An Improved Culvert or Duct for Carrying Wires, Pipes, and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Nov., 1895-Accepted, 29th Feb.. 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Culvert or Duct for Carrying Wires, Pipes, and
the like.
I, HENRY DANIEL BLAKE, of 6 Mount Adon Park, Lordship Lane, S.E.
Engineer, 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 :-
This invention relates to an improved culvert or duct for telephone, telegraphic
or other electric wires, pipes and the like under the surface of the ground along
highways, streets or side walks, and the object of my invention is to make
a culvert or duct whereby said wires or pipes may be readily laid, repaired or
removed without the necessity of the pavement or roadway being cut or broken up
as is at present necessary, thereby saving much labour, time and expense as well as
obviating all the inconvenience occasioned when the side walk, pavement or roadway
is broken up.
In order that my invention may be readily understood reference is made to the
accompanying drawings wherein like letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts throughout the several figures and in which :-
Figure 1, is a perspective view of one form of my improved culvert.
Figure 2, represents a sectional view of a roadway R and foot pavement P,
showing in end elevation three of my improved culverts laid along the road,
pavement and the gutter G.
Figures 3 and 34, represent alternative shapes of my improved culvert as will be
hereinafter described.
In carrying out my invention I make my improved culvert in two sections or
portions A, B, said sections being formed with channels or grooves a, b so that when
said sections are placed together, the grooves a will fit over the grooves b as shown,
the said grooves thereby forming channels in which the wires or pipes are laid and
supported.
The upper, or if desired, both sections of my improved culvert are preferably
made of mineral rock asphalte, bitumen and grit, which mineral rock asphalte is a
natural mineral limestone rock impregnated with bitumen in the proportion of
about 90% pure limestone to about 10% pure bitumen and is largely found
in Sicily and Haute Savoie, France. Said culvert is "laid" in the pavement or
roadway at such a depth that the top surface of the upper section A is on a level
with either the pavement or footway P, or with the roadway R, the arrangement
being such that said top surface of the culvert forms part of the pavement
or roadway, or said top surface forms the gutter or water channel of a roadway all
substantially as shown in Figure 2.
When the wires or pipes are to be laid, repaired or removed, it is only necessary
to lift up or raise the upper section A. from the lower section, thereby all breaking
up of the roadway or pavement is obviated, and in order to facilitate the lifting or
raising of said upper section A for any purpose, I may provide said section with,
say, two plates a¹ formed with apertures d through which a detachable handle or
key a 2 may be put. The body of the section A at the part immediately under the
aperture in the plate referred to is cut away or formed with a depression or hollow
to allow said handle with its wing or wings a 3 to be turned after said handle has
been inserted as described. The section A may be raised by means of the
handles a 2 inasmuch as the wings a 3 engage with the underside of the plate a¹.

page_text: If desired, I may dispense with the plates a¹ and may form the sections A with a
hole or the like having an opening sufficient to allow the bandle to be inserted, the
lower part of said hole being such as to allow the key to be partially or wholly
revolved for the purpose above described.
I prefer to form one end of the section A with a rib or the like e and the opposite
end with a correspondingly shaped groove el so that the rib of one section A will
fit into and engage or lock with the groove of the adjacent section A.
I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the shape of a culvert
exactly as shown, as such shape may be varied without departing from the nature
of my invention, the material of which either or both sections of my improved
culvert are made may also be different, according to circumstances or requirements,
to the materials herein referred to, and the number and shape of grooves a and 6
may be any which in practice is found requisite or suitable.
By the use of my improved culvert the cutting up of the ground for any of the
purposes stated is entirely obviated; and further, the culvert if made of asphalte or
other non-conducting material, will protect the pipes against frost and damp, said
culvert being also fire, insect, vermin and rot proof.
The culvert may be shaped as shown in plan view in Figure 3 or Figure 34 in
which figures the lower section only is shown the former being used chiefly at
corners and the latter for branches of wires, pipes or the like, as will be readily
understood.
I also prefer to cement the adjacent edges of the different sectious of my improved
culvert together or otherwise cause said sections to adhere together to make the
whole thoroughly waterproof.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A culvert for carrying wires, pipes or the like, said culvert consisting of two
or more parts or sections of which the top section is level with and forms
part of the pavement or road, for the purposes and substantially as described and
illustrated.
2. A culvert for carrying wires, pipes or the like, consisting in combination of
sectious A, B, formed with relative grooves a, b, the section A being also formed
or provided at one end with a ribe and the opposite end with a groove e¹, the said
section A being adapted to form a part of the pavement, gutter or waterway
or roadway, for the purposes and substantially as set forth.
3. In a culvert for carrying wires, pipes or the like, a section A. having grooves a,
said section A being made of material such as asphalte, either pure or amalgamated
with other substances or materials, and adapted to form a portion of the pavement,
gutter or roadway, for the purposes and substantially as described and illustrated.
4. In a culvert for carrying wires, pipes or the like, a section A having grooves a
and adapted to be raised by means of detachable handles or keys, all for the
purposes and substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 20th day of November 1895.
HENRY DANIEL BLAKE,
By his Agents, Horn, Son & Co.,
Somerset Chambers, 151 Strand, London.
HENRY DANIEL BLAKE,
By his Agents, Horn, Son & Co.,
Somerset Chambers, 151 Strand, London.