An Improved Roadway suitable for Heavy Traffic.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 30th July, 1891-Accepted, 26th Sept.. 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Roadway suitable for Heavy Traffic.
We, SAMUEL DAVENPORT POCHIN and HENRY DAVIS POCHIN both of Croft
in the County of Leicester, Adamant Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of our invention is to produce at more moderate cost than
heretofore a durable paved roadway such as shall be suitable for heavy vehicular
traffic where cleanliness and absence of noise and dust are desirable; for which
purpose upon a suitable foundation we lay paving blocks or slabs which we
manufacture as follows:-
We take pieces of granite that may be of irregular shapes but must be of
suitable size, say approximately from the bulk of a walnut to that of a hen's egg,
placing smaller pieces in the interstices between the larger stones. These various
stones we mix with Portland cement and hammer the mass into a mould adapted to
produce in the surface of the block or slab channels of say approximately
1" wide x " deep. After an interval of time, the mass is again hanımered and
consolidated as much as possible. Then it is allowed to remain in the mould for
3 or 4 days when it is taken out and steeped in water for say 10 or 12 days. It is
then taken out of the solution and exposed to the atmosphere when it speedily
hardens and becomes serviceable for the purpose intended.
Dated this
day of October 1890.
SAMUEL DAVENPORT POCHIN.
HENRY DAVIS POCHIN.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Roadway suitable for Heavy Traffic.
We, SAMUEL DAVENPORT POCHIN and HENRY DAVIS POCHIN both of Croft
in the County of Leicester, Adamant Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of our invention is to produce at more moderate cost than heretofore
a durable paved roadway such as shall be suitable for heavy vehicular traffic where
cleanliness, absence of noise and dust and a sure footing for animals are desirable;
for which purpose upon a suitable foundation which may consist for example of a
layer of ordinary cement concrete from 2 to 3 inches thick, according to the nature
of the traffic for which the road is intended we lay paving blocks or slabs which we
manufacture as follows:-
We take pieces of granite that may be of irregular shapes but must be of
suitable size, say approximately from the bulk of a walnut to that of a hen's egg,
placing smaller pieces in the interstices between the larger stones.
These various
stones we mix with Portland cement in suitable proportions; say one of cement to
three of stone (in bulk) adding sufficient water to convert the Portland cement to
about the consistency of mortar and we hammer the mass (it may be by means of
wooden mallets) into a mould adapted to produce in the surface of the block or slab
channels of say approximately 1" wide x " deep.
The accompanying drawing shews by way of illustration the general form of
block or slab we have found suitable in carrying out this invention. It will of
course be understood that the dimensions and proportions will vary according to the
requirements of particular cases. We have obtained satisfactory results with

page_text: blocks or slabs 3" thick, from 1' 6" to 3′ 0″ long and 2 feet wide, with channels a
1" wide x "deep 6" apart.
After an interval of time (say from 5 to 10 minutes) the mass is again hammered
and consolidated as much as possible. Then it is allowed to remain in the mould
for say about a week, or, if the weather be very dry, 4 or 5 days may suffice (the
object being to harden the mass) after which it is taken out and steeped in water
for say about 3 weeks. It is then taken out of the solution and exposed to the
atinosphere till sufficiently hardened to make it serviceable for the purpose intended.
The period of exposure may be varied but we have obtained the best results by
exposing the mass to the atmosphere for about 6 months; watering it say once a
week in dry weather, but not in wet weather.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
W. Lloyd Wise,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.