The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-12-13
OF INNER TUBES
DISCUSSED AT LENGTH
BY GOODYEAR MANAGER

"A pneumatic automobile tire is an
envelop for the air pressure it re-
tains," says F. A. Henderson, advertis
ing manager OF the Goodyear Tire Co,
at Akron. The casing provides the
tensile strength necessary to sustain
the internal pressure and to resist road
wear; the function of the inner tube
is to provide an air tight lining for the
casing. The casing is the more ex-
penslve u this does not prevent the
by-no-means inconsiderable saving
that a few simple precautions with the
tube will return,
1t ought to be borne in mind that
the tube is the most delicate part of
the tire and that to yield the highest
efficiency it ought to be treated to
correspond. The tube in itself has
comparatively no. tensile strength; 1t
simply flattens itself out against the
inside of the casing. If ever the cas-
Ing becomes o weak at any point,
the tube blows out; in itself it can
not restrain the pressure of the inside
air cushion.
To insure good tire service, the
motorist takes precautions against
tire trouble. The first problem Is to
take care of the casing that it will
successfully protect the inner tube.
The motorist also will be interested in
knowing the things to do to avoid I'M
necessary trouble with his tubes.
One Of the fundamentals is proper
selection. 1t Is a matter of no little
consequence to select from the many
styles now on the market, each hav-
ing apparent advantages to recon-
mend 1t, the type which best satisfies
the essential requirements for reliable
service. AS the function of a tube is
that of an air tight lining for the cas-
Ing the most satisfactory tube is one
that not only fulfills the requirement
best but which retains it's air-tight
property longest. To remain air
tight the tube must be elastic as in
service 1t Is subject to continual
f1exing.
In general, there are two classes Of
tubes on the market-pure gum and
compounded. The compounded tube is
usually thicker than the pure gum
type and increased thickness is desir-
able because it decreases the suscep-
t1ollfty to %pinching and puncturing.
Pure gum tubes are usually not built
as thick because of the extra and es-
sentially unnecessary expense this
would involve. But the extra thick
ness of the compounded tube introduce
es more disadvantages than this one
advantage can compensate for.
Originally, a compounded tube is air.
tight and highly elastic. But it can't
retain these qualities long. The in
organic compounds is contains not
only are good conductors of heat, so
increasing the tendency to heat, but
are themselves capable of deteriorat-
ing the rubber, especially when heated.
In service there is a natural tendency
to heat and the pure gum tube resists
this tendency, being harder to heat,
and in addition, is not SO easily in
jured by heat. This is very import
ant in its effect on repairs. 1t is diff
cult to repair a compounded tube sat
isfactorily. Its adhesion to pure gum
5yulcanized repairs is not perfect and
the heat necessary to cure the repair,
seriously injuries the part of the tube
affected. For a short time a COM
pounded, tube may give good service,
but the pure gum tube is the only
type capable of alI-around consistent
service.
First of all, the immediate condi-
tons should be considered. The in
side of h casing should be clean.e If
any dirt is present, it chafes the tube,
weakening it sometimes to the yield
ing point. Suppose, as often happens,
a nail or a stone finds it's way inside
the casing. When the tube is inflated,
is fiattened against the inside of the