March 1, 1913.; 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



327 



Rubber at the Paris Automobile Salon. 



Jiy ii .y/'<'ii(i/ Curresl'oniicnt. 



' I 'HE thirteenth Automoljile Salon, recently held in Paris. 

 ■*■ again brought to the front, the noted I'reneh manufac- 

 turers of tires; including Michelin & Co.. the Etahlissemenls 

 Bergougnan. the Etablissements Hutchinson, the French Dunlop 

 Co., the French B. F. Goodrich Co.. the Torrilhon, Continental 

 and Falconnct-Pcrodeaud concerns, as well as other regular 

 exhibitors on these occasions. 



Atnong the most prominent features of the Salon was the 

 relative absence of the '"anti-skid" armored protective covers, 

 which were at one time represented by some 50 exhibitors. ThcM 

 ■covers, in chrome leather or other materials, seem to have lost 

 favor; their disappearance having been accelerated by the in- 

 troduction of the Michelin tread. This type of anti-skid wa^ 

 introduced in 1905 and has since gained in favor. 



It is composed of a tread of chrome leather about onc-sixil; 

 •of an inch thick, tapered off at the edges, cemented to an under 

 tread of rubber and fabric from one-tenth to one-eighth of an 

 inch in thickness, and wider than the leather tread, likewise 

 having tapered edges. Rivets pass through the two treads, the 

 whole being cemented on the cover liy a solution allowing of 

 hot vulcanization. The chrome leather is a special quality, whicli 

 will resist a temperature of 140 to 150 degs. C. (284 to 302 

 degs. F.). Tires furnished with this form of anti-skid are very 

 light. Under the rivets there is placed a layer of very soft 

 rubber, which prevents the heads of the rivets from injuring the 

 fabric of the body and likewise increases the elasticity of the tire. 

 Tire repair establishments have now given up cold vulcaniza- 

 tion and have taken up hot vulcanization; using in many cases 

 the R. Bobet hot vulcanizer, which gives results of very regular 

 character. These vulcanizers are all made of the same diameter 

 and are of various lengths, according to the number of tires to 

 be vulcanized at a time ; the most usual types being those for 

 holding 6, 9 and 12 tires. 



In elastic tires and wheels there are but lew new exhibits. 

 The pneumatic and the solid tire have, however, met with a rival 

 of daily growing importance in the "Ducasble .Automatic Tire." 

 Until its appearance there was nothing between the pneumatic 

 and the solid tire ; the so-called elastic and hollow tires far from 

 realizing all the indispensable conditions of security, suppleness 

 and resistance. 



The Ducasble automatic tire is a species of cushioned tire 

 containing a series of cells, communicating with the exterior air 



by a little channel in the 

 lateral portion of the 

 tire. In addition to the 

 •jreat suppleness thus ob- 

 tained, heating is pre- 

 vented by the automatic 

 introduction of fresh air; 

 competition in speed 

 with the pneumatic tire 

 being thus possible. This 

 arrangement of interior tells is the only one by which a tire can 

 be designed, absolutely suited for the vehicle on which it is to 

 be used; insuring the maximum of suppleness, together with the 

 minimum of weight compatible with the intended load. Tires 

 can be made by this system of the qualities of rubber best suited 

 to the contemplated load ; being, moreover, adapted for all classes 

 of motor and other vehicles, autobusses, trucks, etc., as well as 

 bicycles. 



Overturning and skidding are prevented by a series of hollow^ 

 grooves in the treads for the back wheels, arranged rectangularlv. 



# I 



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This system of anti-skid is very durable, on account of the slow 

 wear of the rubber employed. Moreover, the depressions can 

 be remade by hand when they have disappeared through wear. 

 One of the latest improvements consists of certain modifications 

 introduced in tires for city use and touring, with more rounded 



I'li.siAL Deli\ekv \\"agux>. 



lines; perfectly resembling pneumatic tires in their appearance, 

 without being subject to the numerous disadvantages of the 

 latter; such as blow-outs, repairs, rapid wear, higher cost, etc. 

 The numerous advantages of the demountable rim in conjunction 

 with the Ducasble automatic tire render the use of the two to- 

 gether advisable. 



The qualities of all descriptions of the Ducasble automatic tire 

 have earned for it a universal reputation ; it being used by many 

 corporations and traffic companies. In Paris it has been applied 



The "DLXAsni-E Auto.matic" ox Jixrikisha ix the East. 



to 3.000 cabs, as well as to the vehicles employed for the delivery 

 of telegrams. The large stores of Paris and the principal cities 

 of France, use it on their automobile delivery wagons; the 

 Ducasble automatic tire being the only one which they have found 

 to combine speed with economv. 



