An IMPROVED PAVEMENT
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Macneill, of Lombard Steet, in the City
of London, late Captain 13th Hussars, for the Invention of "An
IMPROVED PAVEMENT."
Sealed the 8th July 1873, and dated the 16th January 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Macneill at
the Office of the Commissioners, of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 16th January 1873.
I, ROBERT MAONEILL, of Lombard Street, in the City of London,
late Captain 13th Hussars, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED PAVEMENT," to be as follows:-
My said Invention relates to a pavement which has a foundation of
asphalte or other bituminous or tarry substance or compound, and an
upper structure or surface of blocks of wood or other material suitable
for paving.
In practising my said Invention I first excavate and level the ground
to form a bed on which tho said pavement is to be laid. Then upon this

page_text: levelled bed or surface I deposit a layer of asphalte or any of the
bituminous or tarry materials or compounds ordinarily used for the
formation of street pavements, either alone or mixed with earthy or
mineral substances, as may be found most suitable. The asphalte or
other material or compound must be so treated or prepared that when
cooled after being laid and rolled on its bed it will be sufficiently hard to
afford a solid and even support for the blocks which are to be placed
thereon, to form the upper portion or surface of the pavement.
I prefer to use wood blocks such as are now commonly employed in
the construction of wood pavements. These blocks must be of uniform
depth or height, so that when resting with their base on the asphalte
or other foundation will make the entire surface of the pavement
uniform and even. I prefer to lay the said blocks in rows across the
roadway with spaces between the rows, these spaces having at the
bottom wood strips or rods, over which they are filled with gravel,
cement, or other suitable material packed or rammed tightly between
the blocks.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Macneill in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 15th July 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
MACNEILL, of Lombard Street, in the City of London, late Captain
13th Hussars, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Robert Macneill, Her special licence, that I,
the said Robert Macneill, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
.such others as I, the said Robert Macneill, my executors, 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 "AN IMPROVED PAVEMENT," upon

page_text: the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert Macneill, 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 Robert Macneill, 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 :-
My said Invention relates to a pavement for streets and other ways
and places, and which has a foundation of asphalte or other bituminious
or tarry substance or compound, and an upper structure or surface
of blocks of wood or other material suitable for paving.
In practising my said Invention I first excavate and level the ground
to form a bed on which the said pavement is to be laid. Then upon this
levelled bed or surface I deposit a layer of asphalte or any of the
bituminous or tarry materials or compounds ordinarily used for the
formation of street pavements either alone or mixed with carthy or
mineral substances, as may be found most suitable. The asphalte or
other material or compound must be so treated or prepared, that when
it has cooled after being laid and rolled on its bed it will be sufficiently
hard to afford a solid and even support for the blocks which are to be
placed thereon to form the upper portion or surface of the pavement.
I prefer to use wood blocks such as are now commonly employed in
the construction of wood pavements. These blocks must be of uniform
length or height, so that when resting with their base on the asphalte
or other foundation, the entire surface of the pavement will be uniform
and even. I prefer to lay the said blocks in rows across the roadway
with spaces between the rows, these spaces having at the bottom wood
strips or rods over which they are filled with gravel, cement, or other
suitable material packed or rammed tightly between the blocks.
Having thus fully described my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I wish it understood that I claim, a pavement
constructed with blocks of wood or other suitable material laid upon a

page_text: set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Macneill, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
Witness,
W. ROBT. LAKE.
R. MACNEILL. (L.S.)