JP2010526727A - Connector device for modular floating platform - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a modular pier connector device for providing a firm connection between adjacent piers and forming a large floatable structure. The pier modules are each formed as a hollow levitation hull by a recess in the wall for the housing portion of the connector device. The connector device uses a lock bar attached to the lower end of the recess. The lock bar supports a pair of guide members for facilitating the engagement of the lock bar by the lock key. The engagement plate is fixed to the recess above the lock bar. The engagement plate is provided with a slot extending away from the front edge toward the central wall of the recess. A lock key has a body that is frictionally engageable within the engagement plate slot and a lower end that is operable to matingly engage a lock bar of an adjacent prefabricated pier. An upper plate that is fixed horizontally on the body engages the top surface of the engagement plate and can be fixed to the top surface by bolts, studs and other such means. In order to further ensure that the corner locking member is firmly connected between adjacent piers, it is connected to the corners of adjacent prefabricated piers. As a result, both the upper and lower ends of the hull are secured together, allowing the formation of a levitable structure assembled from a plurality of modules.
[Selection] Figure 6

Description

  The present invention relates to a floating assembly for a prefabricated floating platform comprising a series of prefabricated floating jetty units (modules) that can be connected together to form an integrated floating jetty.

  In marine applications, similar shaped prefabricated components are used to form large assemblies. Such an assembly is provided with a surface shape that facilitates assembly of the modules in a relationship locked together at the mating surfaces. One such assembly can be designed to form a floating pier that can be advantageously assembled from similar modular units in a quick and efficient manner. A further advantage of such a prefabricated floating jetty is that it allows for quick and quick replacement of any part of the jetty assembly that may be damaged during use.

  In connecting floating modules to each other, many of the conventional connectors allow to soften the relationship between each other, preventing many uses or uses that require a rigid base layer. In order to achieve sufficient rigidity, conventional designs used large structural strength members at the top of the pier. While these can maintain structural rigidity, they require a large lifting device to move them and impose complicated and expensive deformations. Often, this structure had to be dismantled on land before moving.

  The present invention eliminates the disadvantages associated with conventional connector assemblies and is a prefabricated platform connector that can be used to mount a buoyancy module to a rigid platform that can be supported by a variety of commercial products for manufacturing and entertainment purposes. Intended to provide equipment.

  It is an object of the present invention to provide a modular floating platform connector device that can be used to securely connect floating body modules in the assembly of floating piers, anchors and other floating structures.

  The pier modules are each formed in a hollow levitation hull that may have a parallelepiped shape. It will be appreciated that modules having other shapes can be coupled to form a floating platform using the connector system of the present invention. The connector system includes a lock bar attached to the lower end of a recess formed in the side wall of the hull. The lock bar supports a pair of guide plates for facilitating the engagement of the lock bar by the lock key.

  The engagement plate is fixed in the recess above the lock bar. The engagement plate is provided with a slot extending away from the leading edge toward the central wall of the recess. The lock key includes a body operable to frictionally engage within the engagement plate slot, and a lower end operable to matingly engage a lock bar of an adjacent prefabricated floating jetty. Is provided. An upper plate that is fixed horizontally on the body engages the top surface of the engagement plate and can be fixed to the top surface by bolts, studs and other such means. In order to further ensure that the corner locking member is firmly connected between adjacent piers, it is connected to the corners of adjacent prefabricated piers.

  As a result, both the upper and lower ends of the hull are secured together, allowing the formation of a levitable structure assembled from a plurality of modules.

  Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following disclosure and description.

It is a perspective view of the side lock assembly which shows the lock key for connecting the two jetty side parts and the jetty side part firmly. It is a perspective view of the side lock assembly assembled in the side part of a pier. FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a lock key. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a corner lock member adapted for engagement of corners of adjacent pier modules. It is the schematic which illustrates the lock pin for engaging and engaging the corner lock member and the pier module, and matching and locking the corner of the pier module. It is the schematic which illustrates the position of a corner lock member about a pier corner.

  For the convenience of understanding the present invention, a preferred embodiment will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  Referring to the drawings in more detail, a floating pier module 10 having a generally parallelepiped shape with a rectangular cross section is shown. Each pier module 10 has a generally flat top plate 12, a generally flat bottom plate 14, and side walls extending in the vertical direction. The side walls can be continuous walls or, when the modular pier hull has a generally parallelepiped shape, as shown in the drawings, a pair of generally parallel end walls 16, 18 and a pair of Of generally parallel side walls 20,22. It will be understood that the name “side wall” refers to the portion of the hull that extends between the top plate 12 and the bottom plate 14. The vertically extending end walls 16, 18 and side walls 20, 22 connect the top plate 12 and the bottom plate 14 to form a hollow levitation body or hollow levitation module 10.

  The side walls 20, 22 and the end walls 16, 18 are each provided with one or more side lock assemblies 30 for connecting and locking adjacent modules. Each side wall 20, 22 and end wall 16, 18 is formed with at least one recess 32 for receiving at least one lock assembly 30. The recess 32 is defined by the vertical side walls and end walls of the pier, as shown in FIG. 1, or alternatively by the basin insert 33 shown in FIG. Each recess 30 has a recess center wall 34 and a pair of recess side walls 36 and 38 extending obliquely to the recess center wall 34.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the concave central wall 34 can be reinforced by a back plate 40 fixed to the inner surface 42 of the concave central wall 34. The reinforcing angle plate 46 and the vertical brackets 48 and 49 are disposed behind the recess side wall 36 so as to engage with the adjacent jetty wall 16.

  The side lock assembly 50 is designed to fit into each recess 30. The side lock assembly 50 includes a lock key 60 that can lock two adjacent jetty modules. For convenience of understanding, module 10 is identified as modules 10a, 10b, 10c and 10d. An upper plate 53 is fitted in the recess 30 and extends between the recess side walls 36 and 38 in the horizontal direction with respect to the vertical axis of the recess side walls 36 and 38. An engagement plate 52 is rigidly attached to the central wall 34 and the recessed side walls 36, 38. A slot 54 located in the center is formed in the upper plate 52 extending from the front edge 55 of the upper plate 52 toward the concave central wall 34. An opening 56 and an opening 58 are formed in the upper plate 52 at an equal distance from the central slot 54. Support members 61 and 62 support the upper plate 52 from the bottom.

  A lock bar 70 is fitted to the lower end of the recess 30 and extends generally parallel to the lower side of the engagement plate 52 between the recess side walls 36 and 38, away from the bottom of the jetty module. The lock bar 70 supports a pair of generally parallel guide plates 72 and 74, and extends from the center wall 34 of the recess into a space defined by the recess so as to engage with the lock bar 70. The lock key 60 is adapted to engage the lock bar 70 and the engagement plate 52 of the adjacent module 10 as described below.

  The lock key 60 includes a generally thin body 80 that is sized to engage the central slot 54. One end of the main body 80 fits in the central slot of one assembling jetty, while the other end fits in the central slot of the adjacent assembling jetty.

  In addition, the lock key 60 includes an upper fixing plate 82 firmly attached to the main body 80 and a lower end portion 84 adapted for engagement with the lock bar 70 of the module 10 at a right angle. Two notches 86, 88 are formed in the lower end portion 84, and each notch is designed to fit with the lock bar 70 when the key 60 is lowered to engage with the lock bar 70. While the notch 86 fits into the lock bar 70 of the module 10a, the notch 88 fits into the lock bar 70 of the adjacent module 10b. The imaginary line in FIG. 1 illustrates the position of the lock key that engages with the lock bar 70 of the adjacent module.

  The lower end 84 fits between the guide plates 72 and 74, while the fixed plate 82 is disposed on the upper plate 52. A plurality of fixing devices 90, such as bolts and pins, attach the fixing plate 82 to the upper plate 52. The openings formed in the fixed plate 82 are aligned with the openings 56, 58 in the upper plate 52 of the adjacent modules 10a and 10b to lock the lock key 60 with the piers 10a and 10b. When the lock key 60 is engaged with the adjacent assembled jetty 10, the jetty hull is firmly connected. That is, when a plurality of jetty modules are firmly connected to each other, a large floating structure is obtained by using the connector device of the present invention.

  Corner lock member 100 forms part of the locking system of the present invention. The corner lock member 100 defines a floating chamber in the member. The corner lock member 100 is designed to fit and fit between the corners of four adjacent modules 10a, 10b, 10c and 10d. As can be seen from the drawings, each pier module has corners 15, 17, 19 and 21, which are cut at an angle that defines a vertical plane on which the male connector member 104 can be supported. The corner lock member 100 has an auxiliary slot 106 for receiving the male connector member 104.

  When the corner locking member 100 engages the four male connectors 104 of the modules 10a, 10b, 10c and 10d, the corner locking member 100 is located in the middle between the jetty modules, while the side lock assembly is located on the side wall of the module 10 and Engages with end wall. The corner locking member 100 is secured to the pier module by a securing device 112, which can be a pin, stud or other such means.

  The vertical dimension of the corner lock member 100 is substantially the same as the vertical dimension of the module 10. As shown in the drawings, the top surface 108 of the corner connector extends substantially coplanar with respect to the top plate of the module 10, while the bottom surface 110 is substantially coplanar with respect to the bottom plate of the module 10. It extends to.

  The design of the side lock members and corner lock members allows the piers to be connected and disconnected with minimal additional equipment. The only tools required are those required to connect and disconnect the fasteners and the lifting support devices for the lock bars that are required by size and weight.

  The connecting body works by attaching a corner connecting member or floats to the corner of the pier on the side to which the next pier module is connected. The shape of the corner connector float helps guide the exact location of the next jetty module. When aligned, the corner connector float 100 is secured to the new pier module and the lock key is lowered into a slot on the two piers. They engage the lower hull and pull the two hulls into the correct position. The top plate of the lock key is then locked in place, providing a fixed attachment on both the top and bottom of the hull.

  Although the foregoing description and accompanying drawings relate to certain preferred embodiments presently contemplated by the inventors, it is understood that the invention in its broader aspects includes mechanical and functional equivalents of the elements described and illustrated. It will be.

Claims (25)

A plurality of modular floating pier connector devices, each having a hull with sidewalls extending vertically, the connector assembly comprising:
A lock bar attached to the lower end of the hull;
A connector device for an assembly type floating jetty, which is adapted for releasable lock engagement with a lock bar of an adjacent assembly type floating jetty and includes a lock key that firmly connects the adjacent assembly type floating jetty.   The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lock bar is fitted into a recess formed in a side wall of the hull.   The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lock bar supports a pair of guide plates for facilitating engagement of the lock bar by a lock key.   The lock key engagement plate according to claim 2, further comprising a lock key engagement plate that is spaced apart above the lock bar and is attached to the side wall recess and extends substantially in parallel with the lock bar. apparatus.   The lock key comprises a body having a lower end adapted for engagement with the lock bar and an upper plate adapted for engagement with the lock key engagement plate. Item 5. The apparatus according to Item 4.   A pair of spaced notches are formed at a lower end of the lock key body, and each of the notches is designed to be sized to engage with a lock bar of an assembly-type floating jetty. The device described.   The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the lock key engagement plate is provided with a slot for receiving at least a part of the lock key body.   The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the lock key body is frictionally engaged in the slot formed in the engagement plate.   8. A device according to claim 7, characterized in that the lock key body is adapted for engagement with adjacent assembled floating pier soots.   The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the connector device further includes a corner locking member for releasably fixing a corner portion of an adjacent floating jetty.   11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the corner lock member is provided with a slot for frictionally accommodating a connector member extending from a corner portion of an adjacent assembling type floating pier.   The corner lock member has an upper surface oriented so as to extend substantially coplanar in relation to a top surface of the assembly type floating jetty when fixed to the assembly type floating jetty, and the assembly type 11. A device according to claim 10, characterized in that it has a bottom surface oriented to extend substantially coplanar with respect to the bottom surface of the floating jetty.   The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the slot formed in the corner lock member extends between a top surface and a bottom surface of the corner lock member.   The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the corner lock member includes a floating body.   11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising means for securely securing the corner lock member between adjacent ones of the pre-assembled floating jetty. A plurality of prefabricated floating jetty connector devices each having a hull with vertically extending side walls, the connector assembly comprising:
A lock bar attached to the lower end of the hull;
A lock key operable to releasably engage matingly with a lock bar of the adjacent assembled floating pier;
A connector device for an assembly type floating pier, comprising a corner lock member for connecting corners of adjacent ones of the assembly type floating pier, wherein the connector device is firmly connected to the adjacent assembly type floating pier.   The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the lock bar is fitted in a recess formed in a side wall of the hull.   17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the lock bar supports a pair of guide plates for facilitating engagement of the lock bar with a lock key.   The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the lock key comprises a body having a lower end adapted for engagement with a lock bar of the adjacent prefabricated floating pier.   The lock key engagement plate is attached to the recess of the side wall so as to be spaced above the lock bar, and is provided with a slot for accommodating at least a part of the main body of the lock key. Item 17. The device according to Item 16.   21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the lock key is provided on an upper plate and is operable to engage the lock key engagement plate.   20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the lock key body is adapted for engagement with adjacent assembled floating pier soots.   17. A device according to claim 16, characterized in that a slot is provided for frictionally receiving a connector member extending from a corner of an adjacent prefabricated floating jetty.   The assembled floating jetty has angularly cut corners, and the connector member extends outwardly from the cut corners for frictional engagement with the corner lock member. 24. The apparatus of claim 23.   The corner lock member has an upper surface oriented so as to extend substantially coplanar in relation to a top surface of the assembly type floating jetty when fixed to the assembly type floating jetty, and the assembly type The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a bottom surface oriented to extend substantially coplanar with respect to a bottom surface of the floating jetty.