316 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[March 1, 1917. 



SAVING AND RECOVERING SOLVENTS. 



A T the close of the first instalment of his article 

 ■*^ on rubber solvents, elsewhere in this issue, Lo- 

 thar E. Weber, Ph. D., touches upon the timely and 

 preg^nant subject of profitable solvent recovery, point- 

 ing out several of its advantages, difficulties and es- 

 sentials. The prevailing high prices of gasolene and 

 naphtha have stimulated interest to a remarkable de- 

 gree of late in devices for both saving and recovery, 

 and inquiries regarding processes and apparatus are 

 of frequent occurrence. 



The initial move in saving is at the storage plant, 

 where tanks, pipes and faucets should be as tight as 

 possible. Vessels used to carry the solvent should al- 

 ways have covers. More important, however, is that 

 muddlers and mixers of all sorts should be closed 

 when a batch is being put into solution. When fin- 

 ished it -should be drained ofif into covered cans. 



In ordinarj^spreading the solvent is evaporated as 

 soon as possible, and lost. The beginning of solvent 

 "recovery is an exhaust hood hung over the spreader 

 that collects the naphtha fumes. These are then eas- 

 il}^ condensed by chilling, and drawn oft for further 

 utilization. 



Most of the solvent recovery mechanisms are either 

 German or English in origin, and were designed for 

 the great proofing establishments abroad. The We- 

 ber-Frankenburg, Vincent, Heinzerling and Spendle 

 are the best known. While differing in many details, 

 they do the work in much the same way. In a word, 

 the fabric, as soon as it is proofed, enters a closed 

 chamber, heat volatilizes the solvent, which is carried 

 against cold surfaces, condensing it. Drijiping from 

 thfese surfaces, it is collected in tanks, often in water, 

 drawn of¥ and stored for re-use. 



The whole apparatus is simple and one that any 

 chemical engineer can construct without difficulty. 



Of course, the idealist is just now to the fore with 

 plans to do away with solvents in rubber work ; to spread 

 by heat only, and, carrying the thought further, to heat 

 the tops of makeup tables, use hot rollers for rolling, hot 

 stitchers for stitching, etc. But as far as extensive 

 accomplishment goes that is all in the future. 



THE HOUSING OF EMPLOYES. 



ONE of the greatest progressive industrial move- 

 ments of the day is the comfortable housing of 

 employes by their employers. The general prosperity of 

 the country has made it possible, indeed imperative, be- 

 cause the refining influences of shorter working hours, 

 better wages and superior education have brought about 

 a higher standard of living which calls for expression 

 chiefly in the home. It is a noble movement for any 



great firm to identify itself with, and therefore a pleas- 

 ure to state that tlie ruliljer and allied industries are well 

 represented ; also that the end is not yet. 



But lest lliose who know little of it assume the enter- 

 prise to be purely philanthropic, its practical side should 

 be emphasized. To live like a good citizen is to become 

 one, and those firms who have made it possible for every 

 operative to do so agree that benefiting the employe like- 

 wise benefits the employer. All report a better individual 

 tone, an increased and improved mill production, a 

 marked tendency toward permanency of em])loyment. 

 and a larger spirit of cooperatioa between the operative 

 and the mill management. 



These highly desirable results are achieved at virtually 

 no ultimate expense to the finn, for it has been found 

 that most men desire to own their homes and are willing 

 to pay for them when an easy-payment plan within 

 their means presents itself. A large firm erecting many 

 cottages can build attractively and well for less money 

 than the individual can build poorly. The financial 

 standing, credit, expert advice and greater purchasing 

 power of the employer insure minimum expense and 

 afford the employe the opportunity to enjoy his house 

 while paying for it. Meanwhile the firm gets legal in- 

 terest on the investment and reaps many cumulative 

 benefits besides. As contrasted with disorganized indi- 

 vidual effort, building many houses along the lines of 

 maximum standardization in design, adaptability to the 

 application of the most economic methods of construc- 

 tion and coordination of the process of shop manufac- 

 ture efl'ect such further economies in cost as even to 

 make possible permanent fireproof construction in certain 

 localities. 



In view of the manifest importance of this subject 

 the series of articles setting forth what has already been 

 accomplished by the rubber and allied industries, which 

 begins on another page of this issue, is of timely inter- 

 est in anticipation of further spring building operations. 

 These articles are by John Barnard, a Boston architect 

 who has studied the better housing of employes from 

 its inception in England several years ago ; who has 

 visited Port Sunlight, Bourneville, Hampstead and other 

 model British garden villages, and who has a thorough 

 grasp of this industrial problem of the day and the 

 means to solve it. 



BRITISH RUBBER ASSOCIATIONS. 



I 'HAT the welfare of the British rubber trade will be 

 •■■ closely guarded from now on and particularly 

 after the war is suggested by the associations now in 

 existence. They are The Rubber Growers' Association, 

 Inc., The British Rubber Tyre Manufacturers' Asso- 

 ciation, Limited, The Rubber Trade Association of 

 London, The British Rubber Shoe Manufacturers As- 

 sociation, The Balata Belt Manufacturers' Association, 

 all of London ; and The India Rubber Manufacturers' 

 Association, Limited, of Manchester. 



