Improved Blocks for Street and other Paving.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 16th July, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 13th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 14th May, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Blocks for Street and other Paving.
Communicated by John McDonnell, of Chilaw, in the Island of Ceylon, of Her
Majesty's Public Works Department.
•
I JAMES HART-DAVIES M.A. of the firm of Hart & Co. Patent Agents
of 186 Fleet Street in the City of London do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide blocks for street and other paving that
shall have amongst others the following advantages:-they shall be noiseless-
they shall afford good foothold for animals-they shall retain their consistence and
size under even great variations of temperature and they can be rendered.
impervious to moisture.
To carry out this object theso blocks are made of coir fibre either in its rough
state or twisted up into yarn or in other condition and this fibre is preferably so
arranged in each block that when the same is laid in position the fibre is vertical as
is the grain in wooden paving blocks, and the block is created by subjecting the
same when the fibre is properly arranged as aforesaid to preferably great pressure
in any convenient manner and by any suitable apparatus and to assist this creation<
it may be very convenient to steep the fibre in or treat the same with any material
or compound that will tend to bind the separate fibres together. For example the
fibre may be steeped in or treated with tar or a solution of india rubber or with
resin or the like whereby the separate fibres would be caused to adhere to cach
other and the resultant block would be very impervious to moisture and the fibre
may be in any condition when it receives this treatment before the block is created
or the block may be created first and then steeped in or treated with the tar or
other suitable material which could be caused to enter into and permeate through
the block by the influence of heat or pressure or otherwise.
These blocks so created and made and so treated if desired with the suitable
material or compound would be laid in any usual manner on a proper foundation as
are ordinary paving blocks and may then be further treated in situ in any ordinary.
manner as is usual at present or otherwise as may be desired.
Dated this 16th day of July 1801
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Blooks for Street and other Paving.
Communicated by JOHN MCDONNELL, of Chilaw, in the Island of Ceylon, of Her
Majesty's Public Works Department.
JAMES HART-DAVIES M.A. of the firm of Hart & Co. Patent Agents
of 186 Fleet Street in the City of London do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to provide blocks for street and other paving that
shall have many and great excellencies and advantages whereamongst may be
mentioned the following that is to say:-they shall to a very high degree be
uoiseless in use they shall afford an extremely good foothold for animals-they
shall retain their desired consistence and their required size under even very great
variations of temperature and other climatic influences-they shall be very durable

page_text: and lasting in wear and they can be rendered quite imperyiḍus to and imperineable
by moisture of whatever description.
To carry out this object these paving blocks which are or can be of any desired
shape and size are made of coir or cocoa-nut fibre which may be in any condition
and have undergone any usual or other treatment that is to say it may be as is
perhaps as a general rule preferable in its ordinary rough state or may have been
twisted or laid up into yarn or otherwise, and this, coir or cocoa-nut fibre is or may
porhaps niost conveniently and suitably be so arranged in each block that when the
block is laid in position for use the fibre is vertical or thereabouts as is the grain in
the ordinary wooden paving blocks. When the proper required quantity of the
fibre has been duly so arranged as hereinbefore described or otherwise the block is
created by subjecting the same to pressure it may perhaps preferably be very great
pressure in any usual or convenient manner and in and by any suitable and ordinary
or other apparatus and to assist and to render the more efficient and permanent this
creation of the block it may be and generally is and especially when this paving is
to be laid in streets or yards or other exposed or outdoor situations very expedient
and desirable to steep the fibre in or otherwise treat the same with some material or
compound that will tend to bind the several fibres together. For example the
fibre may be steeped in or treated with tar or pitch which perhaps is generally and
on the whole the most useful and suitable material and which therefore for most
purposes is preferably used or it may be with resin or with creosote or with a
solution of india rubber or gutta percha by all which materials amongst many
others not only would the several fibres be caused to adhere together but also the
resultant block would be very impervious to and impermeable by moisture of
whatever description. It may sometimes also be very convenient and proper to
mix with the tar or other material or compound some brick dust or fine sharp sand
or any other suitable and perhaps somewhat similar substance that will help to
give more body and consistence to the block. The fibre in any condition as is
herein before described may be steeped in or treated with 'the tar or other material
or compound before the block is created in manner aforesaid or the block may be
greated first and then be steeped in or treated with the tar or other material or
compound which could if necessary bo caused to enter into and permeate through
and thus impregnate the block by and under the influence of heat or pressure or
otherwise in any convenient and usual or other manner.
:
As is hereinbefore stated the required pressure may be given and applied to the
block in and by any suitable and ordinary or other apparatus and the amount or
degree of such pressure to be so given and applied to the block may be varied. or
may be increased or decreased as may be desired or as may be deemed expedient
or proper in each individual case having regard it may be to the following
particulars that is to say-the condition of the fibre-the material or compound if
any in which it has been or is to be steeped or with which it has been or is to be
treated and the proportionate quantity of such material or compound in respect of
the fibre-the shape and size of the proposed block-the use to which and the
place or position in which such block is to be applied and laid and for which it is
intended and designed-and the other surrounding circumstances it being very
obvious that the governing conditions in the creation of this block and in the
manner or method of such creation are as follows that is to say :-the greater the
amount or degree of pressure that is given and applied to the block the harder and
more solid the same will be-and the greater the proportionate quantity of the
fibre that is used in each block and especially when this paving is to be laid in
streets or the like where there is great and heavy traffic the more durable and
lasting in wear the same will be--and the greater the proportionate quantity of the
material or compound that is used with and for each block and especially of one of
the materials and solutions herein before mentioned the more impervious to and
impermeable by moisture of whatever description the same will be.
Although this aforesaid required pressure may be given and applied to the block
on all of its faces. if and when it may be desired so to do yet as is indeed very

page_text: obvious it is only absolutely necessary to give and apply such pressure to the sides.
of the block and not to the top and the bottom thereof or that is to say to and on
the ends of the several fibres if and when the fibre is so arranged as is hereinbefore
described and when the block is so created after and according to this manner
which perhaps is on the whole most preferable the top and the bottom thereof can
if it may be necessary or expedient so to do be levelled by cutting off or paring
away the ends or other parts of the several fibres.
When the required pressure has been given and applied to the block in the
desired manner one or more bands of any suitable and ordinary or other material
may if and when it may be deemed expedient or desirable so to do be passed and
secured therearound either temporarily or permanently or otherwise as may be
needed to maintain the shape and size of the block and these bauds if any may or
may not as may be preferred be removed when the blocks are laid in position for
use or if it may be necessary or convenient so to do any ordinary or other box or
casing or frame or other similar and suitable appliance may be employed to hold
the blook until it has properly set and can of itself maintain its own shape and
size.
These paving blocks so made and created as hereinbefore described are laid and
arranged in any suitable and usual or other manner on a proper foundation as are
the ordinary paving blocks or otherwise wheresoever they are desired and required
to be used and they may then be further treated in sitt in any convenient and
ordinary or other manner and by and with any suitable material or compound as is.
usual and customary at the present time or otherwise as may be deemed necessary
or expedient in each particular case.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
The blocks for street and other paving made of coir or cocoa-nut fibre and.
created substantially as hereinbefore described and set forth.