US3524231A

US3524231A - Circular underwater form with lock

Info

Publication number: US3524231A
Application number: US696898A
Authority: US
Inventors: George C Wiswell Jr
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1968-01-10
Filing date: 1968-01-10
Publication date: 1970-08-18
Anticipated expiration: 1987-08-18

Description

' Aug. 18,1970

Filed Jan. 10. 1968 s.- c..- WISWELL. J Omcuma' uunsnwnsa mm: mm LOOK 2 Sheets-S'neet 1 INVE TOR ATTQRNEY Aug. 18; 1970 G. c. WISWELL. JR

cmcuua UNDERWATER FORM, wna'wcx 2 Sheet s-S'neet 2 Filed Jan. 10. 1968 FIG4Z F'IG- 3 INVE TOR GtoRGL' m $1. M

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 01 fice 3,524,231 Patented Aug. 18, 1970 3,524,231 CIRCULAR UNDERWATER FORM WITH LOCK George C. Wiswell, Jr., 1014 Pequot Road, Southport, Conn. 06490 Filed Jan. 10, 1968, Ser. No. 696,898 Int. Cl. B65d 63/00; E02d 5/60 US. Cl. 24-281 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A form for applying a plastic coating to a cylindrical marine structure wherein a sheet of pliable material is wrapped around a cylindrical structure and tightened into position by a chain which interconnects loops on opposed sides of the contacting longitudinal edges of the sheet. A chain tightening member is detachably mounted in a loop formed on the sheet and has means for locking the chain in position and then further tightening the chain by means of a threaded rod.

The present invention relates to a form for applying a coating to a cylindrical marine structure, and more particularly, to a tightening arrangement to position the form so that a uniform pressure is exerted by the fom on the coating.

Many forms of marine structures, such as piers, petroleum drilling or production platforms, or light towers, are supported upon piles driven into the bottom. One of the common problems is to protect these piles against damage from corrosion or electrolysis. The piles in the prior art have been coated, treated, and impregnated with a wide variety of substances in order to eliminate or at least substantially reduce such damage. In addition, the piles have been covered with flexible sheets of synthetic plastic material of many types. It has been proposed to protect such piles by coating them with an epoxy plastic. However, difliculties have been encountered in applying such an epoxy coating to the pile. During the exothermic phase of the reaction of the epoxy coating, the coating must be held in place with a firm, uniform pressure.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved form for applying a plastic coating to a cylindrical marine structure.

Another of the objects of the present invention is to provide a cylindrical form for a marine pile which can be progressively tightened to exert the uniform firm pressure on a plastic coating applied to the pile.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved locking and tighening arrangement for a form intended for applying a plastic coating to a marine pile.

In one aspect of the present invention the form may comprise a sheet of pliable material having a pair of longitudinal edges which are in contacting or overlapping relationship when the sheet is wrapped around the cylindrical or similarly shaped structure. The sheet may be provided with a plurality of pairs of opposed loops with the loops of a pair being on different and same sides of the contacting longitudinal edges. A flexible strip, 'which may be in the form of a chain, detachably connects each pair of loops. One end of the chain is locked in one of the loops and the other end of the chain is passed through a tightening arrangement which is detachably mounted in the other loop. The chain is pulled tight by hand and then locked in position and further tightened so as to maintain a uniform pressure upon the coating applied to the surface of the cylindrical structure.

Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent upon reference to the accompanying description and drawings, which are merely exemplary.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a. perspective view showing the 'form chain tighteners in position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tightening chain showing the locking pin on one end and the tightener device on the other end; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the chain tightening device of FIG. 2.

Proceeding next to the drawings wherein like reference symbols indicate the same parts throughout the various views, a specific embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

As may be seen in FIG. 1, a marine pile indicated at P has applied thereto a form indicated generally at 10. The form 10 comprises a sheet 11 of a pliable material which may be metal or other suitable material and is wrapped around the pile P so that the longitudinal edges '12 are in overlapping relationship or contacting each other as shown in FIG. 1.

On the exterior surface of the sheet 11 and adjacent to and on opposite sides of the longitudinal edge 12 is a round loop 13 and a rectangular loop 14. The

loops

13 and 14 are metallic and may be welded or brazed to the outer surface of the sheet as shown. The pairs of loops may be positioned in various locations with respect to the longitudinal edges such as the

loops

13A and 14A and its cooperating circular loop which is on the other side of the sheet. By positioning a pair of loops across each other, a uniform pressure can be applied to the form when assembled in position.

The pairs of loops are detachably connected by a chain tightening arrangement indicated generally at 15 (FIG. 2) and comprising chain 16 having a loop bar or pin means 17 on one end thereof and a tightening arrangement 18 at the other end thereof. The chain is passed through a circular loop 13 (FIG. 1) so that pin 17 bears against the loop. The other end of the chain 16 is provided with a pin 19.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the tightening device 18 comprises an angle base portion 20 having a flange 21 which is inserted into a rectangular loop 14 and a flange 22 having cylindrical guide portion 23 thereon. Tubular member 24 is slidably mounted in guide 23 and is provided at its outer end with a bracket 25 through which is threaded a rod 26 having a handle or crank 27 at its outer end. The inner end 28 of threaded rod 26 bears against the angle member 20.

When the chain is positioned as shown in FIG. 1, pin 19 is passed through the tubular member. 24 and the chain tightened by hand. The pin 19 is then inserted through an appropriate link at the outer end of the tubular member 24. The chain is then further tightened by moving handle 27 so that tubular member 24 is moved outwardly or to the right as viewed in FIG. 3 to bring about additional tightening of the chain. With this arrangement, the pressure applied by the form may be accurately accomplished.

When a marine pile or similar device is to be coated with an underwater epoxy or other resin, a plurality of such forms may be employed to cover any desired length of the pile. In this arrangement, a belly band, such as indicated at 30 in FIG. 1, may be used to cover the joint between two forms so as to minimize the amount of epoxy that will ooze out between successive forms. After epoxy has been applied to the pile and the form has been placed in position, any desired pressure may be uniformly applied to the coating by manipulating the chain tightening device as described above. This will enable the epoxy to set so as to form an optimum coating.

If desired, the form may be precoated with a suitable parting or separating agent so that after the epoxy has set, the form can be readily removed and reused.

While the chain tightener disclosed has been described as particularly applied to an underwater form, it is apparent that this tightener device and the form are susceptable of numerous other applications.

Thus, it can be seen that the present invention relates to a form which is particularly adapted for exerting a firm, uniform pressure on a plastic coating being applied to an underwater pile. The form is so constructed that it can be quickly put in position and tightened to exert the desired pressure. Subsequently, the form can be readily removed and reused.

It will be understood that various details of construction and arrangement of parts can be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a form for applying a plastic coating to a cylindrical-like marine structure, a sheet of pliable material having a pair of longitudinal edges, a pair of opposed loops on said sheet with said loops being on different sides of said longitudinal edges, a chain detachably connecting said pair of loops, means on one end of said chain for connecting said end to one of said loops, locking means on the other end of said chain, said locking means comprising a base having a portion seated in the other of said loops and a bore therethrough, said chain passing through said bore, and a pin passed through a link of said chain to lock said chain other end in said base.

2. In a form as claimed in claim 1 with said pin being connected to said other end of said chain.

3. In a form as claimed in claim 1 with said other loop being rectangular and said base being an angle member with a flange thereof being inserted in said rectangular loop.

4. In a form as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising a tubular member slidably mounted in said bore with said chain passing through said tubular member, said pin locking said chain against one end of said tubular member.

5. In a form as claimed in claim 4 and further comprising means on said base for moving said tubular member with respect to said base to tighten said chain.

6. In a form as claimed in claim 5 with said moving means comprising a threaded rod carried by said tubular member and having one end thereof bearing against said base.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 793,194 6/1905 Hodgert 249-1 829,571 8/1906 Cole 249-164 3,180,099 4/1965 Mikolajczyf et a1. 61-54 3,321,924 5/1967 Liddell 61-54 FOREIGN PATENTS 245,603 8/ 1947 Switzerland.

DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 61-54