AN IMPROVED METHOD OR PROCESS OF TREATING ASPHALT OR BITUMEN WHILST BEING LAID DOWN FOR PAVEMENTS, AND PREVIOUSLY THERETO, AND OF CONSTRUCTING PAVEMENTS HAVING AN ASPHALTIC OR BITUMINOUS SURFACE
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Joseph Rodney Croskey at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th May 1872.
I, JOSEPH RODNEY CROSKEY, of No. 43, Portsdown Road, Maida
Hill, London, Fellow of the Society of Arts, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OR PROCESS OF
TREATING ASPHALT OR BITUMEN WHILST BEING LAID DOWN FOR PAVEMENTS, AND
PREVIOUSLY THERETO, AND OF CONSTRUCTING PAVEMENTS HAVING AN ASPHALTIC OR
BITUMINOUS SURFACE," to be as follows:-
1st. In the treatment of asphalt or bituminous compositions whilst
being laid down for pavements, & when in a fluent, or plastic, or soft
state by causing grooves or other indentations to be made in the surface,
or by introducing into and level with the surface, if desired, any other
material by mechanical means, and thereby render such pavements less
slippery for horses, and this I propose to do by taking a board or block
of wood or other suitable material of convenient size & thickness, having
a flat surface, & I attach thereto or cause to be made thereon such
ridges & projections of wood or metal or other material as shall conform
to the grooves or other indentations I may wish to make on the surface
of the asphalt, & if I desire to insert into and level with the said surface

page_text: any foreign material, such as granite, or broken stones, or Dutch or
adamantine clinkers, or other desired substance I cause such substance
or material to adhere to the board or block by means of glue or any other
sufficiently tenacious substance, but of which the tenacity shall be less
than that of asphalt when set & hard, and after having protected the
said board or block & the projections thereon other than the foreign
material I wish to introduce into the surface of the asphalt from adhesion
to the asphalt, by the use of whitewash or other adequate means, I lay
such board or block with adequate pressure on the asphalt whilst in a
plastic state, with the side downwards on which the projections or foreign
material have or has been placed, and allow the same to remain there
until the asphalt shall have set or become hard, when upon removing
the board or block the indentations required will be found to have been
permanently made in the surface of the pavement, and the foreign
material firmly embedded in and level with the said surface.
2ndly. In the treatment of asphalt or bituminous compositions intended
to be used for pavements previously to the same being laid down, &
whilst in a fluent, or plastic, or soft state, in such a manner as that when
set & hard the surface shall present a good foothold for horses, and
also an ornamental design if desired. The latter advantage applies more
especially to foot pavements; and this I propose to do by means of
moulds especially adapted to the purpose, on the bottom of which I place
such foreign material as I may wish to introduce into the surface of the
pavement, and such ridges or projections as may produce the grooves or
indentations I may require in the surface (the object of such introduction
of foreign material and indentations being to render the pavement less
slippery for horses as well as ornamental), and I cause the foreign
material to slightly adhere to the bottom of the mould by means of glue
or other sufficiently tenacious substance. The ridges or projections are
firmly fixed to, so as to form a part of the bottom of the mould. Into
this mould, so arranged, I place the asphalt or bituminous composition
I intend for the surface of the pavement in a fluent state of any desired
thickness or depth, & allow it to remain there until it is firmly set &
hard; upon removing it from the mould the under surface (which will
become the top when used for pavements) will be perfectly level and
will be indented, & have inserted therein the foreign material as
required. I may use the indentations and the introduction of foreign
material into the surface in combination with each other or separately.

page_text: 3dly. In the making of asphaltic blocks, bricks, or tiles having on one
side or surface the indentations & insertions described in the preceding
paragraph to be used for pavements; and this I propose to do by placing
into the mould before referred to only such a quantity of the kind of
asphalt as I may require for the surface, & as will be sufficient to
receive the indentations & insertions of foreign material I may wish
to make, and then before removing the same from the mould, if the
pavement be required for carriage roads, I place thereon a concrete made
of bituminous substances & broken stones or ballast of any kind to
such depth or thickness as I may desire. In some instances I find it
adviseable to submit this block before removal from the mould to
hydraulic or other considerable pressure; and if I form tiles intended
for foot pavements I prefer before taking the thin layer of asphalt
intended for the surface from the mould, and whilst it is in a fluent
state, to place & press thereon a thin piece of board that shall closely
fit the mould & shall have holes previously bored therein, through
which the air & superabundant asphalt shall escape, & by which said
board thro' the exuding of the superabundant asphalt shall be firmly
bound thereto. These boards may be of any moderate length or width;
the most convenient width will be found to be about 9 inches, and the
length that of the width of the side walk for which these tiles are
intended. For courtyards & other pavements they can be of any
desired shape or size.
4thly. In the formation of blocks or bricks of ordinary concrete (lime
& ballast) having on one side or surface a bituminous or asphaltic surface,
& in the construction of a pavement with such blocks or bricks; and
these blocks or bricks I propose to make by placing in the mould before
mentioned, after I shall have placed therein the asphalt in the manner
described in paragraph No. 2, a box or frame of wood that shall fit closely
to the sides of the mould & shall come down into the plastic asphalt,
so that it may firmly adhere thereto, & by then filling said box with
concrete after the asphalt shall have set; and I propose to lay down
these blocks either upon a foundation of other concrete or of well
rammed earth, or upon a foundation of boards, & to bind them
together by a bituminous cement if found desirable.
5thly. In the construction of a wood pavement consisting of single
blocks of wood, or of blocks formed of several pieces of wood cemented
together with an asphaltic or bituminous composition, & having a

page_text: surface of asphalt or bitumen, and this I propose to do by the same
process as that described in the preceding paragraph up to the point
where I shall have fitted a box of wood into the mould, & then instead
of filling the box with ordinary concrete I fill it by first placing an
additional quantity of asphaltic composition of a more liquid character
therein, & then by pressing into the mould the block or pieces of wood
this liquid asphaltic or bituminous composition is forced up thro' all
the interstices & the block or pieces of wood, the box and the asphalt
intended for the surface all become firmly united together, and when set
are taken from the mould as one block with an asphalt surface; and I
propose to lay down these blocks in the manner described in the pre-
ceding paragraph. I may in these several kinds of pavements having
asphaltic surfaces, especially if the blocks or bricks be of small dimensions,
dispense with the indentations & the introduction of foreign material
in the surface, & cause such surfaces to be perfectly smooth, trusting to
the joints between the blocks or bricks, which will be bevilled in the
moulds, for preventing horses from slipping.
6thly. In the formation of the mechanical appliances to be used in
carrying out the preceding portions of my Invention; and I propose to
construct my moulds with an iron or other metalic bottom that can be
easily detached from the sides of the mould, which sides are made of
wood & metal combined, & in such manner that they can be taken
apart, & thus release the asphalt from the mould, however adhesive it
may be, after the same shall have become hard.