IMPROVEMENTS IN STR
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Rowbottom, of Halifax, in the County of
York, Gas Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STREET
Sealed the 19th April 1876, and dated the 20th October 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Rowbottom at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 20th October 1875.
I, JOHN ROWBOTTOM, of Halifax, in the County of York, Gas
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN STREET PAVEMENTS, AND IN MEANS OR APPARATUS for LAYING THE
SAME," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the combination of stone and wood in
blocks alternately arranged, that is, a row or series of stones and then a
row or series of wood blocks. The wood blocks are formed slightly
taper or wedge shaped at their bottom ends, so that after the stones have
been laid in proper order the wood blocks can be driven tightly in
betwixt them,
For this purpose I propose to employ a travelling steam

page_text: hammer, so that when the blocks of stone and wood are thus laid they
are securely fixed, making a good and durable pavement, less noisy and
less slippery than the ordinary stone pavement.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Rowbottom in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 20th April 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
ROWBOTTOM, of Halifax, in the County of York, Gas Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said John Rowbottom, Her special
licence that I, the said John Rowbottom, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Rowbottom, my exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN STREET PAVEMENTS, AND IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR LAYING THE SAME,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Rowbottom,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and im-
mediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
°
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NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Rowbottom, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, that is to say :-
This Invention consists in the combination of stone and wood arranged

page_text: alternately in blocks, that is, a row or series of stones and then a row or
series of wood blocks. The rows or series may be laid at right angles to
the street line or diagonally, so as to form ornamental patterns or designs.
The wood blocks are formed slightly taper or wedge shaped at their
bottom ends, so that after the stones have been laid in proper order the
wood blocks can be driven tightly in betwixt them, whereby the dura-
bility of the pavement is greatly increased, besides causing it to be less
noisy and less slippery. For the purpose of driving the blocks I employ
a steam hammer suitably mounted, so that it can be moved both back-
wards and forwards and also laterally, as required. This hammer and
boiler for supplying steam may be mounted on a carriage, and worked
similarly to a travelling crane, as will be readily understood without the
necessity for further explanation.
In conclusion I would have it understood that I do not confine myself
to any particular shape of the blocks of wood and stone, nor do I bind
myself to the use of equal numbers or sizes of blocks, as more stone
may be used than wood, or vice versa, but what I claim in respect of
this part of my Invention is, the combination of wood and stone for
street pavements, irrespective of size, shape, or arrangement.
With reference to the means or apparatus for laying the same I claim
the use of a travelling steam hammer in manner substantially as herein
described, but do not claim any special construction of hammer, nor
bind myself to the use of a steam hammer for this purpose, as the wood
blocks may be driven in by ordinary hammer or "tup" or other
apparatus worked by manual labour.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Rowbottom, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six.