US3412702A

US3412702A - Floating dry dock for small boats

Info

Publication number: US3412702A
Application number: US562902A
Authority: US
Inventors: James M Mann
Original assignee: James M. Mann
Current assignee: JAMES M MANN
Priority date: 1966-07-05
Filing date: 1966-07-05
Publication date: 1968-11-26
Anticipated expiration: 1985-11-26

Description

NOV. 26, 1968 J N 3,412,702

FLOATING DRY DOCK FOR SMALL BOATS Filed July 5. 1966 United States Patent 3,412,702 FLOATING DRY DOCK FOR SMALL BOATS James M. Mann, 617 N. Florida Ave, Tarpon Springs, Fla. 33589 Filed July 5, 1966, Ser. No. 562,902 1 Claim. (Cl. 114-46) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A floating dry dock for small boats comprises an elongated cradle adapted to support a boat thereon. Two elongated floats or pontoons extend along opposite sides of the cradle and are flexibly connected with the cradle by laterally projecting arms attached thereto and spaced therealong, the arms being pivotally connected to the cradle at the outer ends thereof so that when the pontoons rotate about their longitudinal axes towards one another the arms are swung to lower the cradle into the water and when the pontoons rotate about their axes outwardly from one another the arms swing in an upright position to raise the cradle from the water. The pontoons rotate about their axes when they are drawn towards one another and about the pivotal connection between the arms and the cradle by a drum and cable arrangement which also controls spreading of the pontoons from one another which causes lowering the cradle into the Water.

The present invention relates to a floating dock particularly suitable for dry storage of small boats.

A principal object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved floating dock for the storage of small boats above the surface of the water and which comprises two spaced parallel extending pontoon-like floats supporting a boat cradle therebetween by flexible connections so that rotation of the pontoons about their longitudinal axes in directions away from one another the cradle is raised and when the pontoons rotate about their axes towards one another the cradle is lowered into the water, and having means for rotating the pontoons as desired so that a boat may be floated over the cradle and the cradle then elevated above the surface of the water by rotation of the pontoons. By rotating the pontoons as described, the surfaces thereof may be positioned for convenient cleaning because all of the wetted surfaces thereof are exposed during rotation of the pontoons in raising and lowering the boat cradle. Furthermore, the pontoon rotating mechanism is normally above the water and is thereby not subjected to marine growth and the like.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred form thereof, reference being made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a boat dock embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary schematic view of the cable. arrangement for operating the pontoons of the dock;

FIG. 3 is an end view in elevation of the boat dock; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of a part of the cable arrangement shown in FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawings, a boat dock is shown which is adapted to support a relatively small boat which is indicated at B. The dock 10 comprises a boat cradle 11 which is supported by elongated buoyant members or

pontoons

12, 13 which are pivotally attached to opposite sides of the cradle, the points of attachment being along the inner sides of the pontoons. A crank and drum means 14 is provided by which the pontoons may be rotated about their pivots to raise and lower the cradle 11 from beneath the surface of the water to a position above the Water to thereby permit a boat to be floated over the submerged cradle and then elevated above the water on the cradle for dry storage. The dock is suitably anchored in the water by means, not shown.

The cradle 11 comprises two spaced,

parallel side members

15, 16, which are inter-connected by cross members 17 to provide a rigid rectangular frame suitable for receiving thereover boats of the type to be supported by the dock. Two

support bars

20, 21 are provided between the rear most cross members 17 to form a support for the stern of the boat.

Six

upright posts

23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28 are provided at the ends and intermediate portions of the

side members

15, 16, as shown, and these posts are provided with ring 'form link members 30 by which the cradle posts are pivotally attached to the

pontoons

12, 13.

The

pontoons

12, 13 may be formed of any suitable type of floatation structure such as hollow metal or fibre glass shells or of a floatation material such as a Styrofoam. In the form shown, the

pontoons

12, 13 are formed of hollow fibre glass shells and each of which has formed integral therewith upwardly extended legs 35. The legs 35 are each pivotally attached to the respective posts 23-28 by a ring form link member 36 looped through each of the respective links 30 so that the pontoons are flexible or pivotally attached to opposite sides of the cradle 11 on common axes which run parallel to the

side members

15, 16 of the cradle. As may be seen in full lines in FIG. 3, when the

pontoons

12, 13 are in the position with the legs 35 thereof upright, the cradle 11 is supported above the surface S of the water, and when the floatation members are rotated about their pivots outwardly from the cradle 11, the cradle is lowered beneath the surface of the water, as indicated in broken lines. When the

pontoons

12, 13 are drawn inwardly towards the sides of the cradle the pontoons rotate about their axes in directions from one another and swing the arms 35 upwardly and raise the cradle above the surface of the water.

Referring to FIG. 2, the

pontoons

12, 13 are adapted to be rotated in unison about their pivots by the crank and drum means 14 which is supported on the top of post 24, which extends to a convenient height. In the form of the invention shown,

cables

40, 41, 42 are attached to the rear, central and forward portions of the Wall 12a of the pontoon 12 and

cables

43, 44 and 45 are similarly attached to the wall 13a of the pontoon 13. For sake of clarity, the cables are not shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, and reference is made to FIG. 2, for a diagrammatic showing thereof. Cable 40 is reeved about pulleys 46-, 47 which are suitably attached to the side frame member 15 to lead the cable to a ring 50 of a double pulley structure 51 to which one end of the cable 40 is secured. Cable 41 is attached at one end to the pontoon 12 and the other end is reeved beneath a pulley 52 pivotally attached to side member 15 and the other end attached to the ring 50. Cable 42 is reeved about pulleys 53, 54 which are pivotally attached at the forward end and central portions respectively of the side member 15, and its end is attached to ring 50, as shown.

One end of each of the

cables

43, 45 is attached to opposite ends of the wall 13a of the pontoon 13 respectively and are reeved about

pulleys

55, 56 and 57, 58, respectively, which are suitably attached to the frame side member 16. Cable 44 is likewise attached to the ring 60 and is guided by a pulley supported on the central portion of frame member 16 but which has not been shown to avoid obscuring other parts of the structure,

and it is to be understood that this pulley is similar in function to pulley 52.

The pulley structures 51, 61 form the moving pulleys of block and tackles 63, 64 respectively and are adapted to move towards and from the

pontoons

12, 13 when the drum 14 is rotated one direction or the other. The pulley 51 is arranged opposite a double pulley structure 64 which is secured to the cradle member 16 and the

pulleys

51, 64 comprise the block and tackle 63 which includes a cable 66 having one end attached to the drum 14 and is reeved about a pulley 67, suitably attached to the cradle member 15, and arranged about the

pulleys

51, 64 in a conventional block and tackle manner, the other end of the cable being secured to a ring 70 on the pulley 61.

A cable 71 has one end attached to the drum 14 and is reeved about a pulley 72 attached to the frame member 15 and leads to the double pulley 61 comprising the movable pulley of the block and tackle 64. The cable 71 leads from the pulley 61 to a pulley 74 which is secured to cradle member 15 and which forms the fixed pulley of the block and tackle 64. The cable 71 is reeved on the pulleys 61, 74 in a conventional block and tackle arrangement and the end of the cable is secured to a ring 75 to the pulley 74.

The drum 14 is adapted to be rotated by crank 76 and preferably, a releasable ratchet mechanism, not shown, is adapted to prevent rotation of the drum in a direction to unwind the

cables

66, 71. The ratchet mechanism is well known, and there-fore it is not shown,

By winding the drum 14 by crank 76, the boat operator can draw the

pontoons

12, 13 inwardly about their

pivots

30, 36 from the positions shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3 to the full line positions and thereby cause the arms 35 to elevate the cradle 11 and boat B thereon in the manner shown. To lower the cradle beneath the water, the drum 14 is unwound and the weight of the boat and cradle causes the cradle to be lowered as the pontoons rotate inwardly about their longitudinal axes to the position shown in dotted lines, whereupon the boat may be floated from over the cradle.

It will be seen that with the arrangement of the pontoons shown that the wetted surfaces thereof are available for convenient cleaning thereof to prevent excessive collection of moss, scum, bamacles and the like thereon, and that when the cradle is raised, the pulley and cables for actuating the pontoons are out of the water.

It will be understood that although but one form of the invention has been shown, other forms, modifications, and adaptations thereof may be made, all falling within the scope of the claim which follows.

I claim:

1. A floating boat dock comprising, two spaced parallel extending elongated float members, a boat support cradle between said float members and substantially coextensive with said float members, means flexibly connecting one side of said cradle to one of said float members adjacent opposite ends of said cradle for supporting the end portions of said cradle by said one float member and to permit rotation of said float member relative to said cradle, means flexibly connecting the side of said cradle opposite said one side to the other of said float members adjacent opposite ends of said cradle for supporting the end portions of said cradle by said other float member and to permit rotation of said one float member relative to said cradle, said float members, when buoyed in a body of water and disposed in a given angular positions about their pivots being adapted to support said cradle and a boat thereon above the surface of the water, said cradle adapted to be lowered between said floats and beneath the surface of the water when said floats are rotated to a different angular position than said given positions, and means for rotating said float members in opposite directions about their axes to raise and lower said cradle above and below the surface of water on which said boat dock floats.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,119,127 1/1964 Taggert 9l A. H. FARRELL, Primary Examiner.