Pier assembly

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to pier assemblies and, more particularly, to pier assemblies which may be readily erected and dismantled for easy removal to different locations and which are easily adjusted without dismantling for change in water level.

A number of portable piers or docks of this character have been proposed in the prior art. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,564,123, for example, a pier assembly includes a lower assembly comprised of a pair of tubular vertical posts having relatively broad ground plates engaged with the ground and rod extensions serving as ground piercers. An upper H-shaped assembly has vertical legs telescopingly received in the vertical posts and a crossmember serves to support the pier dock.

While pier assemblies of this type are satisfactory in certain environments, they have drawbacks where the bottom of the body of water in which the pier is to be erected is sandy. The relatively thin ground piercing rod may not sufficiently resist lateral forces in sandy soil. In addition, the prior art posts are somewhat costly, since they are made of three parts—the tubular portion, the ground plate, and the ground piercing rod—which must be welded together. Also, the depth of penetration of the ground piercing rods is fixed in advance and is not easily adjusted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improved pier assembly.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a readily demountable pier assembly having improved pier supporting posts.

A related object is the provision of pier supporting posts which are relatively inexpensive, being made of a single member, which are readily turned or worked into the bottom of a body of water, and which will provide improved resistance to lateral forces.

Briefly, according to the invention, this is accomplished by providing the vertical pier supporting posts with integral feet formed by slitting the lower end thereof and bending out the feet thus formed with a slight twist. The post may then be turned or worked into the ground in the manner of an auger and the feet will provide a stable base for the post. In order to facilitate screwing the post into the ground, a cross rod or handle may be inserted through aligned holes provided near the top end of the post.

Since it is frequently desirable to provide a pier with bumpers to resist the shock to colliding boats, it is also contemplated by the invention that the tire casing be positioned with the post extending through a hole in the tire tread wall and the upper end of the vertical leg of the H-shaped member being abutted against the inner surface of the tread wall at a point diametrically opposed to the hole.

The foregoing and other objects, advantages, and features of the invention and the manner in which the same are accomplished will become more readily apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrated preferred and exemplary embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a pier assembly of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a pier subassembly of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of a pier supporting post of the invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial perspective view of a supporting post of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view showing a detail of an additional embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a section view of a detail of the other embodiment of the invention, the section line being taken transversely to a crossmember thereof;

FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of the additional embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the additional embodiment, fully assembled; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing how pier sections may be added to the additional embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Turning to FIG. 1, it will be seen that a pier assembly of the invention comprises a plurality of pier subassembly 10 which support a pier deck 12. With reference to FIG. 2, it will be noted that a pier subassembly 10 comprises a pair of vertical pier supporting posts 14. Each of the pier supporting posts comprises an upper tubular portion 16 and a plurality of feet 18 at the lower end thereof. Although 5 such feet are shown, it will be understood that this is an example only and 2, 3 or 4 feet may be employed. The feet are formed by slitting the lower end of tubular member 16 and then bending out the feet 18 to extend laterally outwardly therefrom. As is more clearly shown in FIG. 4, the feet are shaped with a slight twist so that the posts may be screwed, in the manner of an auger, into the ground forming the bottom of the body water in which the pier is to be erected. This is illustrated in FIG. 2 where the lower ends of the tubular portions 16 of posts 14 are shown below sandy bottom 20 with the feet 18 located below ground to form a stable base for the posts 14. The upper ends of posts 14 extend above the water surface 22. In order to facilitate the screwing of the posts into the ground a pair of aligned holes 24 are provided near, but below, the upper end of tubular member 16. A handle or rod member 26 may be inserted through holes 24 so that a person may turn posts 14 with sufficient torque for readily screwing them into the ground by virtue of the twist given to feet 18.

A pier deck supporting member 28 is of H-shape and has a pair of vertical legs 30 and 32, the lower ends of which are telescopingly received in the upper ends of tubular members 16. The pier deck supporting member 28 also includes a crossmember 34 which is welded to vertical legs 30 and 32 to form a rigid integral H-shaped member. When legs 30 and 32 are positioned within posts 14, the crossmember 34 abuts against the upper ends of posts 14 to limit downward movement of the pier deck supporting member 28.

As shown in FIG. 1, the pier deck 12 may be formed of a plurality of deck planks 36 which rest upon and bridge across crossmembers 34.

In order to erect a pier, a post 14 is first augered into the ground by inserting handle or rod 26 through openings 24 and turning the post until the upper end thereof is at a proper vertical elevation. In like manner, a second post 14 is screwed into the ground to bring its upper end at the same level. A pier deck supporting member 28 is then positioned with its vertical legs 30 and 32 respectively telescopingly received in the upper ends of tubular members 16 of posts 14. Additional pier subassemblies 10 of this character are provided in the same way and are positioned in alignment with the first one installed so that the pier deck 12 may be bridged across successive crossmembers 34. It is understood, of course, that the posts 14 are all augered into the ground to such an extent that the upper ends of tubular portions 16 are all at substantially the same vertical elevation. The posts may be of varying lengths suited to the water depth. If slight adjustments in elevation need be made, this is readily accomplished by turning turning the posts by means of rod 26.

It is sometimes desirable to provide a bumper on a pier to absorb the shock caused when boats collide against the pier. In the present invention, this is accomplished by providing a tire casing 50. The tire casing has a tread wall 52 through which a hole 54 is provided to be positioned over the tubular

3,572,045 member 16 of post 14 with a snug fit. The upper end of vertical leg 32 is engaged against the inner surface of tread wall 52 at a point diametrically opposed to hole 54. Although only one such bumper is provided in the pier shown in FIG. 1, it is to be understood that each of the posts and corresponding vertical legs may be provided with a tire casing bumper of this character. The tire casing bumper may be pivoted in any convenient direction permitted by crossmember 34 so that, for example, tire casing bumpers provided along the side of the pier may be positioned parallel thereto, or, if sufficient space is permitted between pier deck 12 and the posts 14, in a direction perpendicular to the pier deck. Thus, as shown, the tire casing is locked into position by the lower post passing through the hole.

It is sometimes necessary to provide a more stable support for the pier deck 12. To this end, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5, 6, 7, and 8, an angle bracket 38 is secured, as by welding, to pier deck supporting member 28 adjacent to the connection of crossmember 34 to each of the vertical legs. While this is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 with respect to leg 32, it is to be understood that a similar angle bracket may be secured to the other vertical leg 30. The angle bracket 28 has a vertical wall 40 and a horizontal wall 42. In addition, nail holes 44 are provided through vertical wall 40 for a purpose which will be presently explained.

Referring now to FIG. 6, it will be noted that a pier deck supporting joist or stringer 46 may be positioned on angle bracket 38. Joist 46 rests upon horizontal wall 42 of bracket 38, having a cutout portion 48 for fitting the joist over crossmember 34, and may be secured to angle bracket 38 by providing nails or screws through openings 44. In this embodiment of the invention, it is contemplated that the deck be provided as transversely extending decking 49 supported on joists 46.

As shown in FIG. 7, successive sections 60 of the pier may be employed. In this case, the joists 47 of one pier section may be positioned inside the joists 46 of an adjacent section. To this end, the horizontal wall 42 of angle bracket 28 should be sufficiently wide as to support the side-by-side joists 46 and 47.

It is possible, with respect to the pier embodiment of FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8, to preassemble the pier sections 60 which may then be installed one at a time by a single workman. This is illustrated in FIG. 9 where a dolly 62 has been employed to transport an assembled pier section 60 to the end of the existing pier. It will be noted from this FIG. that pier section 60 has a pier subassembly 10 secured to one end with joists 47 cantilevered therefrom with decking 49 mounted on the joists. The free end of joists 47 is deposited on the end of the existing pier from dolly 62, and pier section 60 is then pivoted by the workman to drop posts 14 into the water until the feet at the bottom end thereof become engaged with the bottom of the body of water in which the pier is being erected. The posts may then be augered into the ground and adjusted to the proper eleva4 tion in the manner described above.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes can be made without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.