Apparatus and method for improving the control of a concrete screeding machine

Abstract

A screeding machine including at least one of (a) a boom speed cruise control for automatically controlling the travel speed of the screed head assembly, (b) an auto-stabilizer control that automatically adjusts the stabilizer actuators of the screeding machine to a preselected degree of extension, (c) a control for automatically controlling the lowering of the screed head assembly toward and to the concrete surface and automatically activating the auger and vibrator at a beginning of each screeding pass and automatically deactivating the auger and vibrator in response to the screed head assembly being raised away from the concrete surface at the end of a screed pass, and (d) an auto-screed mode that allows the operator to select maximum values for at least one of a boom extension speed, a boom retraction speed, a boom rotation speed and a screed head rotation speed.

1 . A screeding machine for screeding a concrete surface having a partially cured concrete area and a newly placed concrete area, said screeding machine comprising:
 a wheeled unit having a plurality of wheels for moving said wheeled unit over a support surface;   a screeding head assembly having a grade setting device and a vibrating member, wherein said screeding head assembly is movable over the concrete area via an extendable and retractable boom assembly extending from said wheeled unit;   wherein said screeding machine comprises at least one of:   (a) a boom speed cruise control for automatically controlling the travel speed of said screed head assembly during a screeding pass so that the travel speed of a first screeding pass of said screed head assembly is substantially the same as the travel speed of at least one subsequent screeding pass of said screed head assembly;   (b) an auto-stabilizer control that automatically adjusts the stabilizer actuators of said wheeled unit of said screeding machine to a preselected degree of extension in response to a user input;   (c) a control for automatically controlling the lowering of said screed head assembly toward and to the concrete surface and automatically activating said grade setting device and said vibrator at a beginning of a screeding pass and automatically deactivating said grade setting device and said vibrator in response to said screed head assembly being raised away from the concrete surface at the end of the screeding pass; and   (d) an auto-screed control that allows the operator to select a maximum value for at least one of a boom extension speed, a boom retraction speed, a boom rotation speed and a screed head rotation speed, whereby a respective speed of at least one of these functions of said screeding machine is limited to the selected value in response to the operator selecting an auto-screed mode.   
     
     
         2 . The screeding machine of  claim 1 , wherein said screeding machine comprises a boom speed cruise control for automatically controlling the travel speed of said screed head assembly during a screeding pass so that the travel speed of a first screeding pass of said screed head assembly is substantially the same as the travel speed of at least one subsequent screeding pass of said screed head assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The screeding machine of  claim 2 , wherein said boom speed cruise control, when activated, allows an operator to store a selected speed of said screed head assembly, whereby the operator can later actuate a user input to select to have said screed head assembly moved at the stored selected speed. 
     
     
         4 . The screeding machine of  claim 1 , wherein said screeding machine comprises an auto-stabilizer control that automatically adjusts the stabilizer actuators of said wheeled unit of said screeding machine to a preselected degree of extension in response to a user input. 
     
     
         5 . The screeding machine of  claim 4 , wherein said auto-stabilizer control allows an operator to actuate a user input to store a degree of extension of each of said stabilizer actuators, whereby the operator can later actuate a user input to cause said machine to automatically extend said stabilizer actuators to the stored degree of extension. 
     
     
         6 . The screeding machine of  claim 1 , wherein said screeding machine comprises a control for automatically controlling the lowering of said screed head assembly toward and to the concrete surface and automatically activating said grade setting device and said vibrator at a beginning of a screeding pass and automatically deactivating said grade setting device and said vibrator in response to said screed head assembly being raised away from the concrete surface at the end of the screeding pass. 
     
     
         7 . The screeding machine of  claim 6 , wherein said control, when activated, functions to automatically activate said grade setting device and said vibrator as said screed head assembly is lowered toward the concrete surface and automatically deactivates said grade setting device and said vibrator a period of time after said screed head assembly is initially moved away from the concrete surface at the end of the screeding pass. 
     
     
         8 . The screeding machine of  claim 7 , wherein said control automatically deactivates said grade setting device and said vibrator at least one second after said screed head assembly is initially moved away from the concrete surface at the end of the screeding pass. 
     
     
         9 . The screeding machine of  claim 1 , wherein said screeding machine comprises an auto-screed control that allows the operator to select a maximum value for at least one function comprising at least one of a boom extension speed, a boom retraction speed, a boom rotation speed and a screed head rotation speed, whereby a respective speed of said at least one of function is limited to the selected maximum value for said at least one function in response to the operator selecting an auto-screed mode. 
     
     
         10 . The screeding machine of  claim 9 , wherein said auto-screed control is deactivated and said maximum values are reset to a default setting when said screeding machine is turned off. 
     
     
         11 . A screeding machine for screeding a concrete surface having a partially cured concrete area and a newly placed concrete area, said screeding machine comprising:
 a wheeled unit having a plurality of wheels for moving said wheeled unit over a support surface;   a screeding head assembly having a grade setting device and a vibrating member, wherein said screeding head assembly is movable over the concrete area via an extendable and retractable boom assembly extending from said wheeled unit; and   a joy-stick steering system that is operable to control the steering of at least two of said wheels, said joy-stick steering system providing an operator steering control of said at least two wheels by means of a joy-stick control handle, wherein the steering of said wheels of said screeding machine is controlled electronically by operator positional input at said joy-stick control handle.   
     
     
         12 . The screeding machine of  claim 11 , wherein said joy-stick steering system includes an electronic controller and electrically controlled proportional hydraulic valves that control flow of hydraulic fluid to and from steering cylinders located at least one drive axle assembly of said screeding machine, and wherein said electronic controller controls said hydraulic valves in response to a position of said joy-stick control handle. 
     
     
         13 . A screeding machine for screeding a concrete surface having a partially cured concrete area and a newly placed concrete area, said screeding machine comprising:
 a wheeled unit supporting a screeding head assembly having a grade setting device and a vibrating member, wherein said screeding head assembly is movable over the concrete area via an extendable and retractable boom assembly;   a right joystick control and a left joystick control for controlling respective functions of said screeding machine, wherein said right joystick control at least initially controls first functions and said left joystick control controls second functions; and   a joystick swap control that is actuatable by an operator of said screeding machine, whereby said right joystick control controls said second functions and said left joystick control controls said first functions in response to actuation of said joystick swap control.   
     
     
         14 . The screeding machine of  claim 13 , wherein said respective functions comprise at least one of (a) a steering function, (b) a boom extension and retract function, (c) a screeding head control function, (d) a screeding head elevation control function, (e) a boom speed cruise control function, and (f) an auto-stabilizer control function. 
     
     
         15 . A screeding machine for screeding a concrete surface having a partially cured concrete area and a newly placed concrete area, said screeding machine comprising:
 a screeding head assembly having an auger and a vibrating member for screeding the concrete surface, said screeding head assembly comprising auger bearings for rotatably supporting said auger; and   an adjustment mechanism that allows an operator of said screeding machine to change said auger bearings and said auger without having to adjust a height adjustment of said auger after reassembly of said auger bearings and said auger, whereby the auger height adjustment settings are maintained without any readjustment.   
     
     
         16 . The screeding machine of  claim 15 , wherein said adjustment mechanism includes a height adjustment retaining element that is adjustable to allow for adjustment of the height of said auger, and wherein the auger height adjustment settings are maintained so long as said height adjustment retaining element is not loosened. 
     
     
         17 . A screeding machine for screeding a concrete surface having a partially cured concrete area and a newly placed concrete area, said screeding machine comprising:
 a screeding head assembly having an auger and a vibrating member for screeding the concrete surface, said screeding head assembly comprising auger bearings for rotatably supporting said auger; and   a pair of detachable transport stands for supporting opposite ends of said screed head assembly at a support surface when said screeding machine is being transported.   
     
     
         18 . The screeding machine of  claim 17 , wherein each said transport stand comprises a base portion and a generally U-shaped attachment portion for attaching at respective outer end regions of said screed head assembly. 
     
     
         19 . The screeding machine of  claim 18 , wherein said transport stands are attached at said respective outer end regions of said screed head assembly via at least one retaining element that is inserted through generally aligned holes in said transport stand and said outer end region of said screed head assembly.