US3570256A

US3570256A - Inflatable berth

Info

Publication number: US3570256A
Application number: US841704A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kenneth L Thompson
Original assignee: YE DOCK MASTER Inc
Current assignee: YE DOCK MASTER Inc
Priority date: 1969-07-15
Filing date: 1969-07-15
Publication date: 1971-03-16
Anticipated expiration: 1988-03-16

Abstract

AN INFLATABLE BERTH FOR COVERING THE WATER-SUBMERGED PORTION OF A BOAT HULL, COMPRISING AN INFLATABLE, WATERPROOF, FLEXIBLE ENVELOPE, HAVING A QUILTED INTERIOR SURFACE ADAPTED TO GENERALLY CONFORM TO THE CONFIGURATION OF A BOAT HULL, AND MEANS FOR INFLATING THE ENVELOPE FOR CLOSE CONTACT OF THE QUILTED SURFACE WITH THE BOAT HULL WHEREBY TO ENTRAIN WATER AGAINST THE HULL FOR STAGNATION OF THE ENTRAINED WATER.

Description

March 16, 1971 K THQMPSQN 3,570,256

INFLATABLE BERTH Filed July 15, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

KENNETH L. THOMPSON March 16, 1971 THOMPSON 3,570,256

INFLATABLE BERTH Filed July 15, 1969 V 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

KENNETH L. THOMPSON FIG 5 United States Patent O 3,570,256 INFLATABLE BERTH Kenneth L. Thompson, Huntington Beach, Calif., assignor to Ye Dock Master, Inc. Filed July 15, 1969, Ser. No. 841,704 Int. Cl. B63c 1/00; E02c 3/00 U.S. CI. 61-48 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The field of art to which the invention pertains includes the field of ships, particularly berths therefor.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a protective device for use on a water craft which is moored in salt water for any length of time. Such mooring results in marine growth on the hull necessitating periodic haulout for cleaning. The present invention maintains the boat hull clean from such marine growth and can replace presentday boat baths. The invention operates to adhere a protective envelope of waterproof material against the hull and, by means of a plurality of indentations generally distributed on the contacting surface, to entrain water in small, localized pockets against the hull. The entrained water prevents drying out of wooden hulls and readily stagnates to preclude the development of marine growth without requiring chemical treatment.

The envelope is constructed of flexible, inflatable, water proof material and has an interior surface adapted to generally conform to the configuration of a boat hull. Means are provided for defining a plurality of water entraining indentations generally distributed over the interior surface, and means are provided for inflating the envelope for close contact of the interior surface with the boat hull.

In specific embodiments, a plurality of interconnected compartments are formed within the inflatable material resulting in the aforenoted indented surface whereby fluid pressure applied to one compartment is conducted to adjacent compartments to inflate the envelope. Means are provided for weighting the envelope for sinking thereof upon deflation so as to free the boat. The stem portion of the envelope is formed to be loose-fitting, e.g., by preventing inflation of the stern portion, so as to permit clearance of protruding propeller blades. Means are provided for securing the envelope to a boat slip whereby a boat can be docked and the envelope inflated thereabout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a boat slip having an inflatable berth of this invention therein adhered to a docked boat;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the berth of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of an inflatable berth of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3, in the direction of the arrows; and

Patented Mar. 16, 1971 FIG. 5 is a partial vertical sectional view on the line 5-5 of FIG. 3, in the direction of the arrows.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 there is illustrated a dock or wharf structure .10 including

piers

12 and 14 defining a boat slip 16. A boat 18 is moored in the slip 16 and has its hull protected by an inflated berth 20 of this invention as hereinafter described. The berth 20 is connected to the

piers

12 and 14 by means of a plurality of studs 22 extending from the edges of the piers through eyelets 24 (shown more clearly in FIG. 2) along the edges of the berth 20 material. As will be described hereinafter in more detail, the material constituting the berth is inflatable and forms an envelope which when inflated adheres to the hull of the boat. Inflation is accomplished by means of a compressor 26 connected to compartments within the berth material, as hereinafter described, by means of rubber tubing 28.

Referring specifically to FIG. 2, the inner surface of the envelope is formed with a plurality of indentations, as a result of quilting of the material so that when the berth 20 is inflated, a plurality of small pockets 30 are created adjacent the surface of the boat hull. These pockets entrain water and thereby prevent drying out of the hull, which is particularly important with hulls constructed of wooden planks. Additionally, as a result of the isolation of the water into small localized pools, stagnation thereof takes place to prevent the formation of marine growth on the hull, without chemical treatment being required. Further, the inflated berth serves to raise the boat from the water, rendering the boat unsinkable and additionally acts as a bumper to ward off foreign debris and to protect the boat as it moves into and out of contact with the sides of the slip. The inflated berth 20 also acts as a cushion against ice formation on the water surface, allowing the boat to be moored during winter time.

The general shape of the berth 20 is depicted in FIG. 3 and a cross sectional view is shown in FIG. 4. The berth comprises a flexible envelope of substantially inflatable waterproof material such as plastic, rubberized fabric, or the like, integrally joined by welding, adhesives, or other suitable means to form a structure as shown. The outer edges of the berth 20 are formed into flattened lip 32 through which are placed the eyelets 24. The material constituting the main body of the envelope is formed to define a plurality of internal compartments 34 which are interconnected whereby fluid pressure applied to one compartment is conducted to adjacent compartments to thereby inflate the envelope.

Referring additionally to FIG. 5, the main body of th envelope comprises an inner surface 36 which is variously connected in quilting manner to an outer surface 38 so as to form the compartments 34. The quilting connection, such as at 40, can be made by welding, adhesives, stitching, or any suitable method, being careful to maintain waterproofing, and is arranged so that there is open communication, as at 42 between adjacent compartments; the connection shown at 40 is a spot connection allowing fluid communication between adacent compartments. The compartmentalized structure gives rise to the generally indented surface 36 for formation of the pockets 30.

As further shown in FIG. 5, a valve member 44 is disposed between a rubber inlet tube 28 and one of the top compartments 34 whereby air or other fluid may be introduced under pressure into the top compartment 34 to thereby inflate the berth 20.

Referring back to FIGS. 3 and 4, the stern portion of the berth envelope, indicated generally at 46, is formed to be uninflatable so as to hang loose thereat. The stern portion entraps a pocket of water which becomes stagnant, but the inner surface thereof does not push up against the boat, thus allowing clearance for any protruding propeller blades.

A plurality of weights, such as lead weights 48 ('FIG. 4) are secured to the berth along its bottom surface in pockets 50 formed along the bottom for that purpose, or by other suitable means. The weights 48 enable the berth to readily fall away when deflated.

What is claimed is:

1. A berth for covering the water-submerged portion of a boat hull, comprising:

a double-walled, flexible envelope of substantially inflatable, waterproof material, the inner wall of said envelope having a surface adapted to generally conform to the configuration of the hull of a boat;

the surface of said inner wall defining a plurality of indentations generally distributed thereover; and

means for inflating said material for close contact of said inner wall surface with said boat hull whereby to entrain water in said indentations against said hull for stagnation of said entrained water.

2. The berth of claim 1 wherein said inflatable material m defines a plurality of interconnected compartments whereby fluid pressure applied to one compartment is conducted to adjacent compartments to inflate said envelope.

3. The berth of claim 1 including means for weighting said envelope for sinking thereof upon deflation.

4. The berth of claim 1 wherein the stern portion of said envelope is formed to be loose-fitting for clearance therein of propeller blades protruding from said boat.

5. The berth of claim 1 wherein the stern portion of said envelope is formed to be uninflatable for permitting clearance of propeller blades protruding from said boat.

6. The berth of claim 1 including means for securing said envelope to a boat slip.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,907,580 10/1959 Tietig 280179 3,142,283 7/1964- Fisher 114222 3,465,533 9/1969 Payne 6l-67 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,094,883 1967 Great Britain 114222 JACOB SHAPIRO, Primary Examiner US Cl. X.R.