Patent ID: 6347911
Filing Date: 2002-02-19
Classification: E01D,E02D,E04G,E21B,F15D,F16L,Y10T

Abstract:
The combination of a piling and a piling-protecting and vortex-shedding wrap panel formed of stretchable and flexible elastomer sheet material, dimensioned for wraparound engagement encircling the exposed outer surface of a substantially vertical submerged pipe or piling having a longitudinal axis, comprising:a quadrilateral sheet having two elongated parallel edges, and having an outer face incorporating a marine growth inhibiting filler material and an inner piling-facing surface, a first elongated clamping means arrayed along the first of said parallel edges, the first clamping means having an outer layer and an inner layer, the outer layer incorporating a marine growth inhibiting filler material, a second elongated clamping means arrayed along the second of said parallel edges, the second clamping means having an outer layer and an inner layer, the outer layer incorporating a marine growth inhibiting filler material said clamping means comprising cooperating arrays of apertured members provided with spaced apart fastening apertures positioned for cooperative alignment when the quadrilateral sheet is wrapped around a piling and said elongated clamping means are brought into juxtaposition, said quadrilateral sheet's outer face having protruding outward therefrom a plurality of elongated flexible rib-strakes, extending along the length of said quadrilateral sheet, which are deployed when said sheet is wrapped around a pipe or piling, wherein at least the surface of the flexible rib-strakes incorporates a marine growth inhibiting filler material, and fastening means extending through said fastening apertures and holding said clamping means in clamped alignment in said juxtaposition, whereby lateral aeolian vibrations caused by vortex streets produced by horizontal currents flowing past the submerged pipe or piling in directions perpendicular to its longitudinal axis are minimized or eliminated and whereby marine growth on the wrap panel is substantially inhibited by the marine growth inhibiting filler material.