IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE <6 OF PAVING, FLOORS, PLATFORMS, LANDINGS, STAIR-STEPS, PLATTS, AND THE LIKE
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Stuart, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid-Lothian,
North Britain, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
<6
OF PAVING, FLOORS, PLATFORMS, LANDINGS, STAIR-STEPS, PLATTS, AND THE
LIKE."
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Stuart at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th February 1881.
PETER STUART, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian, North Britain.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAVING, FLOORS, PLATFORMS, LANDINGS,
STAIR-STEPS, PLATTS, AND THE LIKE.'
"
This Invention relates to the manufacture of composite street pavements, floors,
platforms, landings, stair steps, "platts," and the like.
In constructing a pavement according to the Invention, the ground is first
excavated to a depth of seven inches or other required depth. A layer of stone or
other equivalent material, broken to pass through a two inch ring, and free from
sand or other earthy matter, is then spread level on the excavation to a depth of
three inches or thereby.
The ground is then divided off into squares according to the size of slabs it is
desired to produce, every alternate slab being laid as hereinafter described.
A layer of concrete is laid on the stones, the said concrete being composed of
finely ground or pulverized oxide of iron or hematite iron ore, and crushed stone,
brick, slag, or gravel, sized to pass through a one inch ring and under. Five parts
of the said materials are mixed, by a steam or hand pug mill or by hand labour,
with one part of cement and a sufficient quantity of water to render the whole
plastic. When properly amalgamated the concrete is spread on the stones in squares
to the thickness of two inches, or other thickness, according to the strength
required, and properly levelled with a straight edge, after which it is compressed by
a heavy roller.
Wooden rods are or may be set in and around the finished surface of concrete,
and if the paving is for outside purposes, V or other shaped grooves are made on
the surface parallel to the wooden rods, at two sides of the square, by means of a

page_text: roller having a flanch or flanches on its circumference corresponding to the shape of
the groove, or the said groove may be formed by hand or otherwise.
When kerbs and channels are formed along with the pavement, wooden boarding
is fixed to the line of the kerb.
In each groove an iron rod, preferably rectangular, is laid with its upper edge
level with the surface of the concrete, and other iron rods are laid on the surface
of the concrete at right angles to the rods first mentioned. At the points of inter-
section the two sets of rods are secured together with wire or equivalent means, and the
ends of the rods project beyond the points of intersection. When kerbs are formed,
the rods in the grooves extend into them, and an iron rod is laid along the centre
of the kerb and fastened to the other rods, as before set forth. Galvanized iron or
other wires placed at suitable distances apart are, or may also be, stretched across
the squares formed by the two sets of rods to afford additional strength.
On the surface of the concrete a composition of granite (cubed to the size of
three eighths of an inch or under), with finely ground or pulverized oxide of iron,
hemoetite, iron ore, and cement is spread.
These materials being mixed together and passed through a half inch seive are
saturated with water and thoroughly amalgamated by a steam pug mill, hand mill,
or by hand labour.
The composition is spread so as to embed the iron rods, and it is then levelled
with a straight edge, bearing on the wooden rods hereinbefore referred to, and
thereafter tapped solid in the usual manner, after which it is polished on the surface,
and, if desired, indented by means of a roller, and afterwards crossed by a sharp
pointed tool into diamond or other shaped slabs.
The thickness of the layer is regulated according to the strength of pavement
required.
When the alternate squares have set sufficiently hard the wooden rods are
removed and the under bed of concrete is cut bevilled, and left projecting an inch
or thereby beyond the upper layer. The intermediate squares are then filled in
with concrete and the other composition, as hereinbefore described, and finished in
like manner. When the whole has set the surface is painted over with a coating
of silicate of soda, mixed or not with finely ground or pulverized oxide of iron or
hematite, to color the surface a deep red, or other coloring matter may be used,
either to permeate the whole mass or to color the surface.
In constructing inside floors, the iron rods hereinbefore mentioned may be dispensed
with.
Besides being used for the purposes set forth, the composition may be manu-
factured into balusters and balustrading, copings, cornices, vases, pilasters, trusses,
and blocks of artificial stone, so that ornamental buildings may be constructed at a
cheaper rate than hitherto.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Peter Stuart in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th
August 1881.
PETER STUART, of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid-Lothian, North Britain.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAVING, FLOORS, PLATFORMS, LANDINGS,
STAIR-STEPS, PLATTS,' AND THE LIKE”
My said Invention relates to the manufacture and laying of composite street
pavements, floors, platforms, landings, stair steps, "platts," and the like.
In constructing a pavement according to the Invention the ground is first
excavated to a depth of seven inches or other depth according to the strength of
pavement required.
A layer of stone or other equivalent material broken or sized to pass through
a two and a half inch ring, and free from sand or other earthy matter, is spread
level in the excavation to a depth of three inches or thereby, and on the stones a
layer of concrete is spread. The object of so laying down dry stones is to prevent
damp from rising to and frost from injuring the concrete and the superstructure of
composition which is laid thereon, as hereinafter described.
Previous to laying down the concrete the bed of stones is divided or pinned off
into squares, the size of each of which varies according to the size of slabs it is
desired to produce, and in constructing the pavement the concrete is first laid on
alternate squares, both as regards the length and breadth of the pavement.
The plan, Figure 1, of the Drawings hereunto appended, shows the method of
laying, a being the squares covered with concrete.
The concrete is composed of crushed stones, brick, slag, or gravel, sized to pass
through a one inch ring, mixed with Portland or other suitable cement in the
proportion of one part of cement to five parts of either of the said materials, and
a sufficient quantity of water to render the whole plastic, the mixing being effected
by means of a steam or hand pug mill, or by hand labour.
A proportion of hemoetite, magnetic, or other iron ore may be added to the
mixture of concrete when desired, the. said ore being first finely ground or
pulverized and mixed separately with water before being placed in the mill.
When thoroughly mixed the concrete is spread in alternate squares on the stones
to a depth of two inches or other thickness, according to the strength required,
and then properly levelled with a straight edge, after which it is rolled flat or
compressed.
Rectangular wooden battens or rods are then laid on the top of the concrete
around the four sides of each square, as indicated at b, Figure 1, and, if the paving
is for outside purposes, two or more V shaped or rectangular grooves are cut in
each slab parallel to two of its sides, as indicated at c, Figures 1 and 2, or the said
grooves may be cut parallel to all four sides of each slab. These grooves are or
may be formed by passing a roller having a correspondingly shaped flanch or
projection on its circumference over the slabs before the concrete has set hard, or
the said grooves may be formed by hand or otherwise.
An iron bar or rod, preferably rectangular, is laid in each groove with its upper
edge level with the surface of the concrete, as indicated at d, and other rectangular
rods e are laid on the surface of the concrete at right angles to the rods d. The
rods d and e cross each other and their ends project beyond the points of inter-
section, the two sets of rods being secured together at the said points by wire or
other equivalent ties.
When kerbs and water channels are to be formed along with the pavement
wooden boarding is fixed to the line of the kerb before laying the concrete, and the

page_text: rods & situated in the grooves extend into the kerb, whilst another rod fastened
on top of the rods d by wire or its equivalent extends along the centre of the
kerb. These rods constitute binding and strengthening beams or stays for the
pavement. Instead of embedding one set of them in grooves as before set forth,
both sets may be laid on the surface of the concrete, and additional strength may
further be given to the pavement by extending a series of galvanized or ordinary
iron wires from one side to the other of the squares formed by the rods on each
slab.
Where drains or water pipes are laid below the pavement the slabs above them
instead of being bedded on broken stones are bedded on sand or wood boarding,
whereby they are rendered removable in order that repairs may be effected when
necessary.
On the surface of the concrete a composition of granite cubed to the size of three
eighths of an inch, and under, with Portland or other suitable cement, and with.or
without finely ground or pulverized hemoetite, magnetic, or other iron ore is
I have
spread. These ingredients may be employed in various proportion:
obtained good results with from three to four parts of cubed granite to one part of
cement.
The granite and cement is mixed and thoroughly amalgamated in a steam or
hand pug mill, or by hand labour, a sufficient quantity of water being added to
render the whole plastic, and when the ground or pulverized iron ore is used in
conjunction with these ingredients it is separately mixed with water and employed
in such proportions relatively with the other ingredients as will give the depth of
colour desired.
This composition, which I call "granolithic," is spread on the concrete so as to
embed the iron rods, and it is then levelled to an even surface with a straight edge,
the thickness of the layer being regulated according to the strength of pavement
required, a thickness of one inch being generally employed.
For stables and other like purposes the surface of the flooring of the stalls is
preferably grooved with inclined indentations g, which run into a central groove or
water channel i, as indicated at Figure 4, the grooves being produced by means of
a V shaped iron rod formed with a handle for convenience, and the water run or
channel behind the stalls is also indented into the surface of the pavement.
When the alternate squares have set sufficiently hard the wooden battens or
rods b are removed from around their sides, thereby leaving the under layer of
concrete projecting beyond the upper layer of composition all round the square, as
indicated at f, Figure 3. The edges of the concrete layer are cut bevilled or
straight down, and the intermediate squares are then filled in with concrete and
composition precisely as hereinbefore described. By checking the edges of the
squares first filled in, as indicated at f, Figure 4, the layer of composition in the
intermediate squares is caused to project over the layer of concrete in the squares
on each side of it, as seen at Figure 2, and whilst by this means damp is effectually
prevented from percolating downwards through the pavement, the construction
also permits one or more of these intermediate squares to be forced upwards in the
event of such a pressure on the under side as would otherwise be liable to destroy
a greater part of the pavement.
When the whole pavement has set the surface is painted over with a coating
of silicate of soda or clear water, and ground or pulverized hematite or other iron
ore.
The hemoetite or other iron ore is in each case used to give colour to the compo-
sition, red or black being generally the colour employed. A proportion of red
oxide of iron may be mixed with the hemoetite, and when other colours are desired
a suitable colouring matter is substituted in place of the hematite.
In constructing inside floors or pavements, such, for example, as the floors of
kitchens, laundries, wash-houses, schools, and halls, the iron rods herein before
specified as embedded between the layers of concrete and composition may, when
great strength in the floor is not required, be dispensed with.

page_text: The composition, besides being used in the construction of pavements, floors,
platforms, stair steps, landings, "platts," and the like, may also be used for the manu-
facture of ornamental work in imitation stone, such, for example, as balusters and
balustrading, columns, copings, cornices, pillasters, trusses, vases, and other kinds of
ornamental stone work, by moulding the composition in suitable moulds whilst in a
plastic state, screw, hydraulic, or other pressure being exerted on the moulds to
render the article solid.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may
be used or carried out in practice, I would observe in conclusion that what I
consider to be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. Manufacturing composite pavements, platforms, landings, and the like of a
foundation of broken dry stones, a layer of compressed concrete, and a layer of a
composition of broken or cubed granite and cement, with or without the addition
of ground or pulverized hematite, magnetic, or other iron ore or colouring matter,
and with or without strengthening iron rods and wires embedded between the said
composition and the concrete, substantially as herein before described.
Second. The method of laying the composite pavement or other like structure in
alternate squares, with the layer of concrete in each alternate square projecting
beyond the upper layer of" granolithic " composition, as and for the purposes set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Stuart, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Tenth day of August, in the year of our Lord Oue thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
P. STUART. (L.S.)