A canal docking system

Abstract

A docking system has vertical rails and brackets for securing to a lock wall. A floating structure has a series of aluminium tubes each extending through multiple resilient buoyant element. Carriages on the tubes engage the rails, the carriages allowing the floating structure to rise and fall on the vertical rails according to water level. Bollards extend inwardly to the dock wall at spaces of several meters. A boat such as a leisure barge can enter a lock without need to tie to the dock, the floating structure protecting the barge as it rises with rising water level. It therefore allows safer and simpler passage of craft through locks, especially leisure craft manned by inexperienced people.

1 . A docking system comprising:
 a plurality of vertical rails for securing to a lock or dock wall, and   a floating structure comprising at least one buoyant element and carriages engaging the rails, the carriages allowing the floating structure to rise and fall on the vertical rails according to water level,   wherein the floating structure comprises a frame linked to the buoyant elements and at least one buoyant element is of resilient material.   
     
     
         2 . The docking system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the floating structure comprises a series of inter-linked resilient floating elements. 
     
     
         3 . The docking system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the floating structure comprises a series of inter-linked resilient floating elements; and wherein each floating element comprises a through-hole and the floating structure comprises a frame comprising a tube or rod which extends through the through-holes. 
     
     
         4 . The docking system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the floating structure comprises a series of inter-linked resilient floating elements; and wherein each floating element comprises a through-hole and the floating structure comprises a frame comprising a tube or rod which extends through the through-holes; and wherein the floating structure frame comprises a series of tubes or rods inter-connected by flanges. 
     
     
         5 . The docking system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one rail comprises an outer flange and the carriages engage behind the flange. 
     
     
         6 . The docking system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one rail comprises an outer flange and the carriages engage behind the flange; and wherein at least one carriage comprises a pair of wheels mounted by bearings to a plate. 
     
     
         7 . The docking system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one rail comprises an outer flange and the carriages engage behind the flange; and wherein at least one rail is of I-beam shape with an inner flange and an outer flange and at least one carriage engages an inner surface of the outer flange. 
     
     
         8 . The docking system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one rail comprises an outer flange and the carriages engage behind the flange; and wherein at least one rail is of I-beam shape with an inner flange and an outer flange, and at least one carriage engages an inner surface of the outer flange; and wherein said carriage engages an outer surface of the inner flange and an inner surface of the outer flange. 
     
     
         9 . The docking system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the floating structure is linked with the carriages by connectors such as shackles. 
     
     
         10 . The docking system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the floating structure is linked with the carriages by connectors which are linked to a frame of the floating structure. 
     
     
         11 . The docking system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the floating structure is linked with the carriages by connectors which are linked to a frame of the floating structure; and wherein connectors are linked to flanges of a tube of said frame. 
     
     
         12 . The docking system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the floating structure comprises a plurality of bollards which extend upwardly from the floating structure. 
     
     
         13 . The docking system as claimed in claim  112 , wherein the floating structure comprises a plurality of bollards which extend upwardly from the floating structure; and wherein the bollards include bollards which extend inwardly towards a dock wall to, in use, help maintain a small gap between the floating structure and a dock or lock wall. 
     
     
         14 . The docking system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the floating structure comprises a plurality of bollards which extend upwardly from the floating structure; and wherein the bollards include bollards which extend inwardly towards a dock wall to, in use, help maintain a small gap between the floating structure and a dock or lock wall; and wherein said bollards each comprises an arm which is bent to extend inwardly. 
     
     
         15 . The docking system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the floating structure comprises a plurality of bollards which extend upwardly from the floating structure; and wherein at least one bollard comprises an end cap at the end of a tube and the cap extends radially from tube outer surface akin to a flange. 
     
     
         16 . The docking system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the floating structure comprises a plurality of bollards which extend upwardly from the floating structure; and wherein the system further comprises at least one short bollard and at least one longer bollard. 
     
     
         17 . The docking system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the floating structure comprises a plurality of bollards which extend upwardly from the floating structure; and wherein the system further comprises at least one short bollard and at least one longer bollard; and wherein the short bollard is connected to an arm the long bollard. 
     
     
         18 . The docking system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the floating structure comprises a plurality of bollards which extend upwardly from the floating structure; and wherein at least one carriage supports a bollard. 
     
     
         19 . The docking system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the floating structure comprises a plurality of bollards which extend upwardly from the floating structure; and wherein at least one carriage supports a bollard; and wherein said carriage comprises a pair of plates extending outwardly and supporting a lower end of a bollard between said plates. 
     
     
         20 . The docking system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein there is no floater outwardly of a carriage, only between the carriages, whereby parts of the floaters occupy a space between juxtaposed rails in plan view. 
     
     
         21 . The docking system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises at least one proximity sensor for detecting a body located normally from an end of the floating structure for a minimum time threshold.