AN IMPROVE- MENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CARRIAGE WAYS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Baldry Redman, of New Palace Yard, in the
City of Westminster, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVE-
MENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CARRIAGE WAYS."
Sealed the 5th August 1859, and dated the 8th February 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Baldry Redman, at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th February 1859.
I, JOHN BALDRY REDMAN, of New Palace Yard, in the City of West-
minster, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CARRIAGE WAYS," to be as
follows:-
The object of my Invention is to construct a durable way for the wheels
of carriages, wagons, &c. to run upon, and on which the draft will be
facilitated.
My Invention consists in forming the wheel ways of metal, in the manner
bereafter described, while the space between the metal may be filled with
stone or any other description of paving. One of these ways may be laid on
each side of a street or road, or there may be several ways in one street or
road. The whole street is so paved and the carriage way so constructed as to
allow of horses, carriages, and wagons passing over every part, though my

page_text: intention is that as far as practicable the wheels only should travel upon the
metal.
I have found that wheels travelling on a plain surface of iron or a surface
having projections widely separated wear it rapidly away, but that where the
surface is raised at intervals, the raised portions being closely contiguous, it is
far more durable. I therefore form the surface of the iron upon which the
wheels are to travel, with a diamond or other like raised pattern. This diamond
surface is the upper part of a box, trough, or case, which, when laid down, is
filled with and bedded upon concrete or other like material, and each box or
case is bolted and secured to that next to it, in such manner as to allow for
expansion and contraction, while at the same time the fastening admits of
ready removal, in order to take up any one or more of the cases, as occasion
may require. The cases are laid in parallel rows, and the horse way is made
between them.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Baldry Redman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th August 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN BALDRY
REDMAN, of New Palace Yard, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engiacer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Baldry Redman, Her special licence that I, the said John Baldry
Redman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Baldry Redman, 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 "AN IMPROVE-
MENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CARRIAGE WAYS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Baldry Redman, 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

page_text: the same to be filed in the Great 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 Baldry Redman, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say:-.
The object of my Invention is to construct a durable way for the wheels
of carriages, waggons, &c., to run upon, and on which the draught will be
facilitated.
My Invention consists in forming the wheel ways of metal, in the manner
hereafter described, while the space between the metal may be filled with
stone or any other description of paving. One of these ways may be laid on
each side of a street or road, or there may be several ways in one street or
road. The whole street is so paved and the carriage way so constructed as to
allow of horses, carriages, and wagons passing over every part, though my
intention is that as far as practicable the wheels only should travel upon the
metal.
I have found that wheels travelling on a plane surface of iron or a surface
having projections widely separated wear it rapidly away, but that where the
surface is raised at intervals, the raised portions being closely contiguous, it is far
more durable; I therefore form the surface of the iron upon which the wheels
are to travel, with a diamond or other like raised pattern. This diamond sur-
face is the upper part of a box, trough, or case, which, when laid down, is filled
with and bedded upon concrete or other like material, and each box or case is
bolted & secured to that next to it, in such manner as to allow for expansion
& contraction, while at the same time the fastening admits of ready removal, in
order to take up any one or more of the cases, as occasion may require. The
cases are laid in parallel rows, and the horse way is made between them.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a plan of a piece of a carriage
way, constructed according to my Invention. Figure 2 is a transverse section
of the same, and Figure 3 is a plan of the inside of the tram boxes. A is the
horse way; B, B, are the wheel ways. Figure 4 is a plan on an enlarged
scale, of part of a tram box. Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of the
same, and Figure 6 is a similar view, shewing the box formed in two pieces.
Figure 7 is a transverse section of Figures 4 and 5, and Figure 8 is a trans-
verse section of Figure 6. C is the tram box, which is either cast in one
piece, as shewn at Figures 4, 5, and 7, or in two parts, as shewn at
Figures 6 and 8.

page_text: When the box is cast in two parts, it is held together by bolts D, D,
Figure 8; a, a is the diamond or other like surface, forming the wheel ways.
The interior E of the tram box is filled with concrete or other suitable
material. Figure 9 is a transverse section of a tram box formed with a
plane or even surface on its interior. Figure 10 shews in longitudinal section,
and Figure 11, in end view, parts of two tram boxes, illustrating the method
I adopt for connecting them together; b, c, are the ends of the tram boxes,
over which fish plates d, d, are placed; bolts e, e, are passed through the fish
plates, and the ends of the boxes, or the boxes may be loosely connected
together, to allow for any contraction or expansion that might take place in
them. The surfaces of the wheel ways and horse way are made flush or
nearly so. The horse way may be formed of "pitching" stones on concrete,
as shewn at Figure 1, or of cast iron plates, bolted & connected to the tram
boxes, having transverse projections, ribs, and lozenge projections formed on
them to give a good foothold to horses.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim, the constructing
carriage ways with boxes, troughs, and cases of iron, adapted and combined,
and having surfaces upon which wheels are to travel with a diamond or other
like raised pattern, as herein-before described and illustrated in the accom-
panying Drawings.
In-witness whereof, I the said John Baldry Redman, have hereunto set
my hand and seal this Sixth day of August One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-nine..