RUBBER FLOORING

Evening Star, Issue 19843, 17 April 1928, Page 2

RUBBER FLOORING

NEW FEATURE FOR THE HOWBE The manufacture of rubber floor coverings at prices and in patterns that bring them within reach of the average householder is the latest chapter in what may reasonably be termed a romantic industry.

In the development of every primary product adventure, history, and romance are associated, but of the rubber industry this is particularly true. A long and fascinating history anight be written. Briefly, rubber was discovered on the banks of the Amazon. Brazilian Indians collected the 11 milk ” of what was then known as tho Seringa tree, and made rough ornaments, after haying treated it with smoko to give it solidity and plasticity. One of rhe,se ornaments is in tho Britisli Museum in London, its age being set down at approximate! v 200 years.

Little or no notice, however, was taken of the substance,- and it was certainly not put to any commercial use until tho beginning of the nineteenth century. By this time various experiments were being made in the application of rubber to shoes, bottles, and toys, but these articles were made of raw rubber, as distinct from the vulcanised product of modern times, and were very susceptible to heat and cold, were easily damaged, and possessed little durability.

Somewhere about 1820 in England Mackintosh applied rubber to cloth fabrics for waterproofing purposes with considerable success, little dreaming his name would be applied to practically all waterproofed coats for generations to come. Other articles attempted about this time were not very successful, but experimentation wefit on continuously. An American named Charles Goodj’ear had for years been carrying on tests with the raw article with the idea of “hardening” it, so that while still retaining its elasticity it would give long wearing results. After many disappointments Goodyear achieved his end by chance. It is_ on record that ha accidentally left a. piece of rubber, in which he had mixed .sulphur, on the top of a kitchen range. His surprise can be imagined when after some time had elapsed, ho found that, whilst the top side was still in a raw condition, the underneath surface, which had been in direct contact with the hot stove, had undergone a complete chemical change, and had given him exactly what ho bad been searching for. This was really the beginning of what is now known as vulcanisation, which is really nothing more nor loss than cooking. Whilst Goodyear is generally accredited with the invention of vulcanisation, it is on record that some years prior to his discovery an Oxford I, Diversity professor had arrived at exactly the same results by applying heat, to a mixture of rubber and sulphur as Goodyear had done, but, although at the time he showed it to various p"ople. it was considered of no commercial interest.

Each year saw marker! improvement in production, until co-day through years of scientific research the mes of vulcanised rubber are illimitable.

By no means tbo least interesting of recent developments was that of rubber flooring. Experiments were made some thirty or forty yours ago with pavements; footpaths, and latterly with roads In one particular instance, when the pavement had been laid for some twenty years, it was taken up, and the wear was found to have been negligible. The peculiarity of this particular experiment was that some tqu years after it was put down it started to “sag" in parts, and, although the rubber was blamed for this, it was found on its being taken up that the concrete base on which it rested had actually pul-

verised underneath, the rubber itself | remaining exactly as it was. Gradually rubber flooriig started to appear in ships, banking chambers etc., with really wonderful results so far as wearing qualities went. This class of business 'then extended to offices, passages in public buildings, etc., but it was still an expensive covering. During the past few years, however, rubber companies have turned their attention to a flooring of lighter material ior use in the home, and to-day we find all kinds of designs in practically every colour at a price which >s little more than good class coverings of other materials. These rubber carpetings are easily the most economical in the long nm," as they are practically everlasting. can be laid and relaid indefinitely when the householder changes bis domicile without losing its freshness. From a hygienic point of view its advantage's "a re undoubted, for it is absolutely vermin-proof.—D. M. Davidson, in the ‘Australian Home Beautiful.’