JIay i; 1921 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



569 



The pressure cure is the newest development in rubber foot- 

 wear manufacture and is of great value, not only to the wearer, 

 but also to the rubber footwear repair man. In this case, the 

 goods are cured in an air-tight chamber under a very consider- 

 able pressure of gas. The air inside of the boot is also pumped 

 out by vacuum, and thus the gas surrounding the outside acts not 

 only as a mold compressing the parts tightly, but carries the heal 

 into the rubber rapidly, and thus vulcanization is quickly per- 

 formed. The goods made by the pressure cure are not necessarily 

 compounded with litharge, as are those by the dry-heat cure. In 

 fact, the stocks from which they are made are very similar to 

 those from which tires are built. This is why tire repair mate- 

 rial is so useful, particularly with pressure-cured goods. This 

 does not mean that many of the repair materials cannot be used 

 in dry-heat repairing. 



THE FOOTWEIAR REPAIR UNIT 



Tlie state of the art of shoe repairing is such that the repair 

 corner is quite likely to be dark, crowded and confused. In other 

 (vords, the business of tire repairing is of so much more import- 

 ance that it is given, not only the best position in the shop, but 



Window Window 



Window Win do w 



L.\Y-OuT OF A Rubber Footwear Repair Shop 



altogether the best organization. That is why the shoe-repair 

 unit is apt to consist of one vulcanizer .set up against a wall in a 

 dark corner, a single shelf crowded with clippings, scraps, tools, 

 empty cement jugs and a great variety of things, confusing rather 

 than helpful. Of course, in time this will correct itself. There 

 will be racks if repair stock is used in the roll, shelves or draw- 

 ers if used on a small scale ; covered bins for all types of un- 

 vulcanized scrap, each plainly labeled; the presses will be so 

 placed that there is plenty of room to get around them, and the 

 lighting will be perfect ; work tables will be zinc covered, 

 equipped with places for tools within easy reach ; the tools will 

 be stamped with the name of the department to keep the tire men 

 from borrowing, and the whole so arranged that the work moves 

 continuously without any sort of double handling. This, of 

 course, would call for pigeon-holes or hanger.s for tagged goods 

 that are to be repaired, and similar arrangements for goods that 

 have been repaired. Incidentally, referring to bins, a very excel- 

 lent thing is to have a covered tin can for cement scraps. Speak- 

 ing of cement, unvulcanized scraps and cement scraps can be 

 dissolved in naphtha and used for ordinary work. For mixing 

 small amounts a small can, with a hand stirrer, is all that is 

 necessary. It should be remembered, however, that cement should 

 be stirred thoroughly before use, as the heavier compounding 

 ingredients and the sulphur will often settle and be at the bottom, 

 in which event the cement used from the top would not vulcanize. 

 No matter where the shoe repair department is placed, it should 



be very thoroughly ventilated. It will be found that the work 

 goes on much more smoothly and much more work is turned out 

 if this is the case. It should also be equipped with fire extin- 

 guishers, as should any room where either cement or naphtha is 



Gaiter — Before and After Repairing 



used. A very excellent precaution against the spread of fire, if 

 one has plenty of steam, is a steam-pipe that will enable live 

 steam to be turned upon flames as an extinguisher. 



COLD CURE PATCHING 



By means of suitable facilities for exerting pressure over the 

 repaired area it is feasible to mend punctures, cuts, tears and 

 chafed spots on ordinary rubber boots and shoes, or even to apply 

 new soles by this method. In making a cold-cure repair, cured 

 patching material should be used. The patching stock and spot 

 to be repaired are prepared in the same way as for patching an 

 inner tube, namely, by cleaning with naphtha the surfaces that 

 are to be united, roughing them with sand paper and applying to 

 each a couple of coats of heavy pure gum cement. When the 

 cement is thoroughly dry the cemented surfaces are thoroughly 

 wet with curing acid and promptly brought together under pres- 

 sure over the entire area of the patch, and so held until the cure 

 is complete, say for 15 minutes. 



The illustration shows a convenient clamping arrangement de- 

 signed for cold-cure shoe repairing, in which the shoe is held 

 on a removable last and the patch is held firmly in contact during 

 the cure under an iron pad held by the elastic force of a spring, 

 upon which pressure is exerted by a screw and hand-wheel. The 

 latter is adjustable to any position within the range permitted 

 by the slotted way in the top arm of the holder. 



This particular device was patented in 1906 by A. S. Bowley. 

 The essential pressure to ensure a firmly attached cold-cure patch 



The Bowley Cold-Cure Press 



may be secured in a variety of ways. The principle having been 

 shown the resourceful repair man will easily find the means to 

 meet the working conditions as they arise in practice. 



How DO YOU WASH YOUR C.\R ? WaTER THAT SEEPS DOWN BETWEEN 



rims and tires quickly rusts neglected rims and destroys tubes, 

 flaps and even the beads or edges of the tire. Use stove polish, 

 nickel paint or graphite to overcome this condition. This also 

 prevents the tire from creeping by giving it a firmer hold on the 

 rim. — Miller Xcti'S Service. 



