Dock waler

Abstract

The invention provides a dock waler moulded from a settable material, where the dock waler defines a main body which encloses a volume and defines at least one interior cavity. The main body also defines at least one engagement structure arranged to engage with a complimentary engagement structure formed in a dock float assembly.

Claims

1. A dock waler moulded from a settable material and configured to engage together a plurality of dock float assemblies, the dock waler defining a main body which encloses a volume and defines at least one interior cavity, the body defining at least one engagement structure arranged to interlock with a complimentary engagement structure formed in a dock float assembly vertically orientated side wall of a dock float assembly with a void in one engagement structure being filled by a projection provided by the other, where said at least one engagement structure of a dock waler defines at least one angled contact surface arranged to contact a complimentary angled contact surface formed in a complimentary engagement structure, said angled contact surfaces being orientated at an angle to a vertical plane when interlocked with a vertically orientated side wall of a dock float assembly, the volume enclosed by the main body being arranged to receive at least a portion of a tie rod configured to hold the engagement structure of a dock waler in contact with the complimentary engagement structure of a dock float assembly, wherein the engagement structure of a dock waler impedes vertical movement of the dock waler at least in the region where a tie rod extends from a dock float and into the interior volume of the dock water when said engagement structure is engaged with the complimentary engagement structure of a dock float and said at least one angled contact surface of the engagement structure translates vertical loads placed on the waler into horizontal tensioning forces applied to the tie rod.

2. A dock waler as claimed in claim 1 wherein the settable material is formed from or incorporates thermoplastics.

3. A dock waler as claimed in claim 1 wherein the settable material is formed from or incorporates fibre reinforced plastics.

4. A dock waler as claimed in claim 1 wherein the settable material is formed from or incorporates a thermosetting resin.

5. A dock waler as claimed in claim 1 wherein the settable material is formed from or incorporates a thermoplastic resin.

6. A dock wider as claimed in claim 1 wherein the main body defines at least two access ports which are configured to locate at least one service conduit run through the at least one interior cavity of the main body.

7. A dock waler as claimed in claim 6 wherein said at least one service conduit provides any one Or combination of member selected from the group consisting of: fresh water, hydrocarbon based fuels, electrical energy supply currents and/or form one or more communications cables.

8. A dock waler as claimed in claim 1 which incorporates one or more internal strengthening ribs which span said at least one interior cavity.

9. A dock waler as claimed in claim 1 wherein an engagement structure is formed from a triangular projection which is received by a matching slot defined in a complimentary engagement structure.

10. A dock waler as claimed in claim 1 wherein the dock waler defines a flex control structure at a longitudinal end of the dock waler, said flex control structure being arranged to contact a complimentary flex control structure formed in a dock float assembly when the end or ends of the dock waler flex out of alignment with the longitudinal axis of the dock waler.

11. A dock waler as claimed in claim 10 which defines a flex control structure at each longitudinal end of the dock waler.

12. A dock waler as claimed in claim 10 wherein a flex control structure is defined by a projection which tapers in height as it as it extends towards the end of the waler.

13. A dock waler as claimed in claim 10 wherein a flex control structure is defined by a recess in the main body of the waler which flares in height as it as it extends towards the end of the waler.

14. A dock waler as claimed in claim 10 wherein a radius of curvature defined in the form of the flex control structures control the degree of allowable flex of ends of the waler.

15. A floating dock which includes at least one dock waler as claimed in claim 1, and at least two of the dock float assemblies each defining a complimentary engagement structure, the plurality of dock float assemblies being engaged together by the engagement structure of a dock waler contacting the complimentary engagement structures of the dock float assemblies, at least one tie rod connected to each dock float assembly and extending in to a dock waler, said tie rods being configured to hold the engagement structure of a dock waler in contact with the complimentary engagement structure of a dock float assembly, wherein the engagement structure of a dock waler impedes vertical movement of the dock waler at least in the region where a tie rod extends from a dock float and into the interior volume of the dock waler when said engagement structure is engaged with the complimentary engagement structure of a dock float and said at least one angled contact surface of die engagement structure translates vertical loads placed on the waler into horizontal tensioning forces applied to the tie rod.

16. A floating dock as claimed in claim 15 wherein an engagement structure and its compliment are connected together by a laterally sliding the dock waler along the perimeter side of a float assembly.

17. A floating dock as claimed in claim 15 wherein a dock float assembly forms a complimentary flex control structure which defines a projection which tapers in height as it extends towards the end of the dock float assembly.

18. A floating dock as claimed in claim 15 wherein a dock float assembly forms a complimentary flex control structure which defines a recess which flares in height as it extends towards the end of the dock float assembly.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Additional and further aspects of the present invention will be apparent to the reader from the following description of one embodiment, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a floating dock provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of the front right corner region C of the floating dock of FIG. 1,

(4) FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the floating dock of FIG. 1,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a side view of the floating dock of FIG. 1,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a transverse cross section view of the floating dock of FIG. 1 through section D-D shown in FIG. 4,

(7) FIG. 6 shows a detailed view of region E of FIG. 5,

(8) FIG. 7 shows a side view of the floating dock of FIG. 1 with portions of the dock waler removed,

(9) FIG. 8 shows a transverse cross section view of the floating dock of FIG. 1 at the intersection of the pair of dock float assemblies, and

(10) FIG. 9 shows a detailed view of region B of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(11) FIGS. 1 to 9 show a floating dock 1 provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention. The floating dock includes two dock walers 2 which are locked in place on either side of two dock float assemblies 3.

(12) The exploded view of FIG. 3 shows how an array of tie rods 4 are threaded through each waler 2 and the dock float assemblies 3 to lock these components together using tie rod nuts 5.

(13) Each dock waler 2 is moulded from a settable material, in this embodiment being from plastic. The dock waler defines a main body which encloses a volume and defines a series of interior cavities. As can be seen from the enlargement view of FIG. 2 the main body of a waler defines two access ports 6 allowing service conduits to be run through the interior cavity of the main body.

(14) Each dock waler defines an engagement structure 7 which is arranged to engage with a complimentary engagement structure 8 formed in the dock float assemblies. These engagement structures and their compliments are orientated along the longitudinal axis of the waler. The tie rods and nuts hold the engagement structures of a dock waler in contact with the complimentary engagement structures of the dock float assemblies.

(15) FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 show these engagement structures in more detail. In the embodiment shown the engagement structures are arranged to project into complimentary cavities formed in the sides of each dock float assembly.

(16) Each engagement structure of a dock waler defines a pair of angled contact surfaces 9 which contact complimentary angled contact surfaces 10 formed in the complimentary engagement structure of the dock float assembly. These angled contact surfaces are orientated at an angle to a vertical plane when integrated into the resulting floating dock.

(17) FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 show details of flex control structures 11 provided in each dock float assembly. In particular each dock float assembly defines a pair of flex control structure 11 at each of its longitudinal ends. These flex control structures contact a complimentary flex control structure 12 formed in a dock waler when the end or ends of the dock waler flex out of alignment with the longitudinal axis of the dock waler. In the embodiment shown the complimentary flex control structure of each dock waler is the same form as that used to provide the waler's engagement structures.

(18) It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described herein and further and additional embodiments within the spirit and scope of the invention will be apparent to the skilled reader from the examples illustrated with reference to the drawings. In particular, the invention may reside in any combination of features described herein, or may reside in alternative embodiments or combinations of these features with known equivalents to given features. Modifications and variations of the example embodiments of the invention discussed above will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departure of the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.