Composite bollard

Abstract

A composite bollard about which a mooring line can locate. The bollard has at least one bitt projecting upwardly from a base and is defined by a shell construction of a monocoque fibre composite laminate. The bitt is secured by fasteners to a marine vessel in a cantilevered beam manner at the base so that a bending moment applied to the bitt 5 by the mooring line creates resulting tension and compression forces vectored parallel the upwardly direction of the bitt in the shell. At least the tension forces are able to be transferred via the fasteners to the marine vessel.

Description

[0001] COMPOSITE BOLLARD

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention relates to a composite bollard. More particularly, it relates to a composite bollard for receiving a mooring line to allow a marine vessel to be held secure to another object such as a wharf.

[0004] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0005] Bollards play a crucial role in the nautical industry, serving as robust anchoring points for ropes, mooring lines, and other tension lines. By providing a secure structural termination, bollards enable the safe transfer of loads from these lines into the underlying structure of a dock, pier, or vessel. Their application is widespread, commonly found along docks and piers, as well as on the decks of yachts and various other vessels.

[0006] Due to their essential structural function, bollards are typically designed to be large and heavy, ensuring they can withstand significant forces and effectively distribute loads. However, on the decks of yachts and pleasure craft, traditional bollards can present challenges: they often occupy valuable deck space, pose tripping hazards, and may detract from the vessel's aesthetic appeal. While smaller boats sometimes employ movable or stowable bollards to mitigate these issues, the increasing size and weight of bollards on larger vessels make such solutions impractical and potentially hazardous. The substantial mass of these fittings not only complicates handling but also adds to the overall weight of the vessel.

[0007] Additionally, conventional bollard designs, characterized by diagonally extending horns, require a considerable horizontal footprint relative to their usable width, further limiting their practicality in space-constrained environments.

[0008] In this specification, where reference has been made to external sources of information, including patent specifications and other documents, this is generally for the purpose of providing a context for discussing the features of the present invention. Unless stated otherwise, reference to such sources of information is not to be construed, in any jurisdiction, as an admission that such sources of information are prior art or form part of the common general knowledge in the art. It is an object of the present invention to provide a composite bollard which overcomes or at least partially ameliorates some of the abovementioned disadvantages or which at least provides the public with a useful choice.

[0009] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] According to a first aspect the invention broadly comprises a composite bollard for or engaged to a marine vessel and for securing the marine vessel to another object utilising a mooring line extending from the object to secure to the composite bollard, the composite bollard comprising: a bollard body presenting at least one bitt preferably of a monocoque construction) to receive the mooring line and that projects upwardly from a base region of the bollard body at where the composite bollard is operative connected to the marine vessel the body being a resin embedded fibre laminate composite structural element of the composite bollard; and at least one wear protector that is secured to the bitt arranged in a configuration to keep the mooring line, when located about the upstand, separated from the bitt to protect the bitt from being subjected to abrasive wear from the mooring line.

[0011] Preferably the bollard body is a monocoque bollard body that may comprise of one bitt.

[0012] Preferably the bollard body is a monocoque bollard body that may comprise of one or two bitts that are integrally formed with each other..

[0013] Preferably the other object is one selected from a wharf, other marine vessel, buoy, pile, anchor..

[0014] Preferably the bitt projects upwardly from a base region of the bollard body at where the composite bollard is operatively connected to the marine vessel to transfer force applied to the composite bollard by the mooring line to the marine vessel, preferably via the base region of the bollard..

[0015] Preferably the wear protector is of a material that is of a higher abrasive wear resistance than the composite structural element.

[0016] Preferably the wear protector comprises of a metal material.

[0017] Preferably the wear protector comprises of a material selected from a metal of at least one of: i. steel and alloys thereof including stainless steel, and ii. aluminium or alloys thereof, and iii. titanium or alloys thereof and iv. a laminate composite of metals, comprising at least the above (such as a titanium coated aluminium).

[0018] Preferably the at least one wear protector is secured to the bitt and arranged is to surround the bitt in a configuration to keep the mooring line, when located about the upstand, separated from the bitt.

[0019] Preferably the wear protector overlaps the bitt (preferably in a continuous manner) to separate the mooring line and prevent it from contacting the composite structural element.

[0020] Preferably the wear protector contiguously overlaps the composite structural element of the bitt.

[0021] Preferably the wear protector contiguously overlaps the composite structural element and is adhered to the composite structural element.

[0022] Preferably the wear protector is a sheath that overlaps the composite structural element and wherein the composite structural element has been laminated to and on the inside of the sheath.

[0023] Preferably the wear protector is a sheath of a sheet material.

[0024] Preferably the sheath is a mould that defines the mould shape of the bitt during the forming of the composite structural element.

[0025] Preferably the sheath has been used as the mould for at least the bitt during resin infusion..

[0026] Preferable during the moulding the sheath acts as a pressure mould for the resin embedded fibre laminate formation of the bitt..

[0027] Preferably the bitt is formed by an open moulding process where the sheath provides a mould surface for the fibre laminate to be moulded to..

[0028] Preferably the bitt is formed by a closed moulding process where the sheath provides a mould surface for the fibre laminate to be moulded to..

[0029] Preferably the moulding process utilises at least one of (a) hand lay up (b) resin transfer moulding (c) vacuum infusion moulding and (c) compression moulding.. Preferably the interior surface of the sheath provides for a keyed interface to be established with the composite structural element..

[0030] Preferably the interior surface of the sheath provides for a keyed interface to be established with the composite structural element during the forming of the bitt from the resin embedded laminate precursor..

[0031] Preferably the keyed interface is provided by bitts or rebates of the interior of the sheath..

[0032] Preferably the bitts or rebates are configured to resist relative rotation of the sheath to the bitt and / or to resist axial movement between the bitt and the sheath.

[0033] Preferably the wear protector fully envelops at least a substantial part of the horizontal facing surface(s) of the upstand...

[0034] Preferably a plurality of discrete wear protectors are provided, each secured to the bitt and that are arranged in a spaced apart manner to surround the bitt to space the mooring line sufficiently to prevent it from contacting the composite structural element in a manner to cause wear of the composite structural element when the mooring line is secured to the bollard.

[0035] Preferably the discrete wear protectors are elongate and extend parallel the upright direction of the bitt.

[0036] Preferably the discrete wear protectors each project outwardly from the horizontal facing surface(s) of the bitt.

[0037] Preferably the discrete wear protectors an array of ribs located about the bitt.

[0038] Preferably the discrete wear protectors provide bearing surfaces for the mooring line to bear against.

[0039] Preferably the at least one discrete wear protector transfers all the force (tensile and shear) applied by the mooring line to the bollard from at least one wear protector to the composite structural element.

[0040] Preferably the composite structural element is part of the load path for the force applied to the composite bollard by the mooring line to the marine vessel (such as to a mount of the marine vessel). Preferably the force applied to the composite bollard by the mooring line is applied via the at least one wear protector to the composite structural element that transfers the force applied, to the marine vessel.

[0041] Preferably the force applied to the composite bollard by the mooring line is applied via the at least one wear protector to the composite structural element that transfers the force applied, to the marine vessel via the base region of the bollard body to for example a mount of the marine vessel.

[0042] Preferably at the base region the composite bollard is able to be secured to a mount at the deck of the marine vessel.

[0043] Preferably the bollard body further comprises a fastening interface at the base region by which the composite bollard is able to be secured to a mount at the deck of the marine vessel.

[0044] Preferably the fastening interface allows for a mechanical fastening of the composite bollard to a mount at the deck of the marine vessel, preferably in a releasable manner.

[0045] Preferably the mount is a part of the deck and may merely be defined by a plurality of apertures through the deck via which threaded fasteners can extend to secure the bollard to the deck. The mount may instead be an intermediate mounting member or structure or assembly such as a base plate, or part of a mechanism that can allow for the bollard to be moved relative the deck such as for removal from the deck and / or rotation relative to the deck and / or for extension from and retraction into and below the upper surface of the deck. The bollard may include an interface that can allow for the bollard to be connected in a modular manner to a plurality of different mounts so that it can be configured conveniently for desired end use purposes..

[0046] Preferably the fastening interface comprises of at least one of a male and female threaded component.

[0047] Preferably the fastening interface comprises of a plurality of at least one of a male and female threaded component, spaced apart from each other and preferably at or proximate (and preferably inward of) the footprint of the composite bollard at the base region.

[0048] Preferably the fastening interface can cooperate with a complimentary interface presented at or secured with (directly or indirectly) the deck of the marine vessel. Preferably they are male threaded components that each project from base region downwardly to below the upstand(s) so allow the male treaded components to index through respective apertures of a fastening means of or secured directly or indirectly to the deck of the marine vessel.

[0049] Preferably the bollard body further comprises of a base element at the base region that is encapsuled inside the composite structural element.

[0050] Preferably the base element has fibres of the bitt wrapped about the bottom of the base element, the fibre laminate projecting upwardly from the base element to the top of the bitt.

[0051] Preferably the base element is a metal.

[0052] Preferably base element is ring shaped (whether round or other) of a plan shape that corresponds to the shape of the footprint of the bitt.

[0053] Preferably base element is ring shaped (whether round or other) and of a plan shape that corresponds to the shape of the footprint of the bitt.

[0054] Preferably the ring shaped base element has fibres of the bitt it is encapsuled in, extending from the top of the bitt to the outside of the base element about the bottom of the base element and to the inside of the base element towards the top of the bitt.

[0055] Preferably the ring shaped base element is ensconced at and above the bottom turn of the fibre laminate that extends from the top of the bitt about the bottom of the base element.

[0056] Preferably the base element is the or part of the fastening interface of the composite bollard.

[0057] Preferably the base element is the or part of the fastening interface of the composite bollard and includes spaced apart along its length the male and / or female threaded components to engaged with complementary female and male threaded components secured to or by the deck of the marine vessel.

[0058] Preferably the base element is the or part of the fastening interface of the composite bollard and includes spaced apart along its length the male and / or female threaded components that are exposed at the base region for fastening to the marine vessel by apertures through the laminate composite at the base region of the bitt.

[0059] Preferably the apertures present downwardly at the base region of the bitt. Preferably the base element is of a shape and configuration to allow a clamp fastener to draw down onto the base element (directly or via the fibre laminate) to draw the bollard onto a mount of the marine vessel that is part of or with which the clamp fastener can interact.

[0060] Preferably a clamp fastener can draw down onto the base of the bollard to draw the bollard onto a mount of the marine vessel that is part of or with which the clamp fastener can interact.

[0061] Preferably the clamp fastener comprises of a clamp plate to bear onto the base and / or base element and a plurality of at least one of a threaded fastener projecting from the plate and threaded apertures through the plate with which threaded fasteners can threadingly engage to secure the bollard to the mount of the marine vessel.

[0062] Preferably the loadpath of force applied to the bollard by the mooring line transfers to the mount via the wear protector to the composite bitt to the base element and via the fastener(s) to the mount to the marine vessel.

[0063] Preferably the composite structural element is formed utilising carbon fibre.

[0064] Preferably the composite structural element is formed utilising resin embedded carbon fibre that, in an uncured precursor format, is located inside the sheath to become laminated to the sheath as the resin cures. Preferably this is done by using the inside of the sheath and pressure moulding the precursor format to the sheath. This may be done utilising a pressure bag located inside the sheath and inflating the pressure bag to press onto the precursor format..

[0065] Preferably the composite structural element is formed utilising resin embedded carbon fibre that, in an uncured precursor format, is located inside the sheath to become pressure laminated to the sheath as the resin cures.

[0066] Preferably the wear protector is formed from a material denser than the bitt.

[0067] Preferably the wear protector is a sheet metal of a thickness between 3mm and 8mm.

[0068] Preferably the composite bollard weighs less than 20kg for a 10 tonne Safe Working Load (SWL) rating of the bollard.

[0069] Preferably the composite bollard weighs less than 12kg for a 10 tonne Safe Working Load (SWL) rating of the bollard. Preferably the composite bollard weighs less than 12kg for a 17 tonne Safe Working

[0070] Load (SWL) rating of the bollard.

[0071] Preferably the composite bollard weighs less than 25kg for a 25 tonne Safe Working Load (SWL) rating of the bollard.

[0072] Preferably the bollard is secured to a vessel.

[0073] Preferably the bollard is secured to a vessel by a mount of the vessel.

[0074] Preferably the bollard is secured to a vessel by a mount of the vessel.

[0075] Preferably the bollard is secured to a vessel in a manner to allow the bollard to move relative to the vessel (with or relative to the mount).

[0076] Preferably the bollard is secured to a vessel in a manner to allow the bollard to move relative to the vessel (with or relative to the mount) to allow the bollard to:

[0077] B. be removed from the mount and / or deck,

[0078] C. rotate relative to the deck to allow the bollard to draw on and release off, length of mooring line about the bollard,

[0079] D. retract to a condition where it is flush with or below the upper surface of the deck and extend from its retracted condition for use in securing a mooring line above the deck

[0080] E. do both B and C.

[0081] Preferably the composite bollard as herein above described is of a kind as herein described.

[0082] Preferably the bollard body comprises of two bitts each extending from a common base of base region in a spaced apart manner so that a mooring line can drop between the bitts and be wound around the bitts in a figure of eight manner..

[0083] Preferably the composite bollard can receive and secure the mooring line by receiving a plurality of windings of the mooring line in two formats, the windings stacked along the vertical height of the two bitts, the bitts are spaced apart from each other sufficiently to allow a mooring line to drop from the top of the bollard between the two bitts via a mouth opening spanning between the two bitts so that the mooring line can be guided for winding about the two bitts in a first format being a plurality of figure of eight windings stacked vertically and a second format being a helical a plurality of coils about both bitts in a helical manner.. Preferably the sheath is deposition formed onto the bollard body..

[0084] Preferably the at least one wear protector is secured to the bollard body in a manner to remain fixed relative the bollard body..

[0085] Preferably the bollard body comprises a lip at the top of the bollard body that at least at part of the circumference of the bollard body below the top, projects horizontally out from the bollard body below..

[0086] Preferably the lip provides resistance to the mooring line slipping upwardly off the bollard..

[0087] Preferably the lip is part of the monocoque construction of the bitt and / or bollard body..

[0088] Preferably the lip is not part of the monocoque construction of the bitt and / or bollard body..

[0089] Preferably mechanical fastening means are presented at the base region of the bollard body by which the bollard can be secured to the marine vessel..

[0090] Preferably the bollard is releasably secured to the marine vessel and can be released from its in use position to be moved to a non-use storage location on the marine vessel..

[0091] Preferably the bollard is releasably secured at the deck of and to the marine vessel and can be released and removed from its in-use position to be moved to a non-use storage location on the marine vessel wherein the deck at where the bollard is able to be secured appears substantially flush with adjacent said deck when the bollard is removed..

[0092] Preferably a cap is provided to the deck as there the bollard was secured to the deck to conceal any mount, mounting features, rebates and / or recesses at the in-use position of the bollard..

[0093] In a further aspect the present invention may broadly be said to be a marine vessel that presents a composite bollard as herein described and or set out in the claims.

[0094] In a further aspect the present invention may broadly be said to be a marine vessel comprising a bollard as herein claimed or described located on the deck of the vessel wherein no capstan is positioned adjacent the bollard for interacting with the mooring line that is or is to be secured to the bollard.

[0095] In a further aspect the present invention may broadly be said to be a bollard that can receive and secure a mooring line to a marine vessel by receiving a plurality of windings of the mooring line in two formats, the windings stacked along the vertical height of the bollard, the bollard comprising a base secured to a mounting of and at the deck of a marine vessel and two spaced apart bitts projecting upwardly from the base to a top of the bollard wherein the bitts are spaced apart from each other sufficiently to allow a mooring line to drop from the top of the bollard between the two bitts via a mouth opening spanning between the two bitts so that the mooring line can be guided for winding about the two bitts in a first format being a plurality of figure of eight windings stacked vertically and a second format being a helical a plurality of coils about both bitts in a helical manner.

[0096] Preferably the bollard body is a monocoque bollard body comprising at least one bitt about which the mooring line is able to be located to secure to the bollard, wherein the upstand: i. projects upwardly from a base region of the bollard body at where the composite bollard is operative connected to the marine vessel, and ii. is a resin embedded fibre laminate composite structural element of the composite bollard; and wherein at least one wear protector is secured to the bitt and arranged in a configuration to keep the mooring line, when located about the upstand, separated from the bitt to protect the bitt from being subjected to abrasive wear from the mooring line

[0097] In yet a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a composite bollard of or for a marine vessel for securing a mooring line to the marine vessel the composite bollard comprising of a monocoque composite bollard body that comprises of a base at where the bollard body is or is able to be fastened to the marine vessel and at least one bitt that projects from the base to the top of the bollard body, at least one wear protector located peripherally to the outside of the bollard body to prevent abrasive contact of the bollard body by the mooring line.

[0098] Preferably the bitt is a thin skin resin embedded fibre laminate peripheral skin that projects upwardly from the base and via which bending moment loads applied to the bollard body by the mooring line are transferred via the base to the marine vessel.

[0099] Preferably the bending moment loads are transferred to the marine vessel at tensile and compression forces via a fastening arrangement at the base of the bollard body. Preferably the tensile and compression forces act parallel the skin direction and are at or inwardly proximate of the peripheral skin.

[0100] Preferably the tensile and compression forces are transferred via threaded fasteners of the fastening arrangement wherein the tread direction is parallel the direction in which the bitts project.

[0101] In yet a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a bollard mounted to a deck of a marine vessel to secure a mooring line to the marine vessel and to transfer the force applied by the mooring line to the bollard to be marine vessel the bollard comprising a monocoque composite bollard body about which the mooring line can loop to secure to the bollard, the bollard body having a base that is mechanically secured at the deck to the marine vessel to transfer the force via the monocoque body to the marine vessel via mechanical fasteners..

[0102] In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a bollard for receiving and securing rope comprising: a bollard body with a recess extending substantially vertically from a top of the bollard body toward a base of the bollard body to define two bitts upwardly extending from the base, the recess being configured to accommodate and allow the passing through of at least some of the rope, the body defining a mouth opening to the recess through which the rope can pass to be loaded onto the bollard to wind about the two bitts.

[0103] Preferably at horizontal cross section at a given height through the body, at least one of the bitts has two geometrically distinct shaped peripheral regions that each have two spaced apart coterminous ends wherein the periphery of the first region between the coterminous ends is of a shorter length than the length of the periphery of the second region between the coterminous ends.

[0104] In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a composite bollard for a marine vessel and about which a mooring line can locate to be held secure to the bollard, the bollard comprising of: i. a bitt projecting upwardly from a base and defined by a shell of a fibre reinforced composite laminate, the bitt at its base to be secured to the marine vessel in a cantilevered beam manner, ii. a sheath located about the bitt and onto which the mooring line, in use, is secured, wherein the composite laminate is laminated and to the inside of the sheath so that a bending moment applied to the bitt by the mooring line, creates resulting tension and compression forces in the fibre reinforced composite laminate and the sheath enhances the resistance to buckling failure of the shell.

[0105] In a further aspect the present invention may be said to be a composite bollard about which a mooring line can locate to be held secure to the bollard, the bollard comprising of at least one bitt projecting upwardly from a base and defined by a shell of a fibre reinforced composite laminate, the bitt at its base to be secured to a marine vessel in a cantilevered beam manner so that a bending moment applied to the bitt by the mooring line creates resulting tension and compression forces vectored parallel the upwardly direction of the bitt in the shell that are transferred to the marine vessel and wherein the bitt is laminated against the inside of a sheath that encompasses the bitt to enhance the resistance to buckling failure of the shell when under compression forces.

[0106] Preferably the abrasion resistant sheath overlaps the bitt to protect the composite laminate from abrasion by the mooring line and the bitt is laminated to and on the inside of the sheath.

[0107] Preferably the compression forces are able to be transferred via the fasteners to the marine vessel..

[0108] Preferably the compression forces are able to be transferred via the base (whether or not via the fasteners) to the marine vessel- other aspects of the invention may become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0109] As used herein the term "and / or" means "and" or "or", or both.

[0110] As used herein "(s)" following a noun means the plural and / or singular forms of the noun. The term "comprising" as used in this specification and claims means "consisting at least in part of". When interpreting statements in this specification and claims which include that term, the features, prefaced by that term in each statement, all need to be present but other features can also be present. Related terms such as "comprise" and "comprised" are to be interpreted in the same manner.

[0111] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0112] The invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the drawings in which:

[0113] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a composite bollard.

[0114] Figure 2 shows an elevation view of the bollard of figure 1.

[0115] Figure 3 shows an elevation cross-section view of the bollard of figure 1 along A:A.

[0116] Figure 4Ashows shows a cross-sectional portion perspective view of a fastener mating with a ring of a composite bollard.

[0117] Figure 4B shows an elevation cross-section view of a composite bollard fastened to a deck.

[0118] Figure 4C shows a plan cross-section view of the composite bollard of figure 4B along G:G Figure 5A shows a close-up cross sectional view of a fastener mating with a ring of a composite bollard.

[0119] Figure 5B shows a perspective view layer of synthetic fibres.

[0120] Figure 5C shows a perspective view resin that may receive a layer of embedded synthetic fibres.

[0121] Figure 5D shows a perspective view layer of synthetic fibres embedded into resin.

[0122] Figure 5E shows a perspective view plurality of layers of synthetic fibres embedded into resin

[0123] Figure 6 shows a perspective view ring of a single bitt composite bollard.

[0124] Figure 7 shows a top view ring of one bitt of a double bitt composite bollard.

[0125] Figure 8 shows a perspective view composite bollard with two bitts.

[0126] Figure 9 shows an elevation cross-sectional view of a composite bollard connected to a desk with fasteners and shear pins. Figure 10 shows an elevation view of a composite bollard where the bitts of the bollard extend at a diagonal.

[0127] Figure 11A shows a perspective view of a composite bollard with a plurality of wear protectors.

[0128] Figure 11 B shows a plan view of a portion of the bollard of 11A, with a rope in contact with the wear protectors.

[0129] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0130] According to various aspects of the present invention as illustrated in the figures, there is provided a bollard for receiving a cable or rope such as a hawser acting for example as a mooring line 2 that can be used to secure a marine vessel to a dock, wharf or mooring or to another marine vessel of the like. The bollard is preferably a composite bollard that comprises of a fibre re-enforced resin composite laminate that will hereinafter be described. The general structure of the various configurations of the present invention as shown in the figures will now be described.

[0131] It will be appreciated that these figures illustrate the general principles of the structure and construction, and that the invention is not limited to the precise configurations illustrated.

[0132] In the preferred configurations, the bollard is configured to be installed on a marine vessel 3 such as boat, ship, yacht, or other watercraft.

[0133] The bollard is configured to receive a mooring line 2 such as a rope or that may also be referred to as hawsers, to secure the vessel to a dock. The mooring line 2 is able to be loaded onto the bollard in at least one configuration of at least one and preferably a plurality of turns about the bollard so that the mooring line can become secured to the bollard and hence to the marine vessel.

[0134] In figure 1 there is shown a composite bollard 1000. A side view of the composite bollard 1000 is shown in figure 2. The composite bollard 1000 is able to be engaged to a marine vessel at a mount region that may include a dedicated mount of the marine vessel at say a deck of the marine vessel. The composite bollard 1000 comprises of a bollard body 4 that consists of at least one bitt 7 that extends from a base or a base region 5 of the composite bollard 1000. The bitt 7 preferably projects from the base or base region 5 to a top or top region 99 of the composite bollard 1000.

[0135] At the base or base region 5 of the composite bollard 1000 the bollard is able to be secured to the deck 11 of a marine vessel. The deck 11 may include a dedicated region at where the composite bollard 1000 is able to be secured to the deck 11. The deck of the marine vessel is preferably a working deck of the marine vessel although it will be appreciated that other decks or structural elements of the marine vessel may be provided at where the composite bollard 1000 is able to be secured.

[0136] In preferred forms the bollard is able to be permanently secured, or releasably secured or movable secured relative to the deck 11. As herein described the bollard of the present invention is of a design that can created sufficiently strong so that it can be the sole anchoring means for the mooring line for the marine vessel and may not require and additional anchoring means associated with the same mooring line to secure the mooring line to the marine vessels (eg such as an additional winch of secondary bollard).

[0137] In some configurations the mooring line may not have a distal end eye formation to loop about the composite bollard 1000 and it may instead be the tail end of the mooring line which is manually able to be wound by a user about the bollard to secure the mooring line to the bollard. In such a configuration the height of the bollard is desirably sufficient to allow for a plurality of windings to be stacked in a helical manner along the vertical distance of the bollard. The distance between the base 5 and the top 99 is hence sufficient to allow a plurality of windings of the mooring line to extend in a stacked manner (eg helically wound) about the composite bollard 1000.

[0138] As can be seen at the top of the bollard 99 there may be a lip such as provided by a lip defining member 110. The lip defining member 110 may be part of the bollard body 4 and may be integrally formed with the bollard body 4. Alternatively it may be a separate member secured to the bollard body and / or the bitt 7. The lip defining member 110 provides an overhang 111 about at least part of the peripheral surface 1 12 of the bollard body 4. The lip defining member 110 helps to prevent the mooring line from slipping off the top region 99 of the bollard body and provides a degree of resistance to such slipping off. The composite bollard 1000 preferably has a base or base region 5 where the bollard is secured to the marine vessel and a free top region 99 which is unobstructed or un-obscured in a manner to allow a mooring line to be loaded onto the bollard from above the bollard.

[0139] The mooring line as mentioned can be wound or coiled about the bollard body 4 or it may comprise of an eye at its distal end for the eye to be slipped over the top region 99 of the bollard and onto the bollard body 5.

[0140] In the example shown in figures 1 to 3 the bollard comprises of a single bitt 7 whereas in figure 8 the bollard body comprises of two bitts 7A and 7B. The composite bollard may have two or more bitts. In the configuration of figure 8 the two bitts 7A and 7B extend from the base of the bollard body 4 to the top of the bollard 99 and presents an opening 113 between the two bitts 7A and 7B with a mouth opening 114 sufficiently wide to allow for a mooring line to be dropped vertically through the mouth opening to be located between the two bitts 7A and 7B. In the example in figure 8 the mooring line is able to be wound around the bollard body 4 in a helical manner about both of the bitts 7A and 7B as well as allowing for the mooring line to be wound about the bitts 7A and 7B in a figure of 8 configuration.

[0141] The at least one bitt 7 of the composite bollard 1000 of the present invention is preferably a monocoque bitt. It is of a thin skin or shell construction preferably made from or as a resin embedded fibre composite laminate. Infusion of the fibres may have taken place by way of a wet layup of the fibre composite laminate or by way of resin transfer techniques or using a pre-preg format of fibres as examples.

[0142] The bitt 7 is a composite structural element of the composite bollard to provide the primary load path for forces that are applied by a mooring line that is secured to the bollard, to the marine vessel.

[0143] The composite laminate structural element is preferably of a fibre reinforced resin. The fibre is preferably carbon fibre. The fibre is preferably comprised of layers of arranged fibres. Preferably the fibres are arranged in a un-directional, bi-directional or multidirectional fashion. The bitt is primarily of a carbon fibre laminate. The primary wall of the bitt 7 that extends from the base to the top, comprises of carbon fibre that has been arranged to define a thin walled monocoque structure of the bitt. The laminate may also extend across the base of the bollard to substantially close the base. In the examples shown in the drawings bitt may be of an open base.

[0144] The laminate may also extend across the top of the bollard to substantially close the top.

[0145] The composite laminate comprises of synthetic fibres 30 as seen in figure 5A. These synthetic fibres may for example be carbon fibre and / or other high tensile strength fibres and may be provided in a precursor form as as a flexible woven mat of such material. Figure 5C shows a resin 31 in which the fibres may become embedded such as by infusion (eg vacuum infusions or other ways of wetting out the fibres in the resin). In figure 5D the configuration is shown to be a composite 32 of resin 31 and fibres 30. Figure 5E shows a laminate structure where a plurality of layers of fibres 30A and 30B are embedded in the resin 32 to define a resin embedded fibre laminate composite structure. Resin embedded fibres refer to composite materials made from strong fibres, such as glass or carbon, suspended within a hardened resin matrix, like epoxy or polyester. A composite laminate is a material created by stacking and bonding multiple layers of fibrous composite materials. Each individual layer, known as a ply or lamina, consists of high-strength fibers embedded in a matrix material, such as a resin such as epoxy, that binds the reinforcement layers together, holds them in position, and transfers loads between them. In some designs, layers of different fibers can be used to create a "hybrid" laminate. This layered construction allows for the creation of advanced materials with engineered properties, including high strength, stiffness, and low weight.

[0146] Embedded as herein described is not to be taken to relate to any specific technique of wetting out the fibres. Person skilled in the art will understand there are many ways in which such a structure can be provided and from a wet or uncured precursor form that can be cured overtime and optionally with the use of heat and / or pressure to become a cured fibre composite structural element.

[0147] In a preferred form the fibres of the laminate predominantly extend from a top 99A of the bitt 7 down to the base region 5 of the upstand, eg about a base element (eg a ring 117 that is embedded and ensconced inside the composite laminate) before the fibres return back up towards the upper edge 99A of the bitt 7. This can be seen for example in figure 5A where the fibres 116 are shown in a cross-sectional view of part of the bitt 7 extending about the ring 117. With fibres aligned to the top-base direction of the upstand, the fibres are aligned to the vertical tension and compression forces through the base of the bollard to the marine vessel, due to the bollard under horizontal load from mooring line, acting in a cantilevered manner from the deck to which it is mounted. Carbon fibre is known to have a very high strength to weight ratio when acting in tension.

[0148] Preferably the fibres extend predominantly in a top to base direction, eg in a vertical direction. There may be fibres that extend at acute or perpendicular angles to such but the predominant fibre direction is vertical on near vertical or at least running from top to base.

[0149] The ring 117 is preferably made of a metal material such as a stainless steel or a titanium alloy and may be cooperated with a fastening assembly or arrangement for securing the bollard to the marine vessel and for facilitating the transfer of load forces from the bollard to the marine vessel.

[0150] A ring form of the ring 117 is desirable as it allows the fibres to wrap about the ring to maintain a thin wall profile of the monocoque bitt and this aids in the transfer of load forces in a more aligned manner (eg in tension and compression) without or with limited force transfer occurring in the form of bending moments.

[0151] In one form the ring includes a plurality of apertures 118 as seen in figure 6. The apertures 118 may be threaded apertures to allow for a threaded fastener 1 19 to threadingly engage and to thereby allow for the bollard to be secured to the deck 11 of a marine vessel. The threaded fasteners may for example be bolts as seen in figures 4A and 5A. An aligned aperture or passage through the composite laminate is provided to allow for the threaded shaft 120 of the threaded fastener 119 to pass therethrough and into the threaded apertures 118 of the ring 117.

[0152] The ring 117 is preferably provisioned at or approximate to the peripheral boundary of the bollard body at the base. This is desirable in light of the upstand, when subjected to a lateral force from the mooring line, effectively acting as a cantilevered beam with beam bend stresses (tensile and compression forces) running through the monocoque structure at the peripheral boundary of the bollard body to the base. The beam bending stresses hence transfer through the monocoque structure in a direction parallel to the fasteners such at the bolts 119. By being placed parallel and desirable aligned to those stress forces in the monocoque structure, the fasteners act in purely in tension and compression with no or minimal bending moments applied to them (hence no or minimal shear forces).

[0153] In figure 7 there is shown a ring that is of a D shaped configuration and is of a kind that may for example be incorporated in the bollard of the configuration shown in figure 8. Here the D shaped ring is able to be located at the base of one of the bitts wherein each of the bitts has a D shaped ring for the transfer of load from the mooring line that is applied to the upstand, to the deck of the marine vessel.

[0154] A variation to the fastening mechanism for the composite bollard is shown in figures 4B and 4C wherein a clamping arrangement is provided. The clamping arrangement comprises of a clamping plate 121 and a threaded fasteners 121a that can secure to the threaded apertures (or a nut) of the clamping plate. The clamping plate 121 can act on a lip or recess or rebate of the bitt at the base region (eg it can act onto the ring 117) to draw the bitt to the deck of the marine vessel at where the bollard is secured. In this variation the threaded fasteners are set in from the bitt rather than being aligned to the wall of the bitt. The composite bollard in this variation is shown to be fastened to the deck 11 using six fasteners 121a, as can be seen in the cross-sectional view along G:G in figure 4C. The example shown in figures 4B and 4C comprises two bitts 7A 7B, as discussed previously.

[0155] It will be appreciated that in alternative configurations the ring 1 17 or the clamping plate may instead present a plurality of threaded rods or bolts with which a nut or female threaded component of or on the opposite side of a mounting surface of the deck of the marine vessel can engage.

[0156] A further alternative may see a combination of threaded apertures and threaded rods being used as part of the ring 117 for the purposes of securing the bollard to a mount of and or the deck of the marine vessel.

[0157] In yet a further variation the composite monocoque structure may extend across the base of the bollard. This may allow for alternative means to fasten the bollard to the vessel and a ring member may not be required to be embedded in the composite structure. As seen in figure 9, at the base 5 of the bollard, shear pins 122 may be provided that assist in transferring rotational load that the mooring line may apply to the bollard, to the deck 8 of the marine vessel. In some configurations a significant rotational force may be applied to the bollard such as about its axis XX and such rotational force can be transferred through to the deck via the shear pins 122. As can be seen in figure 9 both hold down fasteners 119 and shear pins 122 may be utilized at the interface between the bollard and the deck.

[0158] The laminate composite structural element has an outer peripheral surface 232 that is protected from abrasion from the mooring line by a wear protector 133. In figures 3, 4A and 5A the wear protector 133A is shown to be a sheath that extends about a substantial part of the periphery 232 of the bitt 7. The sheath 133A is preferably made from a material that is much more abrasion resistant than the composite material of the bitt 7. For example the wear protector may be of a material selected from at least one of a steel or alloys thereof, aluminium or alloys thereof, titanium or alloys thereof. The sheath may be composite of metals such as those that have been described herein. For example the sheath may be made by a titanium coated aluminium, the titanium being on the outside of the aluminium to present the abrasion surface of the composite bollard of the present invention.

[0159] In a preferred form the sheath 133A extends from the base 5 to the top 99 of the bollard body 4. It can be seen that the sheath 133A at the base 5 in figure 4A and 5A rests on the deck 11. The sheath may sit proud of the deck or may be separated from the deck by a separator such as a gasket or ring or seal or plate or the like.

[0160] The sheath 122A preferably extends about the entire outwardly facing outer peripheral surface 232 of the bitt 7 so as to enclose or envelop the bitt 7 about its horizontally outwardly presented peripheral surface(s). The sheath may not for example cover the top 99 of the bitt and instead a cap or lip providing member 110 may provide such cover if any at all.

[0161] The sheath is provided primarily for the purposes of providing abrasion resistance however by encasing the fibre composite laminate structure of the upstand, the sheath also provides additional structural strength to the composite fibre material. By being encased by a tough material such as a metal, the composite laminate gains some support from such in particular during compression loading of the fibres which may otherwise tend to buckle or crush when under compression loads. By being enveloped by a tough material such as a metal the onset of buckling of parts of the bitt in compression when under a load from a mooring line, can be significantly retarded so as to enhance the structural strength of the composite fibre material of the bitt. With the composite fibre material adhered to the sheath, the sheath provides support to the composite fibre material which may otherwise buckle under compressive loads at a much lower loading.

[0162] The wear protector such as the sheath 133A prevents the mooring line from contacting the carbon fibre composite laminate. By being in intimate contact with the carbon fibre laminate, the wear protector 133 is able to transfer directly the force that is applied to it by the mooring line to the bitt 7.

[0163] In a preferred form the composite laminate structure is adhered to the sheath 133A. It is preferably adhered to the sheath 133A during the curing of the fibre composite laminate structure. During the curing the resin also provides the adhesion between the sheath 133A and the composite fibre laminate structure. Pressure between the curing laminate and the sheath, may be applied such as for example by the use of a vacuum or air pressure internally of the bollard body to press the laminate structure against the inside wall of the sheath 133A. A moulding bag may be inflated inside the wet lay-up of composite materials to the inside of the sheath. This can exert compression pressure on the wet lay up against the sheath for creating a strong, compact cured composite laminate structure. The composite laminate structure may comprise of a plurality of layers of composite material. The material may be identical in each layer or may vary. Some layers may be of a different material. The layers are preferably of a fibre material although its envisaged that at least one layer may be a foam or honeycomb or other spacer material to create a sandwich construction.

[0164] To help ensure the sheath remains attached and strongly coupled with the composite upstand, a keyed interface may be provided between the sheath and the composite bitt. The inside wall of the sheath may comprise of horizontally extending ribs 1050. These help prevent the sheath from working loose from the composite bitt in the vertical direction.

[0165] The inside wall of the sheath may comprise of vertically extending ribs 1060. These help prevent the sheath from working loose from the composite bitt in a rotational direction. The sheath may be subjected to large shear forces applied to it by the mooring line and as such the vertical ribs help to resist shear force induces de-coupling of the sheath from the composite bitt.

[0166] Other means of creating a keyed interface are envisaged. Such include castellations or apertures.

[0167] A variation of wear protection is shown in figure 11 A and 11 B wherein the monocoque bitt 7 carries a plurality of discrete wear protectors 33B. The wear protectors 133B may for example be longitudinal rods or ribs that extend at least a substantial part of the height of the bollard between base 5 and the top 99 so that a mooring line 2 that is located about the bollard body is held away from contacting the bitt 7 at a minimum distance SS as seen in for example figure 11 B. The wear protectors 133B are spaced apart and project a certain distance out from the peripheral surface 232 of the bitt so as to prevent the mooring line from contacting the composite structure at least when in use and when under significant loading which may for example cause a running of or slipping of the mooring line relative to the body which may then otherwise cause a wearing of the composite fibre structure of the bitt 7.

[0168] A variation of a bollard utilizing the composite construction as herein described is shown in figure 10 wherein a bollard with two bitts 7A and 7B is shown, secured to a mount utilizing fasteners 119 as herein before described wherein the bollards project not in a vertical direction but in a direction YY which may be at an angle to the vertical and horizontal. A bollard with two bitts is shown where the bitts take advantage of being of a composite construction and are hence light weight.

[0169] The composite bollard of the present invention is able to be provided as a lightweight bollard yet provide significate strength to transfer loading applied by a mooring line to a marine vessel via the bollard. By being light weight allows for the bollard to provide weight savings to the overall weight of the marine vessel. In addition or alternatively the lightweight bollards are of a weight so as to be able to be easily handled by one or two people manually such as for example when the bollard is to be removed from the deck. Such removal may be desirable for the purposes of storing the bollard in a storage location on the marine vessel so that the decks of the marine vessel at where the bollard is mounted for use, are absent of bollards when the bollards aren't required for use. This enables a clean and minimalist look of the decks without such utilitarian objects visually cluttering the decks. By being lightweight when being compared to a traditional steel bollard, the composite bollard of the present invention is easy to handle for transfer to a storage location on the marine vessel ready to be reinstalled as and when required by one or two people without requiring lifting equipment to move the bollard.

[0170] For the purpose of this specification, where method steps are described in sequence, the sequence does not necessarily mean that the steps are to be chronologically ordered in that sequence, unless there is no other logical manner of interpreting the sequence.

[0171] To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

[0172] This invention may also be said broadly to consist in the parts, elements and features referred to or indicated in the specification of the application, individually or collectively, and any or all combinations of any two or more of said parts, elements or features, and where specific integers are mentioned herein which have known equivalents in the art to which this invention relates, such known equivalents are deemed to be incorporated herein as if individually set forth.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A composite bollard for or engaged to a marine vessel and for securing the marine vessel to another object utilising a mooring line extending from the object to secure to the composite bollard, the composite bollard comprising: a bollard body comprising at least one bitt about which the mooring line is able to be located to secure to the bollard, wherein the bitt projects upwardly from a base region of the bollard body at where the composite bollard is able to be operatively connected to the marine vessel and is a resin embedded fibre laminate composite structural element of the composite bollard to transfer forces applied to the composite bollard by the mooring line to the marine vessel; and wherein at least one wear protector is secured to the bitt arranged in a configuration to keep the mooring line, when located about the upstand, separated from the bitt to protect the bitt from being subjected to abrasive wear from the mooring line.

2. The composite bollard as claimed claim 1 wherein the at least one wear protector comprises of a material selected from a metal of at least one of: i. steel and alloys thereof including stainless steel, and ii. aluminium or alloys thereof, and iii. titanium or alloys thereof and iv. a laminate composite of metals, comprising at least the above (such as a titanium coated aluminium)3. A composite bollard as claimed in anyone of claims 1 or 2 wherein the wear protector contiguously overlaps the bitt of the composite structural element and is adhered to the composite structural element.

4. A composite bollard as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 3 wherein the wear protector is a sheath that overlaps bitt of the composite structural element and wherein the bitt of the composite structural element has been laminated to and on the inside of the sheath.

5. A composite bollard as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 3 wherein a plurality of discrete wear protectors are provided, are each secured to the bitt and that are arranged in a spaced apart manner to surround the bitt to space the mooring linesufficiently to prevent it from contacting the bitt of the composite structural element in a manner to cause wear of the bitt of the composite structural element when the mooring line is secured to the bollard.

6. A composite bollard as claimed in claim 5 wherein the discrete wear protectors are elongate and extend parallel the upright direction of the bitt.

7. A composite bollard as claimed in claims 5 or 6 wherein the discrete wear protectors provide bearing surfaces for the mooring line to bear against.

8. A composite bollard as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 7 wherein at the base region the composite bollard is able to be secured to a mount at the deck of the marine vessel.

9. A composite bollard as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 8 wherein the bollard body further comprises a fastening interface at the base region by which the composite bollard is able to be secured to a mount at the deck of the marine vessel.

10. A composite bollard as claimed in claim 9 wherein the fastening interface allow for a mechanical fastening of the composite bollard to a mount at the deck of the marine vessel, preferably in a releasable manner.

11. A composite bollard as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 10 wherein the bollard body further comprises of a base element at the base region that is encapsuled inside the composite structural element.

12. A composite bollard as claimed in claim 11 wherein the base element has fibres of the bitt wrapped about the bottom of the base element, the fibre laminate projecting upwardly from the base element to the top of the bitt.

13. A composite bollard as claimed in claims 11 or 12 wherein base element is ring shaped and of a plan shape that corresponds to the shape of the footprint of the bitt.

14. A composite bollard as claimed in claim 13 wherein the ring-shaped base element has fibres of the bitt it is encapsuled in, extending from the top of the bitt to the outside of the base element about the bottom of the base element and to the inside of the base element towards the top of the bitt.

15. A composite bollard as claimed in claim 13 or 14 wherein the ring-shaped base element is ensconced at and above the bottom turn of the fibre laminate that extends from the top of the bitt about the bottom of the base element.

16. A composite bollard as claimed in anyone of claims 11 to 15 wherein the base element is the or part of the fastening interface of the composite bollard.

17. A composite bollard as claimed in anyone of claims 11 to 16 wherein the base element is of a shape and configuration to allow a clamp fastener to draw down onto the base element (directly or via the fibre laminate) to draw the bollard onto a mount of the marine vessel that is part of or with which the clamp fastener can interact.

18. A composite bollard as claimed in claim 17 wherein the clamp fastener comprises of a clamp plate to bear onto the base element and a plurality of at least one of a threaded fastener projecting from the plate and threaded apertures through the plate with which threaded fasteners can threadingly engage to secure the bollard to the mount of the marine vessel.

19. A bollard that can receive and secure a mooring line to a marine vessel by receiving a plurality of windings of the mooring line in two formats, the windings stacked along the vertical height of the bollard, the bollard comprising a base secured to a mounting of and at the deck of a marine vessel and two spaced apart bitts projecting upwardly from the base to a top of the bollard wherein the bitts are spaced apart from each other sufficiently to allow a mooring line to drop from the top of the bollard between the two bitts via a mouth opening spanning between the two bitts so that the mooring line can be guided for winding about the two bitts in a first format being a plurality of figure of eight windings stacked vertically and a second format being a helical a plurality of coils about both bitts in a helical manner wherein the bollard body is a monocoque bollard body comprising at least one bitt about which the mooring line is able to be located to secure to the bollard, wherein the upstand: i. projects upwardly from a base region of the bollard body at where the composite bollard is operative connected to the marine vessel, andii. is a resin embedded fibre laminate composite structural element of the composite bollard; and wherein at least one wear protector is secured to the bitt and arranged in a configuration to keep the mooring line, when located about the upstand, separated from the bitt to protect the bitt from being subjected to abrasive wear from the mooring line.

20. A composite bollard for a marine vessel and about which a mooring line can locate to be held secure to the bollard, the bollard comprising of: i. a bitt projecting upwardly from a base and defined by a shell of a fibre reinforced composite laminate, the bitt at its base to be secured to the marine vessel in a cantilevered beam manner, ii. a sheath located about the bitt and onto which the mooring line, in use, is secured, wherein the composite laminate is laminated to and to the inside of the sheath so that a bending moment applied to the bitt by the mooring line will create resulting tension and compression forces in the fibre reinforced composite laminate wherein the sheath provides support to resist buckling failure of the shell.

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