Sacrificial Collar

Abstract

A sacrificial collar that is placed on a structural component to protect against stray current or galvanic corrosion. The collar includes an upper section having a half-circle cavity, and a corresponding lower section having a half-circle cavity. When the two sections are mated, the two cavities together create a single circular opening. The two sections are placed on a structural component, with the component secured between the sections, in the opening. Attachment means, preferably in the form of a bolt and nut combination are utilized to attach the two sections together and secure the collar on the structural component. Once secured, the sacrificial collar is subjected to stray current or galvanic corrosion, thereby causing the collar to deteriorate, instead of the structural component being subjected to stray current or galvanic corrosion which would cause the component to deteriorate and would destroy the component.

1 . A sacrificial collar that is placed on a structural component to protect against stray current or galvanic corrosion, wherein said sacrificial collar is comprised of a first section having a half-circle cavity and a second section having a half-circle cavity, wherein said first section and said second section are secured together and onto a structural component by attachment means, wherein said sacrificial collar is subjected to stray current or galvanic corrosion instead of the structural component to which said collar is secured being subjected to stray current or galvanic corrosion, which would destroy the structural component. 
     
     
         2 . The sacrificial collar as specified in  claim 1  wherein said sacrificial collar is made of a material selected from the group consisting of zinc, aluminum or magnesium. 
     
     
         3 . The sacrificial collar as specified in  claim 1  wherein said sacrificial collar is substantially square. 
     
     
         4 . The sacrificial collar as specified in  claim 1  wherein the structural component is located in seawater. 
     
     
         5 . The sacrificial collar as specified in  claim 1  wherein the structural component is attached to a sea vessel. 
     
     
         6 . The sacrificial collar as specified in  claim 5  wherein the structural component is circular. 
     
     
         7 . The sacrificial collar as specified in  claim 1  wherein said sacrificial collar is secured to the structural component by attachment means. 
     
     
         8 . The sacrificial collar as specified in  claim 7  wherein the attachment means is comprised of at least two bolt and nut combinations, wherein one bolt extends through corresponding bores on said first section and said second section. 
     
     
         9 . A sacrificial collar that is placed on a structural component to protect against stray current or galvanic corrosion, wherein said sacrificial collar is comprised of:
 a) a square upper section with a front surface, rear surface, a right surface, a left surface, an upper surface, and a lower surface, wherein extending along the lower surface is a half circle cavity, wherein extending through one of at least two angularly opposed corners of said upper section from the upper surface to the lower surface is a bore, and   b) a square lower section that is a mirror image of said upper section and comprised of a front surface, a rear surface, a right surface, a left surface, an upper surface, and a lower surface, wherein extending along the upper surface is a half circle cavity, wherein when said upper section is mated to said lower section the two respective half-circle cavities create a single circular opening that extends through said sacrificial collar from the front surface to the rear surface, wherein extending through one of at least two angularly opposed corners of said lower section from the lower surface to the upper surface is a bore, wherein the bores on said upper section are aligned with the bores on said lower section, wherein said sacrificial collar is secured onto a circular structural component by placing said upper section onto the structural component such that one-half of the structural component's diameter is within said upper section's cavity and placing said lower section onto the structural component's diameter such that the other half of the structural component is within said lower section's cavity, wherein said sacrificial collar's two sections are secured onto the structural component by inserting a bolt into each of the bores and screwing a nut onto the end of the bolt wherein once the nut is tightened onto the bolt, the two sections are secured on the structural component, wherein once secured, said sacrificial collar is subjected to stray current or galvanic corrosion thereby causing said collar to deteriorate, instead of the structural component to which said collar is secured subjected to stray current or galvanic corrosion which would cause the component to deteriorate and would destroy the component.   
     
     
         10 . The sacrificial collar as specified in  claim 9  wherein said sacrificial collar is made of a material selected from the group consisting of zinc, aluminum or magnesium. 
     
     
         11 . The sacrificial collar as specified in  claim 9  wherein the structural component is located in seawater. 
     
     
         12 . The sacrificial collar as specified in  claim 9  wherein the structural component is attached to a sea vessel. 
     
     
         13 . The sacrificial collar as specified in  claim 9  wherein the structural component is circular. 
     
     
         14 . The sacrificial collar as specified in  claim 9  wherein said collar is circular or oblong. 
     
     
         15 . The sacrificial collar as specified in  claim 9  wherein said collar is geometric shaped. 
     
     
         16 . The sacrificial collar as specified in  claim 9  wherein the attachment means further comprises a screw that is inserted through at least one bore on said upper section and tightened into at least one corresponding tapped bore on said lower section. 
     
     
         17 . The sacrificial collar as specified in  claim 9  wherein the attachment means further comprise at least one resilient band that is placed around said upper and lower sections, wherein the resiliency of the band allows the band to maintain continuous and constant pressure on said collar as said collar corrodes and deteriorates. 
     
     
         18 . The sacrificial collar as specified in  claim 9  further comprising angular cut-outs at each corner of said sacrificial collar, wherein the cut-outs allow an element to freely pass over and across said collar. 
     
     
         19 . The sacrificial collar as specified in  claim 18  wherein the element is seawater.