AN IMPROVEMENT IN WOOD PAVEMENT
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Inven-
tion of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN WOOD PAVEMENT."-A communication
from abroad by William Wilmot Ballard, of Elmira, County of
Chemung and State of New York. United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville
Clark at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 9th August 1870.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN WOOD PAVEMENT," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to a new and useful improvement in wood
pavements whereby such pavements are rendered more substantial and
durable, while their cost is diminished, and it consists in so forming
the blocks of which the pavement is composed that when laid down.
:

page_text: they are locked together so that no single block or cluster of blocks
can settle or become displaced, as will be herein-after more fully
described.
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view of a
section of pavement composed of the improved blocks; Figure 2 is
a view of two blocks detached. Similar letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts.
In carrying out the Invention I take off a slight portion of one
corner of the block at its base in a line about parallel with the opposite
bevel of the block, thus forming one obtuse angle; on this obtuse side
of the block, and on the opposite side of the block a small cut is
made which will break the oblique line and form one which will
exactly coincide with the sides of the obtuse angle of the block laid
next to it.
A is the ordinary wedge-shaped block having one of its acute angles
or base corners cut away, as seen, forming with the oblique sides an
obtuse angle B, and the opposite corner is so cut as to form a depressed
angle C, which shall have the same boundaries as B, in order that when
the blocks are laid in a pavement the angles B of one row shall exactly
fit into and coincide with the angle C of the next adjacent block, thus
keying each other and preventing the possibility of any vertical move-
ment of a single block. The kerb blocks are formed without the
keying angles to enable the other blocks to be removed, or such other
like blocks may be used and placed at such points as may be deemed
convenient or necessary, although I prefer to use the simple kerb blocks.
These improved or self-keying blocks are adapted more particularly for
that class of pavements where no board or wood foundation is used,
though they may be used with great advantage in other kinds of wood
pavement. In the class of pavement to which these blocks are par-
ticularly applicable the great disadvantage experienced in the common
wood pavement is entirely avoided. The liability of one or more blocks
to settle, or of being forced below the general surface of the pavement,
forming thereby receptacles for water and decaying matter, is prevented
by my mode of interlocking them. Every block is keyed in line and
parallel with and at right angles to the kerb, so that the pressure
exerted upon the blocks, or upon one individual block, is equally dis-
tributed to the adjacent blocks, or in other words, a pavement is formed
having one solid intact base, and at the same time capable of being

page_text: taken up block by block. It will thus be seen that upon the principle
of the arch the greater the weight the tighter the pavement will become,
as the weight is felt and equally distributed throughout the whole
extent.
It has always been desirable to dispense with the board foundation
in wood pavements, it being the first to decay, causing vibration, and
rendering it difficult to remove the pavement at any particular point,
but hitherto builders of wood pavement have not been enabled to discard
this kind of foundation for the reason before mentioned, namely, the
liability of individual blocks or small clusters of blocks to settle below
the rest of the pavement.
The mode by which these improved self-locking blocks are formed
constitutes no part of the present Invention. I have, however, shown
in the Drawing two modes in which the cuts may be made, which will
fully illustrate to any one skilled in the art that the lumber cut out is
virtually of no importance in either quantity or value, as the wedge-
shaped space is lessened proportionally, and likewise the quantity of
concrete required. It will of course be understood that the wedge-
shaped spaces between the rows of blocks are filled with concrete, pitch,
asphaltum, or any composition suitable for the purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 17th January 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Alexander Melville Clark, Her special
licence that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander Melville
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-

page_text: after 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 "AN IMPROVEMENT IN WOOD PAVEMENT," a communication to me from
abroad by William Wilmot Ballard, of Elmira, County of Chemung, and
State of New York, United States of America, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, 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 immediately
..after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner.
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the Sheet
of Drawings hereunto annexed and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say):
This Invention relates to a new and useful improvement in wood
pavements whereby such pavements are rendered more substantial and
durable, while their cost is diminished, and it consists in so forming the
blocks of which the pavement is composed that when laid down they are
locked together, so that no single block or cluster of blocks can settle
or become displaced, as will be herein-after more fully described.
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view of a
section of pavement composed of the improved blocks; Figure 2 is
a view of two blocks detached. Similar letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts.
In carrying out the Invention I take off a slight portion of one corner
of the block at its base in a line about parallel with the opposite
bevel of the block, thus forming one obtuse angle on this obtuse side
of the block; and on the opposite side of the block a small cut is
made which will break the oblique line and form one which will
exactly coincide with the sides of the obtuse angle of the block laid
next to it.
A is the ordinary wedge-shaped block having one of its acute angles
or base corners cut away, as seen, forming with the oblique side an

page_text: obtuse angle B, and the opposite corner is so cut as to form a depressed
angle C, which shall have the same boundaries as B, in order that when
the blocks are laid in a pavement the angles B of one row shall exactly
fit into and coincide with the angles C of the next adjacent blocks, thus
keying each other and preventing the possibility of any vertical move-
ment of a single block. The kerb blocks are formed without the keying
angles to enable the other blocks to be removed, or such other like
blocks may be used and placed at such points as may be deemed con-
venient or necessary, although I prefer to use the simple kerb blocks.
These improved or self-keying blocks are adapted more particularly for
that class of pavements where no board or wood foundation is used,
though they may be used with great advantage in other kinds of wood
pavement. In the class of pavement to which these blocks are par-
ticularly applicable the great disadvantage experienced in the common
wood pavement is entirely avoided. The liability of one or more blocks
to settle, or of being forced below the general surface of the pavement,
forming thereby receptacles for water and decaying matter, is prevented
by my mode of interlocking them. Every block is keyed in line and
parallel with and at right angles to the kerb, so that the pressure
exerted upon the blocks, or upon one individual block; is equally dis-
tributed to the adjacent blocks; or, in other words, a pavement is
formed having one solid intact base, and at the same time capable of
being taken up block by block. It will thus be seen that upon the
principle of the arch the greater the weight the tighter the pavement
will become, as the weight is felt and equally distributed throughout
the whole extent.
It has always been desirable to dispense with the board foundation
in wood pavements, it being the first to decay, causing vibration, and
rendering it difficult to remove the pavement at any particular point,
but hitherto builders of wood pavement have not been enabled to discard
this kind of foundation for the reason before mentioned, namely, the
liability of individual blocks or small clusters of blocks to settle below
the rest of the pavement.
The mode by which these improved self-locking blocks are formed
constitutes no part of the present Invention. I have, however, shown
in the Drawing at B, C, two modes in which the cuts may be made,
which will fully illustrate to any one skilled in the art that the lumber
cut out is virtually of no importance in either quantity or value, as

page_text: the wedge-shaped space is lessened proportionately, and likewise the
quantity of concrete required. It will of course be understood that the
wedge-shaped spaces between the rows of blocks are filled with concrete,
pitch, asphaltum, or any composition suitable for the purpose.
Having described the nature of the Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be
protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, a wood
pavement formed of wedge-shaped blocks constructed so as to interlock
and support each other, substantially in the manner and for the purposes
set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
JAS. O. DEWEY,
53, Chancery Lane.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)

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Kerb Blocks
BC