Mechanical couplings for pontoons and similar floatable units
AssigneeAteliers Breheret S.A.R.L.
InventorsMichel Francois Breheret, Andre Raphael Wambergue, Andre Jacques Carpentier
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mechanical coupling for connecting together two buoyant members, such as pontoons, to make a buoyant structure. The mechanical coupling comprises vertical grooves in the pontoons. A pair of spaced apart plates partially cover the edge of the grooves. A key member in the shape of an I-beam fits with its web between the plates of a pair of pontoons so that its flanges hold the two pontoons together. Wedge shaped members attached to the I-beam and to the plates further act to wedge and lock the pontoons together as a unit.
Claims8
A joining device for use in connecting together buoyant members, such as pontoons, to make a buoyant structure, said joining device comprising channel means on each of said buoyant members, I shaped section key means for cooperating with said channel means on each of said buoyant members to connect said buoyant members together, said I shaped section including spaced apart flange sections separated by a web section, said channel means defining a slot in which the web sections of the key means locates in the assembled condition of the device so that the flange sections of the key means lie in the respective channel means and the channel means are prevented by said flange sections from being moved apart, and said key means further including two inclined plates at the bottom of the flange sections of said key means, two trapezoidal half wedges respectively at the bottom of the channels for engaging and wedging together with said inclined plates.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.