IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF BLOCKS OR SLABS FOR PAVING AND BUILDING PURPOSES.
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to. Edward Rowcliffe, of 2, Gloucester Terrace, West
Grove, Blackheath, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF BLOCKS OR SLABS FOR PAVING AND BUILDING PURPOSES.
Sealed the 3rd June 1856, and dated the 22nd December 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Rowcliffe at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 22nd
December. 1855.
I, EDWARD ROWCLIFFE, of 2, Gloucester Terrace, West Grove, Blackheath,
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF BLOCKS OR SLABS FOR PAVING AND BUILDING PURPOSES" to be as
follows:-
The Invention has for its object the manufacture of blocks and slabs from
natural asphalte. Heretofore it has been the practice in making..blocks of
this material to melt the asphalte and to run it into moulds; and asphalte
has also been used for covering surfaces by using it in a molten state, and
pouring it over the surface 'to be' covered." Now, my Invention" consists in
making blocks or slabs from asphalte without reducing it into a fluid state.
I take the natural asphalte and reduce it into small particles, and then place
it in metallic or other moulds, and by hydraulic or other pressure' make it
into the forms required. Sandstone or other materials may be pressed with
the materials when necessary.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Rowcliffe in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st June 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
ROWCLIFFE, of 2, Gloucester Terrace, West Grove, Blackheath, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Edward Rowcliffe, Her special licence that I, the said Edward
Rowcliffe, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Edward Rowcliffe, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BLOCKS OR SLABS FOR PAVING AND BUILDING PUR-
POSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward Rowcliffe,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Rowcliffe, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:―
The Invention has for its object the manufacture of blocks and slabs from
'natural asphalte. Heretofore it has been the practice in making blocks of
this material to melt the asphalte and to run it into moulds; and asphalte
has also been used for covering surfaces by using it in a molten state, and
pouring it over the surface to be covered. Now, my Invention consists in
making blocks or slabs from asphalte without reducing it into a fluid state.
I take the natural asphalte and reduce it into small particles, and then
place it in metallic or other moulds, and by hydraulic or other pressure
make it into the form required. Sandstone or other materials may be pressed
with the materials when necessary.

page_text: Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
The asphalte to be used, according to my Invention, is first reduced to
powder, which I do by slightly heating it. The powdered asphalte is
placed in moulds, which I make of wood or iron, according to the form
and size of the slabs or blocks required, and then I subject the asphalte
to great pressure, by hydraulic, or cam, or lever, or other powerful press,
by which the asphalte will be formed into the moulded shapes desired, and
they will be found to offer greater strength than when moulded by running
melted asphalte into moulds. If desired, broken granite or other stone,
gravel, or sand may be introduced into the moulds with, the asphalte, or the
bottom of the mould may have broken granite, or stones, or rough sand
placed thercon, and the asphalte introduced therein, and the whole then sub-
jected to pressure, either by forcing a cover (fitting the interior of the mould)
from the upper surface downwards; or the upper part of the mould may be
covered, and the bottom of the mould be caused to rise, so as to press the
materials between the lower and upper parts of the mould; or the opposite
sides of the mould may be made moveable, and the pressure applied at the side
of the mould, according to the form of moulded article desired to be made.
In some cases, when making sheets, I place the asphalte between sheets of
iron or of other suitable material, and cause the same to be passed through
between pressing rollers.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I make no claim to the
presses or moulds above mentioned; but what I claim is, the moulding of
asphalte, with or without other materials, by the aid of pressure in moulds or
moulding surfaces, as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Rowcliffe, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
GEO. PITT,
4, Old Square.
EDWARD ROWCLIFFE. (L.B.)