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US 5,174,234 AGranted
Boat docking system
OwnerNeil Ryaninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A boat docking system having a V-shaped horizontal floating structure held together by two underwater bents. The structure is constructed of two flexible fiberglass rods which allows the structure to open up and conform to a shape of a boat inserted into the V-shape. The two bents acts as spring clips to open up the V-shape against resilient force, and to thereafter close around the contour of the boat. The V-shape structure is floated intermittently by tubular foam buoys fixed along lengths of the V-shape structure. A strut anchored to the dock at one end and attached to the V-shape structure at another end with a sliding joint gives stability to the floating structure as well as provides the proper distance during docking of the boat to the walkway.
Claims34
A boat docking system for guiding and holding a boat at a dock structure, comprising:
- a first rod arranged horizontally;
- a second rod arranged horizontally;
- at least one of said first and second rods connected at a base end to the dock structure;
- said first and second rods provide free ends forming an open passage for a boat to be floated therebetween, said first and second rods having a relaxed clear distance at one place smaller than a width of the boat, said first and second rods having a selected cross section to have sufficient flexibility to resiliently bend along their length to open said clear distance at said one place to accept the boat held therebetween as the boat is floated between said first and second rods;
- and
- means for urging said first and second rods together, said means located along the length of said rods at a distance from said base end.
3 more elements
A boat docking system for holding a boat at a dock structure, comprising:
- a first rod arranged horizontally;
- a second rod arranged horizontally;
- said first and second rods connected to the dock structure;
- and
- said first and second rods are arranged forming a passage for a boat to be floated therebetween, said first and second rods having sufficient flexibility to resiliently bend along their length away from each other to accept the boat held therebetween as the boat is floated between said first and second rods;
- wherein said first and second rods are held slightly above water level by a plurality of floats connected to said first and second rods and arranged intermittently along said first and second rods;
- wherein said first and second rods are connected to said dock structure at an apex and together form a V-shape openable to conform around the boat sailed thereinto;
- wherein said first and second rods are connected together by at least one U-shaped bent arranged vertically;
- wherein said U-shaped bent comprises a kinked bottom leg;
- wherein said U-shaped bent comprises a first vertical leg, a second vertical leg, and said kinked bottom leg comprises a first bottom leg portion, and a second bottom leg portion, said first vertical leg connected to said first bottom leg portion at a right angle, said second vertical leg connected to said second bottom leg portion at a right angle, and said first bottom leg portion connected to said second bottom leg portion at an obtuse angle.
7 more elements
A boat docking system for holding a boat at a dock structure, comprising:
- a first rod arranged horizontally;
- a second rod arranged horizontally;
- said first and second rods connected to the dock structure;
- and
- said first and second rods are arranged forming a passage for a boat to be floated therebetween, said first and second rods having sufficient flexibility to resiliently bend along their length away from each other to accept the boat held therebetween as the boat is floated between said first and second rods;
- wherein said first and second rods are held slightly above water level by a plurality of floats connected to said first and second rods and arranged intermittently along said first and second rods;
- wherein said first and second rods are connected to said dock structure at an apex and together form a V-shape openable to conform around the boat sailed thereinto;
- and
- a strut assembly, said strut assembly attached to said dock structure at one end, and attached to said second rod at an opposite end;
- wherein said strut assembly is attached to said second rod using a sliding joint enabling the strut assembly to retain said second rod, but allowing sliding movement therealong.
7 more elements
A boat docking system for holding a boat at a dock structure, comprising:
- a first rod arranged horizontally;
- a second rod arranged horizontally;
- said first and second rods connected to the dock structure;
- and
- said first and second rods are arranged forming a passage for a boat to be floated therebetween, said first and second rods having sufficient flexibility to resiliently bend along their length away from each other to accept the boat held therebetween as the boat is floated between said first and second rods;
- wherein said first and second rods are held slightly above water level by a plurality of floats connected to said first and second rods and arranged intermittently along said first and second rods;
- wherein said first and second rods are connected to said dock structure at an apex and together form a V-shape openable to conform around the boat sailed thereinto;
- wherein said first and second rods are connected together by at least one U-shaped bent having two generally vertical legs and extending down into the water;
- wherein said one U-shaped bent extends through two tubular-shaped floats, one tubular-shaped float surrounding each generally vertical leg of the U-shaped bent.
6 more elements
A boat docking system for holding a boat at a position in water, comprising:
- a first rod arranged horizontally;
- a second rod arranged horizontally;
- said first and second rods arranged spaced apart forming a channel therebetween, said channel defining a back end and an opposite open end between adjacent ends of said first and second rods, said first and second rods having a selected cross section to have sufficient flexibility to resiliently bend along their length to conform concavely around a boat profile, said rods arranged and configured to have a horizontal clear distance therebetween at least at one location along a length of said channel smaller than a width of a boat to be held therein;
- and
- means for urging said first and second rods together at said open end, said means connected to said first and second rods.
2 more elements
A boat docking system for holding a boat having a tapering rear portion at a position in a body of water, comprising:
- a frame structure defining an open end and an enclosed space and a length proceeding from said open end inwardly, said length selected to hold a substantial length of a boat floated thereinto;
- and
- said frame structure providing an openable resilient clamp means which is spreadable to permit entry of the boat into said frame structure and which resiliently contracts to grasp said tapering trailing portion of the boat held therein to prevent retraction of the boat from the frame structure.
A boat docking system for guiding a boat at a dock structure, comprising:
- a first guide rod arranged horizontally along a first direction and connected at one end to the dock structure;
- a strut assembly, said strut assembly attached at one end to a first position the dock structure, and attached at an opposite end to the first guide rod at a second position on the first guide rod a distance from said first position, said first guide rod
- configured with a cross section and said first and second position spaced apart to provide sufficient bending flexibility of the first guide rod whereby a boat pressing the first guide rod between said first and second positions from an angle to said first direction resiliently deflects the first guide rod, resilient rebound force of the first guide rod causing said boat to change course from said second direction to said first direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.