Marine Dock Suction Float Element

Abstract

A floating marine dock employs a plurality of spaced-apart suction float elements. Each element includes a foam filled plastic shell having a plurality of suction pockets that extend vertically upwardly through and beyond a bottom wall section of the shell to an upper end within the shell. When a load is placed on the dock or walkway, the buoyant float element produces a low pressure or vacuum space within each pocket and a resultant suction that forcefully adheres the float elements and dock securely to the underlying water

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A suction float element for supporting a floating marine dock, walkway or platform on an underlying body of water, said suction float element comprising:
 an exterior shell containing a buoyant foam;   said shell including a top wall section, an opposite bottom wall section and a peripheral side wall section that interconnects said top and bottom wall sections;   said side wall section including a plurality of elongate vertical recesses that extend between said top and bottom wall sections;   said bottom wall section including a plurality of concave peripheral openings that correspond to and communicate with lower ends of respective said vertical recesses in said side wall sections;   said top wall section covering upper ends of said vertical recesses and including a plurality of slots that correspond to and communicate with said upper ends of said respective vertical recesses, each said slot for receiving a respective connector to secure said float element to depend from the dock, walkway or platform;   said bottom wall section further including a plurality of suction pockets formed therein, said suction pockets extending vertically upwardly from said bottom wall section and terminating intermediate said bottom and top wall sections; whereby applying a load to the dock, walkway or platform immerses said float in the underlying body of water to produce a suction within said suction pockets, which adheres said float element more forcefully to the underlying body of water.   
     
     
         2 . The suction float element of  claim 1  in which each of said top wall section and said bottom wall section includes four perpendicularly interconnected side edges and wherein said side wall sections include four perpendicularly interconnected side wall segments. 
     
     
         3 . The suction float element of  claim 2  in which said top wall section has a length and width that are respectively greater than a length and width of said bottom wall section such that each said side wall section has a narrowing taper extending from said top wall section to said bottom wall section. 
     
     
         4 . The suction float element of  claim 1  in which said bottom wall section of said shell includes four said suction pockets. 
     
     
         5 . The suction float element of  claim 1  in which each said suction pocket includes a parallel pair of elongate pocket sides and an opposing pair of arcuate pocket ends that interconnect said pocket sides. 
     
     
         6 . The suction float element of  claim 1  in which each said suction pocket extends between said bottom wall section and a distal end of said pocket section intermediate and spaced apart from an upper surface of said top wall section and a lower surface of said bottom wall section. 
     
     
         7 . The suction float element of  claim 6  in which each said suction pocket includes a flat distal end. 
     
     
         8 . The suction float element of  claim 2  in which a pair of said vertical recesses are formed in each side wall segment of said side wall section. 
     
     
         9 . The suction float element of  claim 1  in which each said recess has a semicylindrical shape and each said opening in said bottom wall section has a semicircular shape that matches said semicylindrical shape of a corresponding said vertical recess. 
     
     
         10 . The suction float element of  claim 9  in which said top wall section includes a plurality of semicircular peripheral regions, each said semicircular peripheral region having a shape that conforms to a respective said semicylindrical vertical recess. 
     
     
         11 . The suction float element of  claim 10  in which each said slot in said top wall section is positioned in a respective said semicircular region and extends vertically radially and perpendicularly inwardly from a distal linear edge of said top wall section. 
     
     
         12 . A floating marine dock, walkway or platform comprising:
 an elongate frame including a parallel pair of elongate frame elements for supporting a walking surface thereon;   an exterior shell containing a buoyant foam;   said shell including a top wall section, an opposite bottom wall section and a peripheral side wall section that interconnects said top and bottom wall sections;   said side wall section including a plurality of elongate vertical recesses that extend between said top and bottom wall sections;   said bottom wall section including a plurality of concave peripheral openings that correspond to and communicate with lower ends of respective said vertical recesses in said side wall sections;   said top wall section covering upper ends of said vertical recesses and including a plurality of slots that respectively correspond to and communicate with said upper ends of said vertical recesses, each said slot for receiving a respective connector to secure said float element to depend from the dock, walkway or platform; and   said bottom wall section further including a plurality of suction pockets that are attached to and extend vertically upwardly from said bottom wall section and terminate intermediate said bottom and top wall sections; whereby applying a load to the dock, walkway or platform immerses said float in the underlying body of water to produce a suction within said suction pockets, which adheres said float element more forcefully to the underlying body of water.   
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 12  in which each of said top wall section and said bottom wall section includes four perpendicularly interconnected side edges and wherein said side wall sections includes four perpendicularly interconnected side wall sections. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 13  in which said top wall section has a length and width that are respectively greater than a length and width of said bottom wall section such that each said side wall section has a narrowing taper extending from said top wall section to said bottom wall section. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 12  in which each said suction pocket includes a pair of elongate and parallel pocket sides and an opposing pair of arcuate pocket ends that interconnect said pocket sides. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  12  in which each said suction pocket is defined by an open proximal end formed through said bottom wall section and a tubular element unitarily connected to said bottom wall section and extending interiorly through said shell to a distal end of said pocket section intermediate and spaced apart from said bottom wall section and said top wall section. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 12  in which each said vertical recess includes a semicylindrical shape, each opening in said bottom wall section having a semicircular shape that conforms to said semicylindrical shape of a corresponding said vertical recess, said top wall section including semicircular shaped peripheral regions, each said semicircular shaped region conformably matching said semicylindrical shape of a respective said vertical recess. 
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 17  in which each said slot in said top wall section extends radially and perpendicularly through said top wall section and within a respective said semicircular shaped peripheral region of said top wall section.