Kit of components and a method of protecting steel piling from corrosion

Claim 2

That method of protecting H-beam steel piling against corrosion which comprises: mounting elongated non-metallic corner protector means lengthwise of each outer longitudinal corner of the piling, securing barrier blocks into the opposite sides of the piling adjacent the upper ends of said corner protector means to seal the entrance to the space disposed on the opposite sides of the pile web and in an area spaced above high water level, applying a resilient sealing collar about said piling radially opposite said barrier blocks, sheathing said piling opposite said collar and therebelow with a substantially fluid-tight jacket of supple sheet plastic, securing said plastic jacket snugly about said piling and corner protector means and in a fluid-tight manner about said sealing collar thereby to exclude oxygen and preventing corrosion of the piling.

Claim 3

That method defined in claim 1 characterized in the step of using a plurality of spaced apart tie bands to secure said jacket snugly to said piling to prevent buffeting and surging of the jacket relative to the piling.

Claim 4

That method defined in claim 1 characterized in the step of utilizing resilient self-gripping channel-shaped corner protector means sized to embrace and space the distance between a pair of related corners of said piling with the web portion thereof forming a closure for one open side of said H-beam.

Claim 5

That method defined in claim 1 characterized in the step of utilizing corner protector means of resilient high-impact strength plastic of generally channel shape in cross section with rounded exterior corners connecting the side flanges to the web portion thereof, said side flanges converging toward one aNother at acute angles and sized to have a snug press fit with the exterior surfaces of a related pair of the legs of said H-beam piling.

Claim 6

That method defined in claim 1 characterized in the steps of utilizing plastic jacketing equipped with a plurality of tie bands attached crosswise of the exterior side thereof at spaced apart intervals therealong, and cinching the free ends of said tie bands together while threaded about a pair of superimposed anchor rings.

Claim 7

That method defined in claim 1 characterized in the step of sheathing said piling with said plastic jacket to a level below the mudline thereby to prevent an exchange of water filling the interior of said jacket by water on the exterior side thereof.

Claim 8

That method defined in claim 1 characterized in the step of utilizing a plastic jacket having an assembled girth leaving substantially no excess fullness when assembled to said piling.

Claim 9

That method of inhibiting corrosion of H-beam steel piling along portions thereof exposed to moist air and oxygen-bearing tidal water which method comprises: sealing the upper ends of the opposed cavities extending vertically of the piling at a point above high water level, closing the open sides of the H-beam by clipping channel shaped non-metallic protector members thereacross from said sealed cavity ends downwardly for the length of the piling to be protected, and securing a fluid-tight plastic jacket snugly about said piling for the full length to be protected with the upper end thereof clamped in a fluid-tight manner about the seals for said cavity ends.

Claim 10

That method of inhibiting corrosion of H-beam steel piling along portions thereof exposed to moist air and oxygen-bearing tidal water which method comprises: sealing the upper ends of the opposed cavities extending vertically of the piling at a point above high water level, closing the open sides of the H-beam by clipping channel shaped non-metallic protector members thereacross from said sealed cavity ends downwardly for the length of the piling to be protected, and securing a fluid-tight plastic jacket snugly about said piling for the full length to be protected with the upper end thereof clamped in a fluid-tight manner about the seals for said cavity ends.

Claim 11

That method defined in claim 8 characterized in the steps of utilizing a plastic jacket having a plurality of tie bands secured crosswise thereof at spaced intervals therealong, and cinching the free ends of each band together between a pair of superimposed anchor rings through which the ends of said tie bands are threaded in a self-gripping self-locking manner as the band is placed under tension circumferentially of the piling.

Claim 12

A kit of components for use to sheath H-beam type steel piling to prevent corrosion thereof by water containing free oxygen comprising: an elongated one piece plastic jacket formed with complementally shaped interlocking seam forming means from end to end thereof, a plurality of shallow corner protectors of channel shape in cross section with the side flanges converging and spaced to fit astride and close the open sides of H-beam steel piling, said corner protectors having a combined length sufficient to enclose both open sides of piling to be jacketed, a plurality of barrier blocks sized to fit within the opposed sides of the H-beam and cooperable with an H-beam when installed therein to seal off an upper end portion thereof, resilient sealing collar means adapted to encircle an H-beam piling radially opposite said barrier blocks beneath the upper end of said plastic jacket, and tie band means attached crosswise to the exterior of said plastic jacket at intervals therealong having free ends cinchable to hold said jacket snugly gathered about H-beam piling.

Claim 13

A kit of components for use to sheath H-beam type steel piling to prevent corrosion thereof by water containing free oxygen comprising: an elongated one piece plastic jacket formed with complementally shaped interlocking seam forming means from end to end thereof, a plurality of shallow corner protectors of channel shape in cross section with the side flanges converging and spaced to fit astride and close the open sides of H-beam steel piling, said corner protectors having a combined length sufficient to enclose both open sides of piling to be jacketed, a plurality of barrier blocks sized to fit within the opposed sides of the H-beam and cooperable with an H-beam when installed therein to seal off an upper end portion thereof, resilient sealing collar means adapted to encircle an H-beam piling radially opposite said barrier blocks beneath the upper end of said plastic jacket, and tie band means attached crosswise to the exterior of said plastic jacket at intervals therealong having free ends cinchable to hold said jacket snugly gathered about H-beam piling.

Claim 14

A kit as defined in claim 10 characterized in the provision of a plurality of pairs of rings cooperable with the free ends of said tie bands and adapted for use therewith in cinching said tie bands tensioned to hold said jacket assembled about the piling.

Claim 15

In combination, steel piling protected from corrosion by contact with moist air and oxygen-laden water comprising: a steel pile of generally H-shape in cross section driven into a water bed with its upper end projecting above high water level, channel shaped closure members clipped over the opposed open sides of said piling with a press fit substantially through that portion thereof in need of protection, barrier blocks of tough fluid tight material pressed into and sealing the cavities at the upper ends of said open sides of the piling, resilient sealing collar means encircling the piling opposite said barrier blocks, a flexible supple sHeet plastic jacket encircling the length of the piling to be protected against corrosion and extending downwardly from its encircling engagement with said sealing collar and provided with interlocking plastic seam means between the lateral edges thereof, and tensioned tie band means encircling said jacket at intervals therealong for holding said jacket snugly gathered about said piling, said sealing collar and said closure members.

Claim 16

In combination, steel piling protected from corrosion by contact with moist air and oxygen-laden water comprising: a steel pile of generally H-shape in cross section driven into a water bed with its upper end projecting above high water level, channel shaped closure members clipped over the opposed open sides of said piling with a press fit substantially through that portion thereof in need of protection, barrier blocks of tough fluid tight material pressed into and sealing the cavities at the upper ends of said open sides of the piling, resilient sealing collar means encircling the piling opposite said barrier blocks, a flexible supple sHeet plastic jacket encircling the length of the piling to be protected against corrosion and extending downwardly from its encircling engagement with said sealing collar and provided with interlocking plastic seam means between the lateral edges thereof, and tensioned tie band means encircling said jacket at intervals therealong for holding said jacket snugly gathered about said piling, said sealing collar and said closure members.

Claim 17

The combination defined in claim 12 characterized in that said tie bands are attached to said plastic jacket, and a pair of superimposed cinch rings interleaved with the free ends of each of said tie bands and effective to hold said bands cinched snugly about said piling.