A METHOD FOR CUTTING WOOD AND INCRUSTATING THE SAME, IN ORDER TO PRESENT A SURE FOOTING FOR HORSES, AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1841

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
GURNEY, of Trewinion House, in the County of Cornwall, Esquire, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twenty-fifth day of November, in the fifth year of Her reign, did,.
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Richard
Gurney, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said Richard Gurney, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Richard Gurney, 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 "A METHOD FOR CUTTING WOOD AND INCRUSTATING THE SAME, IN ORDER
TO PRESENT A SURE FOOTING FOR HORSES, AND OTHER PURPOSES;" in which said
Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said Richard Gurney, 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 mouths next and immediately after the
date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto had, will inore fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Richard Gurney, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly des

page_text: cribed and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof (that is to
say):
:-
My Invention consists in a new method of producing surfaces for the paving
of roads and other surfaces and ways, by means of wood and other materials,
which will be found more lasting, present a sure footing for horses, and at the
same time prevent water passing through the crevices of such wood, and
otherwise render the surfaces so paved superior to those known up to the
present day. And in order that the Invention may be fully explained and
readily understood, I will divide my description into two parts.
First, referring to the cut or form of wooden blocks; and,
Secondly, referring to the incrustation by means of which blocks of wood
used for paving roads and other ways or surfaces are rendered more lasting,
and caused to offer, by their steadiness, a better footing for horse ε.
And first for the Cut:-A beam is sawed at its extreme length at right angles,
and squared on all four sides; it is then laid down with one edge upwards, and
sawed edgeways, the saw being held in an oblique direction, so that it deviates
from the right angle downwards and sideways. More or less inclination may be
given at pleasure. The block of wood thus produced is to have all its sides
equal (see Figure 1.); and, in using such blocks for paving purposes, each block
of wood is to be placed so as to lean equally upon two other blocks, whilst two
more blocks lean on it (see Figure II.) The block being so laid down as to
present the appearance of a diamond, lengthways, i. c., with the two sides which
incline so as to lean on two other blocks away from, and the two sides which
support two other blocks next to, the spectator, it will be found that all the
weight of the block is thrown forward on the further point, the two sides of which
rest on two other blocks. If this were not the case, the nearer point, the sides
of which themselves support two others blocks, would have a tendency to
sink; but now, the weight being removed from the nearer to the further point,
on account of the peculiar shape of the block, a perfect equilibrium is sustained.
I consider that this cut is perfect in itself, and may be used with or without
incrustation either on the sides or the surface.
Secondly, for the Incrustation :-The block thus cut with the double inclina-
tion and right angles on every side, is to be incrusted with or cemented to the
next block with fluid materials, being a composition of asphalte, bitumen, black-
lead, and gas tar, and other adhesive materials. This operation is as follows:-
A gimlet is driven into a block, to serve as a handle, the block is then dipped
in the mixture on three sides, videlicet, underneath and on two sides, and then
laid down. The gimlet is then withdrawn and driven into another block, which,
being dipped in the mixture as before, is placed close to the two reniaining
white sides of the first, to which the mixture is thinly communicated. The

page_text: entire pavement being cemented or incrustated in this manner, each block will
incrustated on five sides, the surface alone remaining unincrustated. The
incrustation of the surface is not always adviseable, and must not be under-
stood to form an absolutely necessary part of my plan; when required, how-
ever, the process is as follows:-The wood should be steamed so as to render
the upper surface of the block malleable; a mixture of asphalte and bitumen, with
gravel strewn on it, then be driven or beaten into the wood by rollers or mallets.
It will be adviseable, in some instances, to make an indentation or indentations
in the centre of the b'ock, and fi'l it up with the same composition. This fluid
will then give the block the necessary roughness to prevent the s'ipping of
horses.
I do not confine the composition used for this purpose to any one specific
mixture. I on'y require a binding and bituminous and oleaginous fluid material
for the incrustation of the surface. The following mixture, however, may be
employed-Sixty pounds of aspha'te, thirty-five pounds of bitmuen, and five
pounds of grease-one hundred pounds made; while, for the incrustation of the
five other sides, black-lead and gas tar will be found sufficient.
I therefore claim the cut of the wood blocks above set forth for paving
purposes. And also I claim the incrustation on five sides, as above particularly
set forth. And, last'y, I claim, as my exc'usive property, the right of
employing the peculiar cut of b'ocks of wood, combined with incrustation, as
above explained, for wood pavements.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Gurney, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-two.