Improvements in or relating to Wood Pavements.
Year: 1894

page_text: .
Date of Application, 7th Feb., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 7th Nov., 1894-Accepted, 15th Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Wood Pavements.
We CHARLES CHICHELE-PLOWDEN of 38 Great St. Helen's in the City of
London, Engineer and FRANK UNWIN of the same place, Civil Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The blocks of which wood pavements are constructed very rapidly become worn
at the edges or arrises, and this is more particularly noticeable in blocks laid
between the rails of tramways, the traffic on these blocks being very heavy.
Now the object of this invention is to increase the durability of the wood
blocks by protecting their edges or arrises and for this purpose we interpose
between the sides of adjoining blocks a plate of metal, preferably iron, placed
edgewise tranversely of the street or road. These plates may rest by their lower
edges upon the concrete or other foundation on which the wood blocks are laid,
and in such case their lower edges may be flanged to fit under the blocks which
may be rabbetted to receive same, a better bearing surface being thus obtained and
any tendency of the plates to rise obviated; these plates may be secured by spikes
as hereinafter described and be either close-jointed or open-jointed for grouting
and to save weight and expense the plates may be made with openings in then.
But the plates preferably extend only part of the way, say from one-third to one-
half way down the sides of the blocks, each of such plates being in this case secured
by spikes or otherwise to the side of the block or blocks to which it appertains, the
blocks being preferably rabbetted to receive the plates and thereby ensure their
being secured in proper position. In practice the upper edge of the plate when
first fixed will not be quite flush with, but be a little below, the top surface of the
block, so that it may afterwards become flush therewith or approximately so when
the block settles down under the pressure of the traffic to the usual extent, which is
generally found to be somewhat under an eighth of an inch. The upper edge of
the plates should in fact be in line with the top surface of the rails which is
generally slightly below the upper surface of the blocks when these are first laid.
If the spikes that secure the plates to the wood blocks are cup or large-headed spikes
they will constitute distance pieces between the sides of the adjoining blocks, thus
allowing of pitch, cement or other grouting being run in between to bind all the
parts together; and when grouting is used the outer face of the plates should be
corrugated, grooved, ribbed or otherwise formed to serve as a key to the
grouting.
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1004
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agent.

page_text: We, CHARLES CHICHELE-PLOWDEN of 38 Great St. Helen's in the County of
London Engineer and FRANK UNWIN of the same place Civil Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
The blocks of which wood pavements are constructed very rapidly become worn
at the edges or arrises and this is more particularly noticeable in blocks laid
between the rails of trainways, the traffic on these blocks being very heavy.
Now the object of this invention is to increase the durability of the wood blocks
by protecting their edges or arrises, and for this purpose we interpose between the
sides of adjoining blocks a plate of metal, preferably steel, placed edgewise trans-
versely of the street or road, but as these plates would, if carried down the full
depth of the pavement and bedded on or in the concrete foundation, make the
pavement too expensive in first cost and would also be liable to cause a noise from
the vibration of the vehicular traffic passing over it, we make these plates to
extend only part of the way, say from a third to half way, down the sides of the
blocks, each of such plates being secured by spikes or otherwise to the side of the
block or blocks to which it appertains. The lower edge or surface of the plates
rests on a wooden cushion so that any noise from the vibration is obviated. This
cushion is preferably formed by the blocks being rebated to receive the plates as
shown in the accompanying sheet of drawings or it may be formed by means of a
wooden strip of the requisite depth laid on the concrete and interposed between
the courses of blocks as laid and secured to the sides of the blocks by spikes. We
thereby ensure that the plates are secured in proper position while a cushion
between the plates and the concrete is formed. In practice the upper edge of the
plate when first fixed will not be quite flush with, but be a little below, the top
surface of the block so that it may afterwards become flush therewith or
approximately so when the block settles down under the pressure of the traffic to
the usual extent, which is generally found to be somewhat under an eighth of
an inch. The upper edge of the plates should in fact (when the pavement is used
in connection with tramways) be level with the top surface of the rails which is
generally slightly below the upper surface of the blocks when these are first laid.
If the spikes that secure the plates to the wood blocks are cup or large headed
spikes they will constitute distance pieces between the sides of the adjoining blocks,
thus allowing of pitch, cement or other grouting being run in between to bind all
the parts together; and when grouting is used the outer face of the plates may be
corrugated, grooved, ribbed or otherwise formed to serve as a key to the
grouting.
In order that our invention may be fully understood we annex a sheet of
drawings to illustrate the same.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section and Figure 2 a perspective view showing our
wood pavement applied to a road in which there are tram rails.
CC are the wood blocks and A A the steel or metal plates interposed between
the sides of the blocks as already described. The said plates extend only about one
third to one half down the sides of the block and are secured thereto by the
spikes D. The blocks C C may be of equal thickness from top to bottom in which
case the plates A A when secured thereto will project therefrom, and be
supported by wooden strips as previously mentioned but preferably the blocks are
rebated as shown at B to receive the plates and thereby ensure their being
secured in the proper position. The spikes D are cup or large headed so as to

page_text: constitute distance pieces between the sides of the blocks thereby allowing-
grouting H to be run in between. E represents the usual " floating," F the
concrete, and G G the tram rails.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven--
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. In the construction of wood pavements, the combination with the wood blocks,
of metal plates interposed between and secured to them, these plates extending only
part of the way down the sides of the blocks substantially as and for the purpose.
set forth.
2. In the construction of wood pavements, the combination with the wood blocks,.
of metal plates interposed between and secured to them, these plates extending only
part of the way down the sides of the blocks and the blocks being rebated to.
receive the plates, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. The construction of wood pavements as represented in the annexed drawings.
and hereinbefore described.
Dated this 7th day of November 1891
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.