IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC ROAD GUTTERS OR ROAD TROUGHS
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Lawley and Joseph
Lawley at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th April
1881.
WILLIAM LAWLEY and JOSEPH LAWLEY, both of West Bromwich, in the County
of Stafford, Ironfounders. "IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC ROAD GUTTERS OR ROAD
TROUGHS."
Our Invention has reference to the metallic road gutters or road troughs used to
cross pathways for the purpose of conveying water from houses, yards, courts, and
the like into the ordinary gutter.
The said metallic road gutters or road troughs as ordinarily constructed consist
of tubular channels or inverted troughs open at their ends only. The clearing out
or removing of the accumulated dirt in the said gutters in case of stoppage is by
this construction rendered difficult, and the object of our Invention is so to construct
the said gutters as to afford ready access to their interiors, and consequently to
facilitate the removal of the accumulated dirt.
In constructing a metallic road gutter or road trough according to our Invention
we make it in two parts, namely, of a trough shaped body open at top and at its
ends, and a covering plate or lid for covering or closing the open top of the said
body. The body of the gutter may be made of any desired sectional figure, but we
prefer to make it of a nearly semi-circular figure in cross section, the open top of
the body being made wider and stronger than the other part of the said body.
The covering plate or lid is connected to one of the inner longitudinal sides of the
open top of the body by hinge joints, that is to say, we make at each end of one
side of the body a knuckle, and we make near each end of the covering plate or
lid a similar knuckle, and by means of joint pins passed through the adjacent
knuckles of the covering plate and body-the former is jointed to the latter. Where
the gutter is of great length a middle pair of knuckles jointed together may be
used, in addition to the end pairs of knuckles described. When the lid or covering
plate is shut down its unjointed longitudinal edge seats itself upon a ledge or
projection near the open top of the trough shaped body, and a closed gutter or
water conduit is formed. The upper or treading face of the hinged covering plate
is by preference formed with studs or checkering, or is otherwise made rough,
CD 031

page_text: and in order to give additional strength to the covering plate its underside may be
furnished with one or more longitudinal ribs. At the middle of the hinged covering
plate is a hole or slot, into which a hook or rod may be inserted for lifting the said
covering plate when it is required to gain access to the interior of the gutter or
trough for removing accumulated dirt.
The covering plate may be furnished with a lock for locking it in its place when
shut down upon the trough shaped body of the gutter.
We prefer to make the body and the covering plate or lid by casting.
Road gutters or road troughs constructed according to our Invention are readily
cleaned, as it is only necessary to lift the hinged covering plate or lid into a vertical
position to expose the whole of the interior of the trough shaped body of the gutter
for removing the accumulated dirt in the said body.