At the beginning of 19 Century, textile industry had much progress further than the rubber industry.  Therefore, it’s found that, the research studied for the used of forest rubber during the past period had depended on the clothes from textile industry as component to make the mold.  Either to make the waterproof coat or elastic cloth or the rubber air-tub, etc.  Therefore, the world first rubber industrial factory which belonged to Englishman, Thomas Hancock which had established in 1820 and the 2nd factory which belonged to Scottish, the Macintosh in 1823 which had produced waterproof coat that had used clothes from textile industry.

Even though both factories had produced the same products but using the different technique.  Charles Macintosh had used coal oil to melt rubber into solution and then using 2 sheets of clothes to cover both sides to allow solution in the middle.  Thomas Hancock had used the grinding and kneading machine to grind to soften before melting and pressing into sheet’s texture, and then cutting to make working pieces afterward, such as kneepad, gloves and belt, etc.

Even though both factories’ productions had quality problem, i.e. when using for a long time, if the weather had turned cold, it would become hard and fragile or if the weather were hot then it would turn into sludge and melted.  But the invention of Hancock’s grinding and kneading machine was considered as the revolution for rubber industry, because the grinding and kneading machine was the 2 rolls kneading machine which was the origin of the kneading and mixing machine either the internal or external mixing machine and it’s also sparkling the idea to create crape grinding machine that’s used in the factory to produce Block rubber at later time.  Even the raw rubber sheet-kneading machine, which had been used these days also, had the origin from Thomas Hancock’s kneading machine as well.  Therefore, the grinding & kneading machine had become the all purposed machine for cutting, kneading into sheet, or mixing various rubber types into one texture, by appropriately adjusting the roll interval and the speeding revolution ratio of the roller between the front and the back roller.

Rubber which had been through the kneading machine for many times would become hot and softened, so it would be easily pressed into the mold and when it’s been soaked in the solution, it would melt faster.  Therefore, Thomas Hancock’s kneading machine was considered as prototype machine that had originated to other machines, which were being used in almost all kinds of industry.  Either in rubber product industry or even the raw rubber industry at present.

Later in 1836, Edwin Chaffe, an America had successfully continued the Hancock’s invention by connecting the heat wave into the mixing machine and knead-coating machine to soften rubber to become slice-film faster, resulted in waterproof coat processing to have high efficiency, but problem on quality still remained as before,  Until around 1838-44, Thomas Handcock and Charles Goodyear had successfully discovered the vulcanization method, by grinding and mixing with sulfate powder and zinc oxide into the rubber texture and then pressed with the heat under high pressure.

From soft working pieces would become new pieces with strong and tough, either in any temperature, hot or cold, however, the cured rubber still maintain the original condition.  Therefore, the unsolved problem on broken or fragile when cold and sludge when hot for many years had been solved.  When problem on quality had been solved, the rubber industry in Europe & America had expanded very quickly. 

The Dam is full of water up to the top, once opens the dam, everything is flowing smoothly without interruption!

Therefore, Rubber Industrial Historian had taken the day of Thomas Hancock and Charles Goodyear’s method finding to cure rubber as the starting date for the world’s rubber industrial era and again in this day, was the day that human had started to learn the method to cultivate forest rubber tree, because, the existing forest rubber trees hadn’t got enough for sales, whatever the volume, how expensive, it’s all sold out.

Not long after the discovery of rubber curing method, there had been discovered the method to produce Ebonite which had similar method to making cured rubber, only to use more of sulfate powder and to use higher heat temperature.  Ebonite is solid rubber like plywood or concrete sheet but lighter in weight, no toxic sustained from acid and alkaline and also insulated to heat and electricity.  So, it’s suitable to use in making household appliance, product tanks, battery shell and heat insulator, etc.  Many of expensive brand name fountain pens are also made from ebonite.

Luck’s still with rich man side again, i.e. in 1846 Andrew Parkes, an Englishman has successfully discovered the curing method under normal condition by dipping the working piece in the sulfur chloride solution instead of pressing with heat.  Even though it could use with only small object but it was much convenience and faster than pressing with heat method.  It’s the initial point of creating rubber product industry that has small sizes we have used at present.

In 1846, Thomas Hancock was able to successfully invent solid tyre for Queen Victoria’s horse cart.  It was considered as the starting point for rubber tyre industry that we have used at present.  Therefore, after discovered the curing process or approx. in mid 19th century, there’s new rubber products being produced as seen in the Rubber Products Expo in London, 1851 and in Paris 1855.  Most of the products were household furniture made from Ebonite, odorless rubber raincoat, elastic cloth, solid tyres, rubber shoes and air mattress, etc.