IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROAD OR TRAMWAYS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sir George Bowyer, of Radly Park, in the
County of Berks, Baronet, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROAD OR TRAMWAYS."
Sealed the 14th November 1871, and dated the 19th July 1871.
This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of

page_text: but allowing them to cross the tram surface at any angle without
obstruction, I employ asphalte which I lay in lines forming as it were
rails for the wheels of the tram carriages. On either side of these
lines or rails of asphalte the ordinary paving or road surface remains.
The asphalte is laid in trenchies upon concrete and is of sufficient
thickness and width to obtain adequate strength. The surface of the
concrete line or rail is brought up level with the road surface on either
side, and in the centre of each line or rail of concrete is a shallow but
broad trough like depression running from end to end of the line and
serving to control sufficiently the wheels of the tram carriages without
sensibly interfering with the wheels of carriages crossing the line. The
groove or trough-like depression may be a segment of a circle or circles
so arranged as to avoid angles and sudden inclines. The bottom of the
groove or depression may be flat. Where the line or rail of asphalte
meets the road surface on either side its corners are rounded off. A
drain pipe may be laid under the line or rail of concrete and by per-
forations at intervals; this pipe will drain off rain water and prevent it
remaining in the hollow of the line or rail. This hollow may however
be very shallow or even where the line is straight it may be dispensed
with.
When tramways are thus constructed carriages with ordinary wheels
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Sir George Bowyer in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 4th January 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Sir GEORGE
BOWYER, of Radly Park, in the County of Berks, Baronet, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-fifth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Sir George Bowyer, Her special license
that I, the said Sir George Bowyer, my executors, administrators, and
'assigns, or such others as 'I, the said Sir George Bowyer, my executors,

page_text: administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thercafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ircland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROAD TRAMWAYS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Sir George Bowyer, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
scals, 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 Sir George Bowyer, 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 thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of
road tramways.
In order to provide a smooth level surface for tramway carriages and
at the same time not to interfere with other carriages using the road,
but allowing them to cross the tram surface at any angle without
obstruction (and to allow the tramway carriage to leave the tramway
freely when required), I employ asphalte, which I lay in lines forming
as it were rails for the wheels of the tram carriages. On either side
of these lines or rails of asphalte the ordinary paving or road surface
remains. The asphalte is laid in trenches upon concrete and is of sufficient
thickness and width to obtain adequate strength. The surface of the
asphalte line or rail is brought up level with the road surface on either
side and curved down under the surface of the road on either side, and
in the centre of cach line or rail of asphalte is a shallow but broad
trough like concave depression or channel running from end to end of
the line and serving to guide or control sufficiently the wheels of the
tram carriages without sensibly or materially interfering with the wheels
of carriages crossing the line, and without causing any jolt, concussion,
or shake to such carriages so crossing. The groove channel or concave
trough like depression may be a segment of a circle or circles, so

page_text: arranged as to avoid angles and sudden inclines. For this purpose the
corners where the concave surface of the channel terminates should be
rounded off. The bottom of the groove, channel, or concave depression
may be flat. Where the line or rail of asphalte meets the road surface
on either side its corners are rounded off, and it is carried in a curved
line under, the surface of the road. Thus the cross section of the
asphalte trams will present a continuous unbroken curved line (except
when the bottom of the channel is flat), concave in the middle, and
turning down below the surface of the roadway at the two ends. A
drain pipe may be laid under the line. or rail of asphalte, and by per-
forations at intervals this pipe will drain off rain water and prevent it
remaining in the hollow of the line or rail. This hollow may however
be very shallow or even where the line is straight or at crossings or
otherwise, when convenient, it may be dispensed with, and the line
made flat or slightly convex, or sinks may be made through the asphalte
and concrete through which the water would percolate into the soil
below.
•
When tramways are thus constructed carriages with ordinary wheels
can run upon them and the objections to the use of tramways in towns
will be obviated. If it be found that the edges of the wheels wear the
asphalte the hoop or tire of the wheels may be rounded off at the sides
so as to present a convex surface. This convex surface may or not
have the same curve as the channel or track in which the wheels run.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawing
That my said Invention may be better understood I describe the
Drawing hereto annexed, being a cross section outline illustrating the
principle of the said Invention.
a, b, c, is the asphalte tram; d, d, d, is the roadway which may be
pavement or Macadam or of other materials; a, c, a, c, are the points
to which the curved surface of the asphate tram is carried under the
road, in order that the wear of the road may not leave any angle
inconvenient to traffic; b, b, are the concave channels in which the
wheels are to run. The gauge of the tramway should in general be

page_text: different from that of the wheels used for ordinary traffic. The concrete
should be of the thickness usual in laying asphalte roadways, and the
thickness of the asphalte should be from three inches or thicker if
the traffic be heavy.
What I claim is the construction of asphalte tramways, substantially
as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Sir George Bowyer, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
GEORGE BOWYER. (L.S.)