AN IMPROVED STEAM PAVIOUR OR APPARATUS FOR RAMMING STONE 'SETTS: OR PAVING BLOCKS, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR CONSOLIDATING MACADAMISED ROADS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Silas Nicholls, of Parliament Street, in the City of
Westminster, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED STEAM PAVIOUR OR
APPARATUS FOR RAMMING STONE 'SETTS: OR PAVING BLOCKS, APPLICABLE
ALSO FOR CONSOLIDATING MACADAMISED ROADS."
ealed the 23rd April 1880, and dated the 29th October 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Silas Nicholls at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th October 1879.
" AN
SILAS NICHOLLS, of Parliament Street, in the City of Westminster.
IMPROVED STEAM PAVIOUR OR APPARATUS FOR RAMMING STONE 'SETTS' OR
PAVING BLOCKS, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR CONSOLIDATING MACADAMIZED ROADS."
My Invention relates to a steam paviour or apparatus for ramming stone setts or
"pitching" laid in the usual manner in roads and streets, and applicable also for
ramming or consolidating the metalling of macadamized roads.
The apparatus, which resembles in its general construction an overhead steam
traversing or travelling crane, except that it is close to the ground, comprises a
horizontal carrier frame or gantry, suitably strutted. and stayed, which extends
across the road from side to side or any less distance desired, and is supported on
four wheels running on planks of wood temporarily laid alongside the kerb at either
side, or in other convenient situation, one or both pairs of wheels being also toothed,
and engaging in racks fixed on the planks for the purpose of propelling the entire
apparatus forwards from one course to the next as the work progresses. This
frame is so constructed as to be extended or contracted telescopically to suit roads of
different widths, or to extend across, say, one half only of roadway at a time, as
may be required. The pairs of wheels are keyed on shafts extending the whole
length of the frame, and these also are made extensible or telescopic for the same
purpose, and likewise, if necessary, made in sections connected by universal joints
to enable the shafts to clear the convex surface of the road. When the road is
wide this carrier frame may also be supported at the middle or in other intermediate
position by portable props or wheels resting on the surface of the roadway or on
the tramway rails, when such have been already laid for vehicular traffic. Upon
this carrier frame a pair of flat T or L iron rails are laid from end to end, and

page_text: cambered or curved upwards to correspond exactly to the intended convexity of
the road surface. Upon these rails travels a truck or carriage carrying a steam
boiler and engine with their usual appurtenances, and the paviour or rammer,
which is constructed and worked as hereafter described; the upward curvature or
camber of the rails determining that of the road surface, which, when rammed, has
the exact convexity intended. The wheels of the truck may also be toothed to gear
with racks alongside the rails, and driven by a separate steam cylinder for
traversing the truck backwards and forwards along the carrier frame or gantry as
required, or this may be done by manual power, if preferred, by means of suitable
winch handles.
The boiler is preferably vertical, and is bolted to the frame of the carriage, and
the steam cylinder, with its usual appurtenances, is carried by an upright cast iron
standard or frame, the base of which partly embraces or takes under the carriage
frame, and is bolted thereto by horizontal and vertical bolts passing through
suitable brackets cast upon it; it is also stayed to the boiler.
The cylinder is inverted and supported at the top of the standard so as to over-
hang the side of the carriage frame, and the rammer is attached directly to the
piston rod. The rammer consists of a solid cylindrical block of oak or other hard
wood hooped to prevent it splitting, and received in a cast iron socket of the same
shape, whose upper end is bolted to the end of the piston rod. Between the top of
the block and the end of the socket one or more discs of soft deal or other suitable
material are introduced to form a cushion to prevent as much as possible the
concussion being transmitted to the working parts and frame, and as the face of
the hard wood block wears away additional packing discs are inserted behind.
The wood block is held in the socket by coach screws or similar fastenings passing
through vertical slots in the sides of the socket, so as to admit of this adjustment
and of the elastic effect of the cushion above mentioned. This socket is turned
externally, and fitted to slide through a corresponding guide bolted to the carriage
frame, and provided with a packing ring to retain oil or other lubricant. The
socket is cast with an external flange at the upper part, which is faced with a
cushion of india rubber to lessen the concussion, and strikes against the guide, so as
to determine the length of stroke, which is invariable.

page_text: .
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Silas Nicholls in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th April
1880.
SILAS NICHOLLS, of Parliament Street, in the City of Westminster.
" AN
IMPROVED STEAM PAVIOUR OR APPARATUS FOR RAMMING STONE SETTS OR PAVING
BLOCKS, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR CONSOLIDATING MACADAMISED ROADS."
My Invention relates to a "steam paviour" or apparatus for ramming stone setts
or "pitching" laid in the usual manner in roads and streets, the apparatus being also
applicable for ramming or consolidating the "metalling" of macadamized roads.
The apparatus somewhat resembles an overhead steam traversing crane except
that it is close to the ground. It comprises a horizontal carrier frame or gantry
constructed in sections, so as to extend quite across a road of any width or any less
distance desired, and supported on wheels at either side of the road and at inter-
mediate points. A shaft extends the whole length of the frame, and is also made
in sections, so that it can be lengthened or shortened to correspond to the length of
the frame, and is likewise provided with universal joints to enable it to follow the
convex surface of the road.
Some of the supporting wheels are on this shaft, so that by turning it the machine
can be moved forward or backward along the road from one course of stones to the
next, as the work progresses. Upon this carrier frame travels a truck or carriage
carrying a steam boiler and engine, with their usual appurtenances, and the steam
cylinder, by which the paviour or raminer is worked, as hereafter described. The
wheels of the truck run on angle irons or other rails that extend from end to end
of the carrier frame, and are cambered to correspond to the intended convexity of
the road surface. The truck is traversed backwards and forwards along the carrier
frame or gantry as required by the engine or by manual power if preferred. The
boiler is preferably vertical, and the steam cylinder that operates the rammer is
inverted and mounted so as to overhang the side of the carriage frame. The
rammer consists of a block of hard wood received in a metal socket bolted to the
end of the piston rod. An elastic cushion is introduced between the block 'and'
socket to prevent as much as possible the concussion being transmitted to the
working parts and frame. This socket is fitted to slide through a guide bolted to
the carriage frame, and is provided with an external flange at top, which strikes
against the guide so as to determine the length of stroke, which is invariable.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a plan of part of the carrier frame or gantry, with the truck carrying
the boiler and rammer in position upon it. Figure 2 is a cross section of the carrier
frame or gantry, the truck and steam boiler, &c., being in side elevation. Figure 3
is an elevation partly in section (taken through the frame of the truck and through
the rammer.) Figures 4, 5, and 6, are a plan, side elevation, and vertical section, on
line 1-1 (drawn to a larger scale), of one of a number of cross frames, which serve
to brace together the two sides of the carrier frame, and also as bearings for the
running wheels. Figure; 7 shows details of one of the joints connecting the different
sections of which the carrier frame is composed.
The carrier frame may be constructed of a pair of parallel ] shaped girders A, A,
braced together at intervals by cross frames B, and each girder being constructed
of a plate a, with L shaped angle irons a¹, bolted along the same near the top and
bottom edges. The angle irons of the two girders face one another, and the ends of
the cross frames B fit between the angle irons, and are fastened to the same by
pins a², two at each end, which pass through corresponding holes in the top.
and bottom angle irons and in the end of the frame B. A number of these holes a³.

page_text: are made in the angle irons at equal distances apart, so that the cross frames B
may be connected to the girders A at any point of their length desired. The
pins a² are simply dropped into their places, so that the parts may be very readily
connected and disconnected, and the holes in the top angle iron are countersunk to
receive the heads of the pins flush with the surface of the angle iron on which the
wheels of the carriage run. The upper edge of the web a of the girder rises an
inch or two beyond the upper angle iron to prevent the wheels of the carriage
running off. The girders A are constructed in lengths of about 2 ft. 6 to 10 feet,
and each length is slightly cambered or curved upwards to correspond to the
convexity of the road surface. The different lengths are jointed together, as shown
in Figure 7, in which it will be seen that the angle irons a¹ break joint with the
'webs a of the two lengths to be united, and that the overlapping portions of the
angle irons and webs are bolted together by screw bolts a instead of rivets. a³ is
a fish plate fitting close against the inner side of the web a between the angle
irons, one end being rivetted to the web of the one length, whilst the other half is
bolted to the web of the other length by screw bolts aº. The two lengths may
thus be readily connected or disconnected. The cross frames or runners B are
constructed of two parallel angle irons b, bent downwards at right angles at the
ends, and braced together by cross plates 6' rivetted upon them; 6² are plates
fitting in the end corners of the angle irons b, and rivetted thereto; and 6s are
plates bolted to 62 and 6, and carrying the bearings 64 for the runner wheels. The
wheel at one end is on a short spindle, and that at the other end is on a shaft C
that extends the whole length of the frame A, and like it is made in lengths or
sections united at some of the joints by sleeves c, receiving the ends to be united,
and rigidly connected thereto by cross bolts passing through both. At other points
(usually at either side of the carrying wheels), the lengths of shafting are con-
nected by universal joints D of any suitable kind, which permit of the shaft
following the convex curvature of the road on which the runner wheels rest. One
wheel of each of the cross frames B is on the same shaft, but the wheels only of
the two end runners B are keyed thereon, those of the intermediate runners B being
loose. In one of the end runners (that at the right hand end in Figure 1) is mounted
a worm e that gears with a worm pinion E keyed on shaft C along side one of the
runner wheels, as shown. By applying a winch or key to a square on the end of
the worm the shaft C may be rotated, and with it the two runner wheels keyed on
the ends of said shaft, whereby the whole carrier frame A may be advanced from
one course of stones to the next as the work progresses.
F is the truck or carriage mounted on wheels f running along the frame A from
end to end. The two pairs of wheels are keyed on axles f¹ mounted in bearings f
adjustable in vertical guide brackets f³, shown separately in Figure 3º, bolted to
the underside of the truck, the bearings being adjusted thereon by vertical
screws f³ in order to raise the truck to the proper height from the road to make
the rammer work to the intended road surface. The truck F may be constructed in
any suitable way, and carries a small vertical boiler G provided with the usual
appurtenances and a small engine H, whose crank shaft is geared by mitre wheels
with a vertical spindle h, having a worm h¹ upon it that gears with a worm
pinion h² keyed on the axle f¹ of one of the pairs of wheels f, for the purpose of
propelling the truck to and fro along the frame A as required. I is the steam
cylinder to operate the rammer; it is bolted to a cast iron standard K rising from
a bed plate L firmly bolted to the truck F, the standard K being also stayed to
the boiler. The cylinder I overhangs the front of the truck, and a cylindrical cast
iron socket M that holds the rammer block is bolted directly to its piston rod.
The rammer consists of a cylindrical block of oak or other hard wood R, hooped
at r to prevent it splitting. It is received in the socket M of the same shape
turned externally, and guided in its up and down motion by passing through a
ring guide on the base plate L; is a packing of fibrous material secured by a
metal ring to retain oil to lubricate the socket M in its guide; m is a projecting
flange on the head of the socket M, which comes down on the base plate L should'

page_text: the piston not be cushioned by steam on the underside, as it would be when at
work in the ordinary way; m is a ring of india rubber interposed between the
flange m and guide L to lessen the concussion; n are packing discs of pine, and o
is a cushion of india rubber interposed between the rammer block R and the head
of the socket M to compensate for wear of the face of block R, and to lessen the
concussion; p are coach screws screwed into the block R, and passing through
vertical slots q in the sides of the socket M to retain the block in the socket, and
allow it to slide up and down therein to the extent permitted by the elasticity of
the cushion o. The driver's seat is at S, and there are lever handles for controlling
the working both of the engine H and of the rammer cylinder I.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing the
same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is, -
-
1st. The improved steam paviour consisting of a steam actuated rammer mounted
on a truck carrying a steam boiler and the usual adjuncts, and running along a
gantry or carrier frame extending cross wise of and adapted to travel along the road,
substantially as shown and described.
2nd. In a steam paviour, as herein described, mounting the steam cylinder
and rammer so as to overhang the side of the truck and of the gantry on which it
runs, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3rd. In a steam paviour or raminer the gantry or carrier frame constructed of
two parallel girders braced together at intervals by wheeled cross frames, sub-
stantially as shown and described.
4th. In a steam paviour or rammer the mode of connecting the wheeled cross
frames to the longitudinal girders so as to admit of the cross frames being readily
placed at any point of length of the gantry, substantially as shown and described.
5th. In a steam paviour or rammer the gantry or carrier frame constructed in.
lengths in combination with a longitudinal shaft for the runner wheels, also
constructed in lengths, to permit of the gantry being adapted to suit roads.of
different widths, substantially as described.
6th. The combination with the carrying frame or gantry of a longitudinal shaft,
having runner wheels upon it, and constructed in lengths connected by universal
joints or their equivalents, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
7th. In a steam paviour, as herein described, the combination of the vertical
steam cylinder and its usual adjuncts, the metal socket attached to the steam
piston and working up and down in a guide ring on the carriage frame, and the
wood block received in said socket, all substantially as shown and described.
8th. The combination of the metal socket, the wood block fitted loosely therein,
and the packing disc and elastic cushion interposed between the two, substantially
as shown and described.
9th. In a steam paviour, as herein described, the vertically adjustable bearings of
the truck wheels, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Silas Nicholls, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
SILAS. NICHOLLS,
(L.S.)