SCARCITY OF RUBBER.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 April 1917, Page 7

SCARCITY OF RUBBER.

HOW IT AFFECTS GERMANY. SOME NEW INVENTIONS, The scarcity of rubber and the partial commandeering of rubber bicycle tyres have caused a number of substitutes to appear on the German market, says the Scientific American. The substances used are steel, wire, leather, wood, prepared canvas, and combinations of these substances. Cyclists in this country will be interested to learn to what atraits the German cyclists are put to replace their pneumatics. The first substitute to appear was a tyie made of ateel wire, aTSout three-sixteenths of an inch thick, which was made up into a very flose coil, the two ends being welded together so as to give it the proper ehapfe. Besides the fact that i'lt price Is high, the steel-coil wire has the additional objection that it cuts into the .pavement* find rattles considerably jrfegn iq Wf- The latter objection

might be overcome, it is said, by placing a layer of felt between the rim and tlie tyre, but this would increase the price. Wooden tyres have been used with some success. At least three different tyres of which wood is 'the main part are sold in Germany. In a few cases the tyres are made of a single piece of wood. Sectional wooden tyres also have appeared on the market. One of these is composed of 47 parts. These are 12 wooden tyre-sections of three different kinds, 12 tin plates, 12 screws, 10 connecting pins, and a thumbscrew. The tin plates are used to secure the sections to the rim> which must be of metal; the screws to attach the tin plates to the ends of the sections; the connecting pins to hold the sections together. and the thumbscrews to put through the valve hole in the rim and thus tend to attach the tyre more firmly to the rim. In order to give satisfaction, shock absorbers in the form of steel spring* must be attached to the fork of the front wheel when wooden tyres are fited. A third wooden tyre which is extensively advertised is said not to be meeting with great succ&s on account of the price. This is made of one piece of wood, the outer surface of which is covered with a small strip of leather. Between the under surface of the tyre and the rim several steel springs are placed with a view to securing elasticity. In addition to this large steel springs are attached to the front and back forks. Several' leather-covered and canvas-cov-ered tyres also are on the market. These are solid, the .outer casings being of leather or prepared canvas, and the inner part consisting of wood and other substances; To make the tyre more durable 'small pieces of steel are often affixed'to the outer or wearing surface. The prices for products of this class vary. The tyre that is said to have ■the strongest claim to being a real substitute for the rubber article is composed of two parts, corresponding to tho former inner and outer tyres. The Inner part, which is most important, is solid and is covered with cloth.made into the shape of a tyre. The tube is filled with a preparation resembling rubber. The outer tube is composed of prepared canvas is snid to have very good elasticity, so that it can be used without springs, at either of the forks. The most practical tyre, from the point of view of both price and service, seems to be the sectional wooden tyre.