IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PAVING OF ROADWAYS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Adolph Neuberg, of Hanover, Germany, at present of
16, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Merchant, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PAVING OF ROADWAYS." A communi-
cation from abroad by Philip Zadig, of San Francisco, United States of
America.
Sealed the 6th December 1878, and dated the 8th June 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Adolph Neuberg at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th June 1878.
ADOLPH NEUBERG, of Hanover, Germany, at present of 16, Southampton
Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Merchant. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
PAVING OF ROADWAYS." [A communication from abroad by Philip Zadig, of San
Francisco, United States of America.]
This Invention relates to improvements in the paving of roadways.
According to this Invention the roadway consists of blocks laid down close
together and cemented by asphaltum. The whole when finished forms a compact.
waterproof body, which if wanted may easily be separated again into blocks and
laid down again.
The blocks forming the roadway may be made in any size. The following oné
has been found the most convenient, viz., 24 inches by 12 inches by 6 inches deep..
For making the blocks there have to be moulds of cast iron (the metal one-
quarter of an inch more or less thick) 24" x 12" and 6 inches deep in the clear..
The bottom of the mould, both dimensions, should be 3/ths of an inch less than at
the top of the open upper side of the mould. Also the bottom should have five
curved grooves of 21%, inch wide each (more or less), all alike, and at their lowest
points one-half of an inch deep (more or less). These moulds are filled with common
cobble stones put closely together. They must be dry and clean. They ought to
be, if available, flat, lentil form, or nearly so, and be put in upright. The largest of
the stones ought not to be larger than 51/4 inches, and the smaller ones not smaller
Price RII

page_text: than 41, inches. The width of the stone has to be put parallel with the length of
the mould, and as much as possible in rows, and in the different rows should break
joints. The one end of the twelve inches is filled and held with the left hand in
position whilst with the right hand the other stones are picked up and placed in
position until the whole length of the twenty-four inches is filled. The stones
have all of them to touch the bottom of the mould, and after filling care has to be
taken of their standing tightly. If any stones are loose they have to be changed
for thicker ones or for two thinner ones in such a way that they cannot be shaken
about. For the finishing of the blocks the best kind of asphaltum to be obtained
(Val de Travers, Seyssell, or a similar quality) is powdered or broken into small
pieces. It is then dissolved by means of coal-tar or unpurified petroleum, the latter
preferably, and heated slowly up to 250-300 degrees (more or less) Fahrenheit.
As soon as it has become an oily easily running body, no gas or bubbles visible, it
is taken in buckets and poured upon the stones in the mould, and the latter filled
to three-quarters of depth. After the mass has had time to settle down to the bottom
of the mould the gaps between the heads of the cobbles are filled with small stones,
and the whole of the mould is then filled up to the rim with asphaltum. The little
stones between the gaps must not be too small, and must be dry and clean from
sand, in order not to prevent the solid filling of the block. After being filled the
top of the mould should be rolled over in order to be sure that there is no pro-
jection, and the mass be even like a board.
At the commencement of the operation, and before the moulds are filled with
stone, the bottom and the sides inside have to receive a pappy coating of wet
lime or loam, about one-quarter of an inch thick (more or less). After the mass
has been left to cool for about 6 hours the moulds with their contents are turned
upside down, and the block by its own weight falls out; the soft coating pre-
vents the asphaltum from adhering to the iron.
In order to
The bottom of the mould has formed the upper surface of the block.
have half and quarter lengths of blocks partitions of cast iron, fitting exactly to the
bottom of the mould, are used.
A block of 24" x 12" and 6 inches high requires about 35 lb. of asphaltum and
115 pounds of stone (more or less). The benches upon which the moulds are put
for filling have to be strictly level in order to get strictly straight, square
blocks. Benches 2 feet high and 5 feet wide have been found convenient;
the length has to be decided upon according to the space available. The length of
the moulds are put parallel with the length of the benches on both sides, and the
three feet in the middle of the bench are used for the stones to be put on, so that
the workmen may be able to put them in conveniently and in a time-saving
manner.
The average size of the stone as above indicated should be picked out at the
place where the stones are taken from originally, in order to save time and room
at the place of manufacture.
The foundation of the roadway requires, as a matter of course, particular atten-
tion. If the soil consists of dry sand a watering for two days and tamping with
wooden blocks would be sufficient. If the soil is loamy and there is no sand in
the neighbourhood to fill it to a depth of say twelve inches, it has to be covered
with about six inches of broken stone of 3-4 inches size, made even with a covering
of three inches of 1-1/, inch sizo of gravel pressed with heavy rollers, as heavy
as available, and lastly be covered with two inches of moist sand or fine gravel.
The roadway should have a rise towards the middle of 1 in 50. The blocks when
placed together by their somewhat wedge form form a gap of 3/4 of an inch (more or
Jess) between them, which to the depth of 4 inches is filled with sand or fine gravel
tamped, and the remainder of 2 inches is filled with hot asphaltum, and when
this has settled and is made even with the blocks the roadway is immediately
covered with fine gravel. Before filling the upper 2 inches of the space between
the blocks with the asphaltum the sides of the blocks have to be cleaned with a
brush from sand and covered with a thin coating of lime or loam.

page_text: If at any time the pavement has to be taken up for underground pipe laying or
repairing, the two inches asphaltum are broken out with a chisel, the 4 inches of
sand underneath are dug out, and the blocks are taken up.
After the underground work has been performed the blocks are replaced in the
same way as above described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Adolph Neuberg in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th
December 1878.
ADOLPH NEUBERG, of Hanover, Germany, at present of 16, Southampton
Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Merchant. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PAVING
OF ROADWAYS." A communication from abroad by Philip Zadig, of San Francisco,
United States of America.
This Invention relates to improvements in the paving of roadways.
According to this Invention the roadway consists of blocks laid down close
together and cemented by asphaltum. The whole when finished forms a compact
waterproof body, which if wanted may easily be separated again into blocks and
laid down again.
The blocks forming the roadway may be made in any size. The following size
has been found the most convenient, videlicet, 24 inches by 12 inches x 6 inches
deep.
For making of the blocks there have to be moulds of cast iron (the metal one
quarter of an inch more or less thick), 24 by 12 and 6 inches deep in the clear;
the bottom of the mould, both dimensions, should be three-eights of an inch less
than at the top open upper side of the mould. Also the bottom should have five
curved grooves of two and a quarter inches wide each (more or less), all alike, and
at their lowest points one-half of an inch deep (more or less) and made in
the of the length of the mould. These moulds are filled with common cobble
stones put closely together. They must be dry and clean. They ought to be, if
available, flap lentil form or nearly so and be put in upright. The largest of the
stones ought not to be larger than five and a quarter inches, and the smaller ones not
Binaller than four and a half inches. The width of the stone has to be put parallel
with the length of the mould, and as much as possible in rows, and in the different
rows should break joints. The one end of the twelve inches is filled and held with
the left hand in position whilst with the right hand the other stones are picked up
and placed in position until the whole length of the twenty-four inches is filled.
The stones have all of them to touch the bottom of the mould, and after filling, care
has to be taken of their standing tightly. If any stones are loose they have to be
changed for thicker ones or for two thinner ones in such a way that they cannot

page_text: be, shaken about. For the finishing of the blocks the best kind of asphaltum to be
obtained (Val de Travers,) Seyssell, or a similar quality) is powdered or broken into
small pieces. It is then dissolved by means of coal-tar or unpurified petroleum, the
latter preferably, and heated slowly up to 250-300 degrees (more or less) Fahren-
heit. As soon as it has become an oily easily running body, no gas or bubbles
visible, it is taken in buckets and poured upon the stones in the mould and the
latter filled to three-quarters of depth; after the mass has had time to settle down to
the bottom of the mould the gaps between the heads of the cobbles are filled with
small stones, and the whole of the mould is then filled up to the rim with small
asphaltum. The little stones between the gaps must not be too small, and must be
dry and clean from sand, in order not to prevent the solid filling of the block.
After being filled the top of the mould should be rolled over in order to be sure
that there is no projection, and the mass be even like a board.
At the commencement of the operation, and before the moulds are filled with
stone, the bottom and the sides (inside) have to receive a pappy coating of wet
lime or loam, about one-quarter of an inch thick (more or less). After the mass has
been left to cool for about 6 hours the moulds with contents are turned upside
down, and the block by its own weight falls out, the soft coating preventing the
asphaltum from adhering to the iron.
The bottom of the mould has formed the upper surface of the block, which is
therefore narrower at the top than at the bottom. In order to have half and
quarter length of blocks partitions of cast iron, fitting exactly to the bottom of the
mould, are used.
A block of 24 × 12. and 6 inches high requires about thirty-five pounds of
asphaltum, and one hundred and fifteen pounds of stone (more or less. The
benches upon which the moulds are put for filling have to be strictly level, in order
to get strictly straight square blocks. Benches two feet high and five feet wide
have been found convenient. The length has to be decided upon according to the
space available. The length of the moulds are put parallel with the length of the
benches on both sides, and the three feet in the middle of the bench are used for
the stones to be put on so that the workmen may be able to put them in con-
veniently and in a time-saving manner.
:
The average size of the stone as above indicated should be picked out at the
place where the stones are taken from originally, in order to save time and room at
the place of manufacture.
The foundation of the roadway requires, as a matter of course, particular attention.
If the soil consists of dry sand a watering for two days and tamping with wooden
blocks would be sufficient. If the soil is loamy, and there is no sand in the neigh-
bourhood to fill it to a depth of say twelve inches, it has to be covered with about 6
inches of broken stone of 3-4 inches size, made even with a covering of 3 inches of
1-11, inches size of gravel pressed with heavy rollers, as heavy as available, and
lastly be covered with two inches of moist sand or fine gravel. The roadway should
have a rise towards the middle of 1 in 50 feet. The blocks when placed together
on this prepared bed (so as to break joint) by their somewhat wedge form form a
gap of 3% of an inch (more or less) between them, which to the depth of 4 inches
is filled with sand or fine gravel tamped, and the remainder of 2 inches is filled
with hot asphaltum, and when this has settled and is made even with the blocks the
roadway is immediately covered with fine gravel. Before filling the upper two
inches of the space between the blocks with the asphaltum the sides of the blocks
have to be cleaned with a brush from sand and covered with a thin coating of
damp lime or loam. If at any time the pavement has to be taken up for under-
ground pipe laying or repairing the two inches asphaltum are broken out with a
qhisel, the four inches of sand underneath are dug out, and the blocks are taken up.
After the underground work has been performed the blocks are replaced in the
same way as above described.
The objects to be attained by this pavement are as follows:-According to the

page_text: best and highest authorities in road making the requirements of a good pavement
adequate to the wants of modern large cities with their immense traffic are -
First. It has to be even and hard, so as to promote easy draft.
Second. It has to give a sure and firm hold to horses' feet.
Third. It must not become slippery by use and when wet.
Fourth. It has to be noiseless, as far as possible.
Fifth. It must be easily kept clean without spoiling it.
Sixth. It must not retain dirt, but on the contrary promote its discharge.
Seventh. It must be constructed in a manner and of such kind of material that
durability may be expected and in a measure counted upon. The Inventor
believes that this pavement fulfils all the above-named requirements. It may be
cleaned and washed with water as often as desirable. The grooves are worn out by
use in a way that the stones project half an inch (more or less) sufficient to give
the horses a footing without jolting the wheels of vehicles, whilst the hardness of
the cobble is unsurpassed by any other stone. No slipping of horses, no gathering
of dirt between stones, no sinking, and lasting as long as the cobble has not been
worn off, and that will be a very indefinite period of time.
The cobble stones should be heated to such a degree as manageable to pack them
into the moulds. The heating is effective even at a low temperature of 20
Reaumur, but the higher the temperature the better. The object of the heating is
that the asphalte may unite more firmly with the stones than when they are put
into the moulds cold, as they then cool the asphalte too quickly and before it has
been run into all the cavities between the cobbles.
In the accompanying Drawings-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of one of the blocks forming my improved roadway,
Figure 2 an end view, and Figure 3 a plan.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the mould, Figure 5 an end
view, and Figure 6 a plan.
Figures 7 and 8 are views of the tongs used to handle the cobbles, and Figure 9
a plan of a portion of roadway shewing the blocks breaking joint.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to or may be performed, I claim as
my Invention to be secured by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent-
First. Combining cobble stones of different sizes and asphaltum so as to form
blocks for the construction of roadways, substantially as described and illustrated.
Second. The moulds wherein the blocks are inade.
Third. The laying of the blocks for the formation of the roadway, substantially
as described and illustrated.
Fourth. In combination with the wedge-like shape of the gaps between the
blocks the filling of such gaps, substantially as described and illustrated.
Fifth. The heating of the cobble stones, substantially as described and for the
purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Adolph Neuberg, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourth day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
ADOLPH NEUBERG. (L.S.)