AN IMPROVED PAVEMENT FOR ROADWAYS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Harrison, of Fenchurch Street, in the
City of London, Asphalte Manufacturer, for the Invention of " AN
IMPROVED PAVEMENT FOR ROADWAYS
Sealed the 10th March 1876, and dated the 13th September 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Harrison
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 13th September 1875.
I, THOMAS HARRISON, of Fenchurch Street, in the City of London,
Asphalte Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED PAVEMENT FOR ROADWAYS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists in a combination of wood paving with
asphalte, whereby the elasticity of the wood paving will be to a great
extent retained while a certain rigidity will be imparted to it by the
asphalte, and the cost of laying the pavement will be considerably
reduced,

page_text: In carrying out this Invention the foundation of the roadway is first
prepared by laying a bed of concrete in the usual way. On this concrete
bed I place strips of wood transversely of the roadway and at suitable
distances apart, and upon these strips I place the blocks of wood,
allowing a space of about one inch between each row of blocks. Into t
these interstices I run liquid asphalte, which will fill up the spaces
between the strips of wood and the blocks, and will thus form a rigid ·
pavement.
The strips of wood I prefer to make of a width somewhat less than
the width of the blocks, so that_a_section of the asphalte-filling will--]
take the form of an 1, which will have the effect of binding the whole
together.
The strips and blocks of wood may be creosoted, which will add to
the adhesion of the asphalte to the wood.
I sometimes prefer to use the strips of wood laid longitudinally of the 1
roadway, in which case the block will be placed across them in rows as
before, the edges of the blocks resting on the strips, the asphalte being
beneath and around them.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Harrison in the Great Seal Patent ?
Office on the 13th March 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
HARRISON, of Fenchurch Street, in the City of London, Asphalte Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in
the thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give_and_grant_unto_me,_the_said-Thomas-Harrison, Her-
special licence-that-I, the said Thomas Harrison, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Harrison,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter

page_text: 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 FOR ROADWAYS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Thomas Harrison, my executors or admini-
strators, 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 Thomas Harrison, 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, reference being had to the
Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say) :—
"
This Invention consists in a combination of wood paving with
asphalte, whereby the elasticity of the wood paving will be to a great
extent retained, while a certain rigidity will be imparted to it by the
asphalte, and the cost of laying the pavement will be considerably
reduced.
In carrying out this Invention the foundation of the roadway is first
prepared by laying a bed of concrete in the usual way. On this concrete
bed I place strips of wood transversely of the roadway and at suitable
distances apart, and upon these strips I place the blocks of wood,
allowing a space of about from half an inch to one inch between each
row of blocks. Into these interstices I run liquid asphalte, so as nearly
to fill up the spaces between the strips of wood and the blocks, the
rest of the space being filled in with gravel or other ballast and
cement.
The strips of wood I prefer to make of a width somewhat less than
the width of the blocks, so that a section of the asphalte filling will take
place the form of an 1, which will have the effect of binding the
whole together.
This plan of constructing my improved pavement for roadways is
shewn in Fig. 1 of the accompanying Drawing, in which a is the con-

page_text: crete foundation; b are the narrow strips of wood laid transversely of
the roadway; c, the wooden blocks; d, the shaped asphalte filling;
and e, the gravel or ballast and cement.
I sometimes prefer to use the strips of wood laid longitudinally of the
roadway, in which case the blocks will be placed across them in rows as 5
before, the ends of two adjacent blocks resting on one strip, the asphalte
being beneath and around the rows. This plan is shewn in Fig. 2 of
the Drawing, the same letters having reference to corresponding parts
in both Figures..
In order to give a firmer-bearing-for-the-blocks-one or more inter- 1
mediate strips b¹ may be employed, as shewn.
The strips and blocks of wood may be creosoted, which will increase
the adhesion of the asphalte to the wood.
Having now described my Invention of "An Improved Pavement for
Roadways," and having explained the manner of carrying the same 15
into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part
recited Letters Patent I claim, the combination of the wood blocks and
strips with asphalte, as and for the purpose herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Harrison, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Thirteenth day of March, in the 20
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six.