IMPROVEMENTS IN ASPHALT OR SIMILAR COMPOSITION, AND IN THELICATION THEREOF TOARIOUS USEFULPURPO
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Livesey, of 9, Victoria Chambers, West-
minster, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ASPHALT OR SIMILAR COMPOSITION, AND IN
THE
Sealed the 8th March 1872, and dated the 9th September 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Livesey at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th September 1871.
I, JAMES LIVESEY, of 9, Victoria Chambers, Westminster, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ASPHALT OR SIMILAR COMPOSITION, AND
IN THE APPLICATION THEREOF TO VARIOUS USEFUL PURPOSES," to be as
follows:-
-
+
My Invention consists in the admixture of iron, in the manner
herein-after stated, with asphalt or similar composition in order
to give to such substance or composition greater durability. With
such composition I propose to incorporate metal in various forms

page_text: such as iron borings, filings, or turnings, or iron formed for the
purpose cast or made into any required form and incorporated to the
extent required. By this mode of introduction of iron into asphalt
or similar compositions a more durable surface is obtained and additional
strength is also given.
For
I propose to use this improved material, in addition to the ordinary
application of pavement, for rails for tramways, also for stairs or steps
in lieu of stone or other steps for buildings and general purposes.
rails and tramway sleepers I propose to employ troughs of iron or
other material filled with the improved composition, or to use it in the
form of simple plates or solid rails on suitable foundations.
The same arrangement would also apply when used for making steps
or stairs or tiles for pavement.
The proportion of iron to be mixed with asphalt will vary according
to the character of the material required. For example, for footways or
stairs the proportions might be from ten to fifteen per cent., for ordinary
street pavement from fifteen to twenty per cent., and for traction and
other rails from twenty to twenty-five per cent.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Livesey in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 9th March 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
LIVESEY, of 9, Victoria Chambers, Westminster, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of September, 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 James Livesey, Her special licence that
I, the said James Livesey, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said James Livesey, 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

page_text: "
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ASPHALT OR SIMILAR
COMPOSITION, AND IN THE APPLICATION THEREOF TO VARIOUS USEFUL PURPOSES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Livesey,
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 Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Livesey, 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, (that is to say) :—
My Invention of Improvements in Asphalt or similar Composition
and in the Application thereof to various useful Purposes, consists
in the admixture of iron, in the manner herein-after described, with
asphalt or similar composition, in order to give to such composition
greater durability. With such composition I incorporate metal in
various forms, such as iron borings, filings, or turnings, or iron
formed for the purpose, cast or made into any required form, and
incorporated to the extent required. By this mode of introducing
iron into and incorporating it with asphalt or similar composition a
more durable surface is obtained and additional strength is also given to
the material to adapt it for its several uses.
In addition to the application of this material as a pavement, it is
intended to be applied for rails for tramways, also for stairs or steps in
place of stone or other steps for buildings and general purposes.
As an instance of its application to tramways the "Larmanjat
system," as adopted by the Lisbon Steam Tramways Company, may be
mentioned, in which case blocks or rails of the said material will be
substituted for the broad rails of timbers at present employed. These
blocks or rails. will vary in width from a narrow strip to twelve inches
wide.
The wide rails will also form sleepers, and they are cither laid on
concrete or in iron troughs firmly bedded. The material may also be
used for traction engines generally to run upon.

page_text: The said material is also intended to be used for making steps or
stairs, or as a substitute for tiles for pavement, in which case the
steps would be formed of iron, cast or wrought, in the shape of a shallow
trough filled with the said material. This mode of application will also
be adopted in the use of the material for pavement in place of tiles or
wood blocks.
The iron to be incorporated with the asphalt or composition for the
several purposes referred to will be borings, filings, turnings, and iron
cast into the form of small shot or larger pieces or cubical forms,
to resemble when so incorporated a Macadamized road, the iron
representing or being in substitution for the stone ordinarily used
therein.
The proportion of iron to be mixed with asphalt or composition will
vary according to the character of the material required. For example;
for footways or stairs the proportion might be from ten to fifteen per
cent., and for traction and other roads from twenty to twenty-five
per cent.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I hereby declare that I
do not claim as of my Invention the use of iron ore, or iron otherwise
than manufactured or reduced to the form or forms above stated,
but what I do claim as of my Invention is, the incorporation of
manufactured or reduced iron with asphalt or composition and its
adaptation and application to the various uses herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Livesey, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Eighth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
Witness,
WILLIAM SPENCE,
8, Quality Court,
Chancery Lane.
JAMES LIVESEY. (L.S.)