Improvements in Footway or Causeway Channels.
Year: 1899

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Footway or Causeway Channels.
We, HENRY MALCOLM BIGWOOD, of 131, Penn Road, Wolverhampton, in the
County of Stafford, Engineer, and GEORGE ALFRED HANCHER, of 70, Merridale
Road, Wolverhampton, aforesaid, Pattern Maker, 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:-
-
This invention has for its object an improved construction of footway or cause-
way channel which will adapt it more perfectly than heretofore for the purpose
for which it is required.
The above object is accomplished, according to this invention, by forming the
top or foot plate of the channel of metal (conveniently of cast iron, as usual) and,
preferably, without any cleaning slot therethrough, and forming the portion along
which the water flows of earthenware, stone ware, composite stone or cement, or of
other earthy material, which forms a surface of a character which will cause it to
be readily cleansed. The portion which is made of earthenware or corresponding
material may be encased in a metallic box of which the plate aforesaid forms the
top; but it is preferred to connect the plate with the portion which is made of
earthenware, or the like, by means of straps, lugs or flanges, which depend from
such plate; and when the plate is made of cast iron, as will commonly be the case,
the upper ends of the straps may be fixed thereto in the process of casting, and
the lugs or flanges may be cast therewith.
When straps are employed for fastening together the plate and the portion
which is made of earthenware or the like, the lower ends of the straps may be
fixed to the latter by means of turned-in portions which are leaded or cemented
in openings.formed for such purpose in the earthenware or like material, or may
be fixed by means of Lewis bolts which are leaded or cemented within holes in
such material.
When lugs or flanges are employed for fixing together the plate and the part
which is made of earthenware or the like, the latter part is formed with lugs or
projections to engage with the lugs or flanges of the plate, and the lugs or flanges
of the one part are either leaded or cemented to the corresponding portions of the
other part, or lugs of both parts may be so formed that as the one part is pushed
endways in relation to the other, to engage the lugs of the one part with those of
the other, the lugs will tighten themselves together by a wedge action.
In the accompanying drawings, which serve, by way of example, to illustrate
the invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of the length of a footway
or causeway channel constructed according to the invention. Figure 2 is a
section thereof, taken on line of Figure 1, but shews at the right-hand side
thereof a slight difference in detail in respect to the means of fixing a strap to the
earthenware or like portion of the channel. Figure 3 is a plan thereof, with the
straps at the opposite sides, respectively, fastened to the earthenware or like
portion of the channel in the manner shewn by Figure 2. Figure 4 is a view
corresponding to Figure 1, but shews a modified form of the invention. Figure 5.

page_text: is a view corresponding to Figure 2, being a section taken on line y y of Figure 4,
but shews a slight difference in detail between opposite sides thereof. Figures 6
and 7 are corresponding views to Figures 4 and 5, respectively, but shew a further
modification of the invention.
In all the figures, A represents the top or foot plate of the channel, which is
conveniently made, as usual, of cast iron, but is shewn as made without any slot
or opening therethrough, except the opening through which the water flows
from the down pipe into the channel, and thus dirt is prevented from falling from
the footway or causeway into the channel; and B is the trough or channel portion
proper which, according to this invention, is made of earthenware or such like
material, as aforesaid, and is connected with the plate A. In Figures 1, 2 and 3,
the connection between the plate A and trough or channel proper B is shewn
as made by means of straps b, which may be conveniently of flat wroughi
iron or steel. These straps are conveniently, formed with turned-in upper
ends, and these ends have holes therethrough, and in the process of
casting are embedded within thickened portions of the plate, and are thus
securely held thereto. The lower end of each strap may be fixed to the trough
or channel proper B by means of a Lewis bolt d, which is leaded or cemented into a
cavity formed therefor in the material of the channel proper B, as clearly shewn
at the left-hand side of Figure 2; or the lower end of each strap may be formed
with a turned-in end 62 which is similarly leaded or cemented within a cavity of
the channel proper B. The end e of the trough or channel proper B may be formed
separately and of metal, conveniently of cast iron, and of a shape to fit within the
inside of the channel proper B; and in such case the end e-may be fixed to the
channel proper by means of a bolt f which passes through the bottom of the
channel, the nut of the bolt being, conveniently, within a recess formed to receive
it in the under side of the channel so as to expose no projection below the bottom
thereof; or the end e may be moulded up with the channel proper, being in such
case, of course, of the same material therewith.
Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, the plate A. is formed with-downward lugs g,
each of which may either slant inwards at its inner face, as shewn at the left-hand
side of Figure 5, or may be formed with an inward ledge along its lower end, as
shewn at the right-hand side of Figure 5; and the earthenware or like portion
constituting the trough or channel proper B is formed with corresponding lugs g
to pass within the lugs g, and the lugs are leaded or cemented when in position
between the lugs g. The end e, in this case also, may either be formed separately
and fixed within the trough or channel proper B; or may be moulded up with
such trough or channel. In lieu of forming the lugs g'and g in short lengths
they may, if desired, be of the length of the footway or causeway channel, in which
case the lugs g may be more properly described as flanges, and the lugs glas
fillets.
In the modification of the invention shewn by Figures 6 and 7, the lugs g and gl
are tapered, so that when the plate A and trough or channel proper B are one of
them moved endways in relation to the other, to engage the lugs of the one part
with those of the other, the lugs gl may be tightened up within the lugs g, in which
case no lead or cement will be required between the lugs.
If it is desired to connect the channel with a pipe which runs endways thereof,
the connection of the pipe with the channel may be directly through an opening
through the end e, whether such end is made separately or is moulded up with the.
channel proper B. In connecting a pipe with the channel, however, whether with
the top thereof or endways thereof, it is preferred to form the connection in the
manner described and claimed in Mrs. Alice Bigwood's Patent Specification
No 10998 of 1892, in which case the socket for the short connecting pipe described
in such specification may be formed as shewn at 'upon the drawings herewith,
when the pipe has to be connected with the top of the channel, and may be
formed in one casting with the end e, when the pipe has to be connected endways
of the channel, or may be moulded with the channel proper B.
1

page_text: The channel proper B is not necessarily made in one single length throughout,
as it may be made in two or more lengths, in which case however the straps or lugs,
when such are used, should be made of double width, so as to pass across the joints
between the lengths.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. A footway or causeway channel formed with a metallic foot plate or top,
and with a lower portion, constituting the trough or channel proper, of earthen-
ware, stoneware, composite stone or cement, or like earthy substance, substan-
tially as described.
2. A footway or causeway channel formed with a metallic foot plate or top
which completely closes in the top of the channel, except for any opening there-
through for a down pipe, and thus excludes dirt, in combination with a lower
portion, constituting the trough or channel proper, of earthenware, stoneware,
composite stone or cement, or like earthy substance, substantially as described.
3. A footway or causeway channel formed with a metallic foot plate or top, and
with a lower portion, constituting the trough or channel proper, of earthenware,
stoneware, composite stone or cement, or like earthy substance, connected with the
foot plate or top by means of straps lugs or flanges, substantially as described.
4. Foot-way or causeway channels formed partly of metal and partly of earthen-
ware, stoneware, composite stone or cement, or like earthy substance, substantially
as described and shewn by the drawings herewith.
Dated this Sth day of March 1899.
STEPHEN WATKINS & GROVES,
Wolverhampton, Agents for the Applicants.