Boat dock

A dock constructed of a pair of trusses each of which includes two spaced apart channel members having tubular bridging material therebetween. Cross members adjacent the ends of the trusses join the channel member in spaced apart relationship so that decking material can be supported by the trusses. The channel members used are of the type having a longitudinally extending restricted opening in one side. These slots facilitate bolting bridging and cross members to the channel members. The dock is supported by upright channel members located adjacent each corner. These upright members are adjustably secured by angle brackets bolted in the restricted openings therein and to the trusses so that the height of the dock can be adjusted.

This invention relates to improvements in docks for small watercraft and 
more particularly to a dock capable of being readily removed for winter 
storage and reinstalled at the beginning of the next boating season. 
Attempts to provide a portable demountable dock have not been entirely 
satisfactory in that they have been fabricated of relatively heavy 
materials which are subject to rot and rust. Furthermore docks 
prefabricated in the factory whether by welding in the case of iron docks 
or by special connectors in the case of aluminum, are bulky consequently 
requiring a great deal of storage space as well as being more difficult to 
ship to the site. 
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a strong lightweight 
boat dock the major components of which are fabricated of aluminum alloy 
or the like. 
A further object of the invention is the provision that all the individual 
components can be packed in a container for shipping. It being possible 
for a person to assemble the dock on site using readily available tools. 
Accordingly the present invention provides a boat dock comprising a pair of 
spaced apart trusses adapted to support decking, each said truss 
comprising upper and lower channel members spaced apart by braces 
angularly disposed with respec to said channel members, a cross member at 
each end of said dock for joining ends of said upper channel members at 
each end of said dock, a gusset plate at each corner of said dock 
extending diagonally between said upper member and said cross member, 
upright members adjacent each corner for supporting said dock, said 
members being in the form of channel members each having a restricted 
longitudinal opening in one side and a right angle bracket secured to each 
said lower channel member adjacent each end of each member so that a bolt 
extending through each said bracket extends into the restricted opening in 
said upright member and is adapted to adjustably secure said upright 
member to said lower channel member.

Referring now in detail to the drawings FIG. 1 and 2 show a number of dock 
units generally designated at 10 comprising essentially a pair of girders 
or trusses 12 and 14 each if which includes an upper channel member 16 and 
a lower Channel member 18 spaced apart by tubular braces 20 which form a 
series of isosceles triangles along the length of the upper channel member 
16. 
As shown more clearly in FIG. 5 each of the channel members 16 and 18 are 
in the form of an elongated channel having a pair of side walls 22 and an 
interconnecting wall 24. The side walls 22 have their free edges bent 
inwardly to define a restricted opening 26 and a pair of ribs 28. It will 
be noted that in this embodiment the channel members 16 are disposed with 
their openings 26 facing inwardly (See FIG. 3), to receive decking 30 such 
as planks or plywood, while the members 18 have downwardly directed slots 
26. 
In FIG. 8 a pair of braces 20 are shown together with a portion of the 
upper channel member 16. The ends of the braces have been flattened and 
provided with suitable apertures. A carriage bolt 32 extends through a 
channel washer 33 within the channel and through an aperture in the side 
wall 22 of the member 16, a washer 34 and nut 36 are provided on the 
threaded end of the bolt 32. It should be noted that the washer 33 as 
shown more clearly in FIG. 9A is used so that its square aperture will 
receive the carriage bolt 32. Since the channel washer 33 cannot turn in 
the channel member 16 because of its size and shape this holds the bolt 32 
while the nut 36 is turned. It is not necessary to have the ribs 38 on the 
channel washer in this instance but in order to standardize parts the 
channel washer 33 is used throughout. 
The trusses 12 and 14 as shown in FIG. 3 are held in spaced parallel 
relationship by cross members 40 which have their ends bolted to the ends 
of the upper channel members 16. The cross members 40 comprise channel 
members having the same cross section as the channel member 16 and the 
slot 26 therein is disposed downwardly. 
A pair of tubular diagonal cross braces 42 have their flattened ends bolted 
to the lower channel members 18 and to the midportion of each of the cross 
members 40. 
The bolt 32 extends through a channel washer 33 in the cross member 40, as 
shown in FIG. 6. A standard circular washer is provided on the bolt 22 
between the nut 36 and the flattened end of the cross braces 42. In this 
case the ribs 38 on the washer 33 are turned so that they cooperate with 
the ribs 28 of the channel member 40. 
In FIG. 3 a tubular cross member 44 having flattened apertured ends, 
extends between the trusses 12 and 14 at each end thereof and shares the 
bolt 32 which secures the tubular cross braces 42 to the member 18 at each 
side of the dock. 
At each corner of the dock section 10 there is a gusset plate 48 as shown 
more clearly in FIG. 7. The gusset plate 48 has one end bolted to the 
cross member 40 and its other end bolted to the upper channel member 16. A 
notch 50 in the gusset plate 48 is provided to accomodate an upright 
support post or leg 52 which extends therethrough. The post 52 is retained 
between the channel member 16, the cross member 40 and the gusset plate 
48. 
With reference to FIG. 9 each of the posts 52 provided at the corners of 
the deck 10 has its lower end adjustably secured to a lower channel member 
18 through the use of an angle bracket 56, shown in more detail in FIG. 
9A, which has first and second walls disposed at right angles to each 
other, each of which has an aperture. The bracket 56 is bolted to a 
channel washer 33 in the channel member, which comprises the post 52, by a 
bolt 32 which passes through the channel washer 33 from the inside, 
through the slot 26 and the bracket 56 to receive a nut 32 on its threaded 
outer end. The other wall of the bracket 56 supports the channel member 18 
and is bolted through the opening of the channel member through the use of 
a channel washer 33 in the manner previously described. It will be 
appeciated that if the nut 36 holding the bracket to the post 52 is 
loosened the bracket can be moved along the restricted opening 26 thereby 
providing for relative movement between the upright post and the lower 
channel member 18 and the dock itself. 
In order to limit lateral movement of the dock 10 sway bars in the form of 
diagonal tubular members 60 have been provided at both ends thereof. These 
sway bars each have flattened apertured ends one of which shares a bolt 
with one end of a gusset plate. The other end of the bar 60 is bolted to 
the channel member 16. 
Since it is desireable to link dock sections together to provide the 
required length thereby facilitating shipping connecting means in the form 
of sleeves 64 have been provided to connect the dock sections 10 together. 
The sleeves 64 shown more clearly in FIG. 5 are also in the form of 
channels and can be inserted in the ends of the channel members 16 and 18. 
Bolts 32 are used to secure the sleeves 64 in the channel members. 
In some cases it may be necessary to provide means for preventing the posts 
from sinking into soft ground, accordingly adjustable feet 66 have been 
provided. (See FIG. 3). The feet 66 are secured to the posts 52 by an 
inverted cap 68 which is first secured to a plywood or metal pad 69 by a 
bolt 70 passing therethrough and by a bolt or screw passing through the 
wall of the post 52 and the side of the cap 68. A tubular brace 74 on each 
foot 66 has one flattened end secured to the foot 66 by a bolt 76. The 
other end of the brace 74 is bolted through the slot to a channel washer 
33 in the channel of the post 52. 
A ramp indicated generally at 80 in FIG. 10 is provided on the shoreward 
end of the dock section 10. The ramp 80 has side channel members 82, 
having the same cross section as the members 16 and 18, are disposed with 
restricted openings facing inwardly to receive edges of decking material 
such as plywood. 
Long tubular braces 84 and short braces 86 are bolted to the underside of 
the side members 82 to provide rigidity. The ramp is preferrably secured 
to the dock 10 in hook on relation by a pair of members 88 each of which 
has an elongated aperture through which the bolt 32 of the channel member 
16 extends. The other end of the member 88 has an upright pin 90 received 
in an aperture in a reinforcing plate 91 secured to the underside of the 
side member 82. 
Assembly of the dock sections 10 and the ramp 80 is facilitated by the use 
of channel members having an opening thus enabling the person assembling 
the dock to slide washers, which have been inserted at either end, along 
the length of the member and insert bolts through the holes provided. 
Furthermore, in a number of cases it is possible to have the bolt extend 
through the restricted opening of the channel and be anchored to a washer 
33 within the channel. This arrangement not only provides for lateral 
adjustment but requires the drilling of fewer holes in the channel 
members. 
In order to further reduce the number of holes required in the channel 
members the alternative arrangement of the channel members as shown in 
FIG. 12 may be used. Since all parts of the dock shown generally at 90 
have been described above it should only be necessary to point out that 
the channel members 16 and 40 have their restricted openings directed 
downwardly and the member 18 has its restricted opening directed upwardly. 
This facilitates bolting the tubular braces 20, 42, 44 and the gusset 
plate 48 to channel washers 33 within the member 16 and 18. The dock as 
shown in FIG. 12 also has the posts 52 on the outside and it is therefore 
necessary to provide a second bracket 56 to interconnect the top member 16 
and the upright member 52. 
The bracket 56 which connects the upright member 52 to the lower channel 
member 18 is inverted and bolted through the restricted opening in the 
channel member 18 through the use of a channel washer 33 in the manner 
described above. 
For convenience sake a further bracket 56 may be provided above the decking 
30 and be connected to the bracket 56 on the channel member 16 by a strap, 
cable, or the like 92, thus allowing the dock to be adjusted from above 
the deck by loosening the nut 36 provided of course that the nuts 36 on 
the two lower brackets 56 have not been fully tightened. 
The dock 10 may also be provided with self contained jacking means as shown 
generally at 100 in FIG. 13. In this case each of the brackets 56 which 
support the member 18 is bolted to a modified bracket 56 a through the 
slot 26 in the upright post 52. The bracket 56 a difers from bracket 56 in 
that a tapped aperture 104 is provided. In order to prevent the bracket 56 
and 56 a from clamping the ribs of the member 52 therebetween a spacer 106 
is provided on the bolt 32. 
A cap 68 described above with reference to FIG. 3 having a suitable 
centrally located aperture is installed on the upper end of the upright 
member 52. A long bolt 110 preferably having a hexagonal head is then 
inserted through the aperture in the cap 68 and has its lower end 
threadedly engaged in the aperture 104 in the bracket 56 a . The bolt 110 
can thus be turned through the use of a wheel wrench or the like to move 
the brackets 56 and 56 a up or down the upright 52. Since each of the 
brackets 56 support one corner of the dock 10 it is possible to raise, 
lower or level the dock while standing thereon.