GERMANS AND THEIR RUBBER FAMINE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3059, 21 April 1917, Page 12

GERMANS AND THEIR RUBBER FAMINE

SUBSTITUTES' ON THE MARKET. The scarcity of rubber and the partial commandeering of rubber bicycle tires have caused a number: of substitutes to appear on the German market, says tho "Scientific American." The substances used aro steel wire,, leather, wood, prepared canvas, and combinations of these substances. Cyclists will be interested to learn to wbat straits the German cyclists are put to to replace their pneumatics. Tho first substitute to appear was a tire made of steel wire, about 3-16 th inches thick, which was made up into a very close coil, the two ends being! welded together so as to givo it the proper shape. Besides tho fact that the- price is high, tho steel coil wire has the additional objection that H cuts into the pavements and rattles considerably when in use. The ■ latter objection might bo overcome, it is said, by plac-' ing a layer of felt betweeh the rim and tho tire, but this would increase tho price. Wooden tires have bron used with some success.- At least three different types, of which wood is tho main part, are sold in Germany. In a few cases the tires are made of a single piece of wood.

Sectional wooden tires also have appeared on the market. - One of those is composed of 47 parts. These ore 12 wooden tire sections of three different kinds, 12 tin plates, 12 screws, 70 connecting-pins, and a thumb screw. The tin plates are used to secure the sections to the rim, which must be of metal; the screws to attach the tin places to the ends of the sections; the connecting pins to hold the section together, and the thumb screws to put through the valve-hole in the rim, anil thus tends to attach tho tij-e more ftrmly to the rim. In order to give satisfaction shock absorbers in the form of steel springs must be attached to the fork of the front wheel when wooden tires are' fitted. A third wooden tire which is extensively advertised is 'said not to bo meeting with great success on account of the prico. This is made of one piece of wood,.the outer .surface of wliioli is covered wilh a small strip of leather. Between the under surface of tho tire and the rim several steel springs are placed, with a view to securing elasticity.

In addition to this, large steel springs are attached to tho front and back forks. The cost of this outfit, including the two tires and the large springs, is about 3os. Several leathercovered and canvas-covered tires also are on the market. These are solid, tho outer casings being of leather or prepared canvas, and the inner part consHsi'ing of wood and nl>her substances. To make the' tire more durable sh'iill pieces of steel sro* cftea affixed to the outer or v.eariujz surface. The pnoes for products of this class vary. One fairly <rood leather-covered tire retails at 475. od., mid Knottier at Sfls. fid. The lire that is said to have the. sh-oiiftent claim to licing a real (substitute. f«r the rubber article is coinof two parts, corresponding to the former inner and outer tires. The inner part, which is most important, is solid mid is covered with cloth made info the_ shape of r. tire. The tubn is TiR-il, with s preparation resembling rubber. The outer tube is composed of i>repar»d canvas, and is said to have very gone? elasticity, so tbnt it can be rsnd without springs al either of the forks. The price for a net of these tiros is 51s. Gd. This will doubtless tend 1.0 restrict, their use. Tho must practical tire from the_ point e-f view of both price and service seems to be the sectional wooden tire.