Those little rubber thingies

HowardSteele

Howzit all,

I just bought some tube repair, patch and solution. And they still include those rubber, valve tubes; I haven’t seen those valves since i was a kid, 30 odd years ago. I bet the younger riders don’t have a clue what they are or used for. I remember as a kid making my GI JOES spear gun look more realistic by fashioning them into the spear gun rubbers with a little wishbone and everything.

AngoXC

Im pretty young...comparitivly...must admit I dont know what they are either. Can you fill me in?

HowardSteele

Ok! here goes,I'm sure i have one lying around but i can't find ithe damb thing now,it'll turn up when i'm not looking.
The valve was a silver barrel shaped valve tapered and closed off at the end,the taper had a hole in it.It's OVER THIS SECTION YOU SLIPED THE RUBBER TUBE.
and hey! presto a one way valve.Air could be forced through the hole and not escape back through,The valve had two flanges on the side and the tube nipple was notched so you slipped the valve into the nipple and locked it tight with a locking nut.
Included is a very simple drawing.

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AngoXC

In a world of schrader and presta valves, one has to ask why they are still included.

HowardSteele

Yep!and now the million dollar question what were they called certainlly not a rubber tube valve,maybe you still get them somehere in the world.

rek

Aren't they called a Dunlop valve or something.

I went to using glueless patches a couple of years ago and never looked back -- both Velox and Park Tool make excellent ones. (I find the Velox ones better, but the Park ones come in a nice little reusable plastic container. Buy one set of Parks, just for the container, and refill with Veloxes if and as necessary )

Makes even those tubes of vulcanising glue feel nostalgic...

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Peter
Cannondale Synapse Carbon Scalpel Cyclocross Ultra

mikesbytes

Woods/Dunlop

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tires.html#valves

May they RIP

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Training Log

HowardSteele

well done guys Dunlop valves they are.

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Albert 50

Speaking of when we was kids Howard.......before glued patches you had to "fire" up a clamped on rubber patch which "melted" the patch to the tube, vulcanising? i think it was called. Anyone got pictures of this set up.

HowardSteele

[QUOTE=Albert 50]Speaking of when we was kids Howard.......vulcanising?

No! i never got to patch a Tube with that methord,i used vucanising to repair a a pair of rubber fins/flippers once and nearlly welded my fingers to the fins,must of been tricky setting a patch and moving your fingers before the chemical rection kicked in.

mikesbytes

I do remember a patch roll, where you cut off what length you required. There was a time when patches actually cost something.

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Training Log

Albert 50

From what I remember, it was like a mini G clamp with flat clamp sections, with some magnesium? or similar as the heat source. So in order.... thin metal, tube, patch, thin metal, then a Mg. strip all clamped together, then light the Mg with a match, CLOUD of smoke, wait for it to cool,then unclamp.
I'm not sure how it would work with todays thin & narrow tubes, would probably "weld" both sides of the tube together

AngoXC

Dunlop Valve...to tell you the truth, that rings a bell...somehow

And I think i know of the process your talking about. My grandfather was really into road racing in his day was telling me about it...but i doubt i was paying any attention and giving my time to his facinating workshop. Ill aask him the next time i see him.