Locking dock cleat cover

The present invention relates to a cleat cover that is designed to prevent unauthorized use. The cover has a dome shaped body with an interior cavity interior configured to cover and removable attach to the cleat.

BACKGROUND

Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates to a locking dock cleat cover.

Description of the Related Art

Dock cleats are used to secure a boat to dock. The dock cleat shape allows a boat line or rope to wrap. The dock cleat is usually made of metal and are often located on the edges of a dock.

FIG. 1shows a boat10secured to a typical dock cleat15mounted on a dock20using a rope25extending between the boat10and the dock cleat15. While the picture shows one rope, there may be more than one rope used, such as a bow rope and a stern rope.

The issue at hand is unauthorized use of a private dock by other boaters who are looking for a temporary parking spot for their boat. This can happen anywhere there are private docks that are not in full-time use—such as a vacation home. Typically, there are marinas in the area that will rent space to weekend boaters on a space-available basis. When the spaces are filled, or a boater does not want to spend the money to rent dock space, some of those boaters resort to parking their boats at private docks (dock squatters). They think, “those people aren't here this weekend, they won't mind”. This creates a couple problems—1) the dock owner shows up afterward, and then has to deal with finding out whose boat it is so that they can get it out of there; and 2) liability issues a dock owner may be subjected to when some random person gets injured on their dock, or their boat is damaged. It is illegal to cast the boat adrift, and law enforcement is usually not very responsive about moving a boat.

A need therefore exists for improved methods and devices to prevent unauthorized use of a dock cleat so that dock squatters cannot to tie-up to the dock.

SUMMARY

The present invention is directed to a locking dock cleat cover that is applied over a dock cleat. The locking dock cleat cover is easily applied over the dock cleat and is designed to prevent unauthorized use by not allowing a rope to tie to the cleat.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

“Secured” and variations thereof as used herein include methods by which an element is directly secured to another element, such as being glued, screwed, or otherwise fastened directly to, on, within, etc. another element, as well as indirect means of securing two elements together where one or more elements are disposed between the secured elements.

FIG. 2is a side view andFIG. 3is a cross-sectional view of a locking dock cleat cover assembly100covering a dock cleat105. The dock cleat105may be a conventional cleat of the kind commonly found around boats, boat docks and wharfs. The dock cleat105has base105aand laterally extending arms105battached to base105aand extend in opposite directions.

The locking dock cleat cover assembly100includes a locking dock cleat cover110with a dock cleat attachment device115. The locking dock cleat cover110has a smooth outer shape and/or surface110that is designed to completely cover the dock cleat and prevent unauthorized use by preventing attachment of the boat line or rope25.

The sides of the outer surface110may be curved, tapered and/or angled to dissuade a dock squatter from trying to tie up to the cover, by making it so that the lines slip right off. Instead of attaching to the dock cleat105, the boat line or rope25will slide upward on the cover surface110.

FIG. 4Ais a top perspective view andFIG. 4Bis a bottom perspective view of the locking dock cleat cover110. The locking dock cleat cover100may be any shape that will prevent boat line or rope attachment, such as a rectangular shape having parallel sides with curved or rounded ends, or a spherical or dome shaped cover.

The locking dock cleat cover100includes a top or outer surface110a, angled, curved and/or rounded ends110b, parallel sides,110c, and a lower edge110cforming an interior cavity125, that is configured to contact and/or lay against the surface of the dock20to which the locking dock cleat cover assembly100is mounted. This will prevent the boat line or rope from going under the locking dock cleat cover100. The interior cavity125is sized to accommodate the dock cleat105including the dock cleat arms105aand leg(s)105b.

In some embodiments, the locking dock cleat cover100is made up of integral one-piece body and molded from a hard material, such as a hard plastic material or aluminum. The locking dock cleat cover100has relatively flat bottom110dand the interior cavity125is sized to receive the laterally extending arms105bof dock cleat105.

Since the locking dock cleat cover110is exposed to the elements, the material should be durable and resistant to ultraviolet radiation. It may be desirable for the locking dock cleat cover110to be brightly colored let the boaters to the presence of the locking dock cleat cover110and that the dock cleat105is not usable.

The dock cleat attachment device115is configured to be secured to the locking dock cleat cover110on the dock cleat105. In some embodiments, the dock cleat attachment device115includes locking bars115aextending through bar holes130in two opposing surfaces in the cover110. In some embodiments the locking bars115are cylindrical and fit through complementary round bar holes130. In some embodiments, the bar holes130and locking bars115are threaded for attachment. In some embodiments, the bar holes130may be undersized and the locking bars115frictionally engage the bar hole130for attachment. In some embodiments the locking bars115may comprise teeth or other protrusion that drive into the bar holes115. In some embodiments, the dock cleat attachment device115may be a locking cable extending through bar holes130.

The bar holes130may be located on the parallel sides110cand positioned under the dock cleat arms105band either side of the dock cleat legs105a. Once in place, the locking bars105amay engage the cleat arms105bto prevent the cover100from being lifted off the dock cleat115. In use, the locking dock cleat cover110is installable over dock cleat105and secured in place by cleat attachment device115.

The locking dock cleat cover assembly100may be installed placing the locking dock cleat cover110on dock cleat105so that the laterally extending arms105band base105aare within the internal interior cavity125. The locking bars115are inserted thought the bar holes130and secured to the locking dock cleat cover110. Once in place, a rope cannot be wrapped around dock cleat105to secure a boat.

While this invention has been described in connection with what are presently considered to be practical embodiments, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. It will also be appreciated by those of skill in the art that parts mixed with one embodiment are interchangeable with other embodiments; one or more parts from a depicted embodiment can be included with other depicted embodiments in any combination. For example, any of the various components described herein and/or depicted in the Figures may be combined, interchanged or excluded from other embodiments. With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or singular terms herein, those having skill in the art can translate from the plural to the singular and/or from the singular to the plural as is appropriate to the context and/or application. The various singular/plural permutations may be expressly set forth herein for sake of clarity.

While the present disclosure has described certain exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims, and equivalents thereof.