US 5,713,296 AGranted

Lightweight concrete dock

OwnerPaul R. Gervasi, Edward B. Lamkininventors

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Abstract

A lightweight concrete floating dock comprised of a plurality of main walkway floats and finger floats comprised of a lightweight but relatively strong concrete shell, a stout inner metal flame and a buoyant foam core. A grid of continuous steel reinforcing is embedded throughout the concrete shell. Utilities are enclosed in conduits within the shell or can be placed in an accessible alternative utility trench. Floats are connected using a hook and eye or swivel type of connection. Docks are positioned using metal cages extending out from opposite sides of floats supporting winch stands with cables attached to anchors along the harbor floor. A stout inner metal frame fitted against the inner side walls of the concrete shell is directly connected to metal elements used for connecting floats, mooring boats and positioning docks, such that all substantial external forces imparted to the dock are endured by the inner metal frame leaving the concrete shell crack and maintenance free.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A floating lightweight concrete dock comprising:

a plurality of main walkway and finger floats held in a fixed array, each float being comprised of a lightweight concrete shell including a top, utilized as a deck, sides and a bottom, all having interconnected and adjoining edges forming a closed interior chamber said chamber;
filled with buoyant material to provide sufficient buoyancy to float said floats with the deck surface above the water, said walls and top, connected to and supported by an inner metal frame, said frame rigidly attached to float connection assemblies, including wales, cleats and dock positioning equipment:
the improvement comprises:
means for positioning said floating docks wherein said dock positioning equipment provides support for standard cable winches on the exterior of a float, said cable winches having cables attached to anchors on the harbor floor, said positioning equipment being used in conjunction with a series of floats connected on an end to end abutment relationship with a swivel connection assembly means permitting said floats to be arranged end to end in an angled fashion, and holding said floating dock in a desired array.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.