IMPROVEMENTS IN KERBWAYS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William George White, of Paris, in the Republic of
France, and John Newton Sears, of Bayswater, in the County of Middlesex,
for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN KERBWAYS,"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William George White and
John Newton Sears at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th
January 1880.
WILLIAM GEORGE WHITE, of Paris, in the Republic of France, and JOHN
NEWTON SEARS, of Bayswater, in the County of Middlesex. " IMPROVEMENTS IN
KERBWAYS."
Hitherto great inconvenience and difficulty have been experienced in laying
down, inspecting, and repairing telegraphic and other electric wires under kerbways
owing to the unavoidable disturbance of the pavement and kerb stones, which in
crowded thoroughfares frequently materially impedes the traffic.
Now the object of the present Invention is to obviate such disadvantages by
dispensing with the ordinary stone kerb, and substituting therefor a metal kerb,
consisting of a series of metal plates placed one above the other, so as to raise the
kerb to any requisite height, the under plates being merely frame or skeleton plates
while the top plates are made solid, and have their external surfaces corrugated in
any suitable manner so as to prevent risk of accident from slipping.
The various plates forming the kerbway are dovetailed and recessed into each
other to ensure their being securely held in position, and if desired the under plates
may be additionally secured by suitable bolts and nuts.
Kerbs constructed in this manner may easily be removed and replaced piecemeal for
the purpose of laying down, inspecting, or repairing telegraphic or other electric wires
placed beneath them, thus obviating the displacing the entire kerb, as is at present
necessary, and effecting a great economy in labour. They are also equally durable
and less costly than the present stone kerbs.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William George White and John Newton Sears in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 27th July 1880.
WILLIAM GEORGE WHITE, of Paris, in the Republic of France, and JOHN
NEWTON SEARS, of Bayswater, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
KERBWAYS."
Hitherto great inconvenience and difficulty have been experienced in laying
down, inspecting, and repairing telegraphic and other electric wires under kerbways
owing to the unavoidable disturbance of the pavement and kerb stones, which in
crowded thoroughfares frequently materially impedes the traffic.
Now the object of the present Invention is to obviate such disadvantages by
dispensing with the ordinary stone kerb, and substituting therefor a metal kerb
consisting of a series of metal plates placed one above the other so as to raise the
kerb to any requisite height, the under plates being merely frame or skeleton
plates, while the top plates are made solid and have their external surfaces
corrugated in any suitable manner, so as to prevent risk of accident from
slipping.
The various plates forming the kerbway are dovetailed and recessed into each
other to ensure their being securely held in position, and if desired the under plates
may be additionally secured by suitable bolts and nuts.
Kerbs constructed in this manner may easily be removed and replaced piecemeal
for the purpose of laying down, inspecting, or repairing telegraphic or other electric
wires placed beneath them, thus obviating the displacing the entire kerb, as is at
present necessary, and effecting a great economy in labour. They are also equally
durable and less costly than the present stone kerbs.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings shews a view in sectional end elevation
of one arrangement of our improved kerbway, in which a is a metal tank placed
below the level of the road, and forming a receptacle for large cables adapted for
use for street lights and other purposes, while above are a series of plates 6, which
when fitted together form circular apertures adapted for the reception of district
telegraph or telephone wires; Figure 4 shews a view in sectional end elevation of
these plates taken at the point B, while Figure 2 shews an inside plan of the top
plate taken at the point A; and Figure 3 shews a plan view of the external surface
of such top plate with a corrugated or ribbed surface. When such top plate is
removed the inner plates can be drawn towards the road or lifted from the top
as desired.
Having thus particularly described the nature of our said Invention, and the
manner of carrying the same into effect, we would have it understood that we do
not confine ourselves to the precise details herein before set forth, as the same may
be varied without departing from the principle of our Invention,-
What we claim as our Invention and desire to secure by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is, the constructing of a kerbway consisting of any suitable
number of adjustable metal plates arranged and fitted together substantially in the
manner and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth and described.
In witness whereof, we, the said William George White and John Newton
Sears, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty seventh day
of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
WILLIAM GEORGE WHITE. (LS.)
J. NEWTON SEARS.
(L.S.)