Patent Publication Number: US-6659033-B1

Title: Mooring device and method

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention herein pertains to mooring small boats and particularly pertains to mooring boats to a wooden dock such as at a lake or beach. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART AND OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION 
     Small fishing boats and pleasure craft have been moored in many ways throughout the years, generally with one or two ropes used to tie the boat alongside the dock. Dock cleats and other attaching methods have been used in the past with varying degrees of success. Under ideal conditions most securing methods work, however during storms or other adverse weather conditions conventional securing methods often fail, causing the boat to become free or be damaged as they strike the dock or adjoining boats. 
     Thus, based on the problems and disadvantages of conventional mooring devices and methods, the present invention was conceived and one of its objectives is to provide a mooring device and method which will maintain the boat at a safe, secure distance from the dock under bad weather conditions. 
     It is another objective of the present invention to provide an inexpensive mooring device which will allow a moored boat to safely accommodate wakes or tidal changes of up to approximately two feet in height. 
     It is still another objective of the present invention to provide a portable, easily removably mooring device which will easily work on virtually any wooden dock. 
     It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a method for quickly and efficiently mooring the boat at two points along a wooden dock with little practice or training required. 
     Various other objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as a more detailed description is set forth below. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The aforesaid and other objectives are realized by providing a pair of mooring devices, each formed from a tubular member having a Y-like shape. An endless cord is contained within the tubular member and trio of end caps provide pairs of apertures to allow the endless cord to exit through the end caps. Releasable brackets in the preferred form of the mooring device are affixed to each of the cords as they exit both arms of the tubular member for securing the mooring device between boards of a wooden dock. The leg of the mooring device is telescopically adjustable as it contains a slidable section therein having holes which align with holes in the leg member. A locking pin secures the slidable section in a desired position within the leg. A split bolt is movably positioned on the endless cord as it exits the end cap of the slidable section. The split bolt is used to tighten the cord, for example to a boat cleat during mooring. Cushions are positioned on each of the arms and the leg to allow the mooring device to float in the event that it inadvertently falls into the water. 
     The method as described herein includes the step of affixing the releasable brackets to the dock, such as between dock boards in the preferred method and thereafter adjusting the length of the leg with the slidable section to accommodate the specific boat to maintain it in a desired spacial relation to the dock. Next, the endless cord which exits the slidable section end cap is wrapped around the boat cleat and is secured thereon by using the split bolt by sliding it into tight frictional engagement along the cord. The method steps as explained are reversed when it is desired to remove the mooring devices so the boat can be used or otherwise moved from the dock. 
     In an alternate method of attaching the mooring device to a dock, a connector is attached, such as by lag screws to a private dock. Pins which are removable engage the cord as it exits the arm of the Y-like member to secure the mooring device. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 demonstrates the preferred form of the mooring device herein in partial exploded fashion; 
     FIG. 2 Illustrates the use of the mooring device on a typical fishing boat using the releasable brackets; 
     FIG. 3 shows an enlarged proximal end of the mooring device as attached to a boat cleat; 
     FIG. 4 depicts the releasable bracket of the mooring device as attach between dock boards; 
     FIG. 5 shows the mooring device as seen in FIG. 1 with the cord and releasable bracket removed; 
     FIG. 6 features a view of the distal end of the releasable bracket as seen in FIG. 5 along lines  6 — 6 ; 
     FIG. 7 demonstrates the proximal end of the mooring device of FIG. 5 along lines  7 — 7 ; 
     FIG. 8 pictures an elevational view of the mooring device of FIG. 5 along the right side; 
     FIG. 9 depicts the mooring bracket of FIG. 5 in elevational view along the left side thereof; and 
     FIG. 10 illustrates an enlarged view of a mooring connector for permanent attachment, such as to a private dock. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS AND OPERATION OF THE INVENTION 
     For a better understanding of the invention and its method of use, turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 demonstrates preferred mooring device  10  consisting of a rigid polmeric tubular member  11  made from standard PVC pipe containing endless nylon cord  12 . Conventional cord  12  may have a diameter of approximately 7-8 mm and is suitable for use on boats and for other wet environments. Cord  12  is endless, that is it is fastened together at its proximal end  13  with standard metal clamp  14  or the like and is contained within tubular member  11  with excessive length. The excessive cord length allows leg  15  of tubular member  11  to extend as required by adjustment through telescopic movement of slidable tubular section  16  which is positioned within leg  15 . Section  16  has cap  17  affixed thereto which defines a pair of openings  18 ,  18 ′ (FIG. 2) to allow cord  12  to exit therefrom. Section  16  defines a series of holes  19 ,  19 ′ along each side for adjustment purposes. Once a selected hole  19  of section  16  is aligned with desired holes  20 ,  20 ′ in leg  15 , standard locking pin  22  is inserted and lock clip  23  is then positioned over the end of locking pin  22  as shown in FIG. 2 which maintains locking pin  22  in place. If the length of tubular member  11  (leg  15 ) requires further adjustment, lock clip  23  is removed from the end of locking pin  22 , pin  22  is removed from leg  15  and section  16  is then realigned in leg  15  and secured again with locking pin  22  as described above. Safety loop  24  formed from a plastic line prevents locking pin  22  from being lost or being dropped into the water. Loop  24  is affixed to locking pin  22  and is placed around leg  15 . 
     Tubular member  11  also includes arms  25 ,  25 ′ which along with leg  15 , provides tubular member  11  with a Y-like appearance. Cord  12  exits leg  15  through end cap  17  which defines openings  18 ,  18 ′ (FIG. 2) and exits arm  25  through end cap  26  which defines openings  27 ,  27 ′ for cord  12  to pass therethrough. Likewise cord  12  passes through openings  29 ,  29 ′ (FIG. 2) on end cap  28  of arm  25 ′ as shown in FIG.  1 . 
     Polymeric foam cushion  30  as shown in FIG. 1 is positioned on leg  15  whereas cushion  31  is positioned on arm  25  and cushion  32  is positioned on arm  25 ′. Cushions  30 ,  31 ,  32  are manufactured from a durable polymeric foam such as polyurethane, nylon or the like and may be secured thereto with typical band fasteners, adhesives or other standard fasteners. Cushions  30 ,  31 ,  32  are used for flotation purpose in the event mooring device  10  falls into the water; as may inadvertently occur. 
     In FIG. 2, a typical boat dock  50  is shown having a series of dock boards  51  with brackets  34  mounted thereto as also shown in FIG.  4 . Mooring devices  10  are joined to standard cleats  61 ,  62  of boat  60  by securing endless cord  12  thereto which exits end cap  17 . 
     FIG. 3 shows mooring device  10  in enlarged fragmented fashion with cord  12  secured to boat cleat  61  as split bolt  45  has been urged toward cleat  61  to tighten cord strands  46 ,  46 ′ exiting end cap  17  into tight engagement around cleat  61 . Conventional split bolt  45  is then tightened by rotation until removal is desired. 
     As further shown in FIG. 4 the method of affixing releasable bracket  34  for mooring is as follows: loop  33  of releasable bracket  34  is passed through the space between dock boards  51  as also shown in FIG. 3 whereafter loop  33  is rotated ninety degrees to prevent inadvertent removal of loop  33 . Next, spacer  35  engages step washer  36  as wing nut  38  is rotated downwardly along threaded shaft  39  to thereby engage upper washer  37  which then presses spacer  35  downwardly. As wing nut  38  is tightened (moved downwardly) loop  33  is urged upwardly to thereby sandwich dock board  51  between loop  33  and step washer  36 . Bracket ring  40  contains cord  12  for mooring boat  60  as seen in FIG.  4 . To remove mooring device  10  from dock  50 , wing nut  38  is loosened, loop  33  rotated ninety degrees and can then be pulled upwardly between dock boards  51  to free releasable bracket  34 . 
     In FIG. 5, a top view of mooring device  10  is shown with resilient cushions  30 ,  31 ,  32  in place thereon and without endless cord  12 , releasable brackets  34 ,  34 ′ or locking pin  22  shown. 
     In FIG. 6, a distal (dock) end view of mooring device  10  is seen whereas in FIG. 7 a proximal (boat) end view of mooring device  10  is shown. In FIG. 8 a left side elevational view of mooring device  10  is seen whereas in FIG. 9 a right side elevational view of mooring device  10  is provided. 
     In an alternate method of mooring a boat, such as for mooring at a boat owner&#39;s. personal dock, permanent dock connector  70  is shown in FIG. 10 which can be affixed to dock  75  by lag screws  71 . Four dock connectors  70  can be mounted on a private dock for a particular boat for quicker mooring as mooring pins  72  are placed through endless cord  12  as it exits end cap  26  of mooring device  10  as seen in FIG.  10 . Dock connector  70  prevents the necessity of attaching releasable brackets  34 ,  34 ′ in certain instances where permanent dock connector  70  can be utilized. 
     The preferred method of the invention includes the steps of directing a boat such as boat  60  into a parallel alignment with the selected dock, for example dock  50  herein. Releasable brackets  34 ,  34 ′ of one of the two mooring devices  10  used are then inserted between dock boards  51  as shown in FIG.  4 . 
     Bracket loop  33  is then rotated ninety degrees by turning bracket ring  40  as shown in FIG.  4 . Next, wing nut  38  is tightened against washer  37  to secure loop  33  against the bottom of dock boards  51 . Locking pin  22  (FIG. 1) is thereafter released from leg  15  and section  16  is slid inwardly or outwardly of leg  15  as required to make a proper length adjustment. Once adjusted, locking pin  22  is then reinserted into coincidentally aligned holes  19 ,  20  and  19 ′,  20 ′ therealong. Next, pivotable lock clip  23  is positioned over the end of locking pin  22  to hold it in place. Endless cord  12  which passes through apertures  18 ,  18 ′ (FIG. 2) of end cap  17  as shown in FIG. 1 is then separated into strands  46 ,  46 ′ (see FIG. 3) and are placed around boat cleat  61  shown in FIG.  2 . Split bolt  45  is then loosened and moved towards cleat  61  to tighten cord  12  thereon. Split bolt  45  is then tightened in place to hold cord  12  tightly in place. The same steps are repeated for a second mooring device  10  whereby boat is temporarily secured to dock  50  at two points (cleats) along the side of boat  60 . Thereafter, the method steps can be reversed to remove mooring devices  10  from boat  60  when boat  60  is ready to be moved or used on the water. 
     The illustrations and examples provided herein are for explanatory purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims.