ZA200808948B

ZA200808948B - Docking apparatus

Info

Publication number: ZA200808948B
Application number: ZA200808948A
Authority: ZA
Inventors: Artur Duarte Da Silva Lopes
Original assignee: Artur Duarte Da Silva Lopes
Priority date: 2007-10-31
Filing date: 2007-10-31
Publication date: 2009-02-25
Also published as: WO2009073897A2; WO2009073897A3

Description

MM ~ x . . N] -2- A # 2008/089 48 . 1

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

THIS Invention relates to a docking apparatus. More specifically, the invention relates to a docking apparatus which allows a single operator to remotely fasten and release a water craft to a wharf, a mooring, a jetty or the shoreline in general.

Docking systems for anchoring water craft are known. In particular, anchoring systems for ferry boats have been available for many years. These systems have locking mechanisms comprising a catch bar built into a harbour wall and a pair of jaws, for automatically catching the catch bar and thereby anchoring the ferry to the harbour wall. The jaws are releasable remotely using an electromagnetic circuit.

A drawback of the abovementioned system is its lack to accommodate tidal waters. The catch bar is a permanent fixture to the harbour wall and is of a fixed length, allowing no adjustment relative to the water level. Other available systems address this drawback by incorporating a float mechanism to account for continuously varying water levels in tidal waters. A drawback of these systems is the inability of an operator to release the water craft from the docking system remotely.

A general drawback of available docking systems is the inability of an operator to ingress the water craft without going into the water and thereby getting wet. Only a few systems exist that provide a docking system comprising a ramp bridging the gap between the shoreline and the boat to allow the ingress and egress of people without going into the water. However, these systems require an operator to manually secure and release the water craft from the docking system.

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It is an object of the present invention to address the drawbacks of the abovementioned systems by providing a portable docking apparatus which allows an operator to remotely secure and release a water craft from the docking apparatus and which allows the ingress and egress of people without going into the water

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION :

According to the invention there is provided a docking apparatus including: a gangway for allowing people to ingress and egress a water craft without going into the water; a means for attaching the gangway to a shoreline at one end of the gangway; and a locking mechanism at an opposite free end of the gangway for releasably locking the water craft to the apparatus

The attachment means may be in the form of a plurality of stakes. The apparatus may define stake holes through which the stakes are driven Into the shoreline. Preferably, the attachment means is in the form of an adjustable clamp, which can be releasably attached and fastened to the poles of a mooring or jetty wall. A plurality of ties, secured at one end to the shoreline and at an opposite end to the gangway, may be used to limit movement of the apparatus relative to the shoreline. The ties may be secured to the shoreline on either side of the attachment means and to any point along the length of the gangway.

Typically, the locking mechanism includes a bar and a catch. The bar may be attached to the docking apparatus or the water craft, but is preferably attached to the apparatus. The catch may be attached to the apparatus or the water craft, but is preferably attached to the water craft. The catch may have at least one hooking element that automatically locks to the bar when the catch and bar come into contact.

The locking mechanism may be remotely operable. Generally, the catch is releasable from the bar by means of a cable or a linkage, which is actuated by an actuator accessible by an

Mo operator positioned proximate the helm of the water craft. Preferably, the catch is releasable from the bar by means of a solenoid activated by a switch accessible by the operator positioned proximate the helm of the water craft.

The apparatus may further include a guide extending from the free end of the gangway for guiding the bar and the catch into contact when the water craft comes in for docking. Preferably, the guide is V-shaped and defines an aperture sized to allow the catch to pass through it and engage the bar.

The docking apparatus may further be maintained at the correct level above the water to engage the docking water craft by means of a float Generally, the float is connected to any point along the length of the gangway Preferably, the gangway is pivotally connected to the attachment means to allow up and down pivotal movement of the gangway due to continuously varying water levels caused by disturbances to the water (i.e. waves) and/or changing tidal conditions.

The gangway may be telescoping so as to allow the operator to adjust and fix the gangway to the required length.

The position of the float is adjustable relative to the gangway so as to allow the operator to pre- set the height of free end of the gangway to accommodate varying heights of different wharfs, moorings or jetties.

The guide may be pivotally connected to the free end of the gangway to accommodate the up and down pivotal movement of the gangway Preferably, a rod is connected between the guide and a point adjacent the attachment means end of the gangway so as to maintain the guide at the correct angle relative to a docking water craft regardless of the pivotal position of the gangway

Generally, the docking apparatus is portable.

Typically, the docking apparatus includes a shock absorbing means to absorb the forces caused by the docking water craft so as to prevent damage to the wharf, mooring or jetty. Wear of the catch and the guide may also be reduced by positioning rollers on the catch proximate the points at which the catch and the guide would normally come into contact wa [3 5

Preferably, the docking apparatus includes an alignment means to assist the operator in aligning the water craft with the docking apparatus. The alignment means may be an aerial positioned proximate the apex of the V-shaped guide.

According to a second embodiment of the invention, there is provided a docking apparatus including: a means for attaching the apparatus to a shoreline; a locking mechanism for releasably locking a water craft to the apparatus, wherein the locking mechanism Is remotely operable; and a float for maintaining the apparatus at the correct level relative to the water to allow the ! locking of the water craft to the apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of docking apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 shows an enlarged view of the free end of the docking apparatus according to the present invention;

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A docking apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the invention 1s designated generally with the reference numeral 10 With reference to Figure 1, the docking apparatus 10 includes an attachment means 12, a gangway 14 and a locking mechanism 186.

The attachment means 12 is in the form of a clamp that can be releasably attached to a wo Pi ¥ 2008 /080 40 mooring or jetty wall. In this particular embodiment, the clamp 12 is sized to receive a pole 18 of a jetty wall. Once the clamp 12 has been positioned on the pole 18, the clamp 12 can be : tightened to the pole 18 so as to maintain the gangway 14 in a preferred orientation relative to the jetty wall. Ties 20, 22 extending between the shore and any point along the length of the gangway 14 further assist to maintain the gangway 14 in the preferred orientation.

The gangway 14 is pivotally connected at one end to the clamp 12 so as to allow the gangway 14 to pivot up and down (in the vertical plane) relative to the clamp 12 about pivot axis “A-A”.

The gangway 14 further includes a float 24 connected to the gangway 14 by connection rods 26. The float 24, in co-operation with the pivot connection between the clamp 12 and the gangway 14, maintain the free end (that is, the end opposite to the end connected to the clamp 12) of the gangway 14 at the correct height relative to the water level for receiving the bow of a docking water craft The gangway 14 also includes a plurality of slats 28 extending across the width of the gangway 14 to support the weight of passengers entering and exiting the water craft.

The gangway 14 further includes a V-shaped guide 30 pivotally connected to the free end of the gangway 14 so as to allow the guide 30 to pivot relative to the free end of the gangway 14 about pivot axis “B-B”. A tie rod 32, connected to the guide 30 at one end and to a point proximate the clamp 12 at an opposite end, maintains the guide 30 at the correct angle relative to a docking water craft regardless of the pivotal position of the gangway 14 relative to the clamp 12. The V- shaped guide 30 further defines a cut-out 34 proximate the V-shaped guide's apex.

The locking mechanism 16 includes a bar 40 and a catch 50 Although the bar 40 and catch 50 are interchangeably attachable to either the docking apparatus 10 or the water craft, it Is preferable that the bar 40 is attached to the docking apparatus 10 and the catch 50 to the bow of the water craft.

With reference to Figure 2, the bar 40 extends across the cut-out 34 and is positioned proximate the apex of the V-shaped guide 30 by support plates 42, 44 attached to the guide 30, preferably by welding. The catch 50 includes a lower plate 52, an upper plate 54 and a hooking element 56 sandwiched between the lower and upper plates 52, 54. The plates 52, 54 further define a slot 58 sized to receive the bar 40. ;

The hooking element 56 is pivotally moveable, relative to the pates 52, 54, about pivot point “C”

. : - .

ALA

. . between a locked position, wherein the hooking element 56 extends across the slot 58 to define a capturing cavity 60, and an unlocked position, wherein the hooking element 56 retracts between the plates 52, 54. The hooking element 56 is biased toward the locked position by a ! spring (not shown) and is movable to the unlocked position by applying a force to lever arm 62.

The force required to move the hooking element 56 to the unlocked position may be applied to i the lever arm 62 manually or by a mechanical cable or electric solenoid system (not shown) f operable from a remote location, for example, operable from the helm of the water craft.

In use, the catch 50 (attached to the bow of a docking water craft) is guided toward the bar 40 by the V-shaped guide 30. To reduce wear caused by contact between the catch 50 and the V- shaped guide 30, rollers (not shown) may be positioned on the catch 50 proximate the points at which the catch 50 and the guide 30 would normally come into contact. As the catch 50 is guided through the cut-out 34, the bar 40 travels along the slot 58 and into contact with the sloping face of the hooking element 56. Contact of the bar 40 with the sloping face of the hooking element 56 causes the hooking element 56 to move toward the unlocked position

As the bar 40 moves past the hooking element 56, the hooking element 56 snaps back into the locked position, capturing the bar 40 in the capturing cavity 60 defined between the hooking element 56 and the plates 52, 54, thereby locking the water craft to the docking apparatus 10. In this position, passengers can enter or exit the water craft by walking over the gangway 14 The weight of the passengers is supported by the clamp 12 on one end of the gangway 14 and by the water craft on the free end of the gangway 14, in that the weight at the free end is transferred to the watercraft by abutment of the support plate 42 and the upper plate 54 of the catch 50.

To release the water craft, the hooking element 56 is moved into the unlocked position by applying the necessary force to the lever arm 62, preferably from a remote location, thereby releasing the bar from the capturing cavity 60.

Although the invention has been described above with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be appreciated that many modifications or variations of the invention are possible without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention Examples of some variations are the adjustability of the gangway by using a telescoping mechanism and open grid flooring as one of many alternatives to substitute the slats

Claims

CLAIMS Cc.

1. A docking apparatus including: a gangway for allowing people to ingress and egress a water craft; a means for attaching the gangway to a shoreline at one end of the gangway, a locking mechanism at an opposite free end of the gangway for releasably locking the water craft to the apparatus, and a float for maintaining the free end of the gangway and the locking mechanism at the correct level above the water so as to allow a docking water craft to dock thereto.

2. A docking apparatus according to clam 1, wherein the attachment means is one or more stakes, drivable into the shoreline through one of more attachment apertures defined by one end of the gangway, thereby securing the gangway to the shoreline.

3. A docking apparatus according to clam 1, wherein the attachment means is an adjustable clamp being releasably attachable to a mooring or jetty wall.

4. A docking apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the clamp comprises of at least two portions capable of being fastened to one another about a pole structure of the mooring or jetty wall.

5. A docking apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the locking mechanism comprises a bar and a catch, the bar or the catch being located on the water craft and the other of the bar or the catch being located on the docking apparatus

6. A docking apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the catch is automatically lockable to the bar when the catch and bar come into close proximity or into contact. ;

7. A docking apparatus according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the catch is movable between a locked position, wherein the bar is captured by the catch, and an unlocked position, wherein the bar is released from the catch, the catch being biased toward the locked

& position and movable toward the unlocked position by mechanical or electrical means.

8. A docking apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the mechanical means comprises a cable or linkage system extending between the catch and an actuator, the catch being releasable from the bar by actuating the mechanical means via the actuator. i

9. A docking apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the electrical means comprises an electromechanical device capable of releasing the catch by an actuator operable by an operator.

10. A docking apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the electromechanical device is a solenoid or electric motor.

11. A docking apparatus according any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the actuator is located remotely from the catch and/or bar.

12. A docking apparatus according to any one claims 5 to 11, wherein the docking apparatus further includes a guide extending from the free end of the gangway for guiding the catch and bar into close proximity or contact with each other in the event of the water craft docking.

13 A docking apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the guide co-operates with a surface of the water craft to bring the catch and bar into close proximity or contact -

14. A docking apparatus according to claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the guide is a substantially V-shaped guide defining an aperture therein for allowing the catch to pass therethrough and engage the bar positioned proximate the aperture.

15. A docking apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 14, wherein the gangway is pivotally connected to the attachment means thereby allowing the free end of the gangway to pivot relative to the attachment means so as to accommodate variations in the level of the : water.

16. A docking apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the float is ! connectable to the gangway by a telescoping connecting member allowing adjustment of the distance between the gangway and the float, thereby enabling adjustment of the level at which the free end of the gangway and the locking mechanism must be maintained relative to the water for a water craft to dock and lock thereto.

17. A docking apparatus according to any one of claims 12 to 16, wherein the guide is pivotally : connected to the free end of the gangway thereby allowing the guide to be positionable at an angle relative to the water craft which enables the catch and bar to come into contact with each other during docking, irrespective of the pivotal orientation of the gangway relative to the attachment means

18. A docking apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the guide is maintainable at the required angle by a retaining member connected at one end to the guide and at an opposite end to a point not being located on the gangway.

19. A docking apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the gangway is a telescoping gangway thereby allowing the length of the gangway to be adjusted and fixed at the required length.

20. A docking apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the docking apparatus includes a means for absorbing shock caused by the impact of the water craft with the docking apparatus during docking.

21. A docking apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 20, wherein rollers are positioned proximate that portion of the locking mechanism attached to the water craft, the roliers being co-operative with the guide so as to assist the catch into contact with the bar during docking.

22 A docking apparatus according any one of the claims 5 to 21, wherein the catch is a hooking element.

23 A docking apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the docking apparatus is a portable docking apparatus.

24. A docking apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein one or more ties, secured at one end to the shoreline and at an opposite end to the gangway, limit the horizontal movement of the apparatus relative to the shoreline.

A

25. A docking apparatus substantially as herein described and illustrated.

BR ¥ 2008/0809 48 DATED THIS ZO DAY OF Qe@as®. 2008 Paulo Lopes Applicant's Patent Attorney FOR: Intangible Consulting (Pty) Ltd, t/a MyPatent