Formation of flexible, Elastic Tubes, 1 53 



Art. XXII. — Formation of flexible, elastic tubes ^ hy Mr. 

 Thomas Skidmore. 



for the journal of science. 



Mr. Editor, \ 



I HAVE lately had occasion, in the practice of the arts, to 

 make use in a modified manner, of the compound blow, 

 pipe of Hare, supplied with oxjgen and hydrogen gases ; 

 and in doing so, have been compelled to seek for some ma- 

 terial of which I could make a tlexible elastic hose or tube, 

 indispensable to my operations. 



Leather in various ways, was used without success. 

 The intestine of the hog, and the bullock — in their natural 

 state, answered a tolerable purpose, for a short time, bu,t 

 they soon cracked and exhibited fissures, through which 

 the gasses escaped very fast — and on being tanned with an 

 infusion of sumach, became very porous, notwithstanding 

 they were surcharged with oils, tallow, &c. 



At last I imagined that caoutchouc, or India rubber, 

 might be employed with a prospect of success ; and as 1 

 obtained it, I trust it may possibly be of some importance 

 to some of your readers, to be made acquainted with the 

 process, I pursued in its manufacture^ — the detail of which 

 follows and is at your disposal. 



I caused small iron wire to be coiled spirally around a 

 cylindrical rod of iron, as close as it could be laid, of the 

 length, in one instance of twelve ieet. The extremities 

 of this spiral coil were then made fast to the rod, (after 

 having been once loosened from it) in manner, such, that, 

 in the subsequent operations, the convolutions of the wire 

 should remain in contact with each other. Over this spiral 

 coil was wound in a similar manner, a covering of tape, 

 ferreting, or other fabric, so as to completely invest it, and, 

 in a process which is shortly to follow, to prevent the in- 

 trusion of the gum to be used, into the cavity of the spiral 

 coil before mentioned. 



The rubber is now taken, I mean such kind of it as is 

 sold in the form of bottles, and cut into long, narrow strips, 

 like carpet rags. This is best effected by cutting them orig- 

 inally into two equal parts, and then reducing them, as 

 near as may be, into the shape of a circular plate, with a 

 pair of sharp tailor's shears, which succeeds in such case^ 



Vol. V No. I. 20 



