The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1896-11-25
REDUCING RUBBER.
HOW ARTICLES OF USE ARE MADE
FROM THIS VALUABLE PRODUCT.

Useful articles in modern use. There are
but few uses to which the wonderful
product cannot be put. 1t can be mado
as pliable as putty or as hard as wood
and is just as adapted for use as hair
pin as for golf ball or waterproof
Jacket Few people, however, are as fa-
miliar with the process of manufacture
as with the product itself.
The larger part of our rubber goods
comes from Brazil, which is the great
est rubber producing country i'll the
world. Here, of course, rubber workers
handle their elastic material with an
ease and CELEBRITY which is revelation
to the man who has wasted the greater
part Of forenoon trying to mend a hole
in his punctured tire. Although the
larccr part Of rubber manufacturing is
do1bby machinery there is still consid-
erahlc done by hand. In making up
goods for druggists, stationers and sur
gical supplies the best grades of Para
rubber, the best in the world, are gen
orally used.
The ordinary commercial rubber is
gray, but its cooring is an easy matter.
This is done by mechanically mixing
with the rubber, after it is washed and
dried, different kinds of pigments-ox-
ide of zinc for white, lampblack for
black, golden sulphuret of antimony for
yellow and vermilion for red. The rub.
ber mixed with the pigment is run
through heavy steam heated rollers into
thin sheets.
The making of rubber bands is sim
pie process. Thin sheets Of pure gum
are wrapped around form until it is
shaped into a fiat tube of the required
thickness. This tube is then vulcanized,
when it is shipped off the form and run
through machine, which cuts il cross
wise into strips.
Rubber erasers contain finely pow
dered pumice stone or emery dust. The
abrasive materials are mixed with the
rubber mechanically, which is then
nodded into shape and vulcanized un-
der steam heat
One of the most interesting processes
in the manufacture of rubber goods is
that of bulbs. Long bulbs, such as syr-
inges and atomizers, are made from two
pieces of rubber, but round bulbs such
as pumps and balls, are made from
three pieces. For cutting the rubber
zinc or galvanized iron patterns are
used. Considerable care is necessary
in this, as the strength of the seam de-
pends upon the smooth fitting of the
edges. The three parts for hollow balls
may, however, be cut with die. II the
bulb has a neck, small pegs of iron are
first prepared by being cemented and
wound with strips of rubber as a nu-
cleus.
After the rubber is cut into the proper
parts it is then brushed with cement the
whole length of the skived edges and
thoroughly heated. The bulbmaker then
takes the softened rubber, and tax
ing q prepared peg places tho necl,
on one piece on one side Of the rubber
core and another neck piece ON the OPP
posite side, then presses them firmly to-
gether, and, rolling the whole tube
shaped piece between thumb and fore
finger, has finished the neck Of the bulb.
The next process is that of knitting the
edges which form the seam. This is
done by holding the finished neck to.
ward the operator in his left hand,
while with the thumb and forefnger Of
the right he pinches the edges firmly
together for nearly the whole distancI
around. Into the side aperture, which
is left open, is poured a little water OF
liquid ammonia The opening is thei
made still smaller, and as final toucl
the maker puts his lips to the orifice ant
blows full and hard into the bulb. Tit
softened rubber under this pressure ex
pands, the fiattened shape is lost in
fuller and more rounded outline, while
the operator, with quick nip of hi
teeth, closes the opening, the imprisoned
air and water holding the sides apart il
symmetrical corpulency.
The partly made bulb is now passed
ION to the turner's, who, armed with scis
asors with curved blades, carefully circl
the seams, cutting away all unevenness
till the whole exterior is ready for TIN
mold
The bulbs. as SOON as they leave TIN
trimmers' hands. are laid in shallow
pans filed with chalk. When takel
from here, they are carefully duste,
with tale, so that the rubber will no
adhere to the inside of the mold. 4
mold worker then takes one half of tn
mold in his left hand and with his righ
gently forces bulb into it, Gaping
with the second half. Each bulb, if tn
pattern worker is skillfui, will fit it
mold; otherwise the finished bulb is ap
to be imperfect.
The molds are run upon small track
into the vulcanizer. After they hav
been cured a sufficient time the vulcan
: izers are opened and the cans are ru
under an ordinary shower bath. whic
quickly cools them. They are then un
keyed. the molds twisted open and tn
bulbs taken out. If the work be wei
done. the swelling of the liquid withi
its rubber prison has exerted so intens
force that every line and letter withi
the mold is reproduced upon the outsid
of the bulb. while the sulphur, combin
ing with the heat, acoomplishes tn
INFLAMMATION.
The final process takes place in til
Ior al, L.