IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PAVEMENTS, MORE ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO WOOD PAVE- MENT FOR STREETS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Kerr, of 54, King. William Street, in the City of
London, Gun Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF PAVEMENTS, MORE ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO WOOD PAVE-
MENT FOR STREETS.”
Sealed the 24th July 1877, and dated the 15th February 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Kerr at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th February 1877.
JAMES KERR, of 54, King William Street, in the City of London, Gun Manu-
facturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PAVEMENTS, MORE ESPECIALLY
APPLICABLE TO WOOD PAVEMENT FOR STREETS."
My Invention relates to pavements of that class in which blocks of wood or
other material are placed on a flooring of boards or planks, which prevent their
sinking or displacement and keep the surface of the pavement level or uniform.
This method of constructing pavements for streets has been found very advan-
tageous; it has however one defect, which has given rise to considerable incon-
venience, and that is, the difficulty or impossibility of making the planks or boards
conform to the exigencies of the surface of the street, especially in the curves and
gutters, and around gulley holes and similar places, particularly when the flooring,
consists of two layers of boards. In consequence of this difficulty these parts of the
street are left quite unsound or hollow, while the other portions of the pavement may
be perfect. The result is that when the first heavy load passes over any of these
defective parts it depresses the pavement slightly, and then all the asphaltic mixture
or caulking employed between the kerb and pavement is destroyed, and the first
heavy rain fills up every hollow part under the pavement, the liquid being forced
out again by the passing vehicles, thus filtering away the foundation from under
the boards. This destructive action is not altogether limited to the lower portions
of the pavement, but these portions are more exposed to this action than the
higher portions. But the latter by reason of the boards not being soundly laid,
or by a settlement or sinking of the ground under the pavement may be left in
such a condition that every passing vehicle forces it down and up like a spring
board until the joints and the caulking are cracked and receive the rain like a
sponge; and at every shower the filtering away of the foundation proceeds, and it

page_text: is impossible to say to what extent this destructive action may be carried, as it will
exist wherever the water has access to the surface below the boards.
According to my Invention I obviate this difficulty in the following manner,
namely: In the construction of those portions of the pavement which are most
subject to the above destructive action I lay the blocks on ballast or concrete.
For instance I lay in this manner portions of the pavement adjacent to the kerb
for a width of about two feet, more or less, or to such a width as will include the
gully holes. The said blocks are grouted with lime or other mixture. The
remainder of the pavement I construct with a flooring of a layer or layers of boards
or planks laid longitudinally or transversely, and I make the concrete or ballast
and the boards meet each other with a uniform surface. The blocks are placed on
this surface with the usual dividing strips, the interstices being packed or filled up
with good asphaltic mixture rammed in the usual manner. When the pavement
is laid in this manner the access of water to the under side of the boards will be
prevented, as the portions of the pavement heretofore least capable of resisting the
above named destructive influences are by my Invention fully protected.
By this construction I retain the important and advantageous features of the
above method of paving streets, namely, the even or uniform surface and contour
of the street and the absence of loud noise, while greatly increasing the durability
of the pavement, and consequently reducing the cost of maintainance of the same.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Kerr in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th August
1877.
JAMES KERR, of 54, King William Street, in the City of London, Gun Manu-
facturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PAVEMENTS, MORE ESPECIALLY
APPLICABLE TO WOOD PAVEMENT FOR STREETS."
My Invention relates to pavements of that class in which blocks of wood or other
material are placed on a flooring of boards or planks, which prevent their sinking
or displacement and keep the surface of the pavement level or uniform. This
method of constructing pavements for streets has been found very advantageous. It
has however one defect, which has given rise to considerable inconvenience, and
that is, the difficulty or impossibility of making the planks or boards conform to
the exigencies of the surface of the street, especially in the curves and gutters and
around gully holes and similar places, particularly when the flooring consists of two
layers of boards.
In consequence of this difficulty these parts of the street are left
quite unsound or hollow, while the other portions of the pavement may be perfect.
The result is that when the first heavy load passes over any of these defective parts
the pavement is slightly depressed, and then all the asphaltic mixture or caulking
employed between the kerb and pavement is destroyed, and the first heavy rain
fills up all the hollow parts under the pavement, the liquid being forced out again
by the passing vehicles, thus filtering away the foundation from under the boards.
This destructive action is not altogether limited to the lower portions of the pave-
ment, although these portions are more exposed to this action than the higher
portions. But the latter by reason of the boards not being soundly laid, or by a
settlement or sinking of the ground under the pavement, may be left in such a
condition that every passing vehicle forces, the pavement down and up like a
spring board until the joints and the caulking are cracked and admit the rain like
a sponge, and at every shower the filtering away of the foundation proceeds, and
it is impossible to say to what extent this destructive action may be carried, as it
will exist wherever the water has access to the surface below the boards.
According to my Invention I obviate this difficulty in the following manner,
namely:- -The pavement is laid as shewn in the accompanying Drawing, which is a

page_text: transverse section of the paving of a street; a, a, are the planks or boards; b, b, are
the blocks. Instead of extending the boards or planks nearly to the edges, as
shewn, I may limit the use of the boards to a narrow portion in the centre of the
street or road.
In the construction of those portions of the pavement which are most subject to
the above destructive action I lay the blocks b on ballast or concrete. For instance,
I lay in this manner those portions of the pavement adjacent to the kerb, as shewn
at c, c, for a width of about two feet, more or less, or for such a width as will
include the gully holes. The said blocks are grouted with lime or other mixture.
The remainder of the pavement I construct with a flooring composed of a layer or
layers of boards or planks a laid longitudinally or transversely, and I make the
concrete or ballast c and the boards a meet each other with a uniform surface.
The blocks b are placed on this surface, with or without the usual dividing strips,
the interstices being packed or filled up with good asphaltic mixture rammed in the
usual manner. When the pavement is laid in the manner above described the
access of water to the under side of the boards a will be prevented, as the portions
of the pavement heretofore least capable of resisting the above named destructive
influences are by my Invention fully protected.
By this construction I retain the important and advantageous features of the
above method of paving streets, namely, the even or uniform surface and contour
of the street and the absence of loud noise, while greatly increasing the durability
of the pavement, and consequently reducing the cost of maintenance of the same.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim, in a pavement of that class whose
chief characteristic or peculiarity is the employment of the plank or board flooring
or foundation for supporting the blocks, the combination or incorporation with the
pavement so constructed of a portion or portions of pavement in which the blocks
are laid upon concrete or ballast, which concrete or ballast and the plank or board
flooring are laid in such a manner as to afford a uniform and even support for the
blocks, as shewn in the accompanying Drawing, and as above set forth for the
purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Kerr, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Thirteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
JAMES KERR. (L.S.)