Screed bar adapter

Abstract

A vibrating concrete screed including: a frame; a motor coupled to the frame; an excitor assembly driven by the motor and including a first clamp assembly for coupling a first screed bar having a first configuration; a screed bar adapter configured to be coupled to the excitor assembly by the first clamp assembly, the screed bar adapter having a second clamp assembly; and a screed bar configured to be received by the second clamp assembly on the screed bar adapter.

1 . A vibrating concrete screed comprising:
 a frame;   a motor coupled to the frame;   an excitor assembly driven by the motor and including a first clamp assembly for coupling a first screed bar having a first configuration;   a screed bar adapter configured to be coupled to the excitor assembly by the first clamp assembly, the screed bar adapter having a second clamp assembly; and   a second screed bar having a second configuration configured to be received by the second clamp assembly on the screed bar adapter.   
     
     
         2 . The vibrating concrete screed of  claim 1 , wherein the screed bar adapter comprises:
 a central plate;   a first upper wall extending from the central plate in a first direction and forming a rearward protrusion; and   a second upper wall extending from the central plate in the first direction and forming a forward protrusion.   
     
     
         3 . The vibrating concrete screed of  claim 2 , wherein the rearward protrusion and the forward protrusion are captured in the first clamp assembly on the excitor assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The vibrating concrete screed of  claim 3 , wherein the rearward protrusion is configured to be positioned in a similarly shaped groove of the excitor assembly and the forward protrusion is engaged with, and held in place by, the first clamp assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The vibrating concrete screed of  claim 3 , wherein the screed bar adapter further comprises a lower wall extending from the central plate in a second direction opposite the first direction, and wherein the lower wall includes a through-hole through which a fastener extends to clamp the second screed bar to the lower wall. 
     
     
         6 . The vibrating concrete screed of  claim 5 , wherein the second screed bar includes a horizontal plate and a vertical plate extending from the horizontal plate, wherein the vertical plate includes a through-hole that aligns with the through-hole in the lower wall, and wherein the fastener extends through the through-hole of the lower wall and the through-hole of the vertical plate to clamp the second screed bar to the lower wall. 
     
     
         7 .- 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A vibrating concrete screed comprising:
 a frame;   a motor coupled to the frame;   an excitor assembly driven by the motor and configured to support an upper portion of a first screed bar having a first shape; and   a screed bar adapter having an upper portion coupled to the excitor assembly and configured to support a second screed bar having a second shape different from the first shape of the first screed bar, the upper portion of the first screed bar and the upper portion of the screed bar adapter having a similar shape.   
     
     
         11 . The vibrating concrete screed of  claim 10 , wherein the excitor assembly includes a first clamp assembly, and wherein the upper portion of the first screed bar is engageable with the first clamp assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The vibrating concrete screed of  claim 11 , wherein the upper portion of the screed bar adapter is engageable with the first clamp assembly. 
     
     
         13 . The vibrating concrete screed of  claim 12 , wherein the first screed bar is interchangeable with the screed bar adapter. 
     
     
         14 . The vibrating concrete screed of  claim 12 , wherein each of the upper portion of the first screed bar and the upper portion of the screed bar adapter includes a rearward protrusion configured to be positioned in a similarly shaped groove of the excitor assembly and a forward protrusion configured to be engaged with, and held in place by, the first clamp assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The vibrating concrete screed of  claim 11 , wherein the screed bar adapter comprises:
 a central plate;   a first upper wall extending from the central plate in a first direction and forming a rearward protrusion; and   a second upper wall extending from the central plate in the first direction and forming a forward protrusion.   
     
     
         16 . The vibrating concrete screed of  claim 15 , wherein the rearward protrusion and the forward protrusion are captured in the first clamp assembly on the excitor assembly. 
     
     
         17 . The vibrating concrete screed of  claim 16 , wherein the screed bar adapter further comprises:
 a lower wall extending from the central plate in a second direction opposite the first direction, the lower wall configured to be clamped to the second screed bar via a fastener.   
     
     
         18 . The vibrating concrete screed of  claim 17 , wherein the lower wall includes a through-hole, wherein the second screed bar includes a horizontal plate and a vertical plate extending from the horizontal plate, wherein the vertical plate includes a through-hole that aligns with the through-hole in the lower wall, and wherein the fastener extends through the through-hole of the lower wall and the through-hole of the vertical plate to clamp the second screed bar to the lower wall. 
     
     
         19 .- 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A screed bar adapter for use with a vibrating concrete screed, the screed bar adapter comprising:
 a central plate;   a first upper wall extending from the central plate in a first direction and forming a rearward protrusion; and   a second upper wall extending from the central plate in the first direction and forming a forward protrusion, wherein the rearward protrusion and the forward protrusion are removably engaged with an excitor assembly on the vibrating concrete screed.   
     
     
         23 . The screed bar adapter of  claim 22 , wherein the screed bar adapter further comprises a lower wall extending from the central plate in a second direction opposite the first direction, the lower wall includes a through-hole through which a fastener extends to clamp a screed bar to the lower wall. 
     
     
         24 . The screed bar adapter of  claim 23 , wherein lower wall is positioned between the rearward protrusion and the forward protrusion, and wherein the lower wall is positioned closer to the rearward protrusion than the forward protrusion. 
     
     
         25 . The screed bar adapter of  claim 23 , wherein the screed bar includes a horizontal plate and a vertical plate extending from the horizontal plate, wherein the vertical plate includes a through-hole that aligns with the through-hole in the lower wall, and wherein the fastener extends through the through-hole of the lower wall and the through-hole of the vertical plate to clamp the screed bar to the lower wall. 
     
     
         26 .- 28 . (canceled)