Improvements in or connected with the Paving of Roads, Footpaths, and other Surfaces, the Object being to Lessen or Deaden the Sound.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 10th June, 1895.
Complete Specification Left, 10th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 23rd May, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with the Paving of Roads, Footpaths,
and other Surfaces, the Object being to Lessen or Deaden the
Sound.
JOSEPH AUGUSTUS LONDON 29, Eldon Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne Paper
Maker PHILIP HOBBS, 1 Otterburn Villas, Newcastle-on-Tyne Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:→
We make the usual kind of foundation then put whatever thickness of our
deadening mixture is required, say 3" or more inches of anything fibrous, preferably
peat or moss.
The value of this latter material is, that it will not decay or decompose in the
ground.
It can be cut any size convenient and can be used wet or dry-in either case
acting as a buffer. On this granite, wood, concrete or other paving, can be laid
in the usual way.
We can dip the blocks or peats into bituminous or other mixtures and then lay
down, or we can disintegrate the peat or moss or other fibrous material-adding the
mixture and making into bricks by machinery. We can also use it as an elastic
& waterproof packing between the paving blocks.
Dated this 8th day of June 1895.
JOSEPH AUGUSTUS LONDON.
PHILIP HOBBS.
Improvements in or connected with the Paving of Roads, Footpaths,
and other Surfaces, the Object being to Lessen or Deaden the
Sound.
We, JOSEPH AUGUSTUS LONDON, of 29 Eldon Street, in the City and County
of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Paper Maker, and PHILIP HOBBS, of 1 Otterburu
Villas, in the said city and county, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
Our invention has for its object the lessening or deadening of sound in streets,
roadways, footpaths, railroads-crossing over, under or alongside public streets or
thoroughfares, through or in the vicinity of towns, and further to prevent
deterioration of such surfaces by concussion by giving the paving a certain degree
of elasticity.
In the ordinary construction of our streets the granite or stone blocks are set on
a solid and rigid foundation and filled with hard and unyielding gravel, or the like
in the spaces between each stone. The consequence of which is a noise by con-
cussion and conduction very unpleasant and injurious to the interests of those
dwelling, or having business, or business premises, near.
D

page_text: As applied to paving of streets or roads our improvements consist in using peat,
moss or other suitable and inexpensive fibrous material such as jute, manilla, flax
waste "spent-bark" from tanneries or the like, either separately or in combination,
but the chief substance will be peat or moss in various forms, laid upon the usual
prepared foundation in slabs, bricks (made in an ordinary brick machine) or in any
other suitable form of application and preferably in a dried or partially dried state
which may be dipped or not in bituminous or other preservative liquid, or coated
therewith, after being laid, on their upper surface.
"2
In the further application to the interstices of the paving stones or blocks we
disintegrate the peat or moss or other fibrous material and "
stem or caulk" it
into the interstices, after the paving is laid, or we may mix the disintegrated
material with melted bitumen or other suitable substance to the consistency of a
semi-liquid or paste and then apply the fibrous composition to the interstices to be
then "caulked in or not, but preferably we will "caulk" in the peat or moss as
first stated, and afterwards run over the surface joints with a thin coating of melted
bitumen thus forming an elastic pad between each stone or block and the next, and
preventing water getting down between the blocks.
Not being liable to decay the peat or moss (which we preferably use) is not
injuriously affected should any moisture find its way between the paving.
As applied to deaden the sound of railway trains over, under, or alongside
public streets or thoroughfares we propose to insert the material either between
the rail chairs and the sleepers, on the underside of the sleepers, (to which it may
be cemented), or at some point underneath the sleepers in the ballasting of the line
so as to intercept and neutralise the conduction of noise caused by the train besides
causing the motion to be much smoother by the absence of concussion and hence
the wear and tear lessened.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that
what we claim is :-
First. For lessening or deadening sound on paved roads, and other surfaces the
application of peat, moss, jute, manilla, flax-waste, tanners' "spent-bark" or other
inexpensive fibrous materials, separately or in combination with each other, and
treated or not with any suitable preservative against moisture, placed in a layer
or layers, between the foundation and the paving or between the foundation and
the rails on rail-roads substantially as described.
Second. The insertion of said peat, moss, or other fibrous materials, separately
or in combination, disintegrated and treated, or not, with suitable binding material,
such as bitumen, inserted in the interstices between the stones or blocks of the
paving by caulking therein in a dry state, or applied prepared with bitumen in a
semi-liquid state, and then run over, or not, with melted bitumen substantially as
hereinbefore described.
Dated this 9th day of March 1896