AU638931B2 - Boat mooring system - Google Patents

Description

II II 638931 FORM COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (Original) Class Int. Class Application Number: PI 8335 Lodged: 19/05/88 Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority: 'Related Art: Name of Applicant: Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Complete Specification GARY JOHN ROBINSON 57 South Terrace, Como, W.A. 6151.

GARY JOHN ROBINSON WATERMARK PATENT ATTORNEYS SUITE 18, 159 ADELAIDE TERRACE, EAST PERTH, W.A. 6004.

for the invention entitled: BOAT MOORING SYSTEM 4 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me.

-nCW' C' I i I i .BOAT MOORING SYSTEM This invention relates to a system to assist in the mooring of a boat and which may, if desired, be used as part of the permanent mooring.

The manoeuvring of a boat into the required relationship to a mooring such as a jetty or in a boat pen, can be a difficult task, even under favourable weather conditions, and becomes a more difficult task when conditions of wind or moving waters are resolved. This problem is further aggravated by the relatively small distance allowed between rows or mooring pens in modern day marinas. The limitation on available manoeuvring space arises from the high costs of mooring facilities and the need to achieve a high pen to marina area ratio.

All of these factors contribute to the difficulty of manoeuvring a boat into a required mooring position, and securing the boat without undesirable contact between the boat and the surrounding structures, or adjoining boats, which may give rise to damage to the boat and/or structure.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a mooring system which will assist in the accurate manoeuvring of the boat mooring position with a minimum of difficulty and skill.

With this object in view, there is provided a boat mooring system comprising two laterally spaced flexible non-resilient guide members each secured at each end in a tensioned condition to define a passage for a boat to i be moored to freely enter one end of the passage and be guided during progress along said passage to be centralised therein, said guide members being secured at the end opposite to the entry •o 25 end of the passage by means adapted to progressively increase the tension in Sthe guide members in response to the advancing of the boat along the passage to a level to resist further movement of the boat along the passage.

More specifically there is provided a boat mooring system comprising a pair of laterally spaced guide members anchored at each end to extend in a tensioned condition along opposite sides of a boat to be moored, a cross member interconnecting said guide members at a location spaced from each end of the guide members and spaced from one and thereof (hereinafter (4R q 9 Il

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I- II ~x referred to as "the entry end") a distance not substantially less than the length of the boat to be moored, said guide members being tensioned so that upon a boat entering between the guide members at the entry end and applying a thrust to the cross member by the motion of the boat, the guide members are drawn inwardly to engage the opposite sides of the boat in a tensioned condition to restrain the boat therebetween.

The tensioned guide members will restrain the craft in a central position therebetween so long as the thrust is maintained on the cross member sufficient to draw the guide members into engagement with the opposite sides of the boat. In normal use, the motor of the boat will remairn in a driving condition operation, preferably in an idle condition so as to maintain the required thrust on the cross member. With the boat so held between the guide members, appropriate action can be taken to fix lines between the boat and an adjacent mooring structure to secure the boat in the required position. Preferably the mooring lines are arranged so that the boat will be maintained in a position to apply forward thrust to the cross member after the motor has been stopped.

It will be appreciated that once the boat has entered between the guide members and applied the necessary thrust to the cross-member, the boat will be effectively restrained between the two guide members and can not move laterally to contact adjacent boats or structures. The principal function of the mooring system is to centrally locate the boat in the mooring location without the exercie of major skills cn the part of the operator of the boat, and then hold the boat in that position whilst the conventional mooring lines are fixed. In addition, if required, the guide members may be retained in position after the mooring S 25 lines have been fixed to complement the mooring lines in holding the craft in a central position clear of adjacent structures or other boat.

Conveniently the guide members are of rope or a rope like member made of a natural synthetic material, and each is fixedly anchored at the entry end, and at the opposite end is connected through a resilient element, such as a spring, to a rigid fixed structure so that the guide members are i S maintained in a tensioned condition at all times. The cross-member may also be of'the same flexible inelastic material as the guide members, and may 'Ti II I OPII conveniently be attached to each of the guide members at a location in the vicinity of the connection between the guide members and the springs. When there is no boat within the area between the two guide members, the three components consisting of the two guide members and the cross-member will all be maintained in a tensioned state by the springs, with the guide members laterally spaced apart a distance not substantially greater and preferably narrower than the width of the draft at its greater beam with at the level of the guide members, which is normally at a level near high tide, preferably above high tide, at the entry end and may raise towards the jetty end.

In one proposed construction the end of each guide member, opposite to the entry end, is secured to the free end of one arm of respective rigid two armed member. The other arm of each rigid member projects across the area I *ell 6 Bi S..r C r between the two guide member, with the free ends of said other arms being interconnected by a flexible element.

Individual springs are coupled to each two armed member in the vicinity of the respective junction of the two arms.

The other end of each spring is anchored to a fixed structure.

In the free state the tension generated by the springs in the respective guide members orientates each two armed member so that the respective other arms extend generally in align across the space between the guide members, and the respective one arm generally extends in the direction of the guide members.

Upon a boat entering between the guide members a sufficient distance, it will contact and apply a thrust to the flexible member between the other arms extending across between the guide members. This thrust applied by the boat will cause the two armed members to pivot forwardly about their connection to the respective springs. This moves the respective arms on either side of the boat inwardly tbwards the sides of the boat. At the same time the portion of each guide member rearward of the two-armed member is deflected inwardly to engage the respective sides of the boat, or at least apply pressure against the side of the boat, at least i in the vicinity of the maximum beam width of the boat.

The invention will be more readily understood from the following description of two practical arrangements of the boat mooring system as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

rIn the drawings: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of one embodiment of the mooring system applied to a boat as viewed from above with the boat in the'moored position; Figure 2 is a similar diagrammatic view to Figure 1 of a second embodiment of the mooring system; Figure 3 is a longitudinal section view of the tension device suitable for use in the mooring system; i Figure 4 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the mooring system; -6- Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 with a boat in position in the mooring system; Figure 6 is a view from above of the mooring system applied to a floating duel pen structure; Figure 7 is an enlarged detail view of a corner area of the mooring system shown in Figure 6.

Referring now to Figure 1, the boat 4 is moored in relation to a jetty 3. The jetty 3 providing two fixed piles 9 with a further two fixed piles 6 are located in general alignment with the piles 9, but spaced from the jetty into the surrounding water area a distance to be astern of the area of maximum beam of the boat when moored, and conveniently a distance about the overall length of the boat to be moored.

The two guide members 5 are anchored respectively at one end to the seaward piles 6. The guide members 5 are conveniently made of a belting or webbing type of material which is flexible but non-stretchable or resilient. At the forward end the guide members 5 are connected to respective cables 7 which may conveniently be of a rope form such as a wire rope. The cables 7 are in turn connected to one end of respective tension devices 8, the other ends of which are securbd to the respective piles 9.

The cross member 10 is made of a flexible non-resilient material, conveniently the same as the guide members 5, and is connected to the cables 7 through ring fittings 11 so that the cross member 10 has freedom of movement along the length of the cables 7. The tension applied by the devices 8 is such that when there is no boat in the mooring, the cross member 10 will slide rearward to the junction of the cable 7 with the guide members 5, with the cross member stretched in tension in a straight line between the guide members.

In use, the boat to be moored is driven under power between the two piles 6, which are spaced apart a distance to provide significant clearance for the widest part of the boat to pass therebetween even if the boat is not moving on a path midway between the piles 6. As the boat advances ii between the two guide members 5, a point will be reached where the bow of the boat will engage the flexible cross member 10, whereafter further forward movement of the boat will deflect the cross member into a shallow V formation, and also move the rings 11 at the ends of the cross member along the cables 7.

This deflection and movement of the cross member will effect a braking on the movement of the boat and also narrow the distance between the guide members 5 at the point where the rings 11ii are located. When this width is decreased sufficiently, the guide members 5 will contact the sides of the boat at approximately the location of maximum beam of the boat.

1 a The length of the cross member 10 and of the cable 7, and the spacing between the piles 9 are selected so that the rings 7 will normally be located at the jetty end of the cable 7 when the guide members 5 have been brought into pressure contact with the sides of the hull. In this way there will be no binding of the rings 11 against the ends of the cable 7 where they connect with the devices 8.

So long as a thrust is applied by the boat against the cross member 10, such as by maintaining the boat engine running at an idle speed, the tensioned guide members 5 will be in pressure engagement with the opposite sides of the boat so as to maintain it in a central position with respect to the piles 9 and 6. Whilst the boat is held in this S position, the normal mooring lines can be secured between the boat and the adjacent fixed structures, such as the piles 6 and 9 to effectively moor the boat. After the mooring lines have been secured, the boat may be permitted to move rearwardly so as to disengage the cross member however, it is preferrable that 'the boat is moored so as to maintain a thrust against the cross member 10, whereby the guide members 5 and the cross member 10 will complement the mooring lines in maintaining the boat in the required location. i *rrc~- -8- In the alternative embodiment of the present invention, as depicted in Figure 2, the arrangement of the piles 6 and 9 and the guide members 5 of flexible non-elastic webbing remain the same, however the cables 7 and cross member 10 are replaced by two right angled rigid members 13, which conveniently may be made of steel, with the free ends of one arm of each member being interconnected at 15 by a small section of flexible material. Each rigid member 13 is connected at the junction of the two arms 17 thereof to respective tension members 8, whilst the free end of the other arm 16 of each rigid member is connected to the forward end of the respective guide members Alternatively, the guide members may extend around the bow of the boat with the respective arms of each member 13 connected thereto at spaced locations, The boat 4 enters the mooring system in the same manner as previously described with respect to Figure 1 and the bow of the boat will engage the section of flexible member 15 whereafter the forward thrust of the boat will force the rigid members to pivot forwardly, about their point of connection to the springs 8, and the ends of the arms 16 connected to the guide members 5, to pivot inwardly towards the respective sides of the boat.

In this way, the bow of the boat is positively located between the arms 17 of the rigid members and the tensioned guide member 5 are in pressure engagement with the boat on either side thereof. Again, as previously described, the boat may be permanently moored by mooring lines in the normal fashion once it has been centrally located by the mooring system as above described.

In the construction described with reference to Figure 2, the rigid two armed member 13 may be replaced by two pivotal connected arms with a resilient member, such as a spring connected therebetween, urging the arms toward a generally parallel relation.

In the constructions above described, the means for anchoring the guide members and/or the tensions devices mayi I ~giB -I

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-9be arranged to move with the tide to locate the guide members above the water at all times.

It will be appreciated that in previously described constructions the two guide members 5 are at all times in a tensioned condition. It is preferrable for the tensior, to be of a level that while the boat is moving up between the tensioned guide member, if the boat contacts either of the guide members, it will tend to rebound off the guide member and to take up a central position therebetween.

In a modified form only one guide member may be provided to be along one side of the boat only. In such a construction, provision is made on the cross member to limit the movement of the bow of the boat therealong in a direction away from the single guide member. When a boat is 15 being moored in this modified form of the system, the rudder of the boat is positioned to bias the boat in the direction towards the guide member. In a further modification of this arrangement, two guide members may be provided, spaced apart a distance sufficient to receive two boats therebetween.

Each boat is directed towards a respective single guide member during mooring. Bollards are located between the boats when moored.

The mooring system as proposed herein will S" contribute substantially to accurately positioning a boat in the required location for mooring, and hold the boat in that position while mooring ropes are secured.

The tension device 8 previously referred to comprises a cylindrical casing 39 having an attachment lug 38 at one end. The compression spring 37 is housed in the casing 39 with the rod 36 extending through the spring 37 i and projecting from the end 35 of the casing 39. The rod 36 carries an attachment lug 33 at the projecting end and a plate 34 at the end within the casing. The spring 37 is located about the rod 36 and between the plate 34 and the end 35 of the casing. Tension forces applied through the attachment lugs 38 and 33 are transmitted through the compression springs 37' This construction has the advantage i i i that in the event of the failure of the spring 37, the connection between members attached to the lugs 38 and 33 is maintained. Ordinary tension springs can be used as a substitute for the tension devices 8, however, the failure of such a spring would result in complete separation of the members attached to each end thereof.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings, wherein there is disclosed an embodiment of the present invention particularly adapted for use where the boat enters the mooring while going astern.

This embodiment of the invfntion may also be used in the mooring of boats having a flat or wide bow, or multi-hull o boats, such as catamarans.

The two piles 20 and 21 are spaced from the jetty or mooring structure a distance approximating the overall length of the boat to be moored and are spaced laterally from one another a distance to provide for the passage of the boat therebetween with adequate clearance. The pair of guide members 22 and 23 are anchored to the respective piles 20 and 21, and are of a flexible non-resilient material conveniently of a non-elastic webbing construction.

The other ends of the guide members 22 and 23 are provided with rings or pulleys 25 and 26 which can slide or roll along the cross member 27 fixedly secured at 28 and 29 to the jetty or mooring structure.

The cross-member 27 is made of a flexible non-resilient material such as a wire rope, which is naturally of a galvanised or stainless steel material.

Incorporated into the cross-member 27 adjacent each end thereof are resilient tensioning devices 30 and 31, which may either be made of a heavy duty resilient material, such as rubber, or of a metal sp-ing, the construction of which has been described in further detail hereinbefore. The length of the cross-member 27 and the length of the guide members 22 and 23 are selected so that when in a free condition without a boat moored between the guide members 22 Ii and 23, said guide members will form a passage which tapers 1 p' ii i- i I L' -11or converges from the piles 20 and 21, towards the mooring structure as shown in Figure 3. In this configuration the guide members 22 and 23 and the cross-member 27 are in a taut tensioned state as a result of the tension developed by the tension devices Provided on the cross-member 27 approximately equally spaced on opposite sides of the midpoint of the cross-member are two stop sleeves 31 and 32 which may be conveniently of a split construction so that they may be clamped in position about the cross-member 27. The stop sleeves 31 and 32 are spaced apart along the length of the cross-member 27 a distance less than the width of the boat at the stern so that when the boat is in the moored position, the pulleys 25 and 26 on the ends of the guide members 22 and 23 cannot move apart a distance equal to or greater than the width across the stern of the boat.

It is to be understood that if a flat bowed or multi-hulled craft is to be accommodated in the mooring, then the spacing of the stop sleeves 31 and 32 wouild be determined by the lateral dimension of the bow of the hull.

As can be seen in Figuve 4 of the drawings, when a boat is driven astern into the mooring, the guide members 22 and 23 are forced by the boat to move laterally apart at the jetty end, which is accommodated by the pulleys 25 and 26 being displaced along the cross-member 27 towards the respective stop sleeves 31 and 32. As the boat moves further into the passage between the guide members 22 and 23 the guide members will progressively engage the opposite sides of the boat providing a guiding of the boat into a central position with respect to the piles 20 and 21, and the anchor points of the cross-member 27. It will further be appreciated that the movement of the pulleys 25 and 26 along the cross-member from the central portion thereof towards the respective stop sleeves 31 and 32 will result in some increase in the effective length of the cross-member 27, which is accommodated by the tension devices 30 and 31. i if i The lengths of the guide members 22 and 23, and of the cross-member 27, and the spacing of the stop sleeves 31 and 32, are selected so that as the boat is driven astern into the mooring, it will reach a position such as that shown in Figure 5, where the guide members 22 and 23 will prevent further movement of the boat astern with the boat being spaced clear of the jetty or mooring structure. Once the boat has reached this position, the con-"''tional mooring lines can be fixed between the bow of the boaL and the piles 20 and 21, and between the stern of the boat and the jetty or mooring structure. The boat engine is preferably kept running and driving the boat in the direction to maintain the Iguide members in tension and so maintain the boat in position until the mooring lines are secured, Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention particularly suitable for use in conjunction with a floating jetty or floating mooring pens, although it may be used in conjunction with a conventional static jetty or mooring pen. Figure 6 is a view from"above of a dual mooring pen with the present invention incorporated in each pen.

The main jetty portion 40 floats on the water surface and is restrained to relatively up and down movement by suitable piles in the known manner, Projecting laterally at intervals along the length of the jetty 40 are pen walls 41 which at their respective outer ends, aree lso guided in r.'w up and down movement by fixed piles such as indicated at 43 I in Figure 6. In the area of the junction between the respective pen walls 41 and 42 and the jetty 40, there are provided respective bracket assemblies 44 and 45 secured in the at the junction of the respective pen walls with the jetty. Pivotally supported at 4'6 to each bracket 44 and is an upwardly projecting rod 47 with a tension device 48 i connected between the rod 47 and the bracket 44 or 45. The tension device 48 is of a construction similar to that previously described with respect to Figure 3 of the i drawings, being pivotally connected at 49 and respectively to the rod 47 and bracket 44.

-~f~^lL i: -13- At the upper free end of each rod 47, there is provided a elongated rigid loop 51. A continuous length of flexible strapping 55 is secured at its respective ends at or near the outer end of the respective pen walls 41 and 42, as indicated at 53 and 54, and passes through the elongated loops 51 attached to the respective rods 47 at the inner ends of the pen walls 41 and 42. The effective length of the flexible strap between the anchor points at each end thereof is selected so that the rods 47 are outwardly deflected with respect to the pivot axes thereof so that the tension devices 48 are under tension and applying a force to the rods 47 tending to pull the strapping outwardly at the respective corners. The action of the tension devices 48 generate the desired level of tension in the strapping Approximately central between the two pen walls 41 and 42, there is provided secured to the jetty 40 a fixed stay rod 60 which is rigidly attached to the bracket 61 so as to project upwardly and outwardly over the water from the edge of the jetty 40. This rigid stay also carries an elongated loop 63 at the upper end thereof through which the strapping piece 65 passes with the respective ends of the strapping piece 65 secured at 66 and 67 to the main strapping member. Also at the respective corners of the main strapping where it passes through the elongated loops 51, a corner strapping 67 is provided which is secured at each end .68 and 69 to the main strapping member. The corner strappings provide protection against accidental contact S between the craft and the rods 47 and 48, and also assist in the guiding of the bow of the craft into a central location on the strapping extending across the path of the boat entering the pen. Thus upon a boat entering the pen and the bow approaching the jetty end 6'f the pen, the bow of the boat will either initially contact the lateral portion 70 of the strapping, or one of the corner strapping pieces, and thereby be guided onto the central portion 71 whereafter the deflection of the central portion 71 and the increasing tension resulting from that deflection and the resulting iH i II r -14deflection of the stay bars 47 will generate a tension in the strapping sufficient to prevent further forward movement of the craft into the pen and at the same time hold the bow of the boat in a generally central location in the pen.

Further, because the rods 47 are outwardly inclined from the corner of the jetty and pen wall, the strapping sections running along the length of the pen wall from the outer ends thereof, will guide the boat towards the desired central location with reference to the pen by the sides of the hull engaging and being guided along the strapping as the boat moves forward into the pen.

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Claims (8)

1. A boat mocring system comprising two laterally spaced flexible non-resilient guide members each secured at each end in a tensioned condition to define a passage therebetween for a boat to be moored to freely enter one end of the passage and be guided during progress along said passage by the engagement of said guide members with the respective opposite side of said boat to centralise the boat therein, said guide members being secured at the end opposite to the entry end of the passage by means adapted to progressively increase the tension in the guide members in response to the advancing of the boat along the passage to a level to resist further movement of the boat along the passage.

2. A boat mooring system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two guide members are fixedly anchored at the entry end of the passage, and the means securing the guide members at the opposite end of the passage are adapted to permit.the width of the passage at said opposite end to conform to and vary in response to the configuration of the portion of the boat approaching said opposite end.

3. A boat mooring system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the passage defined by the guide members tapers from the entry end to a width at the 00 opposite end narrower than the maximum beam at the water line of the boat to be moored.

4. A boat mooring system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said guide members at the opposite end of the passage are attached independently to a flexible cross-member extending generally laterally to the direction of the passage and fixedly anchored at laterally spaced anchorage locations, said i guide members being independently movable along said cross-member to a maximum distance apart that is less than said maximum beam of the boat. -C W 3 16 A boat mooring system as claimed in claim 4, wherein stop means are provided on said cross member to set said maximum distance apart.

6. A boat mooring system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said cross- member between at least one stop means and the nearer of said two laterally spaced anchorage location of the cross member includes a resiliently extendable portion which is extended at all positions of attachment of the guide members to the cross-member between said stop means.

7. A boat mooring system as claimed in claim 4, 5 or 6, wherein said maximum distance apart is less than the beam of the boat to be moored at the water line at the stern of the boat.

8. A boat mooring system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the means securing the guide members at said opposite end includes resilient tensioning means securing each guide member to a fixed structure, and a flexible cross member is provided extending between and interconnecting the guide members on the entry end side of the tensioning means, whereby a boat progressing along said passage from the entry arn engages and deflects the cross member to draw the guide members inwardly to engage the opposite sides of the boat in a tensioned condition to restrain the boat therebetween. e

9. A boat mooring system as claimed in claim 8, wherein each guide member is connected at said opposite end to a rigid member intermediate the I ends of said rigid ,member, one end of the rigid member being connected to the tensioning means and the other to the cross member. 1KC N IOt Z@sN o/1 17 A boat mooring system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the cross- member is connected at the respective ends to each guide member for free sliding movement therealong. DATED this 27th day of April, 1993. GARY ROBINSON WATERMARK PATENT TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS THE DURACK CENTRE 4TH FLOOR 263 ADELAIDE TERRACE ,PERTH WA 6000 to I I S *s o 4 4 1 t