IMPROVEMENTS IN PAVING ROADWAYS AND FOOTWAYS, AND IN CEMENTS TO BE USED FOR PAVING AND OTHER PURPOSES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE CONSTRUCTION OR FORMATION OF RAILROADS AND TRAMROADS
Year: 1871

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Burge at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 13th
October 1871.
I, GEORGE BURGE, of No. 26, Westbourne Terrace Road, Bayswater,
in the County of Middlesex, Contractor, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PAVING ROADWAYS AND FOOTWAYS,
AND IN CEMENTS TO BE USED FOR PAVING AND OTHER PURPOSES, WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE CONSTRUCTION OR FORMATION OF
RAILROADS AND TRAMROADS," to be as follows :—
My Invention relates firstly to the paving of roadways and footways,
and consists in so setting paving blocks, either of stone or wood, in
asphalte or cement, as to form a smooth surface for traffic, and yet
afford a secure foothold. This part of my Invention may be applied
either to the improvement of existing roadways and footways paved
with stone or wood, or to the formation of new roadways and footways.
In applying this part of my Invention to existing roadways or footways:
paved with blocks of stone or wood, I proceed as follows:-I first clear

page_text: out from the joints of the paving (ie., the interstices between the blocks
set in the ordinary way) the gravel, lime, or other matters lodged therein,
and I dress or bevil off the edges of the said blocks so as to enlarge the
said joints, and I cut away part of the surface of the said blocks around
the edges, and thereby form channels or sunk portions into which I run
either asphalte or one of the improved cements herein-after described,
or any other suitable cement, until such asphalt or cement is level with
the upper surfaces or crowns of the blocks. A smooth and durable
roadway or footway is thus formed, which consists partly of stone or
wood and partly of asphalte or cement, and thus combines the advan- 1
tages of stone or wood and asphalte or cement.
In applying this part of my Invention to the formation of new roadways
or footways, or the repaving of existing roadways or footways, I dispense
with the bevilling of the edges of the blocks, which is necessary when
my said Invention is applied to old blocks without resetting them, and I 1
set the new blocks at such distances apart as to leave between them
channels or spaces of the required width for the reception of the
asphalte or cement, which I run into the said channels or spaces until
the said asphalte or cement is level with the upper edges or crowns of
the said blocks.
Instead of forming open gutters at the sides of roads paved according
to my Invention, I make covered gutters or subways for the water which
drains off the said roads and passes into the said gutters or subways
through holes in the pavement above.
"
My Invention is also applicable to macadamized roads, or such roads
as are paved with broken “metal.” In applying my Invention to a road
of this kind, I melt asphalte in a suitable tank, and mix therewith loose
stones or broken "metal," and distribute the mixture of asphalt and
stones or broken "metal over the surface or foundation of the road,
and then level it with a roller or by other means. Or instead of using
asphalte, I mix the said stones or broken metal with any of the
improved cements herein-after described, and then spread the mixture
over the road and level it as described.
In applying my Invention to the construction or formation of
railroads and tramroads, I dispense with the sleepers usually employed,
and lay the rails upon foundations prepared in either of the ways above
described, with reference to macadamized roads, plugs or blocks of wood

page_text: being embedded in the said foundations, into which the spikes by which
the chairs or rails are held in position are driven.
My Invention consists further of the improved cements or mixtures of
cements herein-after described. I take asphalte, bitumen, tar, or pitch
(which I melt), Pozzalane cement, Portland cement, blue liàs lime, or
Abethaw lime, and mix any two or more of the above-named cements
with the asphalte, or bitumen, or tar, or pitch, and add crushed slag,
ashes, gravel, sand, or chalk, and thereby make adhesive compounds or
cements of a superior quality, which compounds or cements may be used
for paving purposes as herein-before described, and also in the con-
struction of submerged or other works or structures where hydraulic
cement is required.