The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-02-24
NEW RUBBER FACTORY.
Wheels Started Yesterday in the Manufacture
of Pneumatic Bicycle Tires.


A new industry which will prove of in
terest and value to the city began opera
ton at Nos. 3O1 to S07 East Georgia street
yesterday morning. It's product is rubber
goods of all descriptions, but mainly the
manufacture of bicycle tires. Their leader
in this line will be a pneumatic tire. upon
which they have applied for letters patent.
1t IL called the HoosIer pneumatic tire. and
consists of two tires. one within the other.
The firm will also manufacture q new
cushion TIRE, called the pneumatic cushion
tire, which is said to combine all the good
qualities of the pneumatic tire without any
Of it's weaknesses.
The process of manufacturing rubber is
very slow and requires q man of skill In
the work, as when q piece of rubber of
the first quality is spoiled by tearing or
otherwise in the manufacture, it cannot be
again used in the making of the same
quality. but Is only fit for use in the
cheaper and very inferior qualities. The
firm engaged in it's manufacture in this
city Is the INDIANAPOLIS Rubber Company,
which was Incorporated with q capital
stock of S25.C00 on the 9th day of December
last.
Journal reporter called at their estab-
hshment on East Georgia strees. yesterday
afternoon, and asked to be shown through
their works Mr. j. w. Brown, the super
intendent. conducted him thronrh the
building. and explained In detail the vari.
ons steps in the process of manufacture
He was first shown the raw material just
as it is received by the firm, and as it
comes from the native forests of Africa
and the West Indies.
The finest quality of rubber, which re.
tails at 81 per pound, 10 made from the sap
of the para tree. which grows abundantly
in the Congo river regions of southern
Africa. The sap of tree ordinarily yields
about welve and one-half pounds of para
or rubber In its crude state. A cheaper
grade of rubber is made from caoutchouc.
the sap from a tree of the same namo grow
ing IN the West Indies ard South America.
A third and very cheap quality of rubber
is produced from the sap of a vine much
resembling the common ivy. and. like 1t, q
Ginger growing in the forests of southern
Africa. 1t is from this that all
overshoes. etc.. are made. Il comes from
the forests in small black chunks, ranging
IN size from that of pigeon to that OF q
hen egg. 1t IS tough and elastic, and about
the consistency of putty. In it's manufac-
ture IL is mixed with Spanish whiting. lime.
zinc or rags, according TO the quality of
rubber which it is desired to produce. 1t
is from this quality Of rubber that
the cheaper bicycle pedals, handles
and other minor parts are made. 1t
produces q hard. coarse quality of goods
which Ii does not take the eye of an
expert TO detect when placed. beside the
better quality of wares made from the para
or ca0uIchOuc. The para, when it is re-
ceived at the factory, looks very much like
one had taken huge rolls of sole leather
and cut them into chunks about one foot
in diameter. These chunks average about
fifty pounds In weight The first step In
.fnnt trvn 10 Of f0r bor
thirty minutes. After the steaming process
1t is run between two large corrugated
rollers for about fifteen minutes, by which
oil the smoke. alum water and other eX-
traneous matters with which 1T Is i'm
preGnated are removed 1t is then
takcn to the dry-rOom, which is kept
ct about 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and here
1t remains for a period of about six weeks
until 1t is thoroughly dry. When 1t comes
from the washer into the dry-room it Is in
strips about two feet wide and varying in
length according to the size of the original
chunk of para. 1t is OF light buff color
and very rough, porous texture. after
about three weeks in the dry room 10 turns
to dark red or reddish brown. and by the
time It is ready to be taken from the room
it's color has gain changed to q dull. deep
blush grey. At this stage 1t is pressed be.
tween two large. smooth rollers until all
the rOughness 10 removed. Ii comes from
these rollers a glossy blue black and is
very to ugh and elastic. beginning at this
stage to take on the qualities of rubber.
Then It goes through another pair of
smooth rollers, where it is mixed with Ger.
tain che micals which differ in tho different
grades of rubber.
From this last pair of rollers il Is passed
through q largo triplerolier calender.
and comes out IN sheets about yard wide
and about fifty feet In length; Its thickness
varies and it can be brought out no thicker
than the thinnest tissue paper. These
sheets are spread upon uncovered tables
and cut with knife, made specially for
the purpose, any desired size. In the man.
ufaeture OF tho pneumatic tires. which is
the principal output of the establishment,
the sheets are cut into strips four inches
wide and from eight to ten feet In length.
One edge Is then wet with Daphtha, and it
Is wrapped upon a hollow steel bar,
covered with soapstone to prevent
adhesion. When the naphtha dries the
two edges are so tightly fastened that the
rubber Will give way at some other point
before the jointure Is ruptnred. The outer
surface Is then coated with soap-stone and
wrapped with wet muslin. Over this is
put a canvas coat to prevent blistering In
the vulcanizer 10 which the tire next goes.
and II IL 10 OF the liner quality 1t remains in
the vulcanizer about one hour under a
pressure of about forty pounds of steam to
the square inch. lie is then inserted into
the outer tire, which is made by pressing
Through the calender o sheet of rubber
and O sheet OF muslin or silk, according To
the quality OF the tire. and cementing IN
the same way as the inner tire. When the
inner is inserted into the outer tire. the two
are placed in mold. and then placed in n
press and subjected TO pressure of
fifteen hundred pounds from a hydraulic
ram. The inner tire Is then taken out, and
finished by girls by secret process, and the
outer tire Is cOlored as desired. When the
inner tire haa been finished, il is again IN
serted into the outer. and then inflated and
the outer tire laced over IL. and the tire Is
complete.
The company. OF which II. L. Galloway
Is president and John T.. Smith secretary
and rreaanrer, starts off upon it's work with
n bri0 nraa Deek They havo N ord ar fron