IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FORMATION OF ROADS OR WAYS WITH WOOD PAVING WITH OR WITHOUT RAILS, AND IN APPARATUS FOR THE PURPOSE
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Syed Smart Copland, of No. 1ª, Duke
Street, Adelphi, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FORMATION OF ROADS OR WAYS
WITH WOOD PAVING WITH OR WITHOUT RAILS, AND IN APPARATUS FOR THE
PURPOSE."
Scaled the 4th March 1873, and dated the 27th December 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Syed Smart
Copland at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 27th December 1872.
I, HENRY SYED SMART COPLAND, of No. 1ª, Duke Street, Adelphi, in
the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FORMATION OF ROADS OR
WAYS WITH WOOD PAVING WITH OR WITHOUT RAILS, AND IN APPARATUS FOR THE
PURPOSE," to be as follows:-
My Invention is designed for the production at a moderate cost of a
sound durable road or way which shall afford a good foothold for horses
and other animals and be capable of ready removal when necessary for

page_text: subterranean operations, such as the laying, inspecting, or altering of
gas or water mains, and other purposes; and my Invention furthermore
relates to the construction of apparatus for facilitating the formation of
such roads or ways.
My improved road or way is formed of wood blocks laid on a bed of
asphalte or asphaltic or bituminous substance with a foundation of
concrete or similar substance.
In carrying out my Invention I first level the surface to form the
road, which I then cover with a layer of ordinary lime or cement
concrete of suitable thickness, according to the conditions of traffic for
which the road or way, may be intended.
In some cases sand or other similar material may be employed in
preparing an even bed for the concrete. On the lime or cement concrete
I place a layer of asphalte or asphaltic or bituminous substance of a
suitable thickness, to be determined in like manner to that of the
concrete. Upon this I lay the wooden blocks to form the surface of the
road. These blocks may be creosoted or prepared with a wood-pre-
serving material, and are laid with the end of the grain upwards; and
between the courses of blocks I leave spaces which I fill for a part of
their height with asphalte or asphaltic or bituminous material similar in
composition to that of which the upper layer of the foundation is
formed, and which is to be run in while hot and in a plastic or semi-
fluid state.
The blocks may be fastened to this substance by trenails let into one
side of each block, and projecting beyond the surface to the extent of
the width of the space between the courses of the blocks, and the
asphalte or asphaltic or bituminous composition may be run round and
over them, and well compressed; or the connexions may be made by
simply making holes in the sides of the blocks, the guage being
regulated by a weighted wooden template placed along the outsido edge.
of cach course of blocks as it is laid, and the composition being then run
along the last space, and the template shifted to adjust the succeeding
course of blocks, and so on. The upper portions of the spaces between
the blocks I fill and firmly pack with a concrete of small granite
chippings, fine shingle, slag, or other like substances, sand and cement;
and after completion of the road its entire surface may be sifted over
with sand and fine gravel or crushed slag. The crossings of these roads

page_text: wherever they intersect, or one road runs into another, I propose to form
of a combination of square and triangular blocks laid in courses diagonal
to the direction of the courses which form the roads, and in such
manner as to leave spaces between them in two directions filled in the
same manner as the transverse spaces of the general roads, but with
increased thicknesses of foundation courses.
Where it is intended to lay tramways in combination with the above
roads any suitable form of rail may be used, but I prefer a rail with two
shoulders, the one being flat and the other shoulder being rolled with
fine transverse corrugations, or chequered, and a longitudinal channel or
groove being formed along the centre of the surface of the rail to receive
the wheels of vehicles. These rails may be screwed or bolted to con-
tinuous longitudinal sleepers which here take the place of the wood blocks,
being of about the same depth, and having an increased thickness of
foundation beneath them. Or the blocks themselves may be specially
prepared by grooving to receive the tram rails, which may be secured to
the blocks at intervals, and the blocks to which the rails are attached
may be laid with the grain in a horizontal direction, the thickness of
concrete and asphalte being increased under the parts over which the
rails are placed. Or a line of properly creosoted longitudinal sleepers of
sufficient thickness and width may be placed longitudinally between the
blocks and the asphalte foundation under each line of rails.
The necessary gutters may be built up of wood blocks laid as
described, and arranged somewhat as stone gutters are usually
formed.
It may be advantageous in some cases to interpose a layer of a sub-
stance composed of carbonate of magnesia, chloride of magnesium, and
water between the concrete and the asphalte or bituminous substance
forming the foundation for the wood paving.
To facilitate the laying of the asphalte or asphaltic or bituminous
material between the courses of paving blocks I employ an apparatus
constructed with a cylindrical vessel of convenient size to contain the
semi-fluid or plastic asphalte or material in a heated condition. This
vessel is carried on wheels, motion from which is communicated through
suitable gearing to a screw running from end to end of the vessel, and
having a tubular spindle containing gas jets for keeping the asphalte or
equivalent material constantly heated, connexion being made with the

page_text: existing gas pipes by a flexible gas tube, whose length may be adjusted
as required by coiling around a suitable drum actuated by self-acting
means either in connexion with the travelling carriage or independent
thereof.
The other end of the pipe may be connected with a portable meter,
the supply of gas being passed through this meter by a flexible tube
similarly coiled round a drum or cylinder, and temporarily connected
with the gas mains or service pipes at the nearest or most convenient
point of connection.
The asphalte or equivalent material may be supplied to the receptacle
of the travelling carriage through a hopper, and the delivery end of the
receptacle is connected with a pipe or other convenient outlet arranged
to deliver the asphalte or equivalent material into the space between the
courses of wood blocks, the rate of delivery being capable of adjustment
by an adjustable diaphragm to the same, or by regulating the travelling
speed of the screw.
In combination with the delivery outlet I employ a distributor for
evenly distributing the asphalte or equivalent material in the space
between the courses of blocks.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Syed Smart Copland in the Great Scal
Patent Office on the 27th June 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
SYED SMART COPLAND, of No. 14, Duke Street, Adelphi, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Henry Syed Smart Copland, Her special
license that I, the said Henry Syed Smart Copland, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Syed Smart
Copland, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time

page_text: position to that of which the upper layor of the foundation is formed,
and which is to be run in while hot and in a plastic or semi-fluid state.
The blocks (c) may be fastened to this substance, as shewn in Fig. 8,
by trenails (f) let into one side of cach block (c) and projecting beyond
the surface to the extent of the width of the space (d) between the
courses of the blocks, and the asphalte or asphaltic composition may be
run round and over them and well compressed, or the connexions may
be made by making holes (g) in the sides of the blocks as shewn in
Fig. 4, the gauge being regulated by a weighted wooden template
placed along the outside edge of each course of blocks as it is laid, and
the composition being then run along the last space (d) and the
template shifted to adjust the succeeding course of blocks, and so on.
The upper portions of the spaces (d) between the blocks (c) I fill and
firmly pack with a concrete (X) of small granite chippings, fine shingle,
slag, or other like substance or substances, sand, and Portland or other
cement, or hydraulic lime mixed with water to about the consistency of
ordinary mortar, and after completion of the road its entire surface may
be sifted over with sand and fine gravel or crushed slag. The crossings
of these roads wherever they intersect, or one road runs into another,
I propose to form of a combination of square blocks c and triangular
blocks c¹ laid in courses diagonal to the direction of the courses which
form the roads, as shewn in Fig. 1, and in such manner as to leave
spaces (d) between them in two directions (that is, all round each
block) filled in the same manner as the transverse spaces (d) of the
general roads, but with increased thicknesses of foundation courses.
Where it is intended to lay tramways in combination with the above
roads any suitable form of rail may be used, but I prefer a rail with two
shoulders on its upper surface, as shewn at h in Figs. 6 and 7, the one
shoulder being flat and the other shoulder being rolled with fine
transverse corrugations, or chequered, and a longitudinal channel or
groove being formed along the centre of the surface of the rail to receive
the wheels of vehicles. These rails may be screwed or bolted to con-
tinuous longitudinal sleepers i (Fig. 6), which here take the place of the
wood blocks, being of about the same depth and having an increased
thickness of foundation beneath them, or the blocks d may themselves
be specially prepared by grooving to receive the tram rails (h) which
may be secured to the blocks at intervals, as shewn in Fig. 7, and the
blocks to which the rails are attached may be laid with the grain in a

page_text: horizontal direction, the thickness of concrete and asphalte being
increased under the parts over which the rails are placed, as shewn at E,
or a line of properly creosoted longitudinal sleepers (/) of sufficicent
thickness and width may be placed longitudinally between the blocks
and the asphalte foundation under each line of rails, as shewn at D
(Fig. 7), the necessary gutters may be built up of wood blocks, as shown
at in Figs. 1 and 2, the blocks being laid as already described and
arranged somewhat as stone gutters are usually formed.
•
In some cases I interpose between the concrete and the asphalte or
asphaltic substance forming the foundation for the wood paving a
layer (m) of clastic substance composed of carbonate of magnesia,
chloride of magnesium, and water. For this purpose equal quantities
in bulk of carbonate of magnesia, and of chloride of magnesium may
be mixed together with a sufficient quantity of water to form the mixture
into the consistency of ordinary mortar. The mixture thus prepared
should be laid evenly over the concrete foundation and allowed to set
or harden before the asphalte or asphaltic layer (6) is superposed.
To facilate the laying of the asphalte or asphaltic material between
the courses of paving blocks I in some cases employ an apparatus
constructed as shewn in Figs. 8 and 9 of the Drawings, with a cylindrical
vessel 12 of convenient size to contain the semi-fluid or plastic asphalte
or material in a heated condition; this vessel is carried on wheels o,
motion from the two larger of which is communicated through a worm p
and worm wheel q to a screw or helical blade r, running almost from end
to end of the vessel' n, and having a tubular spindle s around which the
screw or helical blade is carried by the worm wheel q. The tubular
spindle contains gas jets t for keeping the asphalte or equivalent material
constantly heated, connexion being made with the existing gas pipes or
mains by a flexible gas tube u, whose length may be adjusted as
required by coiling around a suitable drum actuated by self-acting
means either in connexion with the travelling carriage or independent
thereof.
The other end of the pipe may be connected with a portable meter,
the supply of gas being passed through this meter by a flexible tube
similarly coiled round a drum or cylinder, and temporarily connected
with the gas mains or service pipes at the nearest or most convenient
point of connection.

page_text: combined with the wood paving blocks in the manner shewn in and
described with reference to Fig. 7 of the accompanying Drawings.
Lastly. The construction of apparatus substantially as shown in and
described with reference to Figs. 8 and 9 of the accompanying Drawings
for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Syed Smart Copland, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of Junc
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three
described with reference to Figs. 8 and 9 of the accompanying Drawings
for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Syed Smart Copland, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of Junc
in the year of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-
three