# US 7,464,659 B2 · Apparatus for affixing a dock to a mooring pole > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,464,659 B2 - Document ID: US7464659B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/699,181 - Filed: 2007-01-29 - Published: 2007-06-21 - Granted: 2008-12-16 - Earliest claimed: 2004-12-31 - Inventors: Dimitri Lemonides - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7464659B2 ## CPC - B63B 21/00: Tying-up; Shifting, towing, or pushing equipment; Anchoring ({of buoys B63B22/04;} dynamic anchoring B63H25/00 {; equipment for shipping on coasts, in harbours or on other fixed marine structures, e.g. for landing purposes, E02B}) - B63B 21/04: Fastening or guiding equipment for chains, ropes, hawsers, or the like {(means for fastening cables or ropes in general F16G11/00)} - B63B: SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING (arrangements of vessel ventilation, heating, cooling, or air-conditioning B63J2/00; floating substructures as supports of dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F9/06) ## Abstract An apparatus is disclosed especially configured and adapted for mooring a floating dock to a mooring pile. The apparatus minimizes damage to both dock and mooring piles caused by changes in tide, waves, wake and other water disturbances while, simultaneously, adding stability to the floating dock—especially in regarding to listing—. The apparatus is comprised of a cylindrical sleeve which is coaxially applied to a mooring pile, a dock mounted mooring bracket comprised of a base plate which connects to the sleeve mounted upon the pile via at least two “U” shaped arms which are disposed in a parallel, spaced-apart relation which engage selected and parallel circumferential grooves formed in the outer surface of the sleeve. The base plate, in turn, is affixed to a structurally sound portion of a dock such as a horizontally disposed plate. In further preferred embodiments, a buoyant base is affixed about the inferior terminus of the cylindrical sleeve to provide buoyancy thereto as well as buoyancy to the dock to which the apparatus is affixed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for affixing a floating dock to a mooring pole comprised of: a cylindrical sleeve, a mooring bracket and a means for affixing the mooring bracket to a dock wherein the cylindrical sleeve is a tubular structure including a superior terminus, an inferior terminus, a length, an outer surface, an outside diameter and an inner surface surrounding a central bore demonstrating an inside diameter, wherein the inner surface of said sleeve is substantially smooth and the inside diameter is selected to enable the sleeve to be placed coaxially upon and closely adapt to a mooring pole of a given outside diameter while enabling said cylindrical sleeve to move up and down along said pole without binding thereto and wherein the outer surface of the sleeve includes a plurality of parallel circumferential rings, said rings defining parallel circumferential grooves therebetween, and the mooring bracket is comprised of a base plate and at least two “U” shaped arms which are affixed thereto, the base plate including at least two anchor bolt receiving holes therewithin especially configured and positioned for receiving the means of affixing the bracket to a dock, said plate further including at least two pairs of “U” shaped arm receiving holes, wherein the at least two pairs of “U” shaped arm receiving holes are so positioned and aligned within the base plate so that when the at least two “U” shaped arms are positioned and affixed to the base plate therethrough and thereby, said arms are held in a parallel relation, one to another, and distanced apart, one from another, so as to enable the at least two arms to align with, securely mate with selected circumferential grooves of the cylindrical sleeve; wherein when said apparatus is affixed to a floating dock, the close adaptation of said cylindrical sleeve to said pole in combination with the mating engagement of the at least two “U” shaped parallel and spaced apart arms, said apparatus provides stabile mooring of the floating dock and resistance against dock listing in reaction to disturbance of water in which the dock is positioned. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base plate includes an inner face and an outer face. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the inner face of the base plate includes a bolt recess. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the “U” shaped arms include two termini. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the termini of each of said at least two “U” shaped arms are welded to the base plate at said pair of “U” shaped arm receiving holes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4 wherein a portion of the “U” shaped arms adjacent to the termini thereof are shaped and configured to include threads especially adapted for mating engagement of fasteners utilized to secure the arms to the base plate via the “U” shaped arm receiving holes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the fasteners utilized to secure the arms to the base plate are nuts and washers. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for affixing the base plate to a dock is selected from the group consisting of bolts and screws. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the means for affixing the base plate to a dock is fabricated from a corrosion resistant material. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the corrosion resistant material is elected from the group consisting of galvanized steel, brass and stainless steel. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base plate is fabricated from a corrosion resistant metal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the corrosion resistant metal is selected from the group consisting of galvanized steel, brass and stainless steel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base plate is fabricated from a composite material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least two “U” shaped arms are fabricated from a corrosion resistant metal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the corrosion resistant metal is selected from the group consisting of galvanized steel, brass and stainless steel. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus further comprises a buoyant base, said buoyant base including an outer surface, an inner surface surrounding a central bore, a superior terminus, an inferior terminus and a core and wherein said central bore demonstrates an inside diameter especially configured to enable a portion of the cylindrical sleeve, adjacent to an inferior terminus thereof, to be inserted within said bore and wherein said core is filled with a buoyant material having a specific gravity less than that of water and providing sufficient buoyancy to the apparatus so as to enable an entire length of the cylindrical sleeve, superior to the superior terminus of the buoyant base, to lie above a water line. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the outside diameter of the cylindrical sleeve is especially configured so as to enable a portion of the cylindrical sleeve, adjacent to the inferior terminus thereof, to be inserted within the central bore of the buoyant base, said buoyant material also filling a space located between the outside surface of that portion of the cylindrical sleeve inserted within the central bore of the buoyant base and the inner surface of the buoyant base so as to affix said buoyant base to said cylindrical sleeve. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the buoyant base includes an inner coil. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the inner coil includes parallel circumferential rings and grooves on an outer surface thereof. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the parallel rings and circumferential grooves adjacent the inferior terminus of said cylindrical sleeve are adjacent to and disposed in a perpendicular relation to the parallel rings and grooves of the inner coil adjacent to the central bore thereof, said buoyant material also filling the parallel grooves of the cylindrical sleeve so as to further affix said buoyant base to said cylindrical sleeve. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said buoyant material is a plastic foam material. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the plastic foam material is selected from the group consisting of thermal plastic foams including polystyrene, polyvinylchloride, polyethylene, polypropylene and ABS plastic. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said plastic foam material comprises a closed foam material. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said closed plastic foam material demonstrates a density of from about 0.1 to about 60 lb/ft3. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The apparatus claim 24 wherein said closed plastic foam material demonstrates a density of from about 1.5 to about 2.5 lb/ft3. ### Claim 26 (depends on 16) The apparatus claim 16 wherein the buoyant base includes an outer cover. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the outer cover of the buoyant base is fabricated from a plastic material. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the plastic material from which the outer cover is fabricated is selected from the group including polyvinyl, polyolefin, polypropylene, polyester, polyurethane or nylon material. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the outer cover of the buoyant base is fabricated from a rubber compound. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the rubber compound is selected from the group comprising natural rubber and nitrile rubber compounds. ### Claim 31 The apparatus of claim I wherein the cylindrical sleeve is comprised of a plastic material. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the plastic material is selected from the group comprised of ABS, polyvinyl, polyether, polyurethane, polypropylene, polyolefin, or polyester plastics. ### Claim 33 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cylindrical sleeve is comprised of a rubber compound. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the rubber compound is selected from natural and nitrile rubber compounds.