January 1, 1917.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



199 



balanced flexible coupling that will allow an adequate amount of 

 free axial movement between the two parts of the coupling. 



The illustration shows the Fawcus coupling that is designed to 

 meet the particular requirements of rubber mills and mill drives. 



will close as the cakes melt down. The balance of the operation 

 proceeds automatically, without further attention. The strength 

 of solution can be controlled by a device in connection with the 

 circulating system which may also be adjusted to suit individual 

 requirements. This device has been on the Boston market for 

 several years, but has not become generally known. It is 

 claimed to be a money saver, and it gives the works manager 

 assurance that the stock solution will be ready at a regular time 

 each day. [The Walter E. Lummus Co., Boston, Massachusetts.] 



It consists of two flanged castings machined all over, one carry- 

 ing steel pins and the other having rubber-bushed holes into 

 which the pins slide freely. The bushings are made of pure com- 

 pound and busljed with brass. 



These couplings are made of cast iron or steel, in ten' sizes, 

 constructed to transmit with safety the required horse-power. 

 [Fawcus Machine Co., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.] 



THE LUMMtTS CAUSTIC SODA DISSOLVER. 



Most concerns interested in recovering rubber by the alkali 

 process continue to dissolve caustic soda in the old-fashioned 

 way, despite all the disagreeable inconveniences and dangerous 

 work of breaking up the cakes, handling and stirring them in 

 some suitable receptacle to which steam is piped for heating 

 water. Not only can these troublesome operations be avoided, 

 but practically the entire cost of making the stock solutions of 



caustic soda may be 

 eliminated by the 

 use of the auto- 

 matic caustic soda 

 dissolver. illus- 

 trated herewith. 

 This was devised 

 by the superintend- 

 ent of a chemical 

 works who appre- 

 ciated the fact that 

 his men were often 

 laid off for a day 

 or so because of 

 caustic soda burns. 

 This dissolver 

 operates without 

 steam for heating 

 the water or power 

 for stirring. Solu- 

 tion is effected by 

 taking advantage 

 of certain proper- 

 ties of solutes, ac- 

 complishing the 

 desired result more 

 quickly than is 

 water in the old 

 dissolver is exceedingly 

 are stripped from one 



possible even with the 

 method. The operation 

 simple. The thin iron 



hot 



use of 



of the 

 drums 



or more cakes of the fused caustic, which are then rolled 

 without breaking on the grid of the hopper. The dissolver is 

 then filled with cold water to within a few inches of the curb 

 and the safety doors are inclined against the cakes so that they 



INNER TUBES MADE ON GLASS POLES AND WAXES CURED. 



In ordinary practice, an inner tube is built up by wrapping a 

 sheet of rubber stock around a mandrel, which is then placed in 

 a horizontal vulcanizer and cured in open steam. What is said 

 to be an improvement on this method, in that it produces 

 smoother tubes, consists in covering the mandrels with hard 

 rubber and vulcanizing in hot water. A variation of this is the 

 use of glass mandrels. 



The hot-water process, while not a novelty, has advantages 

 in the manufacture of certain goods, particularly inner tubes, 



where a soft, smooth finish is desired. Moreover, water curing 

 is a non-burning process. 



According to the S. & W. method illustrated here, the stock 

 is built up on glass poles and instead of the usual cloth wrapping, 

 the tubes are covered with a seamless circular woven cotton 

 jacket. The poles are then placed in a suitable tank mounted on 

 a truck, which is rolled into an ordinary horizontal vulcanizer. 

 The tank is filled with cold water, the vulcanizer head closed and 

 live steam turned into the heater until the cure is completed. 



THE BARCO FLEXIBLE JOINT. 



Vulcanizing presses of the single or multiple platen types are 

 all dependent upon swing joints or some type of universal con- 



nection in the steam supply line. 



Moreover, there are many 

 other rubber machines 

 that are operated by com- 

 pressed air or hydraulic 

 pressure where flexible 

 connections are necessary. 

 A flexible joint that will 

 permit movement of the 

 adjacent parts and at the 

 same time remain tight 

 under steam or air or 

 water pressure is interest- 

 ing. 



The joint here illustrat- 

 ed may be used wherever 

 steam, air, oil, water, 

 gasolene, and other li- 

 quids are to be conveyed 

 through a flexible or mov- 

 able conncctiun. It is particularly appreciated in manufacturing 

 operations where the service is severe and where interruption 

 in the use of the machine through defective connections is a 

 serious matter. 



