Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FLOATING DRY DOCK FOR LIGHT WATERCRAFTS
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a floating dry dock, and more
particularly to a watercraft support platform casing which is rigidly
connected to
floatation casings, whereby to support a light watercraft above the water
surface.
BACKGROUND ART
It is known to construct drive-on dry docks whereby a watercraft can
enter an entry way of a floatation flexible dock and lodge itself into a
channel or on
smaller float casings of the dock. Such drive-on dry docks are for example
described
in U.S. patents No. 6,431,106, No. 6,526,902, No. 5,947,050, and No.
5,931,113.
These dry docks comprise a plurality of floatation casings forming a dock
surface on
which a person can walk and an entry way in which a watercraft can enter when
in
motion. There are several problems associated with such flexible docks, one of
them
being that when the watercraft enters the entry way, it can damage the
floatation
casings which are disposed in the entry way and usually disposed lower than
the
surface of the floatation casings to the sides of the entry way. Because these
floatation casings are formed of rigid plastic material, repetitive impact by
the hull of
a watercraft causes wear and tear, and the casings can become punctured and
fill with
water, causing the dock to sink in the forward entry way, thereby
necessitating repair.
The repair consists in removing the damaged casing from adjacent casings and
because there are several connectors, one at each corner of the casings, this
is a time
consuming job and often the connectors fall into the water and become lost.
Another disadvantage of these drive-on dry docks is that an open
entrance way is formed in the dock to receive a watercraft and because the
casings are
pivotally secured to one another, they flex with respect to one another, and
make it
hazardous to a person walking on the dock in the vicinity of the entrance way.
Furthermore, these docks are constructed to support only a single watercraft
and some
of these watercrafts are only partly supported on the dock with the outboard
engine in
the rear end of the watercraft remaining in the water at the end of the dock.
Therefore, the watercraft is still partly submerged. In an attempt to resolve
this type
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of a problem, the outer casing sections of these docks may be provided with
large
inflatable pontoons whereby to lift the watercraft completely out of the
water. See for
example U.S. patent No. 6,526,902 referred to hereinabove. Accordingly, it is
necessary to pump air into the pontoons and to remove it therefore, whereby
the
outermost section is only buoyant enough to support itself, whereby it can be
downwardly inclined when a watercraft enters the dry dock. This is a time
consuming
process for docking watercrafts, particularly when a watercraft is docked
several
times in a single day. Furthermore, the bow ridge of the watercraft impacts
onto
smaller floatation casings disposed along a center line of the dock, and is
subjected to
damage, as mentioned above.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
There is therefore a need to provide a drive-on dry dock, which
substantially overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art.
According to a feature of the present invention, there is provided a
watercraft support platform casing for a floating dry dock and to which is
rigidly
secured floatation casings, and wherein a light-weight watercraft can enter
the dry
dock and propel itself on the support platform casing completely out of the
water
surface.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a watercraft
support platform casing for use with a floating dry dock, and wherein the
floatation
casings associated therewith are not impacted by the bow of a watercraft when
entering the floating dry dock.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a watercraft
support platform casing for use in the construction of a floating dry dock,
and to
which is rigidly connected a plurality of floatation casings, and wherein the
support
platform casing has a lower forward projecting edge and a through-shaped upper
surface with a sloped entry way, whereby to guide a watercraft in movement
onto the
ramp of the support platform casing.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a watercraft
support platform casing, which can be interconnected in series with a further
support
platform casing, whereby to form a floating dry dock in combination with
floatation
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casings to support a longer watercraft or two or more light-weight watercrafts
in end-
to-end relationship and above the water surface.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a watercraft
support platform casing rigidly connectable to floatation casings, whereby to
form a
drive-on floating dry dock for light-weight watercrafts such as in-board water
jet
propelled water crafts, making it easy for such water crafts to enter and exit
the dry
dock.
According to the above features, for a broad aspect, the present
invention provides a watercraft support platform casing for a floating dry
dock for
light weight watercrafts, said support platform being an elongated rectangular
shaped
casing dimensioned to support a watercraft elevated from a surrounding water
surface,
said support platform casing having integrally formed floatation chambers and
opposed substantially parallel side walls, an elongated central ramp formed in
a top
surface of said casing to support a hull of a watercraft positioned thereon,
said ramp
having a trough-shaped upper surface with a sloped forward entryway formed
integral
therewith and terminating in a lower forward projecting edge, said lower
forward
projecting edge extending forwardly of an upper forward edge of the casing
said
support platform casing having connectors secured to said opposed side walls
for rigid
interconnection with a plurality of floatation casings by fastening means to
form a
floating dry dock on a water surface with said entryway of said ramp
positioned to
receive the hull of a watercraft in movement whereby said watercraft projects
itself on
said central ramp above said water surface, each said connectors being a
projecting
tab having a threaded connecting through bore accommodating said fastening
means
to rigidly secure a connecting tab of a floatation casing thereto, said
fastening means
having a threaded shaft and a flared head having a substantially smooth upper
surface,
which merges with a top surface of adjacent floatation casings forming said
dry dock.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be
described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
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- figure 1 is a side view of a floating dry dock formed with the
support platform casing of the present invention, and shown supporting a light-
weight
watercraft thereon;
- figure 2 is a side view similar to figure 1, showing a floating dry
dock constructed in accordance with the present invention but shown supporting
a
larger watercraft thereon;
- figure 3A is a perspective view of the support platform casing
constructed in accordance with the present invention;
- figure 3B is a bottom perspective view of the watercraft support
platform casing of figure 3A;
- figure 4 is a perspective view showing a floating dock constructed
in accordance with the present invention, and comprised of a plurality of
floatation
casings rigidly interconnected together and to the opposed sidewalls of the
support
platform casing;
- figure 5 is a section view through the support platform casing of
the present invention showing the integrally formed hollow floatation chambers
and
the position of the hull of a watercraft supported on the ramp of the support
platform
casing;
- figure 6 is a partly fragmented side view of a connector which
interconnects a floatation casing to the support platform casing and to
adjacent
floatation casings;
- figure 7A is a perspective view of the fastener;
- Figure 7B shows a modification of the fastener wherein a threaded
nut is removably securable to the lower connecting flange of the support
platform
casing;
- figure 8A is a perspective view of a winch mechanism secured to
some of the forward floatation casings of a drive-on dry dock constructed in
accordance with the present invention;
- figure 8B is a top view showing the winch mechanism having its
winch line connected to the forward end of a watercraft being pulled forward
onto the
support platform casing of the dry dock;
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- figure 9A is a top view similar to figure 8B, but showing the winch
mechanism arrangement for discharging the watercraft from the support platform
casing of the dry dock;
- figure 9B is a perspective view illustrating the winch mechanism
5 associated attachment post for discharging the watercraft from the dry dock;
- figure l0A is a perspective view showing a dry dock constructed
with two support platform casings interconnected end to end.; and
- figure lOB is a section view showing the two nested support
platform casings when connected end to end.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to the drawings, more particularly to figures I to 4, there is
shown generally at 10 a floating dry dock constructed with the watercraft
support
platform casing 11 of the present invention, and rigidly interconnected with
floatation
casings 12. As shown in figure 1, the floating dry dock 10, constructed in
accordance
with the present invention, supports a light-weight watercraft 13 such as an
inboard
water jet propelled watercraft, above the water surface 14. Figure 2 shows a
larger
floating dry dock 10' constructed in accordance with the present invention,
and
supporting a larger watercraft 13' above the water surface 14.
Referring more specifically to figures 3A to 5, there is shown the
construction of the support platform casing 11. As herein shown, the support
platform casing 11 is molded from rigid plastic material, although it could be
constructed of any other suitable material, and is in the shape of an
elongated
rectangular casing suitably dimensioned to support a watercraft 13 or 13'
elevated
from a surrounding water surface 14. It is pointed out that several sizes of
these
casings can be provided and adapted to support different types of watercrafts.
The
support platform casing 11, as shown in figure 5, is of hollow construction
and has
integrally formed floatation chambers 15 and 15', formed on opposed sides
thereof.
An additional chamber 16 may be provided in certain areas of a ramp 17. It is
conceivable that the floatation chambers be injected with rigid foam material
for
strength and for preventing water infiltration.
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As better illustrated in figure 4, the elongated central ramp 17 is
formed in a top surface of the support platform casing 11, and is provided to
support
the hull 18 of the watercrafts 13 and 13'. The ramp 17 has a through-like
upper
surface 19 with a sloped entry way 20 formed integral therewith in a forward
section
thereof. The sloped forward entry way 20 terminates in a lower forward
projecting
edge 21. As shown in figures 1 and 2, this lower forward projecting edge 21
lies
substantially at the water surface 14.
The sloped forward entry way 20 is comprised of a rearwardly and
upwardly sloping forward section 24 of the ramp 17, whereby to lift out of the
water
and on to the support platform the watercrafts 13 and 13', entering the
support
platform at sufficient speed. This sloping forward section is a smooth section
and
merges into the upper horizontal support section 25, whereby to support the
watercraft
on the platform casing 11 over the water surface 14, as illustrated in figures
1 and 2.
The through-like upper surface of the ramp defines a central deep V-shaped
depression 26 having outwardly sloping side walls 27 on opposed sides thereof,
each
terminating in an upper gently sloped hull support upper wall section 28,
which
constitutes the upper horizontal support section 25 of the support platform
casing 11.
Figure 5 better illustrates the cross sectional shape of the through-like
upper surface
on which is resting opposed hull sections of a watercraft 13 positioned
thereon.
As shown, in figure 3A, the lower forward projecting edge 21 is
provided with a central forward guide cavity 29 to guide the bow center ridge
30 (see
figure 2) of a watercraft entering into the support platform casing. This
guide cavity
is formed in a reinforced bottom wall section of the support platform casing
11, as
shown in figure 3B. The bottom central section 30 of the V-shape depression 26
is
formed with reinforcing cavities 31 to solidify the ramp in the forward sloped
entry
way 20 thereof, where is it subjected to impact by docking watercrafts.
As also shown in figure 3B, the bottom wall 32 of the support platform
casing 11 has a reinforced coupling cavity 33 in a rear end wall 34 thereof,
whereby
to receive therein the lower forward projecting edge 21 of another support
platform
casing 11, when nested end to end, as will be described later.
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Referring again to figures 3A and 313, the watercraft support platform
casing 11 is further provided with a plurality of connectors 22 equally spaced
in the
opposed side walls 23 and 23' of the casing in a common horizontal plane.
These
connectors 22 are in the form of projecting flanges or tabs 22', each provided
with a
connecting through bore 35, as better illustrated in figure 6, for receiving a
threaded
shank 36 of a bolt fastener 37 therein. As shown in figure 6, this connecting
through
bore 35 is a threaded through bore. The connectors or tabs 22' are integrally
formed
with the side walls 23 and 23' of the support platform casing 11 and project
from
reinforced channel formations 37, which extend vertically in the opposed side
walls
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23 and 23, as illustrated in figure 3A. The projecting tabs provide inter-
connection of
the support platform casing 11 with standard floatatiori casings 40, as shown
in figure
4. These floatation casings 40 are well known in the art and are usually of
square
block form, as herein illustrated, with connecting flanges 41 extending
diagonally
from opposed corners thereof in a common central horizontal region of the
floatation
casings. Two of these connector flanges, 41 and 41', on one side of the
floatation
casings, namely side 42, project lower than the other two connector flanges
41" on the
other side 43 of the casings, whereby these connector flanges can overlap to
interconnect the floatation casings with another. As shown in figure 6, the
connecting
tabs 22' of the watercraft support platform casing 11 are disposed lowermost
whereby
to receive an upper most connector flange 41 of a floatation casing 40 there
over. As
shown in figure 6, the connector flange 41" of a floatation casing 40 is
disposed over
the tab 22' of the floatation casing 11 with the through bore 44 of the
connector flange
in line with the through bore 35 of the tab 22'. The threaded shank of the
bolt fastener
37 extends through these through bores and threaded into the connecting tab
22'. The
connecting tabs 22' may also be provided with a smooth through bore and a
threaded
connector insert 45, as shown in figure 7B, may be slidingly secured over the
opposed
flat parallel surfaces 22" of the tab. As shown in figure 7B, the threaded
connector
insert 45 comprises a threaded nut 46 welded or integrally formed with a slide
attachment 47 for slidingly securing the threaded nut under the flange tab 22'
with a
threaded bore 48 of the nut aligned with the connecting through bore 35, which
now
has a smooth inner surface so that the threaded shank of the fastener 37
threads into
this nut 46 to provide the attachment.
The bolt fastener 37 is provided with a flared head 49 merging into a
substantially smooth upper surface, which aligns vvith the top surface 49 of
the
floatation casings 40. These large connecting heads 49 mate with smooth
angular
depressions 50 formed in the top corners of the floatation casings 40. When
these
casings are secured side by side, they form a conical depression in their
corner regions
to rigidly interconnect the floatation casings together through the bolt heads
to prevent
flexion of the connected casings with one another. Likewise, the reinforced
channel
formations 37 in the side walls 23 and 23' of the support platform casing 11
are
provided with top semi-conical depressions 52 to also receive the conical
heads 49 of
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the connectors 37 to provide rigid interconnection of floatation casings with
the
support platform casing to prevent flexion. Accordingly, when the support
platform
casing 11 is assembled with floatation casings to form a rigid floating dry
dock, the
floatation casings and the support platform casing do not flex with respect to
one
another. This provides for a rigid dry dock to support people and a watercraft
thereon.
Referring now to figures 10 A and IOB, there is shown a larger
floatation drive-on dry dock 10' constructed in accordance with the present
invention,
and wherein there are two watercraft support platform casings 11 secured end
to end
by the attachments of the surrounding floatation casings 40. As previously
described,
the support platform casings 11 are disposed end to end with the lower forward
projecting edge 21 of casing 11' received in the coupling cavity 33 of the
forward
support platform casing 11. These casings are held in place by the
interconnection of
the surrounding floatation casings secured to the conriectors 22 in the
sidewalls 23
and 23' of each of the floatation casings and connected together. Accordingly,
a
longer watercraft can be supported on this flotation dry dock 10'. When the
watercraft
enters the dry dock, it is then pushed or pulled ahead onto the forward
support
platform casing 11'. To facilitate the positioning of the watercrafts on the
floatation
casing 11, there may be provided a winch mechanism as will now be described
with
reference to figures 8A to 9B.
As shown in figure 8A, the winch mechanism 60 comprises a
connecting pedestal 61 having a securement base 62, which is secured to a pair
of
forwardly disposed floatation casings 40' positioned forwardly of the support
platform
casing 11', as shown in figure 10A. The winch mechanism has a line spool 63
provided with a winch line 64, which has a hook 65 at a free end thereof for
securement of the front of the watercraft, as shown in figure 8B. A crank arm
66
operates the spool 63 to winch the watercraft 13 in proper position on the dry
dock.
Of course, this winch mechanism 60 may be provided on a smaller dry dock, as
illustrated in figure 4.
A pair of attachment posts 68 and 68' may also be secured to floatation
casings 40" on opposed sides of the support platform casing 11, whereby to
discharge
the watercraft 16 from the floating dry dock by exerting a pushing force in
the
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direction of arrow 69. This is done by passing the winch line 64 through an
eyelet 69
secured to post 68, and then securing the hook 65 to a further eyelet 70
associated
with the post 68. The winch line 64 is disposed over the bow end 70 of the
watercraft
13 and by winding the winch line onto the spoo163, a discharge pressure from
the line
displaces the watercraft in the direction of arrow 69. As shown in figure 9A,
the
winch spool 63 may be pivotally secured to the top end of the connecting
pedestal 61,
whereby the spool can swivel to either side of the bow of the watercraft 63.
On the
other hand, the connecting pedestal 61' may be pivotally secured to the
connecting
frame 62, as illustrated in figure 9B.
It is within the ambit of the present invention to provide any obvious
modifications of the preferred embodiment described herein, provided such
modifications fall within the scope of the claims.
