Evening star., 1928-10-07
AIR IS BIC FACTOR
IN MAKING TIRES
Artificial Climate Produced
by Experts in Rubber
Factories.

Millions of automobile tires turned
out every year by American manufac-
turers are the product Of an artificial
climate created by air conditioning eX-
pertS employed by the big companies.
From the time the crude rubber Is
cut from the trees In far-oh tropics,
through all the vagaries and difficulties
of manufacture until the finished tire
is finally mounted on the motor car
the air specialist has created almost the
entire gamut of weather to refine the
product, speed up output, cut costs and
protect the lives and health OF many
thousands Of workmen.
Introduction of ingenious mechanical
facilities for controlling air conditions
in practically all processes of manufac-
ture has placed the tire and rubber in
dustry on the greatest mass production
basis in history and Is bringing down
costs to the lowest on record, according
to engineers in the industry who are
striving to develop a punctureleSS
super-tire, good for 10000 to $4,000
miles.
With all rubber producing nations
seeking trade pacts which are expected
to stabilize the crude rubber market
combined with greater productive ef-
flciency Of American plants, leaders are
confident that they will benefit and
share more than ever with the record
breaking prosperity of the automobile
industry.
Own Factories Abroad.
Five of the so-called "big six" Ameri-
can tire manufacturers already have
their own factories in England and con-
tinental Europe, while several are rapid
ly developing new uses for rubber, such
as flooring and rubber transmission and
conveyor betting. American domina-
ton Of the tire industry, however, Is
due chiefly to the Nations mechanical
fesourcefulneSS which gave to the world
mass production" the engineers de-
clare
One of the biggest problems in the
industry, and an obstacle to big-scale
operations, was the creation Of dusts
gases and high temperatures which hac
to be conquered. In one plant, which i
typical Of other large tire factories
powerful blower fans are ingeniously
hooked up with air washers, steam
heat, cooling coils and miles Of sheet
metal piping for ventilating and cooling
in the mill, calender and heater rooms
! for driving out fumes in the cementing
| drying and soldering operations; fol
| collecting and conveying of dusts anC
ShAvings at mixing mills, bead and all
bag bufing machines and wood work
ing machinery In the box shop.
In the experimental laboratory where
research work is conducted, a temper
ature Of 70 degrees and relative humid.
| ity of 65 per cent Is maintained as tht
best for tests Special exhausters bull
of non-corrosive material are used fol
| the laboratory exhaust hoods. Air un.
der pressure is used for the imitation oi
the inner tubes for holding the tire ir
shape during the vulcanizing process.
Special high-suction fans are used tc
vacuum clean the fabric that goes intC
the making Of the tire. 1t is quite i'm.
portant that all particles Of grit anc
dirt be sucked out of the fabric before
It is used. Steam vapors are pulled out
of the vulcanizing departments by large
propeller and disc fans.
Dried at Plantations.
Before the crude rubber is ready fol
shipment from the foreign plantations
| it must be dried to make 1t easier tc
handle and to save freight costs. This