IMPROVEMENTS IN PAVING STREETS, ROADS, AND WAYS
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Pierre Frederic Gougy, of Castle Street,
Leicester Square, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN PAVING STREETS, ROADS, AND WAYS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Pierre Frederie
Gougy at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 5th October 1852.
I, PIERRE FREDERIC GOUGY, of Castle Street, Leicester Square, in
the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PAVING STREETS, ROADS,
AND WAYS," to be as follows:
My improvements consist in combining metal with wood in forming
the superstructure of pavements for streets, roads, and ways, thereby
rendering them more durable and less slippery. The metal I propose
to use is cast iron as being the cheapest of hard metals, and lead as
being the cheapest of the soft metals, but I do not confine myself to the
use of these metals, as zinc or any other kind of metal may be used.

page_text: The following description and the Drawings hereunto annexed
illustrate the different forms which I propose to give to the wood, and
the manner of arranging the strips of metal. Figure 1, is a plan of so
much of a street pavement in which are represented some of these
different shapes. The red lines indicate the pieces and strips of metal,
and the black lines the wooden blocks. The red lines in No. 1, repre-
sent pieces of metal similar in shape to those shewn in Nos: 15, and 16.
No. 2, represents the strips of metal as being continued across the
street. Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and -8, represent different modifications in
the arrangement of the metal in reference to the wood. No. 9, repre-
sents a piece of pavement, in which, instead of using strips of metal,
similar strips of wood are used, but the grain of the wood in the strips
must run in the reverse direction to the grain of the blocks, that is to
say, the grain of the strips must be laid -horizontally while the grain of
the blocks is laid vertically. No. 10, is a section of No. 9, shewing
the manner in which I place the strips of wood. No. 11; is a similar
section, but the strips of wood, instead of being plain upon the top
surface, are grooved, as at a, a. No. 12, is a section, and No. 13,
AL
plan of the method which I adopt for bracing. the different. blocks.
together, so as to render them, when laid, firm and secure in their
place. A, A, are the blocks, and B, B, continuous strips of metal or
wood of sufficient length to form a tie to a number of blocks. These
strips may be made of wood, but I prefer metal as being more durable.
No. 14, is a section of one of the blocks represented in No. 13, and
shews the mode of forming them so as to enable the blocks to be taken
up and relaid. The blocks are formed of three pieces 1, 2, 3, the
centre piece of which (2,) is wedge-shaped, and corresponding to the
side pieces (1, and 3), so that when it is withdrawn the whole will
easily come apart, and the blocks can be released from off the strips of
metal or wood B, B. For the pavement of footpaths, courts, yards,
&c. I should propose to lay the grain of the wood horizontally, and
ent grooves in the upper surface for placing the metal.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Pierre Frederic Gougy in the Great Seal
Patent Office, on the 5th April 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
PIERRE FREDERIC GOUGY, of Castle Street, Leicester Square, Gen-
tleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of October, in the of
year
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the sixteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Pierre Frederic Gougy, Her special
licence that I, the said Pierre Frederic Gougy, my executors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Pierre Frederic
Gougy, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 Inven-
tion for IMPROVEMENTS IN PAVING STREETS, ROADS, AND WAYS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Pierre Frederic Gougy, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 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 Pierre Frederick Gougy, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:
My improvements consist in combining metal, slag, and other
similar compounds with wood in forming the superstructure of pave-
ments for streets, roads, and ways, thereby rendering them more durable
and giving a firmer foothold. The metal I propose to use is cast iron
as being the cheapest of the hard metals, and lead as being the cheapest

page_text: of the soft metals, but I do not confine myself to the use of these
metals, as zinc or any other kind of metal may be used.
The following description and the Drawings hereunto annexed
illustrate the different forms which I propose to give to the wood, and
the manner of arranging the strips and other shapes of metal. Figure 1,
is a plan of so much of a street pavement in which are represented
some of these different shapes. The red lines indicate the pieces and
strips of metal, and the black lines the wooden blocks. The red lines
in Number 1, represent pieces of metal similar in shape to those repre-
sented in the side view in Figure 2, and edge view in Figure 3. No. 2,
represents the strips of metal as being continued across the street.
No. 3, 4, 5, and 6, represent different modifications in the arrangement
of the metal, in reference to the wood. No. 7, represents a piece of
pavement, in which, instead of using a strip or piece of metal, short
lengths of metal piping or tubing are inserted into the blocks at
intervals, as shewn. The upper surface of the piping should be notched
or grooved so as to give a firmer foothold. No. 8, represents a piece
of pavement in which strips of wood are inserted instead of strips of
metal, but the grain of the wood in the strips should run in the reverse
direction to the grain of the blocks, that is to say, the grain of the strips
must be laid horizontally, while the grain of the blocks is laid vertically.
Instead of the strips of wood being laid in grooves, they may be made
of the whole depth of the block, as shewn, and made fast to them by
pins. No. 9, is a section of No. 8, shewing the manner in which I
place the strips of wood. No. 10, is a section, and No. 11, a plan of the
method which I adopt for bracing the different blocks together, so as to
render them, when laid, firm and secure in their place. A, A, are the
blocks, and B, B, continuous strips of metal or wood of sufficient length
to form a tie to a number of blocks. The strips may be made of wood,
but I prefer metal as being more durable. No. 12, is a section of one
of the blocks represented in No. 11, and shews the mode of forming
them so as to enable the blocks to be taken up and relaid. The blocks
are formed of three pieces 1, 2, 3, the centre piece of which (2,) is
wedge-shaped, and corresponding to the side pieces (1, and 3), so that
when it is withdrawn the whole will easily come apart, and the blocks

page_text: can be released from off' the strips of metal or wood B, B. Instead of
using either strips of metal or wood in the several manners represented,
slag may be run into grooves formed in the upper surface of the blocks.
For the pavement of footpaths, courtyards, &c., I should propose to
lay the grain of the wood horizontally, and cut grooves in the upper
surface for placing the metal.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim in respect thereof is as follows:
I am aware that nails have been used in wood pavements, to which
I lay no claim; but what I claim is,-First, the use of metal, either in
strips, pieces, or piping, grooved on the upper surface, as herein-before
exemplified and described.
Second, I claim the use in wood pavements of strips of wood, in com-
bination with the blocks, laid even with the surface of the pavement,
but with the grain running in the reverse direction, as herein-before
exemplified and described; and,
Third, I claim the running of slag from iron furnaces into grooves
or holesin blocks for forming the superstructure of pavements for
streets, roads, and ways, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Pierre Frederic Gongy, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of April, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
P. F. GOUGY. (L.S.)