Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1890-07-30
RUBBER BULBS.
How They Are Made and Prepared
for Market.

initiated that the bead" or raised
line, that encircles a bulb shows the
joining OF the pieces of which it is
made. The fact, however, Is that the
pie-es or original parts of the bulb are
invariably joined at right angles to the
bead line. Long bulbs, such as syrin-
| ges and atomizers, are made of two
pieces; round bulbs, as pumps and
balls. are made of three pieces. New
and unique styles that call for variation
| from the established modes are daily
encountered.
A competent pattern maker, how
ever. will find little difficulty, as gem
eral thing. In so joining the parts as TO
secure the best results, both In vul-
| canizing, where the even swelling of
/ the article must b. considered, and in
wear and tear, where the seams must
| run so as to be protected as much as
/ possible by the general contour OF the
| bulb.
After the pattern maker has decided
| by measurement and experiment upon
the shape and size of the parts which
/ go to form the bulb, zinc or galvanized
iron patterns are made and given into
the hands of the CATERS. Mixed sheets
] Of the required thickness being g. read
and aflerward cut into convenient sides
/ OF squares, the bulb making begins.
/ Each p.ece cut must have distinctly
1 skived edges. Considerable care is ne
cessary in this, as the strength of the
seam depends upon the smooth fitting
| of the edges. The three parts for hol-
! low balls may, however, be cut with i
! die
The pieces when cut are arranged i'll
large books with leaves of smooth cloth
| If the bulb has a neck, small pegs Of
| iron are first prepared by being cemen-
ted and wound with strips of rubber as
nucleus for the neck. The two or
three parts of the bulb are then brushed
| with cement the whole length of the
skived edge. after which they are thor
oughly heated.
When thoroughly warmed and soft
ened, the bulb maker, taking a prepared
peg. places the neck OF one piece on one
side of the rubber core, and another
neck piece on the opposite side. then
presses them firmly together, and roll
ing the whole tube-shsped piece be-
tween thumb and roIefinger. has finished
the neck of the bulb.
The next process is that of knitting
the edges which form the seam. Hold
ing the finished neck toward him in his
left hand, with the thumb and forehn-
ger OF the right he pinches the edges
firmly together for nearly the whole
| distance round
TIE snaps is now not unlike that of a
''long clam" Into tie side aperture,
which is left open, is poured a little
water or liquid ammonia Tie opening
is then made still smaller, and, as a
final touch, the maker puts his lips To
the or flee, and pulling out his cheeks
till they look like miniature ba looms,
bl VS. full and hard into tie inside of
the bulb.
The softened rubber under this sud
den pressure expands, the hattened
shape is lost in fuller and more round
ed outline, While the operator, with I.
quick nip of the teeth, closes the open
ing, the imprisoned air and wat"r hold
Ing the sides apart in symmetrical cor
pulency. There are those who can never
learn the knack of blowing up bulb
with the mouth, but are Obliged to use
a bulb TO inject the air.
After the makers have done with the
now partly made bulb, II Is passed to
the trimmers, who, armed with scissors
with curved blades, carefully circle the
seams, cutting away all uneyenneSs,
till the whole exterior is smooth aud
ready for the mould. In front OF the
trimmers are a number of shallow pans
partly flled with chalk Into these the
bulbs are laid.
A small dumb waiter takes them
down to the mould room aud returns
the empty rams. The bulbs on leaving
the chalk pans are deposited in a small
cylindrical box which, turning a few
times. powders them so effectually that
the rubber cannot adhere TO the inside
OF the mould
An experienced mould worker now
taking Une-half of mould III his left
hand, with his right gently forces the
bulb into IL, Gaping it with the second
half. If the pattern maker has done
his part faithfully, each will just fit it.
mould. If not, they will come out OF
the vulcaniz-r wrinkled, showing that
il was too large; or, II glazed and i'm
perfect, that IL was too small.
4 flat iron ring or clamp holds the
two sections of the mould together when
in the yulcan.Zer. This Is frightened by
iron wedges which are driven betw eel
the mould ends and a clamp. The
moulds, after being key ed, are pile OIL
! cars that run upon small tracks INTO the
vulcanizers, and are cured 10y steam
heat.
When the curing process is com
pleted the vulcanIZerS are opened, AM
/ the cars. DIV snort tAJelSlOn Oi Iut
track, are run under a simple shower
bath, which quickly cools Them TEeN
; are then unkeyed, the moulds twiste,
open and the bulbs taken out III th'
work be we'll done, the swelling of til,
LIQUID within its rubber prison has ex
erted so intense force that every lin;
and letter within the mould IS repro
duced upon the outside of the bulb
while the sulphur combining with th'
heat has sealed the copies with its magic
spell.
The iron peg in the neck is next loos
ened by means of d blunt awl, an,
clipped out, leaving the bulb perfect il
shape. In the mould room are larg'
car-lIke boxes into which the bulbs arr
thrown. A box being full, it Is trun
died away to the cylinder room, wher'
it undergoes thorough securing anC
polishing in huge slowly Ievolvin.
cylinders
When taken out of the cylinders th'
{ dirty yellow color which the bulb bor,
I OIL leaving the mould hs.s wholly disap
c peared. 1t now looks smooth, whit
1 and finished. The neck being cut of
the required length by small adj justa
. BILE cutter-devised expressly for th,
| purpose-the bulb is ready for market
e or for the various fittings which accom-
pany it as adjuncts to the syringe, atom
iZrr. or other bulb.
e Where smooth, clear cut hole j
d needed in any part of the bulb. excep
y the neck, it is cut by a swiftly revol :
) ing punch. The neck hole is left b,
the iron peg as already described.
Z ! COOL Illustration of the power of tn