IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FORMATION OF ROADWAYS, PAVEMENTS, AND SUCH LIKE SURFACES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Edward Hughes, of No. 23, Great St.
Helen's, in the City of London, Merchant, for the Invention of
“IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FORMATION OF ROADWAYS, PAVEMENTS, AND SUCH
LIKE SURFACES." -A communication from abroad by Henry Hughes,
of San Francisco, in the State of California, in the United States of
Amonica
Sealed the 13th January 1871, and dated the 19th July 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Edward Hughes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 19th July 1870.
I, JOHN EDWARD HUGHES, of No. 23, Great St. Helen's, in the City
of London, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FORMATION OF ROADWAYS, PAVEMENTS, AND SUCH
LIKE SURFACES," a communication to me from abroad by Henry Hughes,

page_text: of San Francisco, in the State of California, in the United States of
America, to be as follows:-
:-
The roadways or pavements, or such like surfaces, according to the
Invention, are obtained by a combination of asphalt or other bituminous
compound mixed with gravel, clay, gypsum, spar, or other earthy
matter, fibrous material, burnt clay, cement, mastic, or lime, which
matters may be moulded into blocks of suitable sizes or shapes, or
formed into sheets, or otherwise applied.
'
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Edward Hughes in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 19th January 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
EDWARD HUGHES, of No. 23, Great St. Helen's, in the City of London,
Merchant, 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, in the thirty-fourth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said John Edward Hughes, Her special licence
that I, the said John Edward Hughes, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Edward Hughes, 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 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE FORMATION OF ROADWAYS, PAVEMENTS, AND SUCH LIKE SURFACES," a com-
munication to me from abroad by Henry Hughes, of San Francisco, in
the State of California, in the United States of America, upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said John Edward Hughes, 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

page_text: 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 John Edward Hughes, 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:
The roadways or pavements, or such like surfaces, according to the
Invention, are obtained by a combination of asphalt or other bituminous
compound mixed with gravel, clay, gypsum, spar, or other earthy
matter, fibrous material, burnt clay, cement, mastic, or lime, which
matters may be moulded into blocks of suitable sizes or shapes or formed
into sheets, or otherwise applied.
In carrying out the improvements I take one part of pure asphalt
or other bituminous compound and combine therewith 3 parts of foreign
matter composed of coke dust, lime, calcareous rock, stone, slag, spar, or
such like material, or, say, as much foreign matter to be added as the
asphalt or other bituminous compound will absorb. The asphaltum or
other bituminous compound is melted and heated to a temperature
of, say, 400 degrees in a kettle or cauldron provided for the purpose;
then the foreign matter is stirred into it until the quantity is absorbed.
The foreign matter must first be carefully prepared in the following
way: First pulverize or grind up to a degree of coarse sand or fine
gravel, and before mixing with the asphaltum or other bituminous
compound it is to be thoroughly kiln dried; then after a most thorough
mixing mould into blocks or bricks of any requisite size or shape. The
moulding may be done in a most convenient way by putting the com-
position into iron moulds of the required shape, and subjecting the
material to considerable pressure in the moulding process. It is also
preferred that the sides of the blocks be formed corrugated or roughened
and that the interstices between the blocks when formed into a roadway
or pavement, or such like surface, be filled in with a mixture of lime,
gravel, and ground coke, covered over with liquid asphaltum or other
suitable material.
Having thus described the Invention, and means adopted in carrying
the same into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim as the
Invention communicated to me is, the composition of material for the

page_text: formation of roadways, pavements, and such like surfaces, substantially
as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Edward Hughes, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of January,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.
¨¨ J. E. HUGHES. (L.S.)