THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[JiNE 1, 1920. 



New Machines and Appliances. 



THE MATHERN TIRE MAKING MACHINE. 



ALTHOUGH European mamitactiiicrs are familiar with the 

 pneumatic tire-building machine here shown, it is not gen- 

 erally known in this country. For fourteen years it has 

 been in use abroad where 450 machines arc successfully operat- 

 ing. The machine possesses many admirable features to recom- 



The M.^thern Tire Builder. 



mend it, particularly to the smaller tire manufacturers. It will 

 be remembered that this machine was a silent, yet important wit- 

 ness, in the litigation recorded in The India Rubber World, 

 January 1, 1919, concerning basic tire machine patents. 



A salient feature is the automatic building of the carcass from 

 a continuous fabric strip, and without stopping the machine, there- 

 by insuring regularity oi stretch. The strips of frictioned fabric 

 are delivered to the core from the fabric roller located in front 

 of the tension drum and the liner is wound up on the roller 

 beneath. The plies are rolled down by a series of stitcher roll- 

 ers mounted on levers contained in a roll-box which, when ad- 

 justed to the core, automatically completes the rolling-down op- 

 eration. Positive tension is obtained by a small convex drum, 

 positioned between the fabric roller and the core, and correctly 

 proportioned to the size of tire under construction. 

 Located between this drum and the core is the bridge 

 for guiding the fabric. 



There are two bead rings; one is placed behind the 

 core and the other in front, being provided with pins 

 and hooks which insure centering of the beads. The 

 bead rollers are mounted on a pivoted hinge that brings 

 them in position over the core when required and re- 

 moves them when the bead setting is accomplished. 

 When all the plies are laid under and over the beads 

 the canvas edges are accurately trimmed by a special 

 cutting device. 



All sizes of tires from 2^. to 5 inches can be built 

 on this machine by changing a few accessories, and 80 

 tires per day of 10 hours may be produced by an 

 operator of ordinary skill. (A. Mathern, Zollikow- 

 Zurich, Switzerland. L. J. Broche, 889 Stutz street, 

 Akron, Ohio, United States agent.) 



cause of the increasing cost and the possible diminution in the 

 supply of solvent naphtha. As the demand for cord tires con- 

 tinues unabated, the consumption of impregnated fabric will in- 

 crease accordingly and result in a greater demand for spreader 

 solvent, therefore, the following description nf a niclhod for 

 saving solvent is timely : 



In this system no oxygen comes into contact with the solvent 

 \apors and therefore there is obviously no possibility of fire or 

 explosion. This is accomplished by enclosing the entire operation 

 in a gas-proof housing and circulating within ihe housing flue 

 gas which is composed almost entirely of nitrogen and carbon 

 dioxide. Moreover, the method is not limited by physical con- 

 ditions, for the relation of the solvent vapors to the drying gases 

 can be made to suit the best drying conditions, and, due to the 

 lack of danger in handling the vapors, it is possible to manipu- 

 late them in such a way as to obtain maximum recovery. 



The impregnation or spreading operation is continuous as it 

 is possible to sew a new roll of fabric to the one being im- 

 pregnated. There is no danger in stopping and starting the 

 machine. To get the machine into operation flue gas is forced 

 through the cycle until all the air is swept out. When it is 

 necessary to discontinue operation the flow of flue gas is main- 

 tained until all of the solvent has been swept from the system, 

 when air is substituted, thus making it possible to open up the 

 machinery for the cleaning operations which are always neces- 

 sary in impregnating and spreading. 



For small manufacturers of cord tires an impregnator is 

 recommended that will give a maximum production of 900 square 

 yards of cord fabric per hour. As soon as the plant is using 

 100 gallons of solvent per day the recovery plant should be at- 

 tached to this impregnator. The recovery plant furnished for 

 this production is such that with the substitution of a larger 

 compressor and condenser it may be arranged to take care of 

 any amount of solvent up to the maximum capacity of the im- 

 pregnator. 



Referring to the illustration, flue gas from the two producers, 

 2, 2, after being cooled and washed in 3 and 4A. is passed into the 

 impregnator housing 5. The resulting mixture of flue gas and 

 solvent vapor is drawn out of this housing and passed through 

 the forecooler &A. at approximately atmospheric pressure. It 

 is tlien compressed and passed through the intercooler 8H. It 



SOLVENT RECOVERY SYSTEM. 



The recovery of inflammable and explosive solvents 

 largely used in the rubber industry is interesting be- 



To Solvzirf Sforagg. 



DiAGR.vM Showing Operation of the Lewis Sol\-ent 

 Recovery System. 



