M.\K(.H I. igo7. 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



189 



THE RUBBER TIRE FIELD. 



GRANT TIRE PATENT SUSTAINED. 



O TILL another decision has been rendered bearing upon the 

 *-' validity of the solid tire patent issued to A. W. Grant — No. 

 554.67S> of February 18, 1896. The India Rubber World has 

 reported (September i, 1906, — page 403) the decision written by 

 Judge Piatt, in the United States circuit court for the southern 

 district of New York, in a suit brought by The Consolidated 

 Rubber Tire Co. and The Rubber Tire Wheel Co., alleging in- 

 fringement by The Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. The decision 

 by Judge Piatt was favorable to the validity of the patent, and 

 the defendants appealed to the United States circuit court of 

 appeals for the second circuit, where, on February i last, a de- 

 cision was handed down, written by Judge Coxe, affirming the 

 Piatt decision. The second circuit covers the states of New York, 

 X'crmont and Connecticut, and the effect of the decision is to 

 render the Grant patent valid in these states. 



Judge Co.xe refers to the decision in the circuit court of appeals 

 for the sixth circuit, rendered at Cincinnati in May, 1902, against 

 the validity of the patent. Reference was had in that decision to 

 the capacity of the Grant tire of readjusting itself after yielding 

 to severe lateral strain, without tearing or abrasion of the rubber, 

 or injury of any of the parts. The court at Cincinnati found 

 that the mode of operation which produces this result is not 

 mentioned in the Grant specification, or inherent in the combina- 

 tion of part; in the Grant tire, but depends for its discovery upon 

 the ingenuity of experts. The court at Cincinnati said : "If this 

 tipping capacity had been pointed out, and even this indefinite 

 direction given by the patentee, as to the mode of securing that 

 operation, the patent might possibly be saved." 



Judge Coxe finds, however, that this feature is inherent in the 

 patent, and the specification is so clear and explicit that no intelli- 

 gent mechanic can follow Grant's directions without securing the 

 tipping action, which inheres in no other tire. In view of new 

 tacts and features, which have been added to or developed from 

 the records in the earlier cases. Judge Coxe finds no reason to 

 doubt that on the present record the court of appeals of the sixth 

 circuit would reach a result favorable to the patent. 



The patent to Latta, No. ,341,811, granted May 11, 1886, was 

 cited in the recent litigation as anticipating the invention of 

 Grant, though this patent was not mentioned in the opinion of the 

 court in several important cases hitherto. Judge Coxe analyzes 

 the claims in respect of the Latta tire, and is of the opinion that 

 its disclosures are in no way fatal to the claims of Grant. 



TIRES AT THE CHICAGO MOTOR SHOW. 



The seventh annual automobile show, under the auspices of the 

 National Association of Automobile Manufacturers, held in 

 Chicago, on February 2-9, at the Coliseum and the First Regiment 

 armory, was by all account^ the largest and best automobile 

 exhibition yet held in that city. The show was larger than either 

 of the two held in New York earlier in the season. The total 

 number of complete cars and chassis on exhibition was 359, and 

 the thoroughly Amsrican character of the show is indicated by 

 the fact that of these only 10 were of foreign make. The tire and 

 accessories department was very complete, representing the lead- 

 ing American makers. The tire exhibits were for the most part 

 the same as were on display at the New York shows, though so 

 rapidly is progress made in this field that some of the companies 

 have had novelties to show that had not previously appeared in 

 any of the motor exhibitions. Displays were made by : 



-\jax-Grieb Rubber Co Trenton, New Jersey. 



Continental Caoutchouc Co New York. 



The Diamond Rubber Co Akron, Ohio. 



Dow Tire Co New York. 



Electric Rubber Manufacturing Co Rutherford, New Jersey. 



The Firestone Tire and Rubber Co Akron, Ohio. 



The Fisk Rubber Co Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts. 



The B. F. Goodrich Co Akron. Ohio. 



Goodvear Tire and Rubber Co .Aikron. Ohio. 



The G & J Tire Co Indianapolis, Indiana. 



1 larburg Tire Co New York. 



The Hartford Rubber Works Co Hartford, Connecticut. 



International Rubber Co Milltown, New Jersey. 



Michelin Tire and Supply Co Chicago. 



Morgan & Wright Detroit, Michigan. 



Molz Clincher Tire and Rubber Co Akron, Ohio. 



Niagara Rubber Co Lockport, New York. 



Pennsylvania Rubber Co Jeannette, Pennsylvania. 



Republic Rubber Co Youngstown, Ohio. 



Swinehart Clincher Tire and Rubber Co Akron, Ohio. 



In addition to the tire exhibits there were a number of displays 

 of protective devices and other accessories, such as the tire cement 

 of Eugene Arnstein & Co., Chicago; tire cases of the Kimball 

 Tire Case Co., Council Bluffs, Iowa, and tire cases of the 

 Puncture Proof Tire Co., Cleveland, Ohio, and so on. 



G & J TIRE COMPANY CHANGES. 



Mr. Harold O. Smith, identified willi tl;e Indianapolis Rubber 

 Co. from 1893, and later president of the G & J Tire Co., until 

 September last, has resigned as a director in the latter company 

 and in the Rubber Goods Manufacturing Co. Mr. Smith is now 

 the head of the Premier Motor Manufacturing Co. 



Mr. C. H. Semple has retired from the G & J Tire Co.. with 

 which he was connected fromi its beginning. Latterly he has been 

 secretary of the corporation. He has been elected president of the 

 Automobile Tire Co., a new corporation under the laws of New 

 Jersey. 



TIRE TRADE NOTES. 



Tr.vction Tread lire and Tube Co. on January 28 filed articles 

 of incorporation under the New York laws with $100,000 capital, 

 to make and deal in rubber tires. Incorporators : J. D. Prince. 

 M. B. Richardson and P. M. Pelletreau, all of New York city. 



The incorporation is reported in Massachusetts of the Meteor 

 Tire Co., at Boston, with $10,000 capital. R. S. Warner is presi- 

 dent and A. N. Wood, treasurer. 



The Healy Leather Tire Co. (No. 88 Gold street. New York) 

 are doing a rushing business repairing tires under the Healy 

 process and guaranteeing all their work. 



It was New York to Ormond Beach on Goodrich tires, and not 

 Diamond tires, as a report had it, regarding the Oldsmobile en- 

 durance run. Incidentally, the tires made a remarkable record, 

 wearing out two sets of chain grips, the tires themselves arriving 

 in perfect condition. 



The International Rubber Co. (Milltown, New Jersey) point 

 with pride to their record of but 2 i-io per cent, of their entire 

 output of tires last year replaced for all causes. 



The Diamond Rubber Co. (Akron, Ohio) exhibited at the 

 Chicago automobile show the largest pneumatic tires ever manu- 

 factured for use. They w-ere made for a large limousine car 

 built by the Westinghouse company at Pittsburg, and w^eighing 

 over 6,000 pounds. The tires are made to metric measurements, 

 but the size is approximately 42^ x 8 inches. 



The International Rubber Co. (Milltown, New Jersey) are 

 distributing an attractive picture, "The International Girl," which 

 is a copyrighted reproduction from the original production by 

 Mr. Abbey Altson. They call attention to beauty as the visible 

 expression of goodness, and intend the picture as a reminder of 

 the giiod qualities of International tires. 



The Puncture Proof Tire Co. (American Trust Building, 

 Cleveland, Ohio) are making an all rubber cushion tire, built 

 to fit clincher rims. It is puncture proof because, should it punc- 

 ture, the air in the interior, not being under pressure, will not 

 leak out, and its resilience comes wholly from the quality of the 

 stock used in its manufacture. 



An importation of rubber tire treads at New York was assessed 

 for duty as "hard rubber," against which a protest was made. 

 The board of appraisers sustained the protest, on the ground that 

 the words "hard rubber," in the sense in which used in para- 

 graph 450 of the tariff act, preclude "all manufactures of india- 

 rubber except vulcanized india-rubber known as 'hard rubber.' " 



