US141995A - Improvement in construction of roads - Google Patents

Description

To all whom it may-concern:

UNITED STATES EDWIN cHADWIcK, on EAsT sHEEN, MOETLAIIE, ENGLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 141,995, dated August 19, 1873; application filed October 2, 1872.

Beit known that I, EDWIN UIIADWIGK, of East Sheen, Mortlake, in the county of Surrey, England, C. B., have invented certain Improvements in the Construction of Roads and Ways, of which the following is a specification:

My invention has for its object to construct roads or Ways of such materials and in such a manner that a hard smooth surface without joints may be prepared for the wheels of carriages to run on, so that the tractive power required Will be considerably reduced, and the expense of repairs diminished. v

Figure l is a sectional view. of Aa suburban road or street constructed on the improved plan, with drains formed below the surface.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the roadway con-`l structed according to my invention, and drawn upon an enlarged scale.

For constructing the surfaces of roads and ways I use Val de Travers asphalt, or other p asphalte, or analogous hard material. This 'asphalt is only used to forni the wheel-tracks,

as at a a, Figs. l and 2, and is laid upon a foundation of concrete, b, composed of Portland cement, or of selenitic lime mixed with gravel, broken stone, or other hard material. The use of the more expensive materials, such as Portland cement, is confined to a-n area suffleient in width for the ordinary wheel-tracks, as at b b, the parts of the road or way bctween the wheel-tracks a a being` made of a rougher and cheaper material. The horsei tracks, or spaces c between the wheel-tracks give thc horses a better foot-hold, especiallyl for steep gradients, than can be afforded by smooth surfaces. As I apply the harder material only to the space where there is the greatest need of it, I cover less than half the road-space with it, andI proportionately reduce the expense.

The roads constructed in the manner shown and described would to a great extent effect the same economy of horse-power as iron tram-ways, but at a greatly reduced expense, and without the inconvenience resulting from the use of iron tram-Ways, for the hardened surfaces of the wheel-track ways are made flush with the horse-track surface, so as to enable carts `and carriages to cross them or to get off them in order to make way for other carriages.` My improved tracks would, therefore, in that respect, have the same convenience as wide granite-stone tram-ways, only at a less expense. I, moreover, construct a more even track, and one which can be more readily altered or repaired when required 5 but what is the greatest advantage of my invention, and What distinguishes it from all other roads having wheel-tracks, is the fact that the tracks are perfectly continuous, having no joints like those made of stone or iron, and therefore jolting is avoided, the wear and tear of carriages is reduced, travel is made more pleasant, and thel road is especially adapted for traction-engines, which are destroyed by joltmg.

The chief use of the proposed improved construction of roads and ways would be for suburban roads and roadways of secondary traffic, where there will not be the same need of smooth surfaces over the whole roadway; but it may with equal advantage be employed in towns, as shown at Fig. 2, which represents a section of a street with asphalted wheeltracks a a and concrete horse-tracks c, the remainder of the road being constructed of concrete, or it may be paved in the ordinary manner. lf constructed of concrete so as to present a uniform surface, it will be found well adapted for frequent surface-cleansing by means of water.

Having now described my invention of improvements in the construction of roads and ways, I wish it to be understood that I claim- The construction of a road or way with continuous jointless tracks of asphalt, or analogous material, laid in a concrete bed, in combination with horse-tracks and other parts of the road of other material, substantially as herein specified.

EDXVIN CHADWIGK.

Witnesses:

H. K. WHITE,

66 Chancery Laue. Tnowls GODEREY,

65 Chancery Lmzc.

TENT OEEICE.

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