A NEW PROCESS OF LAYING COMPOSITE PAVEMENTS FOR STREETS, ETC.
Year: 1869

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Davis Waterman Bailey at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th December 1869.
I, DAVIS WATERMAN BAILEY, of Chelsea, Suffolk County, and State
of Massachusetts, United States of America, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "A NEW PROCESS OF LAYING COMPOSITE
PAVEMENTS FOR STREETS, ETC.," to be as follows:-
The process herein referred to is an improved mode of laying street
pavements, and relates to means whereby a permanent, smooth, and very
economical roadway is obtained at reasonable cost, a distinguishing
feature of the Invention being such a combination of ingredients or
materials that the surface of the pavement hardens almost instantly,
thus doing away with one great and present objection in large and.
crowded thoroughfares to the adoption of concrete or composite pave- .
ments, which consists in the fact that a considerable period of time,
frequently amounting to weeks, must elapse after laying the pavement
before traffic can be resumed over it.
The process I have adopted in laying composite pavement consists

page_text: then as follows:-The substratum or foundation of earth 18 nrst brought
to the requisite grade in any well known manner; a quantity of
asphaltum either in a natural state or as prepared by a process peculiar
to myself is softened or diluted with dead oil or heavy oil resulting from
distillation or production of tar, the dead oil serving as a vehicle whereby
the asphaltum may be ultimately mixed with ingredients which are
incorporated into or with it. With such asphaltum I then incorporate
in varying quantities and proportions according to season, climate, and
circumstances a quantity of ground slate, soapstone, pulverized dry clay,
or other finely powdered analogous material or earthy substances, there
being combined with such substances when laid a quantity of shells,
stone, or other hard or desirable substances, the dead oil having the
valuable effect of retaining the asphaltum in a tenacious and semi-elastic
state, but for which it would assume when cold a very hard and brittle
one, while the earthy or mineral substances impart body to the mass and
prevent liquifactious escape of the asphaltum.
In laying a pavement as contemplated by my Invention I dispose
upon the foundation or graded substratum of the roadway a layer of
stones to the depth of about one foot (varying with circumstances and
requirements of traffic), such stones varying in size from two to ten
inches in diameter. The mixture or combination of materials above
named is then heated until the mass assumes a liquid state, when a
quantity is poured over the stones and allowed to settle itself over and
about them, such liquid when cold serving to cement or connect such
stones in an adhesive mass, by this means producing a solid and
durable foundation for the succeeding deposits to be explained. Upon
this foundation thus acquired I deposit a second stratum about two and
one-half inches thick of stone of a more uniform size, and from one-half
to one and one-half inches in diameter, subsequently pouring on them a
quantity of a heated mixture composed of coal tar, asphalt, and oil of
pitch, which is a refuse residuum in the production of rosin. Upon this
last-mentioned deposit of stones smeared and cemented together as
explained I dump and distribute a layer about one and one-half inch deep
of concrete composed of fine gravel, coarse sand, and sifted coal ashes
mixed with a composition of asphalt, coal tar, pine tar, and oil of pitch,
the purpose of combining this pitch with the mass being to deodorize to
a great extent or to disguise the odors of the asphalt in pavements.
After having solidified and condensed into a smooth surface the two

page_text: strata of stones and composition by the employment of a heavy roller
I apply to such surface a combination of dry fine sand, slacked lime,
and ground marble, such materials being incorporated with the sub-
stratum below it, and forming therewith a hard wearing face. The
purpose in adding the lime, as above explained, is to cause the surface of
the pavement to harden at once, thus receiving beneficial results, as
herein-before premised, while the object sought in adding the ground
marble is to impart to the pavement an appearance of being composed
of granite or other light colored stone. In this last respect my pave-
ment is distinguished from others of its class, which are of a dark
color.