April 1. 1916.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



335 



lasts by enclosure In three-part separable molds, against the 

 interior of which they are forced by an inflating pressure of 

 air. 



3. UoicHTv's Methou. — This consists essentially of molding 

 the goods upon a metal last or core in a three-part, steam- 

 heated mold and exerting pressure on the rubber goods by 

 mechanical means. 



METiions or roNsoi.inAi'iNi; i-ootweak i'Ki:\iors to 



\II.C\NI/,.\TION. 



Two recent United States patents, having an indirect con- 

 nection with the pressure cure of rubber footwear, should 

 here be mentioned. 



The object of both is to compact the structure of the goods 

 by removing the wrinkles and interlaminated air, by fluid 

 pressure, preliminary to vulcanization. The latter may be 

 effected by any appropriate means. Both are improvements 

 on the coinnion hand r.illcr |)rocess of making rubber 

 shoes. 



Randall's apparatus consists of a device for holding boots 

 on lasts, under pressure in an adjustable, bell-shaped tank. 

 .\ pressure of 90 to 100 pounds of air is exerted upon the un- 

 vulcanized goods. This effectively solidities their structure. 



expels all contained air, and secures perfect adhesion between 

 the rubber plies and seams. 



Piper's apparatus for a similar purpose is particularly 

 adapted for the treatment of rubber shoes by either pneumatic 

 or hydraulic pressure. It is a bench machine operated by the 

 individual shoemaker and consists of a base plate to which is 

 hinged a dome-like cover; the enclosed space is large enough 

 to contain a rubber shoe on its last. The shoe rests on a 

 diaphragm secured to the edges of the lower section of the 

 base and is surrounded by another diaphragm similarly se- 

 cured to the edges of the dome or cover section. These sur- 

 rounding diaphragms have a combined internal contour 

 approximating that of the last. The diaphragm arrangement 

 is such that it is capable of handling a wide range of sizes 

 and styles of shoes. 



The process is essentially one of cold-molding the goods. 

 .Mr or hydraulic pressure is admitted back of the upper and 

 lower diaphragms which close snugly upon the shoe, com- 

 pacting the plies of unvulcanized stock and expelling the air, 

 which escapes between the edges of the shoe cavity. Subse- 

 quently the goods are vulcanized as usual by dry heat without 

 pressure. 



The Rubber Industry and the Census of 1914. 



D 



1 RECTOR S. L. Rogers of the Bureau of Census, De- 

 partment of Commerce, has sent out a preliminary 

 statement of that portion of the 1914 census of manu- 

 factures which refers to the rubber industry. This gives a 

 somewhat detailed statement of the quantities and values 

 of the various products manufactured, and is subject to such 

 changes and corrections as may be found necessary from a 

 further examination of the original reports. 



The report is a summary of statements received from 331 

 establishments. The products of 23 of these establishments 

 were rubber boots and shoes; of 18, rubber belting, hose, 

 packing, etc.; and of 290. automobile tires or casings and in- 

 ner tubes, motorcycle and bicycle tires, rubber clothing, drug- 

 gists' and stationers' sundries, and other miscellaneous rub- 

 ber goods. The products reported for 331 establishments for 

 1914 were valued at $300,251,827. At the census of 1909, 267 

 establishments were reported, with products valued at $197.- 

 394,638. The increase in value of products, therefore, was 

 $102,857,189. or 52.1 per cent. In addition, rubber products 

 to the value of $446,688 were reported in 1914 by 14 establish- 

 ments engaged primarily in other lines of manufacture but 

 which produced rubber goods as subsidiary products. 



This report is, in some respects, far more satisfactory as 

 regards details than similar reports of previous census years. 

 In those reports but three divisions were made, namely: 

 "belting and hose," "boots and shoes" and "rubber goods not 

 elsewhere specified." The output of the tire business, which 

 today represents nearly one-half the total value of manufac- 

 tures of rubber, has been in former reports lumped with all 

 other manufactures, except belting, hose and footwear. There- 

 fore no exact comparison of the growth of this branch of the 

 rubber industry is available, but it may be safely assumed 

 that the increase of 52.1 per cent in the total annual output of 

 rubber goods during the five-year period is accounted for in 

 very large part by the enormous growth of this branch of 

 the industry. There was reported the manufacture of 8,020,- 

 815 automobile tires or casings, valued at $105,671,223; of 

 7,906,993 automobile inner tubes, valued at $20,098,936; of 

 solid tires for motor and other vehicles, to the value of $13,- 

 735,681; and of 3,728,138 motorcycle, bicycle, and aeroplane 



tires, valued at $6,905,852. The total value of tires produced 

 in 1914 was $146,411,692, whicli was 48.8 per cent of the total 

 value of all kinds of rubber goods produced. 



Second in importance is the manufacture of rubber foot- 

 wear. There were manufactured during the year 4,024,486 

 pairs of boots, and 57,211.728 pairs of shoes. These totaled 

 in value $50,506,156, which is rather disappointing when com- 

 pared with the figures of the last decennial census which were 

 49.721,000. This comparison judged only by the figures, would 

 indicate an almost entire absence of progress in the rubber foot- 

 v.ear trade, but this industry is so dependent upon weather con- 

 ditions that no one year is likely to give a fair and just estimate. 

 The year 1914 was a comparatively light one, as regards rubber 

 footwear trade. Had the census given 1915 figures, the compari- 

 son would have been more favorable, and more just. 



Belting and hose were lumped together in the last decennial 

 census, the amount reported produced in 1909 being $24,729,000. 

 The value of these in 1914 is placed at $28,340,749. Packings 

 were given as worth $12,160,000 in 1909. and only $3,507,651 in 

 1914. 



The 1914 statistics are summarized as follows: 



.Number ol establishments 331 



Total value of products $300, .'51, 827 



Boots: 



Pai," 4.024,485 



^, Value $12,647,934 



Shoes: 



Pai" 57,211.728 



y alue $37,858,222 



-Automobiles- 

 Casings — 



Number 8,020,815 



\ alues . ^ $105,671,223 



Number 7,906,993 



^ ,. y--"'"", . ■ : $20,098,936 



Solid, all kinds— 



\'aluc $13,735,681 



Motorcycle .ind bicycle (including aeroplane tires) — 



N'lnil'cr 3,728,138 



„ Value $6,905,852 



Belting $7,989,405 



Hose 16,853,693 



Packing 3.507,651 



Clothing 6.396,810 



Druggists and stationers sundrieb 7,527.755 



All other manufactures of rubber 39,983,969 



Scrap and old rubber (sold or on hand) 1,297,487 



Reclaimed rubber (sold or on hand) 11,252.133 



All other products 8,525,076 



