US3763816A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic docking system
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-10-10
•
Granted: 1973-10-09
•
Expires: 1992-10-10
Abstract
Abstract An automatic boat docking system for guiding and docking a boat in a boat slip; including a pair of laterally spaced dock structures defining a boat slip therebetween and having a pair of pivoted retaining booms at the outer ends of the dock structures adjacent the entrance to the slip movable between a closed position transversely spanning the slip entrance and an open position. A cross-rope movable along the slip and a harness rope are engaged by an entering boat to swing the booms to the closed position behind the boat and wrap the boat in transversely centered position by the harness rope.
Inventors
- 👤 C Wilson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 20:39
CPC Classifications
B; B63; B63C; B63C1/00; B63C1/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
181 words
In a boat docking system for docking boats in a boat slip defined between two laterally spaced elongated dock sections and having an entrance portion through which a boat enters and leaves the slip, an automatic docking structure comprising a pair of elongated retaining booms having a length to transversely span said entrance portion, entrance stations associated with each of said dock sections in laterally flanking relation to said entrance portion including means for pivotally supporting the respective booms adjacent an end of the booms for swinging movement about vertical pivot axes between an open position spaced laterally for admission of the boat therebetween and a closed position cross-wise spanning said entrance portion disposing free end portions of the booms adjacent the opposite dock sections, and harness rope means having lost motion couplings with the free end portions of the booms and extending therebetween to be engaged by the bow portion of a boat entering between said booms in open position and draw the booms to said closed position behind the boat when it reaches a docking position within the slip.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
181 words
In a boat docking system for docking boats in a boat slip defined between two laterally spaced elongated dock sections and having an entrance portion through which a boat enters and leaves the slip, an automatic docking structure comprising a pair of elongated retaining booms having a length to transversely span said entrance portion, entrance stations associated with each of said dock sections in laterally flanking relation to said entrance portion including means for pivotally supporting the respective booms adjacent an end of the booms for swinging movement about vertical pivot axes between an open position spaced laterally for admission of the boat therebetween and a closed position cross-wise spanning said entrance portion disposing free end portions of the booms adjacent the opposite dock sections, and harness rope means having lost motion couplings with the free end portions of the booms and extending therebetween to be engaged by the bow portion of a boat entering between said booms in open position and draw the booms to said closed position behind the boat when it reaches a docking position within the slip.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
77 words
A boat docking system as defined in claim 1, including spring loaded reels associated with each of said dock sections and located adjacent said entrance portion, said harness rope means having its opposite end wound on said reels and extending to the free end portions of said booms and therefrom in a V-section converging inwardly toward the rear of said slip to receive the bow portion of the entering boat in the V-section of the rope means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
76 words
A boat docking system as defined in claim 1, including a cross member laterally spanning the slip in cross-wise relation and coupled to said harness rope means mid-way of the slip, and movable coupling means secured to the opposite ends of the cross-member and guided along track formations associated with said dock sections to permit translation movement of the cross-member toward the rear of the slip responsive to engagement by the bow of the entering boat.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
78 words
A boat docking system as defined in claim 2, including a cross member laterally spanning the slip in cross-wise relation and coupled to said harness rope means at the apex of said V-sections, and movable coupling means secured to the opposite ends of the cross-member and guided along track formations associated with said dock sections to permit translation movement of the cross-member toward the rear of the slip responsive to engagement by the bow of the entering boat.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
A boat docking system as defined in claim 3, wherein said cross member is a cross-wise rope having rollers connected to opposite ends thereof forming said coupling means in rolling contact with said track formations.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
A boat docking system as defined in claim 4, wherein said cross member is a cross-wise rope having rollers connected to opposite ends thereof forming said coupling means in rolling contact with said track formations.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
77 words
A boat docking system as defined in claim 2, wherein the free end portions of said retaining booms include pulleys about which said harness rope means is trained, said rope means including stop formations located outboard of the pulleys to snag rope portions in the pulleys when selected lengths of rope are withdrawn from the reels and draw the booms to said closed position responsive to further movement of the boat toward the rear of the slip.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
77 words
A boat docking system as defined in claim 4, wherein the free end portions of said retaining booms include pulleys about which said harness rope means is trained, said rope means including stop formations located outboard of the pulleys to snag rope portions in the pulleys when selected lengths of rope are witHdrawn from the reels and draw the booms to said closed positon responsive to further movement of the boat toward the rear of the slip.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
90 words
A boat docking system as defined in claim 2, wherein the free end portions of said retaining booms include pulleys about which said harness rope means is trained, said rope means including stop formations located outboard of the pulleys to snag rope portions in the pulleys when rope lengths are withdrawn from the reels corresponding to entering movement of a boat which locates its stern near said entrance portion and draw the booms to said closed position responsive to further movement of the boat toward the rear of the slip.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
90 words
A boat docking system as defined in claim 4, wherein the free end portions of said retaining booms include pulleys about which said harness rope means is trained, said rope means including stop formations located outboard of the pulleys to snag rope portions in the pulleys when rope lengths are withdrawn from the reels corresponding to entering movement of a boat which locates its stern near said entrance portion and draw the booms to said closed position responsive to further movement of the boat toward the rear of the slip.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
66 words
A boat docking system as defined in claim 1, including spring loaded catch members located at each of said entrance stations normally in release condition when said booms occupy said open position and engaged by free end portions of the booms pivoted on the opposite entrance station means to shift to releasible latching relation with such free end portions when the booms reach said closed position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
66 words
A boat docking system as defined in claim 2, including spring loaded catch members located at each of said entrance stations normally in release condition when said booms occupy said open position and engaged by free end portions of the booms pivoted on the opposite entrance station means to shift to releasible latching relation with such free end portions when the booms reach said closed position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
66 words
A boat docking system as defined in claim 8, including spring loaded catch members located at each of said entrance stations normally in release condition when said booms occupy said open position and engaged by free end portions of the booms pivoted on the opposite entrance station means to shift to releasible latching relation with such free end portions when the booms reach said closed position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
A boat docking system as defined in claim 1, wherein said retaining booms are located in different vertically spaced horizontal planes so as to be disposed in close proximity one over the other at said closed position.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
A boat docking system as defined in claim 2, wherein said retaining booms are located in different vertically spaced horizontal planes so as to be disposed in close proximity one over the other at said closed position.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
37 words
A boat docking system as defined in claim 8, wherein said retaining booms are located in different vertically spaced horizontal planes so as to be disposed in close proximity one over the other at said closed position.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
A boat docking system as defined in claim 11, wherein said retaining booms are located in different vertically spaced horizontal planes so as to be disposed in close proximity one over the other at said closed position.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
76 words
An automatic docking system as defined in claim 1, wherein said harness rope means are positioned by the free end portions of said booms when the booms swing from open to closed positions so that the rope portions aft of the boat during movement of the boat within and toward the rear of the slip are caused to cross-over each other aft of the stern to form a harness embracing the whole sides of the boat.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
76 words
An automatic docking system as defined in claim 2, wherein said harness rope means are positioned by the free end portions of said booms when the booms swing from open to closed positions so that the rope portions aft of the boat during movement of the boat within and toward the reaR of the slip are caused to cross-over each other aft of the stern to form a harness embracing the whole sides of the boat.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
76 words
An automatic docking system as defined in claim 8, wherein said harness rope means are positioned by the free end portions of said booms when the booms swing from open to closed positions so that the rope portions aft of the boat during movement of the boat within and toward the rear of the slip are caused to cross-over each other aft of the stern to form a harness embracing the whole sides of the boat.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
174 words
In a boat docking system for docking boats in a boat slip defined between two laterally spaced elongated dock sections and having an entrance portion through which a boat enters and leaves the slip, an automatic docking structure comprising a pair of elongated retaining booms having a length to collectively span said entrance portion, entrance stations associated with each of said dock sections in laterally flanking relation to said entrance portion including means for pivotally supporting the respective booms adjacent an end of the booms for swinging movement about vertical pivot axes between an open position spaced laterally for admission of the boat therebetween and a closed position extending cross-wise of said entrance portion, and harness rope means having lost motion couplings with free end portions of the booms remote from their pivoted ends and extending therebetween to be engaged by the bow portion of a boat entering between said booms in open position and draw the booms to said closed position behind the boat when it reaches a docking position within the slip.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
174 words
In a boat docking system for docking boats in a boat slip defined between two laterally spaced elongated dock sections and having an entrance portion through which a boat enters and leaves the slip, an automatic docking structure comprising a pair of elongated retaining booms having a length to collectively span said entrance portion, entrance stations associated with each of said dock sections in laterally flanking relation to said entrance portion including means for pivotally supporting the respective booms adjacent an end of the booms for swinging movement about vertical pivot axes between an open position spaced laterally for admission of the boat therebetween and a closed position extending cross-wise of said entrance portion, and harness rope means having lost motion couplings with free end portions of the booms remote from their pivoted ends and extending therebetween to be engaged by the bow portion of a boat entering between said booms in open position and draw the booms to said closed position behind the boat when it reaches a docking position within the slip.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
77 words
A boat docking system as defined in claim 21, including spring loaded reels associated with each of said dock sections and located adjacent said entrance portion, said harness rope means having its opposite end wound on said reels and extending to the free end portions of said booms and therefrom in a V-section converging inwardly toward the rear of said slip to receive the bow portion of the entering boat in the V-section of the rope means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
77 words
A boat docking system as defined in claim 21, including a cross-member laterally spanning the slip in cross-wise relation and coupled to said harness rope means at the apex of said V-sections, and movable coupling means secured to the opposite ends of the cross-member and guided along track formations associated with said dock sections to permit translation movement of the cross-member toward the rear of the slip responsive to engagement by the bow of the entering boat.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
90 words
A boat docking system as defined in claim 21, wherein the free end portions of said retaining booms include pulleys about which said harness rope means is trained, and rope means including stop formations located outboard of the pulleys to snag rope portions in the pulleys when rope lengths are withdrawn from the reels corresponding to entering movement of a boat which locates its stern near said entrance portion and draw the booms to said closed position responsive to further movement of the boat toward the rear of the slip.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
76 words
An automatic docking system as defined in claim 21, wherein said harness rope means are positioned by the free end portions of said booms when the booms swing from open to closed positions so that the rope portions aft of the boat during movement of the boat within and toward the rear of the slip are caused to cross-over each other aft of the stern to form a harness embracing the whole sides of the boat.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-08 | 1977-04-09 | 1977-10-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-08 | 1981-04-09 | 1981-10-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-08 | 1985-04-09 | 1985-10-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |