Septemdek. I, 1907.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



383 



.It too revolutions per minute, which ;, i..^ asuai speed, about 

 1500 pairs of soles can be cut per hour. It is assumed by the 

 makers that two stampers would ho found ani|)ly sufficient for 

 lach machine, as with two there is more adjustment allowed than 

 with three in the way of setting the dies economically to suit the 

 sheet. Of course, any number of stampers can be put on, but it 

 is a question whether with more one man could move the dies 

 sufficiently quick and advance the sheet. This machine is niado 

 by David Bridge & Co., Castleton, .Manchester, England. 



MILKING MACHINES. 



"T^HE numl)cr ot cow milking machines already in use, and the 

 * apparent probability at present that such machines are to 

 become important as a factor in dairying, sugijests the pro- 

 priety of a reference in this place to an interesting new applica- 

 tion of india-rubber. During the past 35 years no fewer than 

 12/ patents have been taken out in the United Slates alone for 

 milking machines and parts, and several years ago a German 

 writer mentioned 29 different milking machines as known to him. 

 But most of these machines have fallen short of being practical 

 in some vital point. 



Recently such improvemenis li.ive been made in milking 

 machines, with such an increase in their use, as to lead the 



d^«» 



A Power Milker With Att.^chments. 



United States department of agriculture to undertake an investi- 

 gation, the results of which have been published in an official 

 bulletin. No figures are given to indicate how widespread the 

 use of these machines has become, but as these lines are written 

 a report comes to hand that upwards of 1,500 machines of a single 

 make have been sold in Australia alone, being sufficient to milk 

 more than 35,000 cows daily. 



The milking machines on the .\merican market are operated 

 by hand power, by foot power, or by gasoline engine, electric 

 motor, or steam engine, an essential feature in every case being 

 some form of vacuum pump, to create the suction in the teat 

 cups which draws the milk from the cow. 



The illustration herewith shows a cow milker which has re- 

 cently been put upon the market. It consists, in the first place, 

 of an ordinary milk pail made of block tin and holding about 

 15 quarts. On top of this pail is a tight fitting lid of aluminum, 

 mounted on which is a pump or pulsator which works auto- 

 matically and causes the intermittent action of the machine. Con- 



iKiiiiiii> ,in ni.iur by means oi rnlibcr tubing In the exhaust and 

 air pressure pipes, which are laid through the stables with con- 

 venient branches between the cows. Two rubber tubes, each 

 about three feet long, are also connected with convenient nozzles 

 on the lid, and on the other end of each are four cups which 

 lit snugly over the cow's teats, two cows being milked into one 

 pail. As the pulsator oscillates (at the rate of about 60 times 

 a minute) the vacuum is alternately turned on and off, the teat 

 cups causing suction and release at each aUernate stroke. The 

 machinery for operating the pulsator consists of an exhaust pump 

 and a compressor; the exhaust produces the suction and operates 

 the pulsator in one direction, while the compressor operates the 

 pulsator in the opposite <lirection. 



The teat cups are hollow and conical. Xcarly an inch from 

 the large end the cup is almost closed by a soft rubber diaphragm ; 

 this disk, being elastic, fits air tight around the different sized 

 teats. The teats fill the conical cup, except at the small end, 

 where suction is applied. The cup is made of three pieces of 

 smooth hard rubber. To the end of the cup is attached a piece 

 of glass tubing through which the milk may be seen, and this is 

 again connected with a small rubber tube. By means of a spigot 

 the suction may be cut off when the teat is empty. The milk 

 is conveyed from the spigot to a head, where the milk from all 

 four teats unites and passes into the large hose which carries it 

 to the pail. 



The Washington report referred to above covers a series of 

 experiments, in which a comparison of machine milking and hand 

 milking gave, generally, a result in favor of the machines, both 

 in the saving of time and in the quantity of yield. In one 

 experiment — with 10 cows under observation for 20 days — an 

 opposite result was attained, and the desirability of further 

 experimenting is pointed out. It has been established, however. 

 that with proper care and under certain conditions, the milking 

 machine is economical in use, and it may be regarded as a per- 

 manent fixture in dairy equipment. 



WANTS AND INQUIRIES. 



(+2,3l Vjf/.WTED to communicate with a competent rubber 

 ' • technologist ; one who is up to date on mineral 

 rubber and rubber compounds, and one who is known to the 

 rubber trade. 



[424] Who are makers of "Sphincter Grip" armoring 

 machines for india-rubber hose? 



[425] Where can "viscose" be obtained, or where can the 

 method of its manufacture from cotton be obtained? 



[426I An American company, planting Castilloa in Mexico 

 write: "Can j'ou refer me to any manufacturer or dealer in 

 rubber tapping tools, latex cups, and coagulating tanks?" 



[427] A European firm desires the name and address of the 

 firm controlling articles made from "vulcan fibre" or "silesith." 



[428] An inquiry conies from Japan for a machine for making 

 rubber balls, wdiich are now made in that country only by hand. 



AMERICAN RUBBER GOODS EXPORTS. 



Tl 1 E following is an official statement of values of exports of 

 manufactures of india-rubber and gutta-percha from the 

 United States for eight fiscal years, ending June 30: 

 Belting Boots All 



Ve.\rs. Packing and Other ToT.\l-. 

 and Mosc. Shoes. Rubber. 



1906-07 $1.25.3.369 $1,231,898 $3,729,643 $6,214,910 



1905-06 1.221.159 1,505,082 2.966,144 5,692.385 



1904-05 994.100 1,214,342 2,572,375 4,780,817 



1903-04 879,476 1,086.364 2.469,750 4.435.590 



1902-03 819,985 1,056,491 2.299,875 4.176,351 



1901-02 634,146 1,046,315 1,781,941 3.462.402 



igoo-oi 565.726 724.015 1.727.527 3.017,268 



1899-00 541.830 420,746 1,405.212 2,367,788 



