Abstract:
A fender assembly is disclosed. The fender assembly comprises an elongate support adapted to be attached to a surface of a support structure, the elongate support defining surfaces both inwardly and outwardly directed relative to the support surface, a resilient elongate fender mounted on the outer surface of the support and guided there along for vertical sliding movement relative thereto, and the inner surfaces defining a housing for a spring loaded fender restraining means co-acting with and adapted to resist downwardly directed sliding movement of the resilient elongate fender relative to the elongate support. An associated method for fabricating a fender assembly is also disclosed.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates generally to a fender assembly and a method for manufacturing the same. 
         [0002]    In particular, this invention relates to a fender assembly which may be used for protecting vehicle loading docks against damage during the loading or unloading of trailers. The fender assembly according to the present invention is not so limited in its application however, in so much as it may be used in maritime applications, where vessels dock against a wharf or pontoon, and where relative movement occurs between these. 
       INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE 
       [0003]    This patent application claims priority from:
       AU 2008905379 titled “A fender assembly and a method of manufacture of the same” filed on 17 Oct. 2008.       
 
         [0005]    The entire content of this application is hereby incorporated by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The inventor of the fender assembly disclosed herein previously conceived of the fender assemblies disclosed in Australian Patent Applications 2003265715 and 2006246507, discussion of which should be considered included herein by way of reference. 
         [0007]    A problem with the aforementioned fender assemblies however is that much of the workings of these was exposed, and so unprotected from not just collisions, but dirt and debris, which can cause these workings to foul. 
         [0008]    An object of the present disclosure therefore is to substantially ameliorate this difficulty, or to at least provide a fender assembly which is a useful alternative to the fender assemblies according to the abovementioned preceding disclosures. 
         [0009]    Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taking in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. 
         [0010]    For the purpose of this specification, the word “comprising” means “including but not limited to”, and the word ‘comprises’ has a corresponding meaning. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    In one aspect of this invention, there is proposed a fender assembly comprising an elongate support adapted to be attached to a surface of a support structure, the elongate support defining surfaces both inwardly and outwardly directed relative to the support surface, a resilient elongate fender mounted on the outwardly directed surface of the support and guided there along for vertical sliding movement relative thereto, and the inwardly directed surfaces defining a housing for a biased fender restraining means co-acting with and adapted to resist downwardly directed sliding movement of the resilient elongate fender relative to the elongate support. 
         [0012]    In one form, the resilient elongate fender is a solid rubber or rubber-like block. 
         [0013]    In one form, the elongate support is adapted to be attached to a surface of a support structure by way of its comprising an elongate planar or channel section plate which is fixable to the dock support surface by means of welding. 
         [0014]    In one form, the biased fender restraining means comprises a spring guide element upon which a spring is disposed and a transverse abutment extending from the spring guide element against which an underside of the resilient elongate fender engages when this is in a normal at rest position, and whereby any downwards movement of the resilient elongate fender causes simultaneous downward movement of the abutment and spring guide element, and thereby compression of the spring. 
         [0015]    In one form, the resilient elongate fender will slide upwards relative to the support under the influence of an external upwards force applied thereto and then return to its at rest position under its own weight when the force is removed. 
         [0016]    In one form, the spring guide element is a rigid element. 
         [0017]    In one form, the spring guide element is a rod. 
         [0018]    In one form, the spring guide element is a flexible element. 
         [0019]    In one form, the spring guide element is a length of cable. 
         [0020]    The spring guide element may be a flexible one, as its key load state is in tension, when the resilient fender is displaced downwardly against the bias of the spring. An advantage of a flexible element is that it cannot be plastically bent in the same way that a rigid elongate rod can. This is especially relevant when one considers that a bent rigid element of this type (i.e. a rigid rod bent by an impact there against) can render the fender assembly unserviceable. 
         [0021]    In one form, the outwardly directed surface of the elongate support defines an outwardly projecting vertical guide track. 
         [0022]    In one form, the outwardly projecting vertical guide track has inwardly directed surfaces defining a housing for the biased fender restraining means. 
         [0023]    In one form, the resilient elongate fender comprises a slotted keyway extending centrally along its rear face, said guide track slidably engaging within said keyway. 
         [0024]    In one form, the keyway extends between top and bottom faces of the resilient elongate fender and said guide track has a length which approximates the length of keyway, and wherein the abutment is located adjacent the lower end of the track. 
         [0025]    In one form, the outwardly directed surface of the elongate support defines a recessed vertical guide track, and the resilient elongate fender comprises a projection of matching shape extending from a back side thereof, so that this projection may slide down into the guide track and be slidably retained by this. 
         [0026]    In one form, to either side of the recessed vertical guide track inwardly directed surfaces of the elongate support define a pair of spaced apart housings, each of which houses a biased fender restraining means. 
         [0027]    In one form, each biased fender restraining means comprises a spring guide element upon which a spring is disposed, and a common transverse abutment extending between the two spring guide elements, against which an underside of the resilient elongate fender engages. 
         [0028]    In one form, the projection extends between top and bottom faces of the resilient elongate fender and said recessed guide track has a length which approximates the length of the projection, and wherein the abutment is located adjacent the lower end of the track. 
         [0029]    In one form, the elongate support is fabricated from elongate lengths of commercially available steel section. 
         [0030]    In one form, these commercially available steel sections include an elongate length of flat plate having first and second opposing major faces, two identical lengths of elongate angled section, each of these being welded along an edge thereof to the same major face of the flat plate so as to be extending in the same direction longitudinally, but also so as to be spaced apart, substantially parallel, and oppositely directed, so as to define between them, a passageway. 
         [0031]    In one form, these commercially available steel sections from which the fender assembly is fabricated comprises a length of steel channel, and a pair of lengths of elongate angled section, where each of a pair of parallel, spaced apart elongate edges of the channel has an inner surface of one of the angled sections welded thereto, such that these angled sections are parallel and spaced apart. 
         [0032]    In a further aspect, the invention may be said to reside in a method of fabricating an elongate support for a fender assembly as described above, the method including the step of cutting elongate lengths of commercially available steel section to the same length, and then welding these together. 
         [0033]    In a further aspect, the invention may be said to reside in a loading dock assembly incorporating a pair of fender assemblies as claimed any one of the preceding claims to a fender assembly. 
         [0034]    In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawing. The invention is capable of embodiments in addition to those described and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
         [0035]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate certain embodiments of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
         [0036]    Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for designing other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, to recognise that the claims should be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0037]    For a better understanding of this disclosure it will now be described with respect to one or more exemplary embodiments which shall be described herein with the assistance of drawings wherein: 
           [0038]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a fender assembly according to a first exemplary embodiment; 
           [0039]      FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of a fender assembly according to a second exemplary embodiment; 
           [0040]      FIG. 3  is a rear perspective view of the elongate support from the fender assembly in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0041]      FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of the elongate support in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0042]      FIG. 5  is a top view of the elongate support in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0043]      FIG. 6  is a front view of the elongate support in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0044]      FIG. 7  is a side view of the elongate support in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0045]      FIG. 8  is a rear view of the elongate support in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0046]      FIG. 9  is an underside of the elongate support in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0047]      FIG. 10  is a rear perspective view of the elongate support from the fender assembly in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0048]      FIG. 11  is a front perspective view of the elongate support in  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0049]      FIG. 12  is a top view of the elongate support in  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0050]      FIG. 13  is a front view of the elongate support in  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0051]      FIG. 14  is a side view of the elongate support in  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0052]      FIG. 15  is a rear view of the elongate support in  FIG. 10 ; and 
           [0053]      FIG. 16  is an underside view of the elongate support in  FIG. 10 . 
       
    
    
       [0054]    In the following description, like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0055]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , where an exemplary embodiment of a fender assembly  1  is illustrated. 
         [0056]    The fender assembly  1  comprises an elongate steel support  2 , which, in use, may be welded to a vertical support surface of a dock; a resilient elongate fender  4  in the form of solid rubber block (represented with dashed lines in  FIG. 1 ) mounted on the support  2  and guided there along for sliding movement relative thereto, and a biased (spring loaded) fender restraining mechanism  6  which supports the resilient elongate fender  4  so as to resist downwardly directed sliding movement of the fender  4  relative to the elongate support  2 . 
         [0057]    The elongate support  2  is manufactured so as to have surfaces outwardly directed from the support surface of the dock, which define a generally ‘T-shaped’ guide track  8  for the resilient fender  4 . The resilient fender  4  will have a groove of matching shape formed or moulded into a back side thereof, so that the resilient fender  4  may slide down onto the guide track  8  and be slidably retained by this. 
         [0058]    The outwardly projecting vertical guide track  8  has inwardly directed surfaces defining a housing (in the form of passageway  10 ) for the biased fender restraining means, so that at least the spring  12  and the rod  30  upon which the spring  12  is disposed may be housed. An advantage of housing the spring  12  and rod  30  in this fashion is that they are guarded and therefore less susceptible to damage, dirt and weathering; a further advantage is that the pinching hazard posed by the spring  12  is significantly reduced as compared with an exposed spring. 
         [0059]    The elongate support  2  is fabricated from commercially available steel sections. These commercially available steel sections include an elongate length of flat plate  20  having first and second opposing major faces, and two identical lengths of elongate angled section  22  and  24 . Each of the lengths of angled section is welded along an edge thereof to the same major face of the flat plate so as to be extending in the same direction longitudinally, but also so as to be spaced apart, substantially parallel, and oppositely directed. Between them, these assembled steel sections define the passageway  10  in which at least the spring  12  and the rod  30  are housed. 
         [0060]    The upper corners of plate  20  are cut so as to be bevelled; these bevelled corners  20   a  and  20   b  are less susceptible to bending (than an unbevelled corner) when the elongate support  2  is in service as part of a fender assembly  1 . Moreover, these bevelled corners  20   a  and  20   b  reduce the effort required to slide a resilient elongate fender  4  on to the ‘T-shaped’ guide track  8 , of which this plate  20  forms a part. This is particularly useful when a worn or damaged resilient elongate fender  4  must be replaced 
         [0061]    The spring  12  is a relatively heavy duty helical compression spring, which is disposed upon a rod  30 ; this spring  12  is retained between a spring retention tab  32  that is welded to the upper end of the rod  30 , and a spring supporting plate  34  which extends across the lower end of the passageway  10 . 
         [0062]    The upper end of the passageway  10  is similarly closed off by the welding of a blank of steel plate  35  in the space defined between the length of flat plate  20  and the lengths of elongate angled section  22  and  24 . For illustrative purposes, this blank  35  has been outlined with dashed lines in  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5 . Closing off the upper end of the passageway  10  in this fashion prevents miscellaneous debris from entering the passageway  10  via this upper end, and potentially fouling operation of the spring  12  and rod  30 . 
         [0063]    This spring supporting plate  34  has a hole  36  therethrough, through which the rod  30 , but not the spring  12 , may pass with a sliding action. 
         [0064]    Attached to the lower end of the rod is a plate  40  forming a transverse abutment which extends outwardly so that the lowermost edge of the resilient elongate fender  4  may abut against this. 
         [0065]    In use, when a trailer is backed up against the dock with its rear end making pressure contact with the resilient elongate fenders  4  of fender assemblies  1 , any movement of the trailer up or down will cause the resilient elongate fenders  4  of fender assemblies  1  to move in the same way. While the resilient elongate fenders  4  may slide upward from the rest position without meeting resistance from the springs  12 , any downward movement will meet resistance from the springs  12 . 
         [0066]    With reference now to  FIGS. 2 and 10  through  16 , where an alternative exemplary embodiment is illustrated, wherein this elongate support  200  is manufactured so as to have surfaces outwardly directed from the dock which are defining a generally ‘C-shaped’ recessed or concave guide track  202  for the resilient fender  204  (represented with dashed lines in  FIG. 2 ). The resilient fender  204  for this support  200  will have a projection of matching shape extending from a back side thereof, so that the resilient fender  204  may slide down into the guide track  202  and be slidably retained by this. 
         [0067]    The surfaces of the elongate support  200  which are directed inwardly toward the dock define a pair of spaced apart passageways  210  (housings) in which one each of the two springs  212  of the spring loaded fender restraining means may be housed. These two springs  212  are disposed upon a u-shaped rod  215  in a fashion similar to that disclosed above. A transverse portion of the rod  215  extends between parallel portions so as to form thereby a transverse abutment; the lowermost edge of the resilient elongate fender  4  abuts against this transverse portion of the rod  215 . 
         [0068]    The elongate support  200  is fabricated from commercially available steel sections. These commercially available steel sections include a length of steel channel  213 , and a pair of lengths of elongate angled section  214  and  216 . The elongate edges of the channel  213  each have an inner surface of one of the angled sections  214  and  216  welded thereto. These angled sections  214  and  216  are spaced apart, parallel and they slightly overlap the elongate edges of the channel  213 . Otherwise, elongate support  200  operates in the same way and includes the same features as elongate support  2  described above. 
         [0069]    Consideration of the above described disclosure will indicate that this teaches a support for a fender unit in particular whose workings are guarded, and whose manufacture may be less time and labour intensive than that of the supports for the fender units previously conceived by the inventor. 
         [0070]    In this specification unless the contrary is expressly stated, where a document, act or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not to be construed as an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was at the priority date, publicly available, known to the public, part of common general knowledge; or known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which this specification is concerned. 
         [0071]    Although the disclosure has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures can be made within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details described herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the appended claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.