Illinois Patent of the Month – February 2022
Wet concrete is poured into forms which allow it to set in the desired shape. When the concrete gets to the top of the form, workers use a screed to level it off before it dries. Screeds come in various sizes – from handheld scredes to larger, vibrating screeds. In a traditional motorized screeds must be driven directly over the concrete form. They are usually attached to a skid loader and the force leads to deformities in the rebar within the concrete. Makeshift solutions include creating removable bridges or ramps to allow the skid loader to drive over the concrete form without impacting the rebar. This does not always work, and is quite a drawback to set up.
Dragon Screed, LLC has worked in the concrete and construction industry for decades. Recently, they have designed a large, wide swath concrete screed that also attaches to a skid loader. This design, however, introduces an offset so that the skid loader can drive alongside a form and still operate the screed. A support bar attaches the screed to the skid steer on one side. It’s controlled by a liftable mechanical arm which was designed with sufficient strength to maintain a level position. Being able to adjust the height of the screed allows it to be maneuvered for any concrete form. The screed itself can way up to 300 pounds, and the weight may increase as it levels the wet concrete. The screed can also be lengthened to suit the concrete form. Currently, it can range from 6 ft. to 24 ft. in width. Dragon Screed’s design can effectively vibrate at multiple frequencies to adjust for different applications.
Dragon Screed has designed their tools to meet any application, making them as versatile as possible for small crews and big jobs.
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