256 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[May I. ig 



PERSONAL 

 MENTION. 



Mineral Point, Missouri, and Kansas contain varying amounts 

 of lead which would be disastrous for their use in white rubber 

 goods. It is generally supposed in England that even the best 

 zinc oxide made direct from the ore is inferior to the Belgian 

 oxide for rubber work, and it would be interesting to know how 

 this compares with the best New Jersey oxide. With regard 

 to sublimed lead, which I believe is largely used in American 

 rubber works, the average composition is stated to be 75 per 

 cent, lead sulphate, 20 per cent, lead oxide, and 5 per cent, zinc 

 oxide. Shellac, it appears, is nearly always more or less adul- 

 terated with rosin before it leaves India, 30 per cent, being a 

 not uncommon amount, though in connection with this point I 

 understand that an addition of i or 2 per cent, is a necessity 

 in order to raise the melting point so as to prevent it "blocking" 

 in transit. Lithophone we know well on this side, but ponolith 

 has a novel sound about it ; they both have much the same com- 

 position, however — viz. : zinc sulphide 28 per cent., barium 69 

 per cent., with a little zinc oxide, etc. Emphasis is laid on the 

 somewhat loose nomenclature associated with the various blacks, 

 and the superiority of calcined lampblack over the best carbon 

 black is pointed out. This of course from a painter's point of 

 view, but the matter is not without its significance to the rubber 

 manufacturer, who does not always discriminate closely between 

 the black.s of?'ered him by the dealer. 



Mr. p. Carter Bell, whose name needs no further particular- 

 izing to the ."American rubber trade, has been in England re- 

 cently, and in connection with certain 

 business matters he has visited various 

 rubber works in England, Scotland, and 

 France. His father, Mr. J. Carter Bell, lives in Manchester, 

 being the public analyst for Cheshire and various boroughs. 



Mr. Waddy, whose training was gained in the Manchester 

 district, is now chemist at Messrs. Spencer MouHon & Co.'s 

 works at Bradford-on-Avon. 



Mr. Coutts, for many j'ears manager at the Irwell and East 

 ern Rubber Works, has retired from active participation, owing 

 to considerations of health, though he attends at the works on 

 special occasions. His former position is now occupied by Mr. 

 J. Gillson Tinto, a son of the managing director, who is now 

 chairman of the India Rubber Manufacturers' Association. 



Dr. W. R. .\rmandy, D.sc, whose name has appeared more 

 than once recently in connection with tires, holds a scientific 

 post at the large soap works of Messrs. Crosfield at Warrington. 

 Formerly, however, he was chemist at the adjoining rubber 

 works, which is at present known as the St. Helens Cable and 

 Rubber Co. 



Mr. S. T. Rowe, who was for many years with Messrs. 

 Charles Macintosh & Co., Limited, leaving them to take up 

 the position of manager of the proofing department at Messrs. 

 I. Frankenburg & Sons, Limited, is now a director of the latter 

 company. 



Robert Walmsley, a pensioner of Messrs. Charles Macintosh 

 & Co., Limited, in whose service he had been for a number of 

 years, died recently. His name is known in connection with 

 spreading machines, the double deck double ended machine 

 patented by Rowley and Walmsley in 1887 being an improvement 

 on a previous double deck machine patented by Walmsley and 

 worked by him at the Macintosh works. 



A CARD FROM MR. COOPER 



■ I ■ O THE Editor of The India Rubber World: I notice in your 

 ■^ issue of February i (page 143), jnder the heading of "The 

 India-Rubber Trade in Great Britain," a sub paragraph re- 

 ferring to the Dermatine Co., Limited, in which it is mentioned 

 that I have left the Dermatine Co. and have joined the Motor 

 and General Rubber Co., of London and Harpenden. 



I would point out that the correct style of my present firm is 

 the Xew Motor and General Rubber Co., Limited, and that my 



father, the late John Cooper, was never general manager of the 

 Dermatine Co., being manager and secretary of the company, 

 since 1888, afterwards being appointed managing director, which 

 position he held at the time of his death. After his death, his 

 duties were divided between Mr. Hart, who was appointed gen- 

 eral manager, and Mr. Webb, managing director. 



I remained in their employ for about a year after my father's 

 death, as one of their representatives, but left of my own accord 

 a year ago, to take up a position here as general manager. Yours 

 faithfully. John cooper. 



Harpenden, Herts, England, February 14. 1908. 



NEW FEATURE IN BRITISH PATENT LAW. 



■ I 'HE new patent and design act which went into effect in 

 *■ Great Britain and Ireland on January I, 1908, appears to 

 have altered very greatly the position of any foreigner apply- 

 ing for a patent in the United Kingdom. Not that the foreigner 

 stands upon a different footing in applying for a patent from a 

 British subpect, but a new regulation appears in paragraph 27, 

 the first part of which follows : 



"At any time not less than four years after the date of a 

 patent and not less than one year after the passing of this act, 

 any person may apply to the comptroller for the revocation of 

 the patent on the ground that the patented article or process 

 is manufactured or carried on exclusively or mainly outside 

 the United Kingdom." 



Any decision of the comptroller under this section shall be 

 subject to appeal to the courts, but it clearly is the purpose and 

 intent of the new law that the compulsory working within 

 British territory of all British patents shall result. The Dublin 

 Chronicle is quoted as saying, at the end of January : "The new 

 patent act in a month's time has found additional work for 

 nearly 2,000 people, and before the end of 1908 it is estimated 

 that quite 10,000 British workmen will be employed as the direct 

 consequence of this particular piece of legislation." 



Daily Consular and Trade Reports (Washington) intimates 

 that American and German firms are arranging already to es- 

 tablish factories in Great Britain in order to hold their patents. 

 It points out further that the new regulation virtually prevents 

 the patenting in Great Britain of small improvements on any 

 foreign made machines now being sold in that country. 



FIRE HOSE CONDITIONS IN BOSTON. 



""THE various municipal departments of Boston recently have 

 •'■ been investigated by a special Finance Commission, under 

 the chairmanship of Nathan Matthews. As one result, a separate 

 communication was made to the mayor and city council relating 

 to the fire department, in which is embraced this, in connection 

 with other recommendations : 



"Tests, at least once a year, should be made of all appliances 

 subject to deterioration, particularly of hose. No such general 

 test has been made within the last eighteen months. One is now 

 being made at the suggestion of the commission. Hose is 

 bought on a five year guarantee, and there is no reason to doubt 

 that most of that used by the department is in good condition; 

 but in view of the reports of the recent experience of New 

 York, frequent tests are necessary." 



."Another paragraph of the report follows : "In the purchase 

 of supplies there is no public competition by advertisement. 

 Large quantities of various articles are purchased upon bids 

 invited from chosen dealers. The fire commissioner believes 

 that he secures good results by this method, but this commis- 

 sion has already criticized and condemned the practice in other 

 departments and has no reason to believe that there should be 

 any different rule here." 



It might be mentioned that Boston at least has not yet had 

 anv "rotten hose" ■scandal. 



