MOORING WHIP BASE

Abstract

An improved pole support base mounted to a dock has means to pivot a housing supporting an inserted flexible pole and means to lock the pivoted pole in a vertical position to clear the pole from interfering with a vessel leaving from or returning to the dock. The pivotable housing and pole are manually lowered down to a determined desired degree to position the flexible pole and a line or rope that passes around a pulley at the end of the pole and is attached to a boat cleat to prevent possible damage owing to the vessel contacting the dock.

Claims

1. A mooring whip base comprising: a hollow support housing attachable to a dock; a hollow swivel housing having a lower portion movably disposed in the support housing, a lower end of a mooring pole being insertable into the swivel housing, the hollow swivel housing having two opposed walls provided each provided with an opening; a shaft fixed to the support housing and traversing the openings in the two opposed walls of the hollow swivel housing; a polygonal frame surrounding the hollow swivel housing and slidably mounted thereto; and a locking plate extending from the polygonal frame in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the hollow swivel housing, the locking plate being insertable into the hollow support housing at an upper end thereof for releasably preventing a pivoting of the hollow swivel housing upon a disposition thereof in a vertical or upright orientation relative to the support housing.

2. The mooring whip base defined in claim 1 wherein the hollow support housing and the hollow swivel housing are each a right rectangular prismatic tubular member having a rectangular perimeter

3. The mooring whip base defined in claim 2 wherein the polygonal frame is rectangular, the locking plate being attached to a lower side of the polygonal frame, the polygonal frame resting on an upper edge of the hollow support housing upon a disposition of the hollow swivel housing in the vertical or upright orientation relative to the hollow support housing.

4. The mooring whip base defined in claim 1, further comprising a mounting member, the hollow support housing being fixed to the mounting member, the mounting member being connectable at least indirectly to the dock.

5. The mooring whip base defined in claim 1 wherein the hollow support housing, the hollow swivel housing, the polygonal frame, and the locking plate are all made of polymeric material.

6. The mooring whip base defined in claim 1 wherein the shaft is cylindrical with an outer diameter, the openings being larger than the outer diameter.

7. A mooring whip base comprising: a support attachable to a dock; a swivel member at least pivotably mounted to the support, a lower end of a mooring pole being releasably couplable to the swivel member; a shaft attaching the swivel member to the support and configured with the swivel member and the support so that the swivel member is pivotable relative to the support; and a locking member slidably connected to the swivel member for movement along the swivel member, the locking member including an extension projecting in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the swivel member, the extension being releasably couplable with the support for temporarily preventing pivoting of the swivel member upon a disposition thereof in a vertical or upright orientation relative to the support.

8. The mooring whip base defined in claim 7 wherein the support and the swivel member each take the form of a tubular member, a lower end of the swivel member being inserted into the support.

9. The mooring whip base defined in claim 7 wherein the shaft defines a pivot axis of the swivel member, the shaft being fixed to the support.

10. The mooring whip base defined in claim 9 wherein the shaft traverses a pair of openings in the swivel member, the shaft being cylindrical with an outer diameter, the openings being larger than the outer diameter.

11. The mooring whip base defined in claim 8 wherein said locking member surrounds the swivel member and is slidable along the swivel member parallel to an axis thereof, the extension being attached to a lower side of the locking member, the locking member resting on an upper edge of the support and the extension being located inside an upper end of the support upon a disposition of the swivel member in the vertical or upright orientation relative to the support.

12. The mooring whip base defined in claim 7, further comprising a mounting member, the support being fixed to the mounting member, the mounting member being connectable at least indirectly to the dock.

13. The mooring whip base defined in claim 7 wherein the support, the swivel member, the locking member, and the extension are all made of polymeric material.

14. A mooring whip base comprising: a hollow right rectangular prismatic support housing attachable to a dock; a hollow right rectangular prismatic swivel housing having a lower portion disposed in the support housing for pivoting relative thereto, a lower end of a mooring pole being insertable into the hollow right rectangular prismatic swivel housing, the hollow right rectangular prismatic swivel housing having two opposed walls provided each provided with an opening; a shaft fixed to the hollow right rectangular prismatic support housing and traversing the openings in the two opposed walls of the hollow right rectangular prismatic swivel housing; a rectangular frame surrounding the hollow right rectangular prismatic swivel housing and slidably mounted thereto; and a locking plate extending from the rectangular frame in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the hollow right rectangular prismatic swivel housing, the locking plate being insertable into the hollow right rectangular prismatic support housing at an upper end thereof for releasably preventing pivoting of the hollow right rectangular prismatic swivel housing relative to the hollow right rectangular prismatic support housing upon a disposition of the hollow right rectangular prismatic swivel housing in a vertical or upright orientation relative to the hollow right rectangular prismatic support housing.

15. The mooring whip base defined in claim 14 wherein the rectangular frame rests on an upper edge of the hollow right rectangular prismatic support housing upon a disposition of the hollow right rectangular prismatic swivel housing in the vertical or upright orientationrelative to the hollow right rectangular prismatic support housing.

16. The mooring whip base defined in claim 14, further comprising a mounting member, the hollow right rectangular prismatic support housing being fixed to the mounting member, the mounting member being connectable at least indirectly to the dock.

17. The mooring whip base defined in claim 14 wherein the hollow right rectangular prismatic support housing, the hollow right rectangular prismatic swivel housing, the rectangular frame, and the locking plate are all made of polymeric material.

18. The mooring whip base defined in claim 14 wherein the shaft is cylindrical with an outer diameter, the openings being larger than the outer diameter.

19. A mooring method comprising: providing a whip base including a support attached to a dock; inserting a lower end of a mooring pole into a swivel member pivotably attached to the support; pivoting the swivel member relative to the support so that the mooring pole extends at an acute angle from the dock towards a watercraft; extending a mooring line partially about a pulley at the end of the mooring pole; attaching an end of the mooring line to the water craft and fastening an opposite end of the mooring line at least indirectly to the dock; subsequently detaching the mooring line from the water craft and pivoting the mooring pole and the swivel member so that the mooring pole assumes a substantially vertical orientation; sliding a locking member along the swivel member and inserting a locking tab on the locking member into an upper end of the support, to releasably lock the swivel member to the support with the mooring pole in the substantially vertical orientation; subsequently sliding the locking member at least partially upwardly along the swivel member and removing the locking tab from the support; and thereafter tilting the swivel member and the mooring pole away from the dock and over a water-traveling vessel located beside the dock.

20. The method defined in claim 19 wherein the pivoting and the tilting of said swivel member each include shifting the swivel member laterally relative to a shaft connected to the support and concomitantly translating the swivel member relative to the support, the swivel member having two opposed walls provided each provided with an opening, the shaft traversing the openings, the shaft being cylindrical with an outer diameter, the openings being larger than the outer diameter thereby enabling play in movement of the swivel member relative to the support.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a mooring whip base in accordance with the present invention, showing the base in a locked vertical position.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the mooring whip base of FIG. 1, showing the base in an angled or downwardly inclined working position.

[0024] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the mooring whip base of FIGS. 1 and 2, showing components thereof.

[0025] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the mooring whip base of FIGS. 1-3, showing the base assembled with a mooring pole inserted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] As illustrated in the drawings, a pole holder or mooring whip base 10 for holding a mooring pole 12 (FIG. 4) comprises a hollow support housing 1, a pole-supporting hollow swivel housing 2, a shaft 8, and a sliding drop lock 3 in the form of a polygonal frame surrounding and in slidingly engagement with the swivel housing 2. The mooring pole 12 is inserted into and rests in the swivel pole housing 2. When the mooring pole 12 and concomitantly the swivel pole housing 2 are rotated from an inclined working configuration (see FIGS. 1 and 4) to a vertical inactive or storage orientation (see FIG. 2), the rectangular drop lock 3 falls along the swivel housing 2 and seats on an upper edge or perimeter 14 of support housing 1. A locking plate or tab extension 4 rigid with the swivel housing 2 inserts into an upper end of support housing 1, and locks swivel housing 2 and necessarily mooring pole 12 to the support housing 1 and a dock 16 to which the support housing is fastened by bolts 18 traversing holes 6 in a mounting plate or flange 7 at a bottom end of support housing 1.

[0027] The swivel housing 2 has a lower portion (not separately designated) movably disposed in the support housing 1, a lower end of the mooring pole 12 being removably inserted into the swivel housing. As shown in FIG. 3, the support housing 1 has two opposed walls 20 and 22 each provided with a respective opening 20′ and 22′. The shaft 8 is at least translatably fixed to the support housing 1 in the openings 20′ and 22′.

[0028] The locking plate or tab 4 extends from the polygonal drop-lock frame 3 in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis 24 (FIG. 2) of the swivel housing 2. The locking plate or tab 4 is insertable into the hollow support housing 1 at an upper end thereof for releasably preventing a pivoting of the swivel housing 2 upon a disposition thereof in a vertical or upright orientation relative to the support housing, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4.

[0029] The support housing 1 and the swivel housing 2 each have the form of a right rectangular prismatic tubular member having a rectangular perimeter or wall. The sliding polygonal drop-lock frame 3 is concomitantly rectangular, with the locking plate or tab 4 being attached to a lower side of the drop-lock frame. The drop-lock frame 3 rests on the upper edge or perimeter 14 of the support housing 1 upon a disposition of the swivel housing 2 in the vertical or upright orientation (FIG. 2) relative to the support housing.

[0030] Plate or flange 7 constitutes a mounting member serving to attach the support housing 1 at least indirectly to the dock 16. The support housing 1, the hollow swivel housing 2, the polygonal drop-lock frame 3, and the locking plate or tab 4 are all preferably made of a hard and substantially rigid polymeric material. The various components which are attached to one another may be bonded my adhesive, heat welding, ultrasonic welding or any other appropriate technique.

[0031] The shaft 8 connecting the swivel housing 2 to the support housing 1 is preferably cylindrical and has an outer diameter. The swivel housing 2 has a pair of opposed walls 28 and 30 provided with respective openings 28′ and 30′ traversed by the shaft 8. Openings 28′ and 30′ are over-size, that is, larger than the outer diameter of the shaft 8, thereby providing for translational play in the movement of the swivel housing 2 relative to the support housing 1. Openings 28′ and 30′ may be circular with a larger diameter than that of the shaft 8, or may be elongate and extending in a direction towards the water and a ‘moored boat.

[0032] Flange 7 is configured for attaching support housing 1 and accordingly the entire mooring whip base 10 to a horizontal surface, such as the upper surface (not separately designated) of the dock 16. One skilled in the art will realize that the support housing may be attached to other structures of a dock, such as a piling. In that case, flange 7 is omitted and a side wall 20 or 22 is affixed to the piling exemplarily via a C-channel (not shown).

[0033] A mooring whip base 10 as disclosed herein broadly comprises the support 1, the swivel member 2, the shaft 8, and the locking member 3. The support 1 is attachable to dock 16. The swivel member 2 is at least pivotably mounted to the support 1. The swivel member 2 may translate to a limited extent relative to the support 1 to enable the pivoting movement of the swivel housing with or without the mooring pole 12 inserted therein. The shaft 8 attaches the swivel member 2 to the support 1 and is configured with the swivel member 2 and the support 1 so that the swivel member 2 is pivotable relative to the support 1. The locking member 3 slidably connects to the swivel member 2 for movement along the swivel member. The locking member 3 automatically slides down the swivel member 2 when the latter is pivoted, together with the mooring pole 12, from an inclined working position (FIG. 4) to a vertical neutral or storage position. The locking member 3 includes the extension, tongue or tab 4 projecting in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 24 of the swivel member 2. The extension 4 is releasably couplable to the support 1 for temporarily preventing pivoting of the swivel member 2 upon a disposition thereof in a vertical or upright orientation relative to the support. It is to be noted that in the vertical storage configuration the swivel member 2 and the mooring pole 12 need not stand rigid but are held sufficiently vertical to not interfere with boat mooring and launching procedures.

[0034] Preferably, the support 1 and the swivel member 2 each take the form of a tubular member, with a lower end of the swivel member being inserted into the support. More preferably, the support 1 and the swivel member 2 each take the form of a right rectangular prismatic tubular member—that is, a box-like configuration.

[0035] The locking member 3 preferably surrounds the swivel member 2 and is slidable along the swivel member parallel to the axis 24 thereof, the extension or tongue or tab 4 being attached to a lower side of the locking member. The locking member 3 rests on the upper edge 14 of the support 1 and the extension 4 is located inside an upper end of the support upon a disposition of the swivel member 2 in the vertical or upright orientation relative to the support.

[0036] In mooring a boat or other water craft (not shown) to the dock 16, the user inserts a lower end of the mooring pole 12 into the swivel member 2 and pivots the swivel member 2 relative to the support 1 so that the mooring pole 12 extends at an acute angle from the dock 16 towards (and perhaps over) a watercraft. The user extends a mooring line or rope 32 (FIG. 4) partially about a pulley 34 at the end of the mooring pole 12, attaches an end of the mooring line 32 to the water craft, and fastens an opposite end of the mooring line 32 at least indirectly to the dock 16. The user subsequently detaches the mooring line 32 from the water craft, for instance, when the water craft is to be placed into service, and pivots the mooring pole 12 and the swivel member 2 so that the mooring pole assumes a substantially vertical orientation. The locking member 3 slides along the swivel member 2 to rest on the upper edge 14 of the support housing 1 while the locking tab 4 inserts into an upper end of the support 1. The locking tab 4 releasably restrains the swivel member 2 relative to the support 1 to hold the mooring pole 12 in the substantially vertical orientation. Subsequently the user slides the locking member 3 at least partially upwardly along the swivel member 2 and removes the locking tab 4 from the support 1, thereafter tilting the swivel member 2 and the mooring pole 12 away from the dock and over a water-traveling vessel located beside the dock. The pivoting and the tilting of the swivel member 2 each includes shifting the swivel member laterally relative to the shaft 8 (connected to the support 1) and concomitantly translating the swivel member 2 relative to the support 1.

[0037] From the description above, a number of advantages of the preferred embodiment of the pole holder vertical mounting swivel support base become evident. Having the means and particular structure and soundness of to be vertically mounted and locked in position the vertical mounting swivel support base 1 can be more securely mounted to a portion of a dock structure that provides a more substantial means of support required for loads that occur from boats larger or small. The ability to mechanically swivel to a vertical position the base support containing the pole and its housing to a vertical position eliminating any possible collision with the poles and lines attached to the poles and any part of the boat while leaving or returning from docking a boat. The ability to manually swivel to a vertical position the pole support and the ability to maintain a positive vertical position by means of a locking device unquestionably secures the pole in a vertical position eliminating any possible collision with the whip poles and lines attached to the whip poles and any part of the boat while leaving or returning from the dock.

[0038] Although the invention has been described in terms of particular embodiments and applications, one of ordinary skill in the art, in light of this teaching, can generate additional embodiments and modifications without departing from the spirit of or exceeding the scope of the claimed invention.

[0039] While the above description contains much specificity, the specific features should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as an exemplification of one preferred embodiment thereof. Many other variations are possible, for example:

[0040] A. Swivel pole holders as described herein may be securely mounted to dock pilings, fixed position pole holders mounted on pilings, and fixed position pole holders mounted on the deck of docks.

[0041] B. The widths, lengths, sizes and shapes of the components may vary but with no effectual change on the advantages provided by this invention.

[0042] C. This invention demonstrates how the poles may be rotated vertically, positioned manually. However the rotation and positioning can be accomplished by other means, for instance, with the use of counter weights and the introduction of tension springs. Thus the vertical swivel may be partially or completely automatic.

[0043] D. The whip pole 12 may also be extended over the dock and boat using a vertical mount but in a fixed angled position secured firmly to the vertical support.

[0044] Accordingly, it is to be understood that the drawings and descriptions herein are proffered by way of example to facilitate comprehension of the invention and should not be construed to limit the scope thereof.