Torsion-mode breasting dolphin

Claim 2

A breasting dolphin comprising: a pair of pipe piles embedded in the bottom a chosen distance apart; means secured to and extending away from individual ones of said piles toward the other of said piles for transmitting to said piles impact forces of a docking ship; and fender means supported from the free ends of said means secured to said piles so that loading forces in a first mode of operation resulting from a ship impacting said fender means are transferred to and develop stresses by torsion and bending in either one or both of said piles depending upon the point of application of these loading forces with respect to said piles.

Claim 3

A dolphin comprising: a pair of pipe piles embedded in the sea floor a chosen distance apart; means secured to and extending away from individual ones of said piles beyond the other of said piles for transmitting to said piles impact forces of a docking ship; and fendering supported from said means secured to said piles so that loading forces against said fendering produced during routine docking of a ship develop stresses by torsion and bending in both piles when the poiNt of impact is between said piles and in one of the piles when the point of impact is in front of one pile or beyond the piles pair.

Claim 4

A dolphin comprising: a pair of pipe piles embedded in the sea floor a chosen distance apart; means secured to and extending away from individual ones of said piles beyond the other of said piles for transmitting to said piles impact forces of a docking ship; and fendering supported from said means secured to said piles so that loading forces against said fendering produced during routine docking of a ship develop stresses by torsion and bending in both piles when the poiNt of impact is between said piles and in one of the piles when the point of impact is in front of one pile or beyond the piles pair.

Claim 5

An arrangement as defined in claim 2 in which said stresses are developed by torsion and bending in that pile of the pair which is more distant from the point of impact.

Claim 6

An arrangement as defined in claim 3 wherein whenever said loading forces exceed a selected maximum, the excess loading force additionally develops stresses by bending only in one or the other pile of said pair.

Claim 7

A breasting dolphin comprising, a pair of pipe piles embedded in the sea floor a chosen distance apart; one or more rigid torque arms secured to each pile in a cantilever manner and deployed to intercept broadside an impacting ship; and fender means supported from the free ends of said torque arms.

Claim 8

A breasting dolphin comprising, a pair of pipe piles embedded in the sea floor a chosen distance apart; one or more rigid torque arms secured to each pile in a cantilever manner and deployed to intercept broadside an impacting ship; and fender means supported from the free ends of said torque arms.

Claim 9

An arrangement as defined in claim 5 wherein the free ends of said torque arms are disposed a selected distance from the pile other than the one to which the torque arm is secured, said selected distance being that which the end of a torque arm may be displaced to impose the maximum permissible torsion stress on its supporting pile.

Claim 10

A breasting dolphin comprising: a pair of pipe piles embedded in the sea floor a chosen distance apart; one or more rigid torque arms secured to each pile in a cantilever manner and deployed to intercept broadside an impacting ship; fender means supported from the free ends of said torque arms; means connecting the free ends of oppositely extending torque arms, said connecting means adapted to accomodate relative movement between torque arms supported by opposing piles due to displacement of said torque arms, the free ends of said torque arms disposed a selected distance from the pile other than the one to which the torque arm is secured, said selected distance being that which the end of a torque arm may be displaced to impose the maximum permissible torsion stresses on its supporting piles, said fender means mounted on said connecting means.

Claim 11

A breasting dolphin comprising: a pair of pipe piles embedded in the sea floor a chosen distance apart; one or more rigid torque arms secured to each pile in a cantilever manner and deployed to intercept broadside an impacting ship; fender means supported from the free ends of said torque arms; means connecting the free ends of oppositely extending torque arms, said connecting means adapted to accomodate relative movement between torque arms supported by opposing piles due to displacement of said torque arms, the free ends of said torque arms disposed a selected distance from the pile other than the one to which the torque arm is secured, said selected distance being that which the end of a torque arm may be displaced to impose the maximum permissible torsion stresses on its supporting piles, said fender means mounted on said connecting means.

Claim 12

An arrangement as defined in claim 7 wherein said fender means are pivotally mounted on said connecting means so that said fender means may generally conform to the contour of an impacting ship or object.

Claim 13

An arrangement as defined in claim 8 wherein at least two torque arms are secured to one of said piles and one torque arm is secured to the other; a vertically oriented support member connecting the free ends of said two torque arms, said one torque arm disposed intermediate said two torque arms; flexible means connecting said fender support means to the free end of said one torque arm; and means accommodating relative movement connecting said fender support means to said vertically oriented support member.

Claim 14

A breasting dolphin comprising, in combination, a pair of pipe piles embedded in the sea floor a chosen distance apart; one or more rigid torque arms secured to each pile in a cantilever manner; fender means; and means for supporting said fender means from the free ends of said torque arms such that a ship impact force directed against said fender means is transmitted by certain of said torque arms to either one or both of said piles to develop stresses therein by torsion and bending depending upon the point of application of said ship impact force with respect to the location of said piles.

Claim 15

A breasting dolphin comprising, in combination, a pair of pipe piles embedded in the sea floor a chosen distance apart; one or more rigid torque arms secured to each pile in a cantilever manner; fender means; and means for supporting said fender means from the free ends of said torque arms such that a ship impact force directed against said fender means is transmitted by certain of said torque arms to either one or both of said piles to develop stresses therein by torsion and bending depending upon the point of application of said ship impact force with respect to the location of said piles.

Claim 16

An arrangement as defined in claim 10 wherein each torque arm spans the distance between said piles.

Claim 17

An arrangement as defined in claim 10 wherein each torque arm extends in front of the pile to which it is not secured.

Claim 18

An arrangement as defined in claim 10 wherein each torque arm is horizontally disposed.

Claim 19

An arrangement as defined in claim 10 wherein torque arms secured to different piles extend in opposite directions.

Claim 20

An arrangement as defined in claim 10 wherein all torque arms are positioned at different heightS from the sea surface, whereby angular displacement of said arms in response to impact forces may take place without interference.