The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-01-14

mode OF preparing and applying III bier 70 cloth by
means OF steam heated cylinders. The same gen.
bat novel in its use. This machine operated
some what upon the principle Of paper or a rag
cutting engine, and was used tor softening the solid
pieces OF rubber preparatoryto the subsequent pro-
cess OF softsniDg and spreading IT.
About the year 1884, gentleman of New Bruins
wick. New Jersey, built machine upon the same
principle, and for the same object; although, as
has since been proved, he was entirely ignorant
of the discovery Of Atkinson In 1886 the Rox-
bury India Rubber Company abandoned their pre-
cess of spreading cloth, u some respects the same
as that patented by Macintosh. 10 England,l and
adopted process discovered by Edwin +. Chat
fee, Zone Of their foremen,) which they patented.
This consisted Ia the use OF the ordinary calen-
dering machine, with some additions and moditi-
cations, and constructed very acknowledgement
with a solvent-using a high degree Of heat to
soften the rubber, in combination with the power
OF the machinery. Although patent was issued
for this process in the name of Mr.. Chafiee, and
had been done before by Howe IL Atkinson-a
part by each-and the owners of the patent leara-
ing that fact, allowed the invention TO 60 into full
and unre stricted use.
The pressing Of the rubber in moulds, for va
rious purposes, done in England and the United
States as early as 1899. One mode was to chop
the rubber into pieces by means similar TO chOppng
minced-meat; then TO press II in moulds. A patent
was obtained foy this in the United States about
that time. Two modes eff applying rubber TO cloth
continue to be used When very thin lamina or
covering is n CURED, the rubber, either compound
ed or pure, is softened the consistence Jelly,
and scraped on a cloth according TO Macintosh's
mode; or, secondly, it is made into paste, by
sufficient solvent or heat, and relied on between
warm or heated calender rollers BY this latter
means the sheets Of rubber are made, and when
cooled, peeled off from the cloth. The article OF
corrugated or shirred goods frst made by Dupont
q Hyatt, and described in their patent In 1910, for
the making of cores or elastic pieces in shoes
and boots, was afterwards applied to suspenders
and, with slight notifications, pantented in 1874.
These goods are now made exclusively by machi-
merry and are produced with great rapidly. This
process also, was patented In 1874, the threads or
cords being cut by another novel machine, invented
and patented by Tyer IL Helm. About the same
Time, another means of fabricating this class OF
goods was very ingenious arrangement Of new
and peculiar mae hnery, invented aud patented by
James Bogardus, The distinguished au thor Of many
valua bic discoveries, and whose last great inven-
ton IS the iron buildings. The most perfect and
successful machinery now in il hatinyented by
means Of which these SHRED goods have been al
most exclusively made for the past five years, and
the price reduced about eighty per cent flom the
original cost. Nearly allied TO machinery. is the
apparatus employed for the disposal Of articles pre-
paratory to the application of heat for vulcanzing
The device first adopted by Hayward, in 1886 was
small oven, through which the cloth passed, and
after gong over roller was returned back
through the oven. In 1874, a process was
patented which had been used by him in 1912,
and consisted OF an open furnace IN the form
OF the old fashioned ten plate stove, with the
top removed, and roller running lengthwise;
and the cloth, made into an endless band, small
part OF which came into close proximity to the bot
tom plate, which was rendered to a red heat, and
the endle 50 band passing into another part of the
building, and there supported by a roller. After
wards, In l543, he constructed large room, the
materials being plates of iron, IN which the cloth
and other articles were suspended-but neither Of
these modes accomplished the desired result. In
ranged the goods that they could be kept in motion
within the oven, TO equallze their exposure to the
land so tar atmospheric he at s used
experience has demonstrated the absolute neces-
sity OF keeping the Roodsin constant motion within
the heated chamber, 10 avoid spelling them. This
discovery Is now generally adopted for vHlcanz-
ing in a heated atmosphere. When the vulcaniz-
ing Is accomplished In steam, (Which is found to
be the only safe and practicable mode for the pro-
duction OF most articles,) a simple plain cylinder
boiler is SO constructed that one head can be re-
moved; railway is lald the entire length Of the
boiler, and suitable carriage is loaded up, (being
goods are placed, and the carnsee rolled into the
boiler, when the steam Is admitted. After few
hours, the head is again removed, and the carriage
rolled out BY this process, the goods become
uniformly heated, and the chemical action by
which the v1lcanizng Of the fabric done, is thus
valuable discovery OF the mode OF vulcanizing, we
uniform and complete. For the knowledge Of this
are, however, indebted entirely to the English, by
whom The discovery was Originally made and pa
tented.
Until about Jan. 1917, no piece Of rubber one
States; since the vulcanizlng by atmosphere
highly heated would oveIbake the surface before
the centre Of thick piece could be acted on at all.
The consequence was that the surface cracked, and
crumbl.d. while the middle was only properly
cured, or yulcanized. This formidable difficulty
prevented the successful manufacture of rubber in
thick Masses until the introduction of ste am, in
lSi7. Since then, thick masses, such as piston
packing, and valves for the largest steamers, RAIL
road car-springs, springs for riphammers, tenders,
&c., have been made with entire success. The
consumption OF steam packing alone, requires about
5000 pounds daily.
Within three years the value of the raw material
from Brazil, has advanced over 100 per cent, and
this advance will doubtless be permanent, If not
farther increased. Most Of the material is
produced IN Para, one OF the northern States Of
Brazil, the whole population Of which will not
reach 2J0, 900 inhabitants IL is frequently neces-
sary for the natives TO stand up TO their waists Ia
water, 10 gather the milky Juice from the tree. Re-
cent efforts have been made 10 introduce slave la.
bor to increase the production, but with very little
success since II has been found that none but ma
tive Indians can long endure the exposure.
To attempt full history Of The application Of In
dia rubber In the various arts, would occupy too
much space. We shall therefore content ourselves
by referring 10 some Of the most important
In ISIS, the rudely formed brazilian shoes were
fret imported IN small quantities, which increased
until the aggregate annual Importation reached
one million dollars This importation ultimately
declined TO a few thousand dollars, IN consequence
Of the Improvem ent OF the manufacture in the
OIltu states.
The late stephen g. Smith was among the first
who took measures 10 improve the quality of rub
Der shoes, as made by the Braz hans. lie was
then living in Providence, X. J., and he sent 10
Brazil forms On which 10 prepare the substance
into thin sheets TO enable him 10 work il in this
country IN any form he pleased. lie succeeded.
Another mode was TO line and shape the rude Bra
zihan shoe, upon neat and proper lasts, and bind
the edges with fur. This was done early in 1929
or 80. A few years afterwards, Mr.. Smith and
others obtained the rubber in these thin sheets, IN
great quantities from Brazil, and formed il into
shoes. Fer many years this was the best article
in use. As early as 1873, gentleman Of this city
made shoes waterproof by interposng be-
tween the leather lining u prepared rubber. In
lisa. the boxbury India Rubber Company made
shoes OF moeskn cotton cloth, with rubber be-
tween. and leather soles attached, with binding Of
the same maternal. Many hundred thousand pairs
were made and sold &C this kind. but they were
no, elastic In 1923, Mr.. Atkinson invent
ed a shoe formed Of rubber, which had been
re manufactured IN this country, presenting the
- aT liza WA