Dock and buoyant module adapted to be connected to a pile

A buoyant module for securing other buoyant structures of a floating dock to a pile fixedly mounted in a body of water, the pile having an upper segment extending substantially above the surface of the body of water, the module comprising

• an arrangement for connecting the module to the other buoyant structures,
• an upper deck portion and a lower buoyant portion,
• an interior wall arrangement forming a passage extending between bottom and top surfaces of the buoyant module,
• a plurality of rollers each having a horizontally disposed axis, the rollers being fixedly mounted to extend into a region vertically aligned with the passage,
• the sizes and locations of the pile, passage and rollers being such that (a) the pile is always spaced from side walls of the passage, (b) there can be a gap between exterior cylindrical walls of all the rollers and the exterior cylindrical wall of the pile, (c) different ones of the rollers can contact the upper segment of the pile at different times as the dock bobs in response to wave action of the body of water, and (d) only one of the rollers can contact the pile at a time;
• a structure carrying the rollers, the structure being arranged so exterior cylindrical surfaces of the rollers can be fixedly mounted at differing radial positions relative to a central vertical extending axis of the passage so piles having differing diameters can fit into the passage by changing the radial position of the rollers relative to the axis.

A buoyant module for securing other buoyant structures of a floating dock to a pile fixedly mounted in a body of water, the pile having an upper segment extending substantially above the surface of the body of water, the module comprising

• an arrangement for connecting the module to the other buoyant structures,
• an upper deck portion and a lower buoyant portion,
• an interior wall arrangement forming a passage extending between bottom and top surfaces of the buoyant module,
• a plurality of rollers each having a horizontally disposed axis, the rollers being fixedly mounted to extend into a region vertically aligned with the passage,
• the sizes and locations of the pile, passage and rollers being such that (a) the pile is always spaced from side walls of the passage, (b) there can be a gap between exterior cylindrical walls of all the rollers and the exterior cylindrical wall of the pile, (c) different ones of the rollers can contact the upper segment of the pile at different times as the dock bobs in response to wave action of the body of water, and (d) only one of the rollers can contact the pile at a time;
• the lower portion including a closed, water impervious molded shell having exterior walls, the interior wall arrangement being formed in the molded shell,
• a permanent mold form for a molded mass, the mold form including (a) lips extending upwardly from the interior wall arrangement and exterior walls of the shell, and (b) a floor extending between the lips,
• the floor forming a roof of the shell, and
• a molded mass permanently filling the mold form.

A buoyant module for securing other buoyant structures of a floating dock to a pile fixedly mounted in a body of water, the pile having an upper segment extending substantially above the surface of the body of water, the module comprising

• an arrangement for connecting the module to the other buoyant structures,
• an upper deck portion and a lower buoyant portion,
• an interior wall arrangement forming a passage extending between bottom and top surfaces of the buoyant module,
• a plurality of rollers each having a horizontally disposed axis, the rollers being fixedly mounted to extend into a region vertically aligned with the passage,
• the sizes and locations of the pile, passage and rollers being such that (a) the pile is always spaced from side walls of the passage, (b) there can be a gap between exterior cylindrical walls of all the rollers and the exterior cylindrical wall of the pile, (c) different ones of the rollers can contact the upper segment of the pile at different times as the dock bobs in response to wave action of the body of water, and (d) only one of the rollers can contact the pile at a time;
• the lower portion including a shell having first and second molded parts that are bonded together so an intersection of the first and second molded parts is on the interior side wall arrangement, the first and second parts when bonded together including the interior side wall arrangement.

A buoyant module for securing other buoyant structures of a floating dock to a pile fixedly mounted in a body of water, the pile having an upper segment extending substantially above the surface of the body of water, the module comprising

• an arrangement for connecting the module to the other buoyant structures,
• an upper deck portion including a molded mass having a density greater than water and a lower buoyant portion,
• an interior wall arrangement forming a passage extending between bottom and top surfaces of the buoyant module,
• a plurality of rollers each having a horizontally disposed axis, the rollers being fixedly mounted to extend into a region vertically aligned with the passage,
• the sizes and locations of the pile, passage and rollers being such that (a) the pile is always spaced from side walls of the passage, (b) there can be a gap between exterior cylindrical walls of all the rollers and the exterior cylindrical wall of the pile, (c) different ones of the rollers can contact the upper segment of the pile at different times as the dock bobs in response to wave action of the body of water, and (d) only one of the rollers can contact the pile at a time;
• a carrier for the rollers, the carrier having a portion encapsulated in the molded mass so the carrier is fixedly secured to the molded mass.

In combination,

• a pile having a circular cross section, the pile being fixedly mounted in a seabed covered by a body of water, the pile having an upper segment extending above the water level of the body of water,
• a floating dock in the body of water,
• the dock including:
• (a) an upper deck portion and a lower buoyant portion,
• (b) an interior wall arrangement forming a passage extending between bottom and top surfaces of the buoyant module, the passage including plural sides joined to form plural corners in a horizontal plane,
• (c) a roller having a horizontally disposed axis at each of the corners,
• the sizes, geometry and locations of the passage and rollers relative to the pile being such that (i) the pile is always spaced from the sides, (ii) there can be a gap between exterior cylindrical walls of all the rollers and the exterior cylindrical wall of the pile, (iii) different ones of the rollers contact the upper segment of the pile at different times as the dock bobs in response to wave action of the body of water, and (iv) only one of the rollers contacts the pile at a time.

A floating dock adapted to be secured to an upper, above water segment of a pile fixedly mounted in a seabed, the dock comprising

• an upper deck portion and a lower buoyant portion,
• an interior wall arrangement forming a passage extending between bottom and top surfaces of the dock, the passage including plural sides joined to form plural corners in a horizontal plane,
• a roller having a horizontally disposed axis at each of the corners,
• the sizes, geometry and locations of the passage and rollers relative to the pile being such that (a) the pile is always spaced from the sides, (b) there can be a gap between exterior cylindrical walls of all of the rollers and the exterior cylindrical wall of the pile, (c) different ones of the rollers contact the upper segment of the pile at different times as the dock bobs in response to wave action of the body of water, and (d) only one of the rollers contacts the pile at a time.

In combination,

• a pile having a circular cross section, the pile being fixedly mounted in a seabed covered by a body of water, the pile having an upper segment extending above the water level of the body of water,
• a floating dock in the body of water,
• the dock including:
• (a) an upper deck portion and a lower buoyant portion,
• (b) an interior wall arrangement forming a passage extending between bottom and top surfaces of the dock,
• (c) a plurality of rollers each having a horizontally disposed axis, the rollers being fixedly mounted to extend into a region vertically aligned with the passage,
• the sizes and locations of the pile, passage and rollers being such that (i) the pile is always spaced from side walls of the passage, (ii) there can be a gap between exterior cylindrical walls of all the rollers and the exterior cylindrical wall of the pile, (iii) different ones of the rollers can contact the upper segment of the pile at different times as the dock bobs in response to wave action of the body of water, and (iv) only one of the rollers can contact the pile at a time;
• and
• (d) a structure carrying the rollers, the structure being arranged so exterior cylindrical surfaces of the rollers can be fixedly mounted at differing radial positions relative to a central vertical extending axis of the passage so piles having differing diameters can fit into the passage by changing the radial position of the rollers relative to the axis.

A floating dock adapted to be secured to an upper, above water segment of a pile fixedly mounted in a seabed, the dock comprising

• an upper deck portion and a lower buoyant portion,
• an interior wall arrangement forming a passage extending between bottom and top surfaces of the dock,
• a plurality of rollers each having a horizontally disposed axis, the rollers being fixedly mounted to extend into a region vertically aligned with the passage, the sizes and locations of the pile, passage and rollers being such that (a) the pile is always spaced from side walls of the passage, (b) there can be a gap between exterior cylindrical walls of all the rollers and the exterior cylindrical wall of the pile, (c) different ones of the rollers can contact the upper segment of the pile at different times as the dock bobs in response to wave action of the body of water, and (d) only one of the rollers can contact the pile at a time;
• a structure carrying the rollers, the structure being arranged so exterior cylindrical surfaces of the rollers can be fixedly mounted at differing radial positions relative to a central vertical extending axis of the passage so piles having differing diameters can fit into the passage by changing the radial position of the rollers relative to the axis.

In combination,

• a pile having a circular cross section, the pile being fixedly mounted in a seabed covered by a body of water, the pile having an upper segment extending above the water level of the body of water,
• a floating dock in the body of water,
• the dock including:
• (a) an upper deck portion and a lower buoyant portion, the upper deck portion including a molded mass having a density greater than water,
• (b) an interior wall arrangement forming a passage extending between bottom and top surfaces of the dock,
• (c) a plurality of rollers each having a horizontally disposed axis, the rollers being fixedly mounted to extend into a region vertically aligned with the passage,
• the sizes and locations of the pile, passage and rollers being such that (i) the pile is always spaced from side walls of the passage, (ii) there can be a gap between exterior cylindrical walls of all the rollers and the exterior cylindrical wall of the pile, (iii) different ones of the rollers can contact the upper segment of the pile at different times as the dock bobs in response to wave action of the body of water, and (iv) only one of the rollers can contact the pile at a time;
• (d) a carrier for the rollers, the carrier having a portion encapsulated in the molded mass so the carrier is fixedly secured to the molded mass.

A floating dock adapted to be secured to an upper, above water segment of a pile fixedly mounted in a seabed, the dock comprising

• (a) an upper deck portion and a lower buoyant portion, the upper deck portion including a molded mass having a density greater than water,
• (b) an interior wall arrangement forming a passage extending between bottom and top surfaces of the dock,
• (c) a plurality of rollers each having a horizontally disposed axis, the rollers being fixedly mounted to extend into a region vertically aligned with the passage,
• the sizes and locations of the pile, passage and rollers being such that (i) the pile is always spaced from side walls of the passage, (ii) there can be a gap between exterior cylindrical walls of all the rollers and the exterior cylindrical wall of the pile, (iii) different ones of the rollers can contact the upper segment of the pile at different times as the dock bobs in response to wave action of the body of water, and (iv) only one of the rollers can contact the pile at a time;
• and
• (d) a carrier for the rollers, the carrier having a portion encapsulated in the molded mass so the carrier is fixedly secured to the molded mass.

In combination,

• a pile having a circular cross section, the pile being fixedly mounted in a seabed covered by a body of water, the pile having an upper segment extending above the water level of the body of water,
• a floating dock in the body of water,
• the dock including:
• a plurality of buoyant wharf modules secured to each other, each of said modules having approximately the same exterior dimensions, density and buoyancy characteristics,
• one of said modules including:
• (a) an interior wall arrangement forming a passage extending between bottom and top surfaces of said one buoyant module, the passage including plural sides joined to form plural corners in a horizontal plane,
• (b) a roller having a horizontally disposed axis at each of the corners,
• the sizes, geometry and locations of the passage and rollers relative to the pile being such that (i) the pile is always spaced from the sides, (ii) there can be a gap between exterior cylindrical walls of all of the rollers and the exterior cylindrical wall of the pile, (iii) different ones of the rollers contact the upper segment of the pile at different times as the dock bobs in response to wave action of the body of water, and (iv) only one of the rollers contacts the pile at a time.