Patent Publication Number: US-2017350083-A1

Title: Device for securing floating bodies

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a device for securing floating bodies with a pile which can be fixed at one end to a ground, in the region of the other end of which the floating body is provided. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     Such devices are used for fixing floating bodies of any kind, in particular of floating jetties, boats, ships and the like. Floating jetties are constructions floating on the water, on which, for example, any floating bodies such as ships, boats, sports equipment and the like can be immobilized. Floating jetties are used in waterways with a tidal range as berths that are independent of the water level and in harbours to create, among other things, as many berths as possible in a confined space. The buoyancy bodies, of which usually several are provided in order to avoid the loss of the whole floating jetty in the event of a loss of one or a few buoyancy bodies, can be made of any suitable material such as steel, aluminium, concrete or plastic. 
     In order to prevent the floating jetties from drifting off, they are held at the desired position by means of the piles, also called pilots, which are fixed to the ground. Floating jetties are used in tidal waters as a berth that is independent of the water level. They are used to divide the water surface in sports marinas and to use it for as many berths as possible. For this purpose, the piles are usually drilled deep into the ground by means of rams and have to protrude correspondingly high above the floating body in the case of low water in order to be able to hold it securely even during high water. It is especially disadvantageous that the piles can protrude to a very high extent from the water, that the piles are unable to dampen vibrations of the floating body, and that the piles must always be guided with respective play in the tidal range in accordance with the construction, which can result in the loosening of the pile under high kinetic energy acting upon the structure due to heave of the sea, wind and the like. 
     The fixing of floating bodies of all types, in particular of further leading jetties, ships, boats, sports equipment or the like, is usually effected by mooring the respective floating body on the floating jetty, wherein a floating body is usually applied either longitudinally or transversely to the floating jetty. However, it is disadvantageous in respect of this prior art that, in particular in the case of adverse conditions, the floating jetty lies in a restless manner in the water and carries out considerable self-movements in the course of the wave movements, in particular various bends and twisting, which means excessive loads on all involved components such as the floating jetty, the attached floating bodies and the mooring means. 
     Furthermore, it is known to fasten floating bodies by means of mooring arms to jetties, harbour walls or the like (WO 2009 015403 A1), wherein the mooring arms are fixed, in particular at least at one end, around an at least approximately vertical axis with a fitting in a rotationally fixed or rotationally resilient manner to the respective mooring. The distance of the floating body from the landing body is fixed with the two mooring arms, wherein a drift of the floating body to the side and obliquely rearwards in the direction of the landing body is prevented by a rotationally fixed or rotationally spring-mounted fastening of the fittings to one end of the mooring arms and/or by clamping the mooring arms with mooring lines. In this manner, wave and wind forces acting on the floating body are introduced directly into the landing body via the mooring arms. In this way, forces acting on the floating body, in particular in the case of higher wind forces and swells, can already be cushioned and absorbed right from the start, which means that a substantially lower load on the floating body and landing element is provided. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     On the basis of a prior art of the type described above, the invention is based on the object of providing a device for fixing floating bodies which avoids the aforementioned disadvantages and which is sufficiently robust with a construction which is as simple as possible and permits secure fixing of floating bodies even under adverse conditions, in particular in the case of wind and waves, and does not excessively protrude above the surface of the water. 
     This object is achieved by the invention in such a way that the pile is constructed as a telescopic tube, wherein the pile is designed in such a way that the pile length adapts automatically to the tidal range conditions. 
     As a result of the pile being designed as a telescopic tube and being fixable at one end to the ground and at the other end facing away from the ground with a floating body, the pile length easily adapts automatically to the respective tidal range conditions, i.e. the water level conditions. The pile thus follows the water level with regard to its length. The floating body floats on the surface of the water without the pile protruding excessively above a surface of the water, causing the pile to move into the required telescopic position. The piles need not protrude excessively, and optionally not at all, above the water surface. In the case of a corresponding design of the telescopic guide, practically no play between the floating body, the pile and the ground is necessary or present, which prevents the pile from breaking through the waves under adverse wind and wave conditions. Floating bodies, such as floating jetties, mooring buoys for boats or floating bodies in general, can thus be kept virtually invisible in an ideal position without having to accept large lateral drifts. 
     The virtually play-free guidance substantially increases durability and considerably reduces maintenance costs. 
     In particular, it may be provided that the pile is equipped, at its end remote from the ground, with a floating body which is fastened directly to the pile. This floating body can especially be of any desired nature. For example, reference may be made to floating jetties, buoys for fixing boats or the like. 
     In order to be able to keep the forces as low as possible which act on the device and are caused by wind and waves, it is provided according to a further development of the invention that the pile which is telescopic along the pile axis can be equipped with a vibration damper damping the telescopic movement. Said vibration damper functions in an equivalent manner as a vibration damper in a motor vehicle, wherein the damping material is either a mechanically elastically deformable damping mass such as polyurethane for example, a damping oil or gas which is guided in a closed circuit, or sea water which penetrates the interior of the pile via respective throttling openings. 
     According to a particularly advantageous further development of the invention, the pile can be equipped with a lifting force support acting in its extension direction. This means, in particular, that the floating body assigned to the pile end does not have to apply the entire force for pulling out the telescopic tube, but can be supported by the lifting force support. Said lifting force support can, for example, comprise a counterweight which can be displaced inside the pile and acts on a partial tube of the telescopic tube by means of a pulling means which is deflected by means of a deflection roller. In addition, or alternatively for this purpose, the lifting force support can comprise a spring provided in the pile interior, possibly a gas pressure spring. 
     In order to fix the pile in the ground, it is advisable to force the pile, which is preferably pointed at the base, into the ground. For this purpose, the pile is driven into the ground by means of respective rams, impact devices or the like. In addition or alternatively, the pile could in principle be fixed on the base side to the ground by means of at least one flange. In particular, in the case of hard, rocky grounds or when fixed to concrete troughs or the like, the piles are preferably screwed to the ground by means of the flanges and corresponding dowels. 
     In order to prevent excessive loads on the telescopic tube with transverse forces during strong winds and swells, it is advantageous if the pile is equipped with a ball coupling and/or a universal joint at least at one end, optionally at both ends. In the case of ball heads, inclinations of up to about 35° can be realized from a central position. Universal joints allow up to 90°. 
     In order to anchor the pile in an especially secure manner or to securely fix the pile even in the case of particularly adverse ground conditions, it may be advantageous if the pile is braced by means of a pulling means and/or pendulum supports which engage on the pile at one end and on the ground at the other end. Pulling means can be ropes, chains or the like, but also, in particular, a corresponding damping tether having respective own damping. The pendulum supports consist, for example, of pendulum supports which are fixed to the pile at one end and at the other end by means of fittings and which consist of two telescopically displaceable support parts which can be moved towards each other by a spring device, both in the tensioning direction as well as in the pressure direction, i.e. they are capable of removing tensile and pressure forces in a spring-loaded and optionally dampened manner. The spring device can, for example, be fitted with stop members distributed distantly in the longitudinal direction of the support and with elastomeric spring bodies provided between the stop members, wherein the stop members engage beyond the spring bodies with stop shoulders which protrude in the longitudinal direction of the supports and leave a receiving space, the volume of which at least corresponds to the displacement volume of the elastomeric spring bodies in the abutting position of the stop members. As viewed in a projection onto the pile cross-section, one, two, three, four or more pulling means and/or pendulum supports can be arranged in order to stabilize the pile, in particular distributed equally around the pile. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The subject matter of the invention is illustrated by way of example in the drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  shows a device according to the invention in cross-section with the representation of two stroke positions; 
         FIG. 2  shows a constructional variant of the device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  shows a further constructional variant of the device from  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  shows a device with lifting force support in cross-section with retracted telescopic tube, and 
         FIG. 5  shows the device of  FIG. 4  with the telescopic tube extended. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The device according to the invention for fixing floating bodies  1 ,  1 ′ comprises a pile  2  which can be fixed at one end to the ground G and to which the floating bodies  1 ,  1 ′ can be fixed in the region of the other end. According to the invention, the pile is designed as a telescopic tube, with which a tidal range T can be compensated in a particularly advantageous manner. In the embodiment according to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the pile is equipped with a floating body  1 , in particular a floating jetty, at its end facing away from the ground G. In the embodiment according to  FIG. 1 , the pile is in this case bolted on the base side to the ground, a rock or a concrete basin, by means of a flange  4 . The respective bolted connection is only indicated. In the embodiment according to  FIG. 2 , the pile  2  is sharpened and driven into the ground G. In addition, the pile  2  in the embodiment according to  FIG. 2  is equipped with a ball coupling  5  at one end and in the exemplary embodiment according to  FIG. 1  at both ends. 
     The pile  2  can also be braced by means of pendulum supports  6  or pulling means  7  acting on the pile  2  at one end and on the ground G at the other end. In the embodiment according to  FIG. 2 , no such means are shown, but these could obviously be provided in this design. 
     In the exemplary embodiment according to  FIG. 3 , the floating body  3  is a buoy, with which the device can be provided, for example, for producing a buoy field. A ship  1 ′ can then usually be attached with the buoy or the pile  2  to a stop means  8 . In the embodiment according to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the pile is equipped with a lifting force support. The lifting force support acts in the extension direction. This serves to provide weight compensation in relation to a floating jetty resting on the pile. The illustrated lifting force support comprises a counterweight  11  which can be displaced in the interior of the pile  2  and which acts on a partial tube  14  of the telescopic tube of the pile  2  via a pulling means  13  deflected by a deflection roller  12 .