ride-on trowel outer frame, and wherein the lower frame is sized with respect to the ride-on trowel so that the ride-on trowel will not swing or sway in the bay when supported from the vehicle frame;   first and second rear wheels mounted to the rear end of the lower frame and a front wheel mounted to the front end of the lower frame;   a plurality of guides extending downward from the lower frame, the guides being located so as to limit motion of the ride-on trowel in both left-right and fore-aft directions with respect to the vehicle frame while being lifted or lowered;   means for driving at least one of the wheels; and   means for supporting the ride-on trowel from the vehicle frame.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the guides comprises an upright frame member which extends downward below a rotational axis of one of the wheels, and which includes an angled face at a lower end thereof 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle of  claim 2  wherein the angled face faces towards a middle of the lower frame. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the guides comprises a plate-shaped member attached to the lower frame so that it extends downward below a rotational axis of an adjacent one of the wheels, the plate-shaped member including a convex-curved lower edge. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle of  claim 2  wherein the guide is angled such that its lower edge extends away from a middle of the lower frame. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the guides comprises a housing attached to the lower frame, and a strut received in the housing and moveable up and down between retracted and extended positions relative to the housing, such that the strut extends downward below a rotational axis of an adjacent one of the wheels in the extended position. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle of  claim 6  further comprising a resilient bumper mounted on a lower end of the strut. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicle of  claim 1  wherein the lower frame comprises:
 a front segment; 
 first and second side segments arranged perpendicularly to the front segment; and 
 first and second slanted segments, wherein the first slanted segment extends from a first end of the front segment to a first end of the first side segment and the second slanted segment extends from a second end of the front segment to a first end of the second side segment. 
 
     
     
         9 . The vehicle of  claim 1  wherein the means for supporting comprises:
 a slider slidingly mounted to the vehicle frame above the bay; 
 a hydraulic cylinder unit arranged to move the slider relative to the vehicle frame; and 
 a cable having a first end attached to the slider and a second end supporting means for attaching the cable to the ride-on trowel. 
 
     
     
         10 . The vehicle of  claim 9  wherein the means for attaching the cable to the ride-on trowel comprises a hook. 
     
     
         11 . The vehicle of  claim 9  wherein the means for supporting further comprises a second cable having a first end attached to the slider and a second end supporting means for attaching the second cable to the ride-on trowel. 
     
     
         12 . The vehicle of  claim 9  further comprising a hydraulic pump that actuates the hydraulic cylinder unit and means for powering the hydraulic pump. 
     
     
         13 . The vehicle of  claim 12  wherein the means for powering the hydraulic pump is a combustion engine. 
     
     
         14 . The vehicle of  claim 1  wherein the means for driving the vehicle includes a hydraulic drive motor associated with at least one of the wheels. 
     
     
         15 . The vehicle of  claim 14  wherein the means for driving the vehicle further includes a hydraulic pump for actuating the hydraulic drive motors and means for powering the hydraulic pump. 
     
     
         16 . The vehicle of  claim 15  wherein the means for powering the hydraulic pump is a combustion engine. 
     
     
         17 . The vehicle of  claim 1  further comprising a steering wheel assembly, wherein the steering wheel assembly comprises:
 a base rotatively mounted to the vehicle frame; 
 a steering arm extending outwardly from the base; and 
 a wheel mounted to the base. 
 
     
     
         18 . The vehicle of  claim 14  further comprising a hydraulic drive motor mounted to the base and connected to the wheel. 
     
     
         19 . A vehicle for transporting a ride-on trowel of the type having an outer frame defining a racetrack shape including two spaced-apart generally semicircular ends interconnected by two parallel sides, the vehicle comprising:
 a vehicle frame defining a bay that is sized and shaped to receive the ride-on trowel, the vehicle frame including a lower frame that surrounds the bay on three sides, a rear frame that is a generally U-shaped structure open at one end. and an L-shaped upper frame connected at one end to the lower frame and connected at another end to the rear frame;   wherein the lower frame has an open rear end and a tapered front end and is configured to closely match the racetrack shape of the ride-on trowel outer frame, and wherein the lower frame is sized with respect to the ride-on trowel so that the ride-on trowel will not swing or sway in the bay when supported from the vehicle frame;   wherein the lower frame comprises:   a straight front segment;   straight first and second side segments arranged perpendicularly to the front segment; and straight first and second slanted segments, wherein the first slanted segment extends from a first end of the front segment to a first end of the first side segment and the second slanted segment extends from a second end of the front segment to a first end of the second side segment, such that the first and second slanted segments both extend at acute angles to the front segment.   wherein the lower frame and the rear frame are joined together at their respective open ends and define a substantially 90-degree angle with one another;   means for driving the vehicle; and   means for supporting the ride-on trowel from the vehicle frame.   
     
     
         20 . A method for transporting a preselected ride-on trowel of the type having an outer frame defining a racetrack shape including two spaced-apart generally semicircular ends interconnected by two parallel sides, the method comprising:
 positioning a vehicle having a bay that is sized and shaped to receive the ride-on trowel over the ride-on trowel so that the trowel is situated in the receiving bay, wherein the vehicle includes:
 a vehicle frame comprising:
 a frame defining the bay, the vehicle frame including a lower frame that surrounds the bay on three sides, a rear frame that is a generally U-shaped structure open at one end, and an L-shaped upper frame connected at one end to the lower frame and connected at another end to the rear frame; 
 wherein the lower frame has an open rear end and a tapered front end and is configured to closely match the racetrack shape of the ride-on trowel outer frame, and wherein the lower frame is sized with respect to the ride-on trowel so that the ride-on trowel will not swing or sway in the bay when supported from the vehicle frame; 
 wherein the lower frame and the rear frame are joined together at their respective open ends and define a substantially  90 -degree angle with one another; 
 
 means for driving the vehicle; and 
 means for supporting the ride-on trowel from the vehicle frame. 
   using the means for supporting, supporting the ride-on trowel from the upper frame such that the trowel is blocked from swinging or swaying in the bay by the lower frame; and   using the means for driving, transporting the vehicle with the ride-on trowel to a desired location.