ANTI-CRUSHING DEVICE FOR USE WITH BARGES

The present invention is a blocking device where a block with a handle is attached to a wire and the wire is attached to a spring attached to a boat, dock, or barge. Multiple blocking devices are positioned on a boat, dock, or barge. When a person falls in the water the block is thrown in the water to prevent the person from being crushed. The block also may be in a holder.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The invention relates to life-saving devices for the maritime industry.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Each year maritime workers or passengers fall in the water between boats and docks, between towboats and barges, between barges, or between barges and the dock. Also people fall in the water near lock and dam systems. The people who fall in the water are often crushed and severely injured or killed when tons of steel are coming together.

Other than a standard life preserver and life jackets there is very little to prevent the people from being crushed boats, barges, docks, locks, and dams come together.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is blocking device100used to prevent boats, barges, docks, locks, and dams from closing on a person in the water. The block device100may be a block110or chunk of material in any size or shape. A handle120is attached to a block110to allow it to be picked up and thrown in the water to save a person from being crushed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is blocking device100used to prevent boats, barges, docks, locks, and dams from closing on a person in the water. The block device100may be a block110or chunk of material in any size or shape. A handle120can be attached to the block. A fastener130is attached to the block110and a wire200. The wire200can be attached to the fastener on one end and a spring300on another end. The spring300can be attached temporarily or permanently to a boat.

In a preferred embodiment, the block110has the dimensions of 12″ wide, 12″ high, and 12″ deep. The block110can be any dimension. However, these dimensions have been found effective to give a person enough space when the material of boats, barges, docks, locks, and dams collides. The block110could be made of any material which is capable of floating and is not crushed instantly when the metal collides from any combination of boats, barges, docks, locks and dams. The block110can painted or coated with high visible colors. During manufacture, the block110can be dipped in a polyurethane coating. One embodiment of the block110is made of oak but any

The handle120is attached to the block110. The handle120allows the block110to be quickly picked up and tossed into the water to prevent someone from being crushed by items in the water. The fastener130is attached to the block110and one end of the wire200to allow the block110to be retrieve or kept close to a boat where it is needed. The other end of the wire is attached to a spring300attached in some way to a boat or dock or barge. Multiple blocking devices100should be attached near the water in multiple location around boats, barges, locks, dams, and docks. The blocking device100can be put in a holder400. The holder400could attached or just set on top of a boat, barge, dock, lock, and dam.

The block110is picked up by the handle and thrown into a body of water to prevent a person in the body of water from being crushed between two objects. The water can be a river, lake, pond, ocean, or pool or tank of water.