Charles Goodyear and Vulcanisation/Vulcanization

Charles Goodyear Book

Charles Goodyear (Born 1800 - Died 1860)

Charles Goodyear was born in New Haven, Connecticut. He invented the process of the vulcanization of rubber - patenting the process in 1844 after spending many years perfecting the process.

Goodyear triumphs over adversity

He was imprisoned many times for bad debts incurred due to his investment in his inventions. In the end, his invention of vulcanized rubber is one of the most important inventions of our modern economy, vital for the transport industry in the form of rubber tyres for vehicles.

Roxbury Rubber Company

Goodyear worked with the owners of the Roxbury Rubber Company (read Scientific American no. 787, Jan 31, 1891) to perfect their rubber products to prevent them from decaying after being sold. This led to his invention of the vulcanisation process.

Charles Goodyear Books

Trials of an Inventor: Life and Discoveries of Charles Goodyear (1866)

Noble Obsession: Charles Goodyear, Thomas Hancock and the Race to Unlock the Greatest Industrial Secret of the Nineteenth Century

Charles Goodyear, Connecticut Yankee and Rubber Pioneer: A Biography

Tears of the Tree: The Story of Rubber - A Modern Marvel

Rubber boots

Karrimor Unisex Rubber Wellington Boots	Hunter Unisex Original Tall Wellies	New Ladies Mid Calf Wellies Womens Wellington Boots Sizes 3-8	Ladies Black White Dot Wellington Boots - Womens Sizes 4-8
New! Ladies Black Wellies Cardi Wellington Boots Sizes 3-8	Camper Women's Spiral Boot 45642	Blizzard Men's Rubber Wellingtons - Green

Goodyear Motor Company

Rubber tyre from Goodyear Tyre Co

The Goodyear Motor Company named itself in honour of Charles Goodyear. See here for more information on the rubber tire. Note: Spelling of Tire is US, Tyre in UK. Although natural rubber is often replaced with synthetic rubber in modern tyres, Charles Goodyear made a profound impact on the economy of the world with his invention of vulcanized rubber. Almost as important as the invention of the wheel itself, is the rubber to go around it. Without rubber tyres, planes couldn't land and the transport system would be running on metal or wooden wheels.

Vulcanisation

Fake Rubber Plant - 150cm tall

Vulcanisation (British spelling) or Vulcanization (American spelling) is the process of converting latex (from a rubber tree - Hevea brasiliensis) into the useful substance which we call rubber; useful for products like Wellington Boots (Rubber Boots), tyres for vehicles, and erasers for pencils. The process of vulcanisation involves the application of a combination of heat and sulphur in specific proportions to a latex base mixture. The purpose of vulcanisation is to prevent or slow down the natural decay of rubber.

Examples of rubber products

Here some examples of everyday products made from rubber. If it weren't for Charles Goodyear's invention of vulcanisation many of these useful daily gadgets and products would not exist today.

Rubber for children's toys: Rubber duck	5 x heavy duty rubber doorstops	Rubber tracks for toys and machines	Rubber Washing Up Bowl
Red Spotty Rubber Washing Up Gloves	Wanted Rubber Boot with High Heel	Blue Stripe Coir Rubber Backed Door Mat Rug	Universal Rubber Car Body And Bumper Protectors (Pair)

Who invented rubber Wellington boots?

No single person was responsible for the invention of rubber Wellington Boots. Goodyear was responsible for creating the process that produced the first rubber that made the manufacture of rubber Wellington boots possible. The Duke of Wellington designed the Wellington Boot (although not called the Wellington boot at the time) for his soldiers for the Battle of Waterloo, in 1815, fighting against Napoleon. The distinguishing feature of the Wellington Boot was the low-cut heels and the calf-high tops. The Duke of Wellington, defeated Napoleon at Waterloo, and in the wake of this victory and his ensuing popularity, Wellington boots became popular, originally made in hessian, but later made in rubber. The hessian boot was the forerunner of the both the cowboy boot and the Wellington boot.

Wellington Boots Origin

In 1847, S.C. Shive, in America, patented the patterns and crimping board for what is known as a Full Wellington. This was a two piece boot that found wide acceptance among the military, horsemen, and adventurers of the time, possibly due to the news of the Battle of Waterloo. Of interest is that by 1868 Wellingtons were almost exclusively an American style. Europe preferred the Hessian boot style - which had tassels and a more pointy toe.

Ref: Full account of boot history

Hiram Hutchinson

In 1852, Hiram Hutchinson licensed Goodyear's rubber process to manufacture rubber boots, although these were not originally called Wellington Boots, and were mainly sold for farm labourers to use instead of wooden cloggs. He started the Aigle company - now well known for producing quality Wellington Boots. By 1857 Aigle was producing 14,000 pairs of hand-made rubber boots per day! Read more about the history of Aigle here.

Combination of Neoprene and Rubber Wellington Boots

Synthetic Rubber and Neoprene

Synthetic rubber is used to substitute for the real thing, usually in cases where the impurities found in natural rubber are not desired (such as in medical applications). One of the most successful synthetic rubbers is Neoprene (invented by DuPont in 1931); Neoprene is used in wetsuits and Wellington Boots - and has superior insulation, are weather proof/water proof, and exhibit chemical inertness.

Charles Goodyear Jnr. (Welting Process Invention)

Charles Goodyear's son invented machinery to create shoes. He patented a shoe welt machine (in 1871) and created the Goodyear welt construction process, which to this day is the process used to make the finest boots and shoes.

Examples of synthetic rubber products

Neoprene waders

Neoprene gloves

Neoprene Wellington Boots

External Links

• Charles Goodyear
• Obtaining Latex from a Rubber Tree
• Vulcanisation Process
• History of the Goodyear Tyre Company: Charles Goodyear

Related links

Wellingtons

• Page 114 - Fashion wellies
• Page 115 - Kids Fireman Rainboots
• Page 116 - Funky Wellington Boots
• Page 117 - Wellington Boots Song for Children
• Page 118 - Kids Wellington Boots
• Page 119 - More kids wellies
• Page 120 - Wellington Boots
• Page 121 - Wellie Boots

Wellington Boots by colour

• Page 122 - Yellow Wellington Boots
• Page 123 - Purple Wellington Boots
• Page 124 - Red Wellington Boots
• Page 125 - Green Wellington Boots
• Page 126 - Pink Wellington Boots (for grown-ups)
• Page 127 - Pink Wellington Boots (for children)
• Page 128 - Chocolate/Brown Wellington Boots

Fashion and Designer Wellington Boots Page 129 - JuJu Wellies Page 130 - Hunter Wellington Boots Page 131 - Jella Wellington Boots for kids Page 132 - Skull Wellington Boots Page 133 - Flower Pattern Wellingtons Page 134 - Paw print Wellington boots Page 135 - Pink Heart Funky Wellies Page 136 - Wedge wellies and boots with wedge heels Animal Patterns Page 137 - Leopard Rain Boots Page 138 - Zebra Wellies Page 139 - Giraffe Wellies

Pink Heart Wellington Boots. View > Exploding star wellies. View >

Wellington Boot Gifts and Accessories

• Page 140 - Boot jack
• Page 141 - Wellie Warmers
• Page 142 - Boot bag
• Page 143 - Wellington Boot gift ideas

Information and Articles

• Page 144 - Shoe size chart
• Page 145 - Looking after your Wellies
• Page 146 - Wellington Boot Week Festival
• Page 147 - Wellington Boot auctions
• Page 148 - How wellies are made
• Page 149 - Charles Goodyear (inventor of rubber for Wellington Boots)
• Page 150 - Duke of Wellington
• Page 151 - Welly shops online
• Page 152 - Wellington boot thoughts and ideas