The mirror., 1923-10-11
NEW RUBBER PROCESS
DISCOVERED


of latex, instead of in the blocks and sheets
known to the rubber business since the be-
ginning of its history. Tank cars for
latex will soon be familiar sight on the
railroads.
Latex is a white liquid. Wherever the
bark of the rubber tree is cut, the fluid
runs forth, possibly a plan of natures to
heal the wound in the same manner as
blood comes from cut on our bodies.
This juice is not the sap of the tree. Sap
flows through the wood, but latex is con-
tanned in an inner bark, thin layer dir
ectly beneath the outer bark.
AS is commonly known most of the
rubber of the world today comes from
vast plantations in the Far East. Close
to $6O0,OOO,0OO have been invested in these
plantations the largest single plantation
being that owned by the United States
Rubber Company.
One of the chief problems involved in
bringing rubber to this country in the
form of latex grew out of the fact that
latex changes its form quickly after it has
been taken from the tree. 1t has been dis
covered that it will remain sweet if am
monia or some other preservatives are
added to it in the correct proportions. AS
consequence of its work on this matter
the United States Rubber Company is now
able to bring latex to this country in prime
condition in the tanks of ships. This de-
velopment was one of the first in a chain
of recent discoveries by the United States
Rubber Company.
Foreseeing the great advantages of the
new processes, the company has been con-
tracing for the latex production of sew
eral of the other plantations in the Far
East. This source of supply, coupled with
the latex produced on its own large plan
tations in Sumatra and Malaga, assures
the company of an adequate supply of
rubber in latex form for an extended
period and with considerable advantage
to the plantation companies from whom
latex is being obtained.
One of the most important discoveries
is a new method of extracting the rubber
from the latex. This process is claimed to
give rubber far superior to any ever
secured by the old processes.
Under the old method of separating the
rubber from the latex-a process known
fn fho ind In<,o <Io
was poured into vat or pan. Chemicals
were usually added, and soon the rubber
particles would come together in white,
moist mass. The rubber mass thus formed
was then removed from the remaining
liquid and run through rollers to press
out the moisture.
Not only did this old method fail to
utilize all the rubber from the latex but
the part that remained is now known to
be of additional value.
Under the new process, tiny stream of
latex is permitted to fall on a rapidly
revolving metal disc in hot room. Highly
atomized by the rotation of the disc, the
latex is broken up into tiny particles. The
air, intermingling with these tiny particles
of rubber, dries them practically instantly
without raising the temperature to point
that is harmful to the rubber. The useless
liquid is carried off as vapor leaving the
pure rubber behind.
The disc spray process is also of geat
value in that it provides new and great
ly improved method of mixing the crude
rubber with the various compounds which
must be added during the process of man
ufacture. In the past the crude rubber,
arriving at refractory in its hard. dry
state has been cut up and then worked
into soft dough by being passed through