AN IMPROVEMENT IN PAVING, PITCHING, AND COVERING STREETS, ROADS, AND OTHER PLACES
Year: 1821

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
MACNAMARA, of Canterbury Buildings, Lambeth, in the County of Surrey,
Esquire, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of that part of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland called England, bearing date at Westminster, the
Twentieth day of November, in the second year of His reign, give and grant
unto me, the Richard Macnamara, my exors, admors, and assigns, His
especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said
Richard Macnamara, my exors, adñmors, and assigns, during the term of years
therein mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend;
within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention
of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN PAVING, PITCHING, AND COVERING STREETS, ROADS, AND
OTHER PLACES;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso, that
if I, the said Richard Macnamara, shall not particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, and cause the
same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent;
that thens these our Letters Patent, and all liberties and advantages what-
soever thereby granted, shall utterly cease, determine, and become void, as in

page_text: and by the same, relation being thereunto had, will more fully and at large.
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, in compliance with tho said proviso, I, the said Richard
Macnamara, do hereby declare that the nature and properties of: my Invention
are herein set forth and explained, reference being made to the Drawings
hereunto annexed.
Having observed much difficulty and repeated failures by those who have
attempted to render the present paving of streets and roads, &c. permanent for
a reasonable length of time, on account of the unconnected manner in which
the stones are placed, and having likewise observed that as the pavements are
now laid it frequently happens that one or more of the stones sink partially
when great weights pass over them, and the natural consequence is an accu-
mulation of water, which ultimately lossens the foundation of all the surrounding
stones, creating thereby a very heavy and continual expence for repairs. Now,
my Invention consists in giving to the sides of the stones such a shape or form
that when a certain number of them are placed or laid together (in the manner
that will be hereafter shewn), they mutually and reciprocally support each
other, and thereby decrease the liability of one or more of the stones sinking
partially, so as to produce the evil consequences before named.
Fig. 1 represents a plan of the upper surface of 9 stones as they appear
when combined together and laid in close contact with each other; Figure 2
represents a plan of the under side of the same stones; Fig. 3 represents a
front elevation of the three stones in Fig. 1, numbered 7, 8, and 9; Fig. 4
represents a similar elevation of the three stones, marked 1, 4, and 7; Fig. 5
represents a plan of the upper side of a single block or stone. An elevation of
the side a, b, is shewn joined to the side a, b, by dotted lines; the elevation of
the side c,f, is shewn connected by similar lines. By a careful attention to this
Figure it will be seen that the outlines formed by the sides c and d make an
obtuse angle with the outline a, b, of the upper surface, therefore it will
appear evident that the two planes forming the sides of the stone at c and d
form obtuse angles with the plan a, b, constituting the upper surface. The
elevation of the side e, f, being examined, it will be found completely the reverse
of the alternate side before described, for the outlines g and h form acute
angles with the outline of the upper side, and consequently the opposite sides
or planes g and h form acute angles with the plane of the surface; this pecu-
liar construction of the blocks or stones enables me to arrange and combine
them in such order that each and every individual block or stone mutually
and reciprocally support and are supported by each other. In order to shew

page_text: this more evidently, I have, in Figure 1, which represents nine blocks or
stones combined, marked on each side of each block or stone the kind of angle
that is formed by the side and upper surface, so that it will at one view be
seen that wherever there is on one block, or stone a side formed with an
obtuse angle, there is on the other side of the adjoining block or stone an
acute angle to rest upon it, and so on alternately throughout.
Should the description here. given not appear sufficient, let the centre block
or stone No. 5 be examined, and it will be found to have two opposite sides
marked acute; these sides, therefore, project in such a manner as to rest upon
the adjoining sides of the blocks marked 4 and 6, whose angles it will be seen
are obtuse, therefore the block or stone 5 cannot be partially sunk, because it
is supported and upheld by two others. In a similar manner the blocks num-
bered 2 and 8 have each an acute angled side bearing upon the obtuse angled
sides of the block or stone 5, therefore neither of these can be forced down
partially without depressing the adjoining ones in the same proportion. By a
careful examination, this principle, will be found to apply throughout; each
block or stone being upheld by two adjoining ones, and in return mutually
supporting others that are made to rest upon it. These blocks may be made
of any convenient size, as the same principle applies to any sized blocks or
stones. The principle object to be attended to is, to make the bounding lines
on the upper surface at right angles, and to keep the faces of the bebeled sides
as perfect as the nature of the stone will permit. I shall hero observe, that
when blocks are used of large dimensions it will be proper to groove them at
proper distances, to form a better foothold for horses.
And in order to identify my Invention, and thereby endeavour to prevent
any infringement on this Patent, I hereby further declare, that it consists
solely in working, cutting, or forming the sides of my blocks or stones, so that
they shall make alternately obtuse and acute angles with the upper surface of
the block or stone, which being done, they may be so arranged or combined
that they will mutually and reciprocally support and preserve each other from
the imperfections so generally found in the usual method of paving.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Macnamara, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord, One thousand eight hundred and twenty-two.
RICHARD (L.S.) MACNAMARA.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Seventeenth day of May, in the
year of our Lord 1822, the aforesaid Richard Macnamara came before our
said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to
the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Seventeenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
Inrolled the Seventeenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and twenty-two.