IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PAVING OF STREETS, ROADS, AND OTHER PLACES."
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Dowding, of No. 5, Hughes Terrace, Deptford
Lower Road, in tho Parish of Rotherhithe, in the County of Surrey, Carpenter,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PAVING OF STREETS, ROADS, AND
OTHER PLACES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Dowding at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th April 1876.
JOHN DOWDING, of No. 5, Hughes Terrace, Deptford Lower Road, in the Parish
of Rotherhithe, in the County of Surrey, Carpenter.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
PAVING OF STREETS, ROADS, AND OTHER PLACES."
The object of this Invention is to provide a pavement of wood or composite
blocks, asphaltic or otherwise, for carriage ways, streets, or roads and other places,
which shall be at once simple in construction, durable and even in wear, and easily
and effectively repaired, and which may be laid with or without creosote.
I provide that each row of blocks or pitchers be rebated on both the under or
lower sides with square rebates in the direction of their lengths, except that the
first and last rows of blocks which will adjoin pavings of other kinds will
require the rebating on one side only. Into the rebates of every two rows of
blocks as they are placed in position there is inserted a stout bearing piece of
wood laid flatwise, and of such size as to perfectly fit into the two rebates, separating
the rows of blocks from each other sufficiently to allow of a space between them
being rammed solidly full of gravel and pitch or such like material. In the case of
composite blocks a thin wood cross joint will be necessary.
A sole piece or strip of wood of about half the thickness of the bearing pieces and
similarly laid may, in some instances, and where there is heavy traffic, be advan-
tageously inserted between the bearing pieces and beneath the blocks.
Both the pitchers and bearing pieces and the sole strips when used are made to
take a solid, even, and uniform bearing together on a bed of concrete which is pro-
vided, and they are so closely and compactly fitted together as to form a pavement
absolutely as to its bearings in one solid mass or piece throughout its whole
extent.

page_text: A channel can be formed when required next the kerbstone by reversing two or
more rows of blocks and bearers, and notching the end block of each row of pitchers
in the road on to the first channel bearer.
The bearing pieces can be of any length that may be found most convenient,
and both they and the pitchers should properly butt and break joint. The filling
in of the joints between the pitchers is effected by means of ramming them tightly
full of screened gravel of a uniform size, burnt and tarred before being brought
upon the site, and the joints are grouted with liquid pitch or tar run in with the
gravel, and the surface when the laying of the pavement is completed is covered
with a coating of coarse sand.
The concrete I employ is composed of best Thames or clean ballast and hydraulic
lime or cement, generally in the proportions of 5 to 1 respectively, and 12 inches in
thickness, except in streets with a good or hard foundation, or where there is but a
moderate traffic, when a lesser thickness will suffice.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Dowding in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th October
1876.
JOHN DOWDING, of 5, Hughes Terrace, Deptford Lower Road, in the Parish of
Rotherhithe, in the County of Surrey, Carpenter. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PAVING
OF STREETS, ROADS, AND OTHER PLACES."
By this Invention I provide a pavement of wood or composite blocks, asphaltic
or otherwise, for carriage ways, streets, or roads and other places, which is at once
simple in construction, durable and even in wear, and easily and effectively repaired,
and which may be laid with or without creosote.
The manner in which the said Invention is to be carried into practice may be
understood by reference to the accompanying Drawings.
I provide that each row or course of blocks or pitchers he rebatted or hollowed
out on both the under or lower sides or edges in the direction of their lengths
with rebates or hollows of a square shape or form, as shewn in Figure 1 at a, a, or
varied and cut either dovetailed or diagonally at any suitable angle, as in Fig. 2
and 2a, at c, c, and b, b, with the exception of the first and last rows of pitchers,
which will adjoin pavings of other kinds, which will require the rebating on the
one or inner side only, see Figures 5, 6, and 7, 1, 1, 1. Into the rebates or hollows of
every two rows of pitchers when placing them in position there is inserted a stout
or strong bearing piece or bearer of wood laid flatwise, and of such size and shape
as to perfectly fit into the two hollows or spaces, see Figures 5, 6, and 7, at d, d,
separating the rows from each other sufficiently to allow of a space or joint between
them, which joint I afterwards ram solidly full of gravel and pitch or such like
inaterial.
The portions of the bearing pieces which fit into the hollows of the pitchers may
be called shoulders, Figures 5, 6, and 7, see h, h. In the case of composite blocks
or pitchers a thin wood cross joint will be desirable though not indispensible,
Bee Figure 8.
A sole piece or strip of wood of about half the thickness of the bearing pieces
or bearers and similarly laid may, in some instances, and where there is heavy
traffic, be advantageously inserted between the bearers and beneath the pitchers, sec
Figure 6, at 8, 8, in which case the rebates or hollows in the pitchers will be of a
less depth, see Figure 4, at a, a.
Both the pitchers and bearers and the bearers and sole strips, when the latter
are used, are made to take a solid, even, and uniform bearing together on a bed of
concrete, and they are so closely and compactly fitted together as to form a pave-
ment absolutely as to its bearings in one solid mass or piece throughout its whole
extent.

page_text: ▲ channel or channels, see Figure 7, can be formed when or where required next
the kerbstones or elsewhere by roversing, say, the first two or more rows of pitchers
at o, o, and bearers at p, p, and notching the first or end block of each row of
pitchers in the road on to the first channel bearer p', that is, the channel bearer
nearest to the rows of pitchers, the notch being shown at n, n.
The bearing pieces and sole strips can be of any length that may be found most
convenient, and both they and the pitchers should properly butt together and
break joint.
The filling in of the joints or spaces between the pitchers, see Figures 5, 6, and 7,
at f, ff, is effected by means of ramming them tiglitly full of screened gravel of an
uniform size, burnt and tarred before being brought upon the site, and the joints are
grouted with liquid pitch or .tar run in with the gravel. The surface when the
laying of the pavement is completed is covered with a coating of coarse sand.
In order to prevent the percolation of surface water through the butt joints of the
pitchers, I cut a pieco off the ends of these blocks at the lower edge (or under side),
ns shewn at 7, on Figures 9 and 10. The top of the notches or channels t thus
formed being above the top of the rebates a space is provided for the liquid pitch or
tar grouting to run in below the ends of the blocks or pitchers and fill these spaces,
thus closing the butt joints against moisture, which might otherwise reach the con-
crete through them.
The concrete I employ, see g, g, is composed of clean ballast and hydraulic lime
or cement, generally in the proportions of 5 to 1 respectively, and 12 inches in
thickness, except in streets with a good or hard foundation, or where there is but a
moderate traffic, when a lesser thickness will suffice.
All my pitchers when of wood, whether hard or soft in its kind, are so placed
that the surface upon which the traffic passes is end grain of the wood.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention and shewn in what
manner the same may be carried into practise, I declare that I claim―
The construction of pavings suitable for streets, roads, and other places with wood
or composite pitchers having their under sides or lower edges cut, shaped, or
hollowed out in manner aforesaid, and with bearing pieces sawn or cut to such
shapes as to fit or shoulder into the hollows or rebates, substantially as described.
Also in some cases with shallower rebates, and a sole strip shaped and laid beneath
the pitchers and between the bearers, substantially as described
And further I claim the reversing of certain rows of the pitchers and bearers to
form channels and the notching of an end or first pitcher in each row on-to the
outside channel bearer, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, tho said John Dowding, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
TAIN DOUTING