Evening star., 1943-06-22
Plane, Ship and Tank
Safety Increased by
Static Reducer
Communications Aid
Shown in Goodyeor's
Series Of MurveIs
BY CARTER BROOKE JONES,

OF a device expected to make flying
neasurably safer by stopping the in
reference of static with radio recep-
tion-thus of vital concern to Army
and Navy aviation-was revealed
here today during the dedication of
the new research laboratory of the
Goodyear Tire g. Rubber Co.
] This was one of the new marvels
demonstrated to newspapemen by
P. w. Litchfleld, chairman of the
company's board, and a group of
staff scientists at a preview of the
laboratory before a three-day dedi-
catory program began.
The discovery, developed by Gill
bert Anderson of Goodyear, is knokn
as the radio static neutralizer." 1t
does not, thus far, eliminate entirely
the more massive forms of static,
such as those due to nearby thunder
storms or to heavy man-made dis
turbances, but 1t reduces static to
the point where 1t no longer can
drown out either telegraphic signals
or voice.
After-War Uses Seen.
While it was designed primarily
for war use, in the hope of making
directional beams and code signals
less likely to fail, the Goodyear
scientists plan to adapt it also to
household radios after the war.
There were other discoveries ex-
hibited at the preview:
"Cycleweld," substance which
molds together parts of equipment
without riveting or welding. This
comes in two forms-a black liquid
and tape. The parts to be nodded
may be treated with either. They
then are placed under heat and pres
sure. Exhaustive tests have shown
cycleWelded parts to be even more
firmly joined than If they had been
bolted or welded in the usual way,
the scientists said.
The substance was originated in
the Chrysler laboratories in Detroit,
but, at that company's request,
Goodyear joined in perfecting re-
search. Cycleweld now is in produc-
ton, and, according to those who
have developed it, threatens to revo-
lutionize industrial welding of metal
to metal, plastic to metal and some
woods to either.
Tire Defects Located.
The supersonic tire tester Is an
other development. This Is a device
which detects the most subtle defects
in tire. such as separation of
vulcaniZed parts. The tester thus
determines whether it's worth while
to retread the tire.
The machine picks out separations
by setting up sound waves Of such
high frequency they are inaudible.
A board shows green light until the
revolved tire reveals a break and
then red light flashes on. This
invention promises to be an impor-
tant safety factor. 1t Is still in the
experimental stage, but will go into
production later.
Another discovery exhibited was a
substitute for rubber called 'pliof1ex,
which scientists here call better than
leather for soles of shoes and better
than rubber for heels. Pliofex can
be vulcanized like rubber, and is re-
| garded as superior to numerous
plastics being tried as rubber
substitutes.
Tested for Tires.
While pliofleX has been tried on
retreading two tires and for one
whole tire, and the results were
promising, the research men say it
IS too early to tell whether it will
prove an effective substitute for
rubber tires.
They do predict it will come into
general use for nodded automotive
parts and similar products, for shoes,
jar rings and impregnated fabrics.
Resinfoam is new plastic which
DR.. L. B. Sebrell, director of research,
and his staff demonstrated. This is
| an insulation material against
weather, heat, water OF sound. 1t
resembles packed snow and is even
lighter.
1t is being turned out in limited
quantities for insulating Army war
plane cabins against heat and cold.
An impregnated type of the mate
rial is black and tougher.
Postwar uses are expected to in
clude insulating refrigerators,
homes and many products.
The radio static neutralizer. the
most dramatic of the discoveries
placed on exhibition for the first
time, is expected to find immediate
use, not only on bomber and fighter
planes, but warships, tanks, COM
mand cars, jeeps and at field radio
stations.
Static, it was pointed out has
caused many a plane to lose di-
rection and crash, and has inter-
rupted many vital war message.
Sometimes the enemy manufactures
such static.
May Help Radar.
Goodyear scientists predicted
that the neutralizer would improve
radar, the radio device that To-
Gates enemy planes and ships, and
should help also radio transmission
OF pictures and maps.
The visiting newspapermen saw
the machine at work. A regular
radio program was turned on. An
announcer was talking. Artificial
static was produced in sufficient
power to smother the voice. Then
the neutralizer went into action, the
static dropped to a thin blur and
the voice came back.
The machine uses small eIectronic
tubes In such way that they dis
crlminate between static and the
desired signal and automat atically
control the amount of static energy
which can pass through the radio.
Recently, during a terrific thun-
derstorm, with lightning striking