IMPROVEMENTS IN COVERING ROADS, WAYS, AND OTHER SURFACES
Year: 1843

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
SMALLWOOD, of North Lodge, North End, Hampstead, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-sixth day of January, in the sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Edward Smallwood, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said Edward Smallwood, my exors, adññors, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Edward Smallwood, my exors, adñors, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times,
during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COVERING ROADS, WAYS, AND
OTHER SURFACES;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that
I, the said Edward Smallwood, shall cause a particular description of the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto bad, will more fully
and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Edward Smallwood, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention to

page_text: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of my improved blocks or planes,
having two contiguous sides, a, a, angularly convex; and the opposite two
contiguous sides, b, b, similarly concave; each block being so formed on its
respective opposite sides that, when two or more blocks are placed together,
either convex side of one block will fit into and correspond with the concave
side of another or other blocks; and, when a line or series of such blocks are
placed together, they will successively fit together, endways, as shewn in
Figure 2; and the other two opposite sides of the same series of blocks,
having the sides formed respectively convex and concave in the same
manner, such other convex and concave sides will correspond with and
fit to the sides of the adjoining series of blocks; and thus blocks, when
so laid together, will produce a continuous surface, as shewn in Figure
2, which represents a line of such blocks or traverse section of a street pave-
ment; the end blocks c, c, being so cut as to fit up against the channel or tram
blocks d, d, vertically or otherwise, as may be desired; it will be evident that
when several of such blocks or planes are placed together to form a pavement
or covering surface, as shewn in the bird's-eye view, Figure 3, each block will
support and be supported by the various surrounding blocks with great
advantage. It is desirable that all the blocks or planes be of. equal size and
thickness as near as may be. I do not limit the form of my improved blocks
to square or rectangular planes; they may be made in other figures, as diamond,
hexagon, &c. Nor do I confine the formation of their sides or ends to any
particular angle of convexity or concavity, for they may be curvilinearly convex
and concave, so as they be respectively convex and concave at the opposite
sides, and the sectional outline of each correspond, as nearly, as may be, with
the sectional outline of the other or opposite side, in order to produce a fitting
as before mentioned. Figure 4 represents two side views of the block described

page_text: in Figure 1, on the same principle upon which I form my improved wood
blocks, but in slabs or planes of suitable thickness. I also construct tiles for
paving and covering footways, and facing and covering ways and other surfaces,
as shewn in plan and edge view in Figure 6, which I manufacture in the
ordinary way of making tiles, by filling the clay into moulds constructed for the
purpose of forming the tiles with such convex and concave sides, and which I
afterwards dry and burn in the ordinary way of making tiles. Figure 5 is a
perspective view and plan of one of my improved blocks, having a hexagon
surface with all its respective opposite sides formed respectively convex and
concave.
I next proceed to describe my improved block, herein-after referred to,
and the method in which I manufacture the same. First, I take the refuse
timber, and particularly such of the angular parts cut away in the manufacture
or formation of my blocks of wood as I find fit, or such other pieces of timber
as I find suitable to the purpose of a cheap but sound description, guaged and
cut to certain lengths as nearly equal as may be (across the grain) to the
thickness of the block or plane I purpose to construct, and having first procured
a cast-iron frame or mould, which takes to pieces to disengage it from the
block when formed, I spread over the bottom of the mould a thin surface of
sharp sand, lime, cement, or other terreous matter, and wash the interior sides
of the mould with lime wbiting; I then prepare a composition, the main
ingredient of which is pitch, which I fuse, and into which I then throw in as
much lime and other terreous material with sawdust as the pitch will absorb,
and still retain a sufficiently fluid state; whilst the fluid is in this liquid state,
I take the above-mentioned angular or refuse parts of blocks, or other pieces of
timber suitable to the purpose, and cut to the required lengths as before
mentioned, and having dipped such pieces of timber into the above-mentioned
liquid, I immediately place them into the moulds, first forming the cheeks all
round, and then filling in the middle with like pieces of timber dipped into
the liquid, taking care to keep the grain vertical, so that the ends of the
pieces of timber may form the top surface of the intended block or
plane; and I then force or drive them in so as to produce as firm a mass as
possible, which I finally accomplish by means of a screw press, having first
covered the surface with sharp sand, road grit, cement, dust, or other terreous
material, to form a complete surface, and prevent the blocks sticking to the
press. I then remove the mould or frame, and the block when cold is fit for
use.
I now proceed to describe my improvements in the grooving of wood blocks,
for rendering the surfaces of such blocks and grooving less susceptible of decay;

page_text: this I accomplish by burning, charring, or carbonizing the grooves and surfaces
of blocks by means of fire, which I effect by applying red hot searing irons, and
likewise by application of sulphuric acid thereto; in which manner I deepen
the grooves, as the case may require, and carbonize part or all the surfaces of
the blocks.
Now I claim as my Invention, first, the peculiar form of blocks, planes, or
tiles, herein before described, in regard to their construction at their respective
opposite sides or ends of corresponding convexities and concavities, as herein-
before described or referred to.
Secondly, I claim the use and application of various particles of wood
placed together vertically, and consolidated by pitch, combined with earthy or
other suitable matter, as herein-before mentioned, in the formation of blocks or
coverings for paving, and covering roads and ways, and other like purposes.
And, lastly, I claim the exclusive right of charring or. carbonizing the
grooves and surfaces of blocks and planes of wood for the paving or covering of
roads and ways, and of burning in and deepening the grooves thereof, as herein-
before mentioned.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Smallwood, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-three.
EDWARD SMALLWOOD
Enrolled the Twenty-sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-three.