Band-type barrier encasement for protecting timbers against marine borer attack

Claim 1

IN A PILING CONSTRUCTION: A PARTIALLY SUBMERGED, STRUCTURE-BEARING WOODEN PILE, A SHEET OF SUBSTANTIALLY WATERPROOF, PLIABLE MATERIAL WRAPPED AROUND SAID PILE IN SUBSTANTIALLY CIRCUMFERENTIAL CONFIGURATION, SAID SHEET HAVING A PAIR OF OPPOSITE LONGITUDINAL EDGES IN JUXTAPOSITION EXTENDING GENERALLY LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID PILE, VERTICAL STIFFENERS AFFIXED TO SAID OPPOSITE LONGITUDINAL EDGES OF SAID SHEET, AND BAND MEMBERS THAT EXTEND ABOUT SAID PILE AT VERTICALLY SPACED PORTIONS THEREOF TO CAUSE SAID SHEET TO CLOSELY SURROUND SAID PILE FOR SUBSTANTIALLY THE FULL VERTICAL LENGTH OF SAID SHEET TO DEFINE A GENERALLY CIRCUMFERENTIAL WATER-FILLED SPACE BETWEEN SAID PILE AND SAID SHEET, WITH WATER CIRCULATION BETWEEN SAID SPACE AND THE WATER SURROUNDING SAID SHEET BEING RESTRICTED TO THEREBY RENDER THE WATER IN SAID SPACE STAGNANT TO PREVENT MARINE BORER ATTACK ON THE SUBMERGED PORTION OF SAID PILE ENCASED BY SAID SHEET.