Electric Vulcanizer with Automatic Heat Control
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ANY contribution 'made towards improved methods of repair toarticles made wholly or partly of rubber is of considerable interest at the present time, and in the Ultric vulcanizer, a product of Kautex (Plastics) Ltd., Elstree Way, Elstree, Herts, one finds a device of this class.
, Its major purpose is the sealing of damaged tyre inner tubes. No patches are used, and the resultant repair is finished off flush, both inside and outside.
Known as the MT-Electric model, the vulcanizer consists,
essentially, .of an electrical'y heated platen which measures lak ins. by 6i ins. It is in the form of a box casting so designed that, whilst the heat-is distributed uniformly over tbe whole vulcanizing surface, the underside is suitably channelled to accommodate all types of valve.
The heating agents consist of two Bray Chromalox a. c. elements, so fixed as to -be in intimate contact With the under surface of the platen.
, A full-output load of i-kilowatt is given. as the consumption figure, temperature control being by a McLaren nonmagnetic, automatic unit,. working within a close temperas ture range.
Pressure on the article being vulcanized is maintained by a robust clamp, which is arranged midway in the length of the platen, its screw being i• in. diameter, with a 2i-in. hand-wheel; the end of. the screw is suitably shaped to engage the Inoulds and pressure plates.
Valve-seating repair, as is well known, presents difficulties not associated With other forms of tube sealing and, in the apparatus under review, special attention has been given to this feature. All kinds of tyre valve can be dealt. with including the bent, double-bent, straight and rubber-neck types.
As the temperature control is automatic, the operative has little to worry about.
It is claimed that a tube repaired with the aid of this vulcanizer is as strong in the area of the repair as the tube itself, whilst its degree of elasticity is not, in any way, impaired.