November i, 1909.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



41 



may be noted that at the Paris aero show in the Grand Palais 

 during the past month the principal interest was shown in motors 

 rather than in aeroplanes. The planes for the most part were 

 of standard models such as have been making flights for more 

 than a year and are fairly well known to the public. There were 

 new features in motors, however, and these were closely studied 

 both by professional aviators and those who are looking forward 

 to owning flying machines. It is natural that the manufacturers 

 of automobiles or of automobile motors should be among the 

 first to enter the field for supplying motors for aerial machines. 



Another reason why flying machines and automobiles are so 

 often mentioned together is that in the case of the former as 

 well as in the latter the development, at least in the beginning, 

 was largely because a new form of sport was introduced. Auto- 

 mobiling as a sport still has a strong hold in France, but the 

 same element is taking an interest in flying machines, and it 

 is announced that the Automobile Club of France, in addition to 

 its automobile Grand Prix, will undertake the organization of 

 aeroplane races next year. This decision has been arrived at 

 on the proposition of Marquis de Dion, president of the club. 



The rubber manufacturers form another class which have 

 reason to be interested alike in the automobile industry and 

 aviation, since rubber is scarcely less essential for balloons and 

 flying machines than for tires and other accessories of motoring. 



AMERICAN PROGRESS IN AVIATION. 



In the various contests in aviation which have been made dur- 

 ing the past few weeks in Europe and in the United States the 

 enterants from the latter country have won a notable share of 

 honors. The Messrs. Wright have attracted much favor-able at- 

 tention abroad, as well as at home, and machines of their con- 

 struction in the hands of others have made a good showing. 

 During the month some important balloon races have been held, 

 notable one starting from Zurich, Switzerland, in which the chief 

 prize was won by Edgar W. Mix, an American. In connection 

 with the recent centennial of the incorporation of the city of 

 St. Louis, the local aero club organized a balloon contest, in which 

 some interesting results were attained. 



America seems likely to figure largely in next year's events 

 in aviation, since the two most important international trophies, 

 won this year by Americans, must be contended for next year 

 in the United States. The trophies referred to were won by 

 Glenn H. Curtiss, with his biplane, at Rheims, and by E. W. Mix, 

 in the Zurich ballooning contest. The situation is such as to 

 make probable the bringing across the Atlantic of the world's 

 leading aviators, and the best products of Europe in the shape 

 of aeroplanes and dirigible balloons. And all of this will stimu- 

 late development in the United States in the same field. 



Mention has been made in these pages of the activity of 

 European manufacturers in supplying rubber proofed balloon and 

 aeroplane fabrics. It is true that rubberized fabrics have not 

 been used uniformly for these machines, but one effect of the 

 recent contests would appear to be a growth in popularity of the 

 rubber goods in aviation. And it may be added that in the United 

 States the results attained by rubber manufacturers in this field, 

 although they took up the matter later, are likely to compare 

 favorably with the best that has been done elsewhere. 



RUBBER TIRES FOR FLYING MACHINES. 



A feature of the new interest in flying machines that may 

 prove worth while to the rubber trade ultimately is the use of 

 small pneumatic tired wheels in connection with them. The 

 machines which the Wright brothers are using are not provided 

 with wheels, but are balanced on a monorail and are shot thence 

 into the air by the falling of a weight; but practically every 

 other type has wheels for contact with the earth, and needs tires. 



A NEW STEAM PLATE PRESS. 



U"OR many years hydraulic steam plate presses have been used 

 in the process of vulcanizing rubber, and it would seem 

 that there could be little chance for improvement in so simple a 

 machine, but the illustration herewith shows a steam plate press 

 that is referred to as having some novel features. The base of 

 the press is a steel casting machined on the bottom, which gives 

 a broad bearing surface on the floor or foundation, and at the 

 same time removes the packing as far as possible from the heat 

 of the steam plate, so that it is kept cool. Leather packings car* 

 be used if desired, and can be easily kept lubricated. The gland 



A New Steam Plate Prfss. 



holding the packing has a gutter or saucer around the edge to 

 catch and carry off any oil or water, should the packing ever 

 leak, and the packing can be removed without removing the ram 

 from the cylinder. The rods are large, threaded on their lower 

 ends, and screw into the base. The ram is hollow, with the 

 upper end cored out, allowing a free circulation of air. The 

 platen and head are very strongly ribbed, thus making them very 

 rigid. The steam plates are so cored as to drain towards the 

 outlets, keeping them free from condensed water. The work- 

 manship is claimed to be first class and the sizes run from 

 12 x 12" to 30" x 30". with any number of plates or openings de- 

 sired. This press is manufactured by the Boomer & Boschert 

 Press Co., Syracuse, New York. 



A FELT TRUST IN CANADA. 



Send for a free copy of the Index to Mr 

 "Crude Rubber and Compounding Ingredients," 

 edition is on sale at this office. 



Pearson's book, 

 of which a new 



■"THE Canadian Consolidated Felt Co., Limited, is the name of a 

 *■ new concern which has come into being by the merger put 

 through at Berlin, Ontario, by D. Lome McGibbon, president of 

 the Canadian Consolidated Rubber Co., Limited. 



The concerns forming the felt combination are the Berlin Felt 

 Boot Co., and the Kimmel Felt Co., of Berlin, and the Elmira 

 Felt Boot Co. The corporation will be capitalized at $2 000,000. 

 The officers are: D. Lome McGibbon, president; George Rumpel 

 and A. J. Kimmel, vice-presidents. Oscar Rumpel will manage 

 the Berlin Felt Boot Co. plant and A. J. Kimmel the Kimmel 

 and Elmira plants. T. H. Rieder, of the Merchants' Rubber Co., 

 and H. D. McKellar, of the Berlin Felt Boot Co., are also 

 financially interested in the new concern. 



