BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to marine fenders for mounting on objects such as docks, piers, seawalls, and the like to cushion collisions with other objects such as boats, rafts, and the like and more specifically to an extruded marine fender with unique energy absorbing properties.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Fenders for this purpose are well known in the prior. They include old tires, woven rope bundles, and extruded resilient tubes with attached flanges for fastening to objects. A compromise is generally made between structure strong enough to resist great force and soft enough to avoid damage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an extruded structure with a sufficiently soft external surface to cushion a colliding object without damage thereto, while providing an internal structure with greater resistance to deformation to resist great force. The fender of the invention includes an outer cylindrical surface and an inner cylindrical surface. The two cylindrical surfaces have a common axis. The two cylinders are joined by a plurality of strips, which transmit forces on the outer surface to the inner cylinder, as the outer cylinder yields to these forces, as well as absorbing some of the impact energy. Having a smaller radius, the inner cylinder will not yield as readily, all other things being equal. Arches are well known for their ability to hold great loads. The yielding of the outer cylindrical surface absorbs some of the energy of impact, and presents a larger surface to the impacting object. Means continuous with the outer cylinder are further provided for attachment of the fender to one or more planar surfaces, such as pilings, seawalls, docks, floating platforms, and bulkheads. These include one or more planar panels that join the inner and outer cylinders and terminate in mounting flanges. Whatever forces are not absorbed by the fender are transmitted by the planar panel(s) to the object on which the fender is mounted. These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent when the detailed description is studied in conjunction with the drawings in which like elements are designated by like reference characters in the various drawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an extruded fender of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of another embodiment of the invention for mounting on a planar surface.

FIG. 5 is another embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings, the various embodiments of the invention are extruded from a resilient plastic. An ultraviolet resistant, resilient polyvinyl chloride plastic, specifically GEON C9000.TM., has been found suitable, but other plastics well known in the art may be employed as well. The various embodiments shown share a common internal structure with a double wall for high energy absorption. An arcuate outer wall is connected by a plurality of connecting walls to an inner arcuate wall that has a much smaller radius. By this construction, the outer wall will be more yielding, while transmitting distorting forces to the inner arch wall that is less yielding. Consequently, the overall fender is able to absorb far greater energy with relatively thinner walls. The plastic is extruded by means well known in the art to economically form the structure with a uniform cross section that can be cut to any length as desired.

Referring now first to FIGS. 1 and 2, a section cut from an extrusion forming the fender 14 of the invention comprises a body of uniform cross section 1. It has an outer arcuate wall 2; an inner arcuate wall 15; a plurality of planar strips 6 connecting the inner and outer walls between the ends of the walls; a planar panel 7 joining the ends 4 of the outer wall with the ends 5 of the inner wall; and mounting flanges 11 extending orthogonally from the panel for fastening to the object on which it is to be mounted. When force is applied to the outer wall, it flexes, taking up some energy and presenting a broader face to the impinging object. Some of the force is transmitted to the strips 6, and from there to the inner wall 15, which flexes less readily because it is an arc of a smaller radius. The two arcuate walls may have substantially the same axis 3. They need not be arcs of perfect circles to function in this way. Any remaining forces are transmitted over a large surface area of the object on which the fender is mounted by the planar panel.

Referring now to FIG. 3, another embodiment of the invention 16 is shown that is more suitable for mounting in other situations. One mounting flange 12 is coplanar with the panel 7, and the other mounting flange 13 is orthogonal to the panel.

Referring now to FIG. 4, another embodiment 17 of the invention is shown in which the mounting flanges 18 are both coplanar with the panel 7 so as to be easily mounted on a planar surface, such as a seawall.

Referring now to FIG. 5, another embodiment 19 of the invention is shown that is more suitable for mounting on sharp corners. A pair of planar panels 8 intersects at a central line 9. Each of the panels 8 joins one end 4 of the outer wall 2 to one end 5 of the inner wall 15. Mounting flanges 18, which are continuous with the outer wall 2, are each coplanar with its adjacent planar panel, with which it is also continuous.

The above disclosed invention has a number of particular features which should preferably be employed in combination, although each is useful separately without departure from the scope of the invention. While I have shown and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise than as herein specifically illustrated or described, and that certain changes in form and arrangement of parts and the specific manner of practicing the invention may be made within the underlying idea or principles of the invention.