Tool for edging unset concrete

Abstract

Provided is a concrete edger hand-tool, including: a referencing structure comprising: a first member having a first surface oriented to face downward and bias a top-surface of a concrete form; and a second member having a second surface oriented to face substantially orthogonal to the first surface and bias a substantially vertical-side of the concrete form, wherein the referencing structure is configured to translate along a corner of the concrete form responsive to a force applied by a user edging unset concrete; and a concrete-surfacing structure coupled to the referencing structure, the concrete-surfacing structure comprising: a third member extending substantially orthogonal to the second member in a different direction from the first member, wherein the third member has a third surface configured to slide over and displace unset concrete to a depth defined by the top-surface of the concrete form.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A concrete edger hand-tool, comprising:
 a referencing structure comprising:
 a first member having a first surface oriented to face downward and bias a top-surface of a concrete form; and 
 a second member having a second surface oriented to face substantially orthogonal to the first surface and bias a substantially vertical-side of the concrete form, 
 wherein the referencing structure is configured to translate along a corner of the concrete form responsive to a force applied by a user edging unset concrete; and 
   a concrete-surfacing structure coupled to the referencing structure, the concrete-surfacing structure comprising:
 a third member extending substantially orthogonal to the second member in a different direction from the first member, 
 wherein the third member has a third surface configured to slide over and displace unset concrete to a depth defined by the top-surface of the concrete form. 
   
     
     
         2 . The hand-tool of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a fillet disposed between at least part of the third surface and a fourth surface, the fourth surface being opposite and parallel to the second surface on the second member, wherein the fillet is configured to slide over and displace a corner of the unset concrete downward and away from the form, wherein the third surface comprises a substantially planar region that extends substantially parallel to the first surface.   
     
     
         3 . The hand-tool of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a chamfered interior corner between the third surface and the second member.   
     
     
         4 . The hand-tool of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a continuous surface that includes the third surface and a fourth surface of the second member, wherein the continuous surface curves with a radius of greater than 8 millimeters to transition between substantially orthogonal planes defined by the third surface and the fourth surface respectively.   
     
     
         5 . The hand-tool of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the first member and the second member join at an intersection that, on one side including the first surface and the second surface, has a radius of curvature of less than 6 millimeters; and   the third member and the second member join at the intersection, the intersection having on another side including the third surface, a radius of curvature greater than 10 millimeters.   
     
     
         6 . The hand-tool of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first surface includes a surface of a roller having an axis of rotation substantially normal to the second surface.   
     
     
         7 . The hand-tool of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first surface includes two areas of contact of two rollers configured to roll along a top surface of the form.   
     
     
         8 . The hand-tool of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first surface lies substantially in first plane and is configured to slide over the top surface of the form;   the second surface lies substantially in a second plane orthogonal to the first plane and is configured to slide against the vertical side of the form; and   the third surface lies substantially in the first plane.   
     
     
         9 . The hand-tool of  claim 8 , comprising:
 a handle configured to receive a downward force from a user centered on a same side of the second plane as the first surface.   
     
     
         10 . The hand-tool of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the handle extends longer than 50 centimeters and has an adjustable angle relative to the reference structure.   
     
     
         11 . The hand-tool of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the referencing structure and the concrete-surfacing structure are configured to level an edge of unset concrete to an elevation that substantially matches an elevation of the top surface of the form.   
     
     
         12 . The hand-tool of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the referencing structure is configured to constrain the cantilevered concrete-surfacing structure to a single degree of freedom of movement while edging unset concrete and biased horizontally and vertically against the form.   
     
     
         13 . The hand-tool of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the referencing structure and the concrete-surfacing structure are rigidly disposed in fixed relation to one another.   
     
     
         14 . The hand-tool of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a curved or angled surface extending from a leading or trailing edge of a substantially planar portion of the first surface, at least part of the curved or angled surface being curved or angled to have a higher elevation over unset concrete than the substantially planar portion of the third surface.   
     
     
         15 . The hand-tool of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the third member defines a concave cross section in a plane parallel to, and offset from, the second surface.   
     
     
         16 . The hand-tool of  claim 1 , comprising:
 means for adjusting an amount of aggregate in a corner of unset concrete.   
     
     
         17 . The hand-tool of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the referencing structure is an inverted “L” shaped referencing structure;   the concrete-surfacing structure is cantilevered from the referencing structure;   the referencing structure and concrete-surfacing structure are connected such that the concrete-surfacing structure has zero degrees of freedom relative to the referencing structure;   the concrete-surfacing structure extends more than 5 centimeters and less than 20 centimeters away from the referencing structure;   the concrete-surfacing structure comprises a curved corner having a radius of curvature of between 5 and 25 millimeters, the curved corner curving about an axis of movement that is parallel to a direction in which the referencing structure is configured to translate by sliding along the concrete form;   the concrete-surfacing structure comprises upward angled or curved wings on each side along the axis of movement;   the concrete-surfacing structure and the referencing structure are substantially reflectively symmetric about a plane normal to the axis of movement;   opposing edges along the axis of movement of the referencing structure are configured to scrape material from the concrete form; and   the referencing structure, the concrete-surfacing structure, or both are made from a monolithic body of sheet metal bent into the respective shape of the referencing structure, the concrete-surfacing structure, or both.   
     
     
         18 . A method, comprising:
 receiving a downward force applied by a user with a handle;   transferring the force through a concrete edger and biasing the concrete edger against a top surface of a form adjacent unset concrete;   biasing the concrete edger against a side surface of the form;   receiving a horizontal force orthogonal to the downward force and parallel to both the top surface of the form and the side surface of the form; and   concurrently translating along a corner of the form and displacing unset concrete downward to a depth defined by the top surface of the form.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein:
 concurrently displacing unset concrete downward comprises displacing a corner of the unset concrete inward by more than 5 millimeters.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein:
 concurrently displacing unset concrete downward comprises displacing between 12 and 400 square centimeters of a top surface of the unset concrete downward to a substantially uniform depth that is substantially co-planar with the top surface of the form.