Omaha daily bee., 1916-02-20
HOW HYATT ROLLER
BEARING WAS MADE
Experiments to Perfect Bearing to
Stand Strain Of Sugar Cane
Mill Led to Discovery,
HYATT 1EvEETs MANY THINGS


Experiments TO perfect a bearing that
would withstand strains Of a sugar cane
mill led 20 the discovery Of the principle
and to the development Of the Hyatt
roller bearing.
John Wesley Hyatt the inventor, dis
closed that interesting fact recently at
one Of the several little celebrations in
honor Of his ssventy-eighth birthday an
n1versary.
It was In 1850 that Mr. Hyatt was work
ing with his sugar cane mill. He had per-
fected mill superior to any then used,
both in its efficiency for increasing the
percentage Of pure extraction from the
cane and in greatly diminishing the time
necessary for the operation. The great
est trouble he experienced with the
mechanism was with the bearings. The
ones he was USING were obtained in the
open market, but they did not prove
satisfactory.
Mr.. Hyatt say that. without an efficient
anti-friction bearing, he must give up his
mill project He, therefore, gave his at
tcntion to this new problem-the per-
fection of an anti-frietlon bearing. The
first experiments were with wood rollers
Then he worked with solid steel rollers,
using many different types Of cages and
retaining bars.
After several years research and ex-
pertinent, the Hyatt flexible roller was
developed and a company organized for
it's manufacture. The bearing first was
made in a small building in Newark, N.
]. Soon new buildings were necessary
and there has been a continual increase
- Una -. 4. q
time. At present three new buildings
which will increase the plants floor
space by a thind--are being erected at
Newark and two others are under con-
struction in Detroit. In addition, the
Hyatt company has service branches in
eight different cities In the United States
While Mr.. fIyatt's name is known ma
tionally by millions in connection witt
the anti-frictlon bearing he has beer
granted patents on inventions aleng many
diversified lines. the total being over 500
He was awarded the Perkin medal some
time ago. and his name was placed be
side that of Sir William Henry Perkir
and the six great American chemists yh'
previously had received that honor.
Started out as Printer.
The founder of the Hyatt company wal
born in Starkey, N. Y. in 1887 He worked
first as journeyman printer, and in 1S6
took out his first patent papers covering
a family knife sharpener. which included
a new method for making solid emer,
wheels.
Later he went to Albany where h,
worked as a journeyman printer SeelnI
an offer of $4,000 for a substitute TO
ivory for billiard balls Mr.. Hyatt begal
experimenting in the hope OF gaining tn
reward. He made a number OF usefu
plastic compositions meme of which, how
ever. was good enough for billiard baIIs
These experiments led him into the man
ufacture OF checkers and dominoes mad
of pressed wood. and, With his two broth
ers. he established what ID now Know
as the Enclosing Company of Albany.
Many experiments followed along d
versffied lines, and many patents wer
taken, among them ono which covers
the fundamental invention of ceiluioit
In establishing the Celluloid company q
Newark Mr.. Hyatt had associated wit
him his brother. Isaiah 8. Hyatt, and &
the next few years seyenty-ffve dlfferen
patents were taken out either by the IN
ventor Of the Hyatt roller bearing q
jointly with his brother
Later Mr.. Hyatt took up the subject c
water filtration and organised the HyeI
Pure Water company. He was granite
valuable hatent on an important fes
ture OF the filtration process, whic
marked new era n water filtration.