DOCSLIB.ORG

Artificial Billiard Balls

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Artificial Billiard Balls www.mrs.org/publications/bulletin HISTORICAL NOTE Artificial Billiard Balls In his 1859 book The Game of Billiards, and to printers like Hyatt for burn pre- lished the Albany Billiard Ball Company, Michael Phelan, co-owner of the Phelan vention; it also served as a coating for and also the Albany Dental Plate & Collender Company, the largest manu- photographic plates. Company—although this effort was occa- facturer of billiard balls in the United One day in 1868, Hyatt found that a sionally plagued by reports of exploding States, lamented the state of his raw bottle of collodion in his cabinet had dentures by cigar smokers and com- material supply. The ivory obtained from spilled, and that a hard, thick, transpar- plaints about the taste of camphor that the tusks of the elephants of Ceylon, he ent material had formed. He thought col- the dentures retained. The Hyatts later said, was superior to that of the African lodion might make an excellent coating combined both companies to form the elephant for his purposes, being more for his billiard balls. In his excitement, he Celluloid Manufacturing Company. They solid and less friable. However, the cost convinced his brother Isaiah Smith Hyatt, never submitted their billiard balls to the of this ivory was “dreadfully dear.” until then a newspaper editor, to join him Phelan & Collender Company for consid- Adding to the problem was the fact that in his experimentation. eration for the $10,000 prize, however, only 1 in 50 tusks was of sufficient quali- and it is probable that the money was ty to make a billiard ball, due to the “[Phelan] offered a prize of never awarded. defects—pores and cracks—inherent in The Hyatts sold their billiard balls natural materials. Phelan speculated that $10,000 to anyone who could through agents such as the Brunswick “if any inventive genius would discover make artificial billiard balls.” Billiards Company, a maker of fine bil- a substitute for ivory, possessing those liards tables, and achieved some success qualities which make it valuable to the After months of coating numerous vari- in that area. But celluloid soon proved to billiard player, he would make a hand- ations of their composite billiard balls have other, higher-volume, uses. An engi- some fortune for himself, and earn our with collodion without success, they neer named Charles Burroughs invented sincerest gratitude.” began experimenting with the primary various machines to produce celluloid in Several years later, the decimation of raw material of collodion itself—cellulose standard bar sizes; he also developed a elephant herds had created such a short- nitrate. Alexander Parkes and Daniel Spill planer to slice it into thin sheets, which age of ivory that Phelan decided to sup- of England had patented a material com- eventually led to the production of film ply the small fortune himself. In adver- posed of cellulose nitrate, vegetable oil, for the motion picture industry. From tisements placed in newspapers across and solvents called “Parkesine” in 1865. 1870 on, celluloid was used mostly for the United States, he offered a prize of Parkesine was a white, plastic dough that women’s corset clasps and hair combs, $10,000 to anyone who could make artifi- could be pressed into molds, extruded and as collars and cuffs for men’s shirts. cial billiard balls. into shapes, and carved by hand when Middle-class men who could not afford to John Wesley Hyatt, a young printer in hardened. The gentlemen’s efforts to mar- change shirts often changed the collars or Albany, N.Y., began experimenting with ket this material failed, probably due to a cuffs to maintain appearances. Celluloid the material he was most familiar with— lack of business acumen. offered them what one manufacturer the natural polymer cellulose, a carbohy- Soon the Hyatt brothers, no doubt advertised as “waterproof linen” that drate obtained from the cell walls of aware of the work done by Parkes and could be wiped clean with a wet sponge. plants and a common ingredient in paper Spill, were making billiard balls from The addition of dyes and other process and textiles. He was soon fashioning their own version of this hardened cellu- changes allowed manufacturers to mimic composite balls made of wood pulp, lose nitrate dough coated with collodion. tortoiseshell or mother of pearl for cloth, and paper bound together by adhe- However, real world testing of the prod- women who did not have the means to sives such as shellac and various resins, uct revealed one major flaw. Due to its afford the genuine material. compressed into a sphere under high close chemical similarity to guncotton, “a John Wesley Hyatt soon ventured into temperature and pressure. He patented lighted cigar applied would at once result other areas, establishing the Hyatt Pure such a ball in 1865, but it did not have the in a serious flame and occasionally the Water Company in 1881 and the Hyatt same hardness and “feel” as the ivory violent contact of the balls would pro- Roller Bearing Company in 1891. He died balls that billiards players were accus- duce a mild explosion like a percussion in 1920 in New Jersey. In 1927, the tomed to, so it was unsuccessful. guncap,” Hyatt wrote. “We had a letter Celanese Corporation acquired the Fortunately, the occurrence of one of from a billiard saloon proprietor in Celluloid Manufacturing Company, those serendipitous spills that happen Colorado, mentioning this fact and say- where it became a part of their plastics frequently in the history of science led to ing that he did not care so much about it division. Since the 1950s, most billiard a breakthrough for Hyatt. As a printer, he but that instantly every man in the room balls have been made of phenolic resin. naturally had a supply of collodion, pulled a gun.” TIM PALUCKA which printers used to coat their finger- More experimentation revealed that tips to prevent burns from hot lead type. what Parkes had considered a minor FOR FURTHER READING: Susan Mossman, Collodion was a compound of ether, additive—camphor oil obtained from the alcohol, and cellulose nitrate, invented by laurel tree on the island of Formosa—was Ed., Early Plastics: Perspectives, 1850–1950 Louis Menard of the Collège de France in actually a key solvent in producing a (Leicester University Press, London, 1997); 1846, which produced a clear liquid that more workable, stable material. The new Stephen Fenichell, Plastic, The Making of a hardened into a tough transparent film. camphor-stabilized compound was Synthetic Century (HarperBusiness, New Menard had been trying—unsuccessful- named “celluloid,” for “cellulose-like,” York, 1996); Polymer Pioneers (Center for ly—to synthesize the explosive cellulose by Isaiah Hyatt. Because it could be History of Chemistry, Philadelphia, trinitrate, or “guncotton.” The side prod- remelted and used over again, celluloid 1986); and Stephen L. Sass, The Substance uct, collodion, proved to be useful to doc- was the first thermoplastic material of Civilization (Arcade Publishing, New tors as a compound to close minor cuts invented. In the 1870s, the brothers estab- York, 1998). 614 MRS BULLETIN • VOLUME 30 • AUGUST 2005 Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IP address: 152.168.58.228, on 02 Nov 2018 at 12:57:59, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1557/mrs2005.186.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Complicated Views: Mainstream Cinema's Representation of Non
    University of Southampton Research Repository Copyright © and Moral Rights for this thesis and, where applicable, any accompanying data are retained by the author and/or other copyright owners. A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This thesis and the accompanying data cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the copyright holder/s. The content of the thesis and accompanying research data (where applicable) must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holder/s. When referring to this thesis and any accompanying data, full bibliographic details must be given, e.g. Thesis: Author (Year of Submission) "Full thesis title", University of Southampton, name of the University Faculty or School or Department, PhD Thesis, pagination. Data: Author (Year) Title. URI [dataset] University of Southampton Faculty of Arts and Humanities Film Studies Complicated Views: Mainstream Cinema’s Representation of Non-Cinematic Audio/Visual Technologies after Television. DOI: by Eliot W. Blades Thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy May 2020 University of Southampton Abstract Faculty of Arts and Humanities Department of Film Studies Thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Complicated Views: Mainstream Cinema’s Representation of Non-Cinematic Audio/Visual Technologies after Television. by Eliot W. Blades This thesis examines a number of mainstream fiction feature films which incorporate imagery from non-cinematic moving image technologies. The period examined ranges from the era of the widespread success of television (i.e.
    [Show full text]
  • Thistle Short Aua,Itj 07078
    Millburn- Short Hills Historical Society P.O. Box «M Thistle Short aUa,ItJ 07078 VoLXXBtt November 1997 "The Dance in the Barn" (From the October 1888 edition of The News Item) he barn-dance given on Thursday night, Sept. 20, by __ TMr. and Mrs. William I. Russell was a pleasant incident of the season in the charming little borough of Short Hills, N.J. Mr. Russell's horses are the fortunate possessors of a large home, the gable front having a width of sixty feet and their owner's invitation to "come and dance in the bam" was a welcome one. Doubtless the horses shared the spirit of hospitality characteristic of their master, and joined in the invitation with all their hearts; certainly not one said ""neigh". A band of five pieces fur- nished the musicians being stationed in the mow. Smilax surrounded the mow opening, twined every post and wreathed every window. Floral horse-shoes hung against each stall-post, and over the doorway was a ball of flowers three feet in diameter. The walls were hung with pictures of English hunting scenes, famous turf winners, etc. Canvas covered the floors, and the stalls, fitted up with seats, rugs, lamps and flowers, formed cosey retreats for tired dancers. The guests were received in the house, the lower part of which contained solid banks of flowers on every mantel and in every nook, and an awning was stretched to the barn. Dancing began at 9:30. and supper was served in the house at midnight. The floral decorations of the table were as attractive as those of the ball-room, the centrepiece being a representation of a pony tandem, with dog cart and footman complete.
    [Show full text]
  • DAMAGE ATLAS Atlas of Case Studies Presenting Typical Damages
    DAMAGE ATLAS Atlas of case studies presenting typical damages Project nbr 212218 http://popart.mnhn.fr Cellulose acetate (CA) Categories Semi-synthetic ; thermoplastic Chemical structure Production - Cellulose acetate was created by Paul Schutzenberger in 1865, by acetylating cellulose under exposure of acetic acid, but manufacturing processes were not available before the first decade of the 20 th century. - as a stiff material, cellulose acetate needs to be plasticized. Triacetine or triphenyl phosphate and phtalates have been and are still used as plasticizers. - Because of its low flammability, it tended to replace cellulose nitrate as a “safety” material for many uses. - spinning methods were also developed before the outbreak of WWI for creating artificial silk and a wide range of textile fibers Forms and applications - All type of objects imitating natural materials, like tortoiseshell, horn, ivory or mother-of-pearl. It is still very present in glasses manufacturing. - other cast objects, such as Lego ® bricks (before 1965) - flexible sheet for photographic “safety films” and other types of uses - wide range of textile fibers Some trade names Rhodoid ®, Viscose®, Rayon ®, Tricel ® Physical characteristics and appearance - Highly transparent material - Raw cellulose acetate is a rigid material which requires plasticizers. - Its scratching resistance is high. - CA is soluble in water, alcohol, ketone and chlorinated solvents. Degradation process - Higher water absorption. - Hydrolysis in presence of acids and moisture. - CA emits
    [Show full text]
  • Cinema in the Digital Age: a Rebuttal to Lev Manovich ! ! ! ! ! ! ! a Senior Project
    ! ! ! ! Cinema in the Digital Age: A Rebuttal to Lev Manovich ! ! ! ! ! ! ! A Senior Project presented to the Faculty of the Philosophy Department California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo ! ! ! ! ! In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Bachelor of Arts ! ! by! Barbara! Cail December, 2013! ! ! © 2013 Barbara Cail ! Cail "1 I. Introduction! ! Philosophy of film has been in upheaval since the early days of digital post- production effects and manipulation in the 1980s. Although shot and released on celluloid, many feature films of the 1990s were transferred to video in a process known as telecine. Telecine effectively turned the film image into an analog video image which could then be digitized and ingested into a computer for post-production editing and visual effects. Concurrent rapid innovations in non-linear editing software and hardware dramatically accelerated the post-production editing process, while decreasing costs and increasing profits for film studios. End-to-end digital filmmaking gained industry credibility when George Lucas embraced digital for his 1999 release of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. The film was partially recorded on digital cameras, edited and composited on computers and distributed digitally to select movie theaters.1 ! ! As technologies continued to mature and cinema became increasingly digital, film philosophy entered a crisis. Classical film theories that depend upon the acknowledged indexical relationship of an analog photo to its referent in reality were unable to accommodate the move to digital. This quandary has renewed interest in these classical theories, returning them to the forefront of film philosophy.! ! Lev Manovich, a preeminent digital media philosopher, has posited that cinema has been fundamentally changed by cinema’s digital revolution.
    [Show full text]
  • Celluloid Dresser Piece
    Donation of the Month Celluloid Dresser Piece 1998.16.1-2 donated by Friends of the Rogers Historical Museum 2001.29.1 donated by Nancy McCuin 2001.35.7.3-6 donated by Jan Riggs Is it ivory or is it plastic? By the mid -1900's, inventors were seeking to create cheaper synthetic materials to replace expensive natural ones. One of these materials was ivory. Ivory was getting harder to get and the demand for more high. The first faux ivory was introduced by English inventor Alexander Parkes and won him an award at the 1862 World's Fair in London. His new material, made from cellulose, nitric acid, and a solvent, could be molded when heated and hardened into a material that imitated ivory. However, this new material didn't hold up very well when mass produced and many pieces cracked and warped. In 1863 American inventor John Wesley Hyatt took the same basic ingredients but changed the solvent to camphor and created a more successful, moldable material he named "celluloid." Some of the earliest objects to be made from celluloid included false teeth. Popular products were shirt collars and cuffs which resisted water and stains. Celluloid was also used to imitate tortoiseshell and marble. Products that used to be made with ivory or bone could now be made in celluloid. These dresser set pieces from the early 1900s are wonderful examples of celluloid substitutes for ivory. Though the plastic has yellowed over time, you can see the ivory-like look in some of them. The comb is very recognizable as it looks very much like combs made today from modern plastic.
    [Show full text]
  • Buying Into Bioplastics: Starch Based Bioplastic for Food Packaging
    BUYING INTO BIOPLASTICS: STARCH BASED BIOPLASTIC FOR FOOD PACKAGING Maya Román, Reagan Dowling, John Christiano PLASTICS IN FOOD STARCH BASED PLASTICS Petroleum-Based Plastic Starch-Based Bioplastic ● The first plastic used in FCMs was Cellophane ● Bioplastic: plastic derived from natural Base Natural gas or crude oil: Corn and other vegetables: based on celluloid, the first synthetic materials and degrades when exposed to Materials Non-Renewable Renewable polymer, in 1927. environmental conditions ● Bakelite was the first completely synthetic ● Starch bioplastic derived from starch-based Disposal Limited recycling Landfills, Composting, plastic, used in a wide range of applications. polymers found in vegetables like corn and Landfills/Oceans Potentially Recyclable ● Plastic disposables became mainstream by potatoes the 1960s, as Saran Wrap, Styrofoam, Ziploc ● Fully biodegradable - Have little to no Post Breaks down extremely slowly Compost, off gassing methane (a bags, and microwave dinner trays, among environmental impact Disposal and harmfully greenhouse gas) other applications. ● Strong, lightweight, malleable ● Plasticware is a cheaper, safer alternative for Water Immense amounts of water in Still uses large amounts of water ● Number of food companies using starch restaurants compared to reusable options. Use both fuel extraction and to grow the crops bioplastic growing exponentially. Ex: Ecoware ● Plastics make up the sixth largest industry, in processing into plastic the US, consisting of 989,000 employees, and PRODUCTION STEPS: with a shipment value of $432.3 billion in Cost Extremely cheap for food Still in development, much 2016. Extraction Production of Polymer processing packaging pricier than petroleum of starch polymers (with extruder) counterpart FOOD PACKAGING’S Food BPA and similar chemicals can Excessive water in or on the BEST CHOICE Safety leach out of containers into packaging will lead to food and drink breakdown Neither petroleum-based nor bioplastics are perfect solutions.
    [Show full text]
  • Cellulose Nitrate in Conservation (1988)
    Research in Conservation 1988 Charles Selwitz Cellulose Nitrate in Conservation Cellulose Nitrate in Conservation Research in Conservation 1988 Charles Selwitz Cellulose Nitrate in Conservation THE GETTY CONSERVATION INSTITUTE © 1988 by the J. Paul Getty Trust. All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Selwitz, Charles M., 1927- Cellulose nitrate in conservation. (Research in conservation) "January 1986." Bibliography: p. Includes index. 1. Art—Conservation and restoration—Research. 2. Nitrocellulose—Research. I. Title. II. Series. N8560.S45 1988 702'.8'8 88-8803 ISBN 0-89236-098-4 The Getty Conservation Institute The Getty Conservation Institute (GCI), an operating program of the J. Paul Getty Trust, was created in 1982 to enhance the quality of conservation practice in the world today. Based on the belief that the best approach to conservation is interdisciplinary, the Institute brings together the knowledge of conservators, scientists, and art historians. Through a combination of in-house activities and collaborative ventures with other organizations, the Institute plays a catalytic role that contributes substantially to the conservation of our cultural heritage. The Institute aims to further scientific research, to increase conservation training opportunities, and to strengthen communication among specialists. Research in Conservation This reference series is born from the concern and efforts of the Getty Conservation Institute to publish and make available the findings of research conducted by the GCI and its individual and institutional research partners, as well as state-of-the-art reviews of conservation literature. Each volume will cover a separate topic of current interest and concern to conservators.
    [Show full text]
  • The Dangers of Cellulose Nitrate Film INDG469
    Health and Safety Executive The dangers of cellulose nitrate film This leaflet is aimed at private individuals and voluntary groups who have or find old film in domestic or other non-workplace premises. It gives advice on: ■ why cellulose nitrate film is hazardous; ■ how to identify cellulose nitrate films and negatives; ■ how to recognise signs of decomposition; ■ what to do if you have cellulose nitrate film; ■ contact points for information and advice. The leaflet does not cover requirements for the storage and handling of a large number of cellulose nitrate films and negatives such as may be found in archives on commercial or industrial premises or in museums. Exacting standards are defined for such activity (see British Standard BS ISO 10356:1996 and National Fire Protection Association Code NFPA 40), and it is covered by workplace health, safety and fire legislation including the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR). Cellulose nitrate film is extremely dangerous. It catches fire very easily and once alight is difficult to put out. Fires involving cellulose nitrate burn extremely quickly with a hot, intense flame and the smoke is particularly toxic, containing large quantities of poisonous gases. Any cellulose nitrate film that you come across now will be extremely old. This is a problem because the high fire risk from cellulose nitrate film increases as it ages. Old cinematographic film and old photographic negatives (including X-ray film) may be made from cellulose nitrate (which means they contain nitrated cellulose or other nitrated product). These films are sometimes referred to as ‘nitrate’, ‘nitrate-based’, ‘nitro-cellulose-based’ or ‘celluloid’ film (although the term ‘celluloid’ is often used these days to refer to film in general, the film may not actually contain cellulose nitrate – see identification methods later in the leaflet).
    [Show full text]
  • Guide to the Celluloid Corporation Records
    Guide to the Celluloid Corporation Records NMAH.AC.0009 Robert S. Harding and E.S. Etuk 1985 July 11 Archives Center, National Museum of American History P.O. Box 37012 Suite 1100, MRC 601 Washington, D.C. 20013-7012 archivescenter@si.edu http://americanhistory.si.edu/archives Table of Contents Collection Overview ........................................................................................................ 1 Administrative Information .............................................................................................. 1 Biographical / Historical.................................................................................................... 2 Arrangement..................................................................................................................... 2 Scope and Contents........................................................................................................ 2 Names and Subjects ...................................................................................................... 2 Container Listing ............................................................................................................. 4 Series 1: Publications, 1891 - 1935......................................................................... 4 Series 2: Trade Catalogs, 1883‑1928...................................................................... 5 Series 3: Salesman's Kit, 1937 - 1943.................................................................... 6 Series 4: Photographs, 1837 - 1920, undated........................................................
    [Show full text]
  • PDF Filethe Celluloid Hair Comb and Its Troublesome Existence, Opens
    Celluloid Hair Comb from early 20th Century. The item did belong to the Cleaver Suddon collection, and the item call number is 2014.07.538 within Ryerson University’s Fashion Research Collection (FRC) Photographed by Sonali Prasad. Accession: FRC2014.07.538. THE CELLULOID HAIR COMB AND ITS TROUBLESOME EXISTENCE By Sonali Prasad The celluloid hair comb has a rich and troublesome history from its MA Fashion Student predecessor, ivory and tortoise shell hair combs. The environmental degradation, endangerment of wildlife, and precarious and deadly working November 22, 2019 conditions for a seemingly insignificant luxurious hair accessory has been considered worth the price tag since its invention. (Cruse 13-28). However, the significance of hair accessories was much deeper because the introduction of artificial materials during the industrial revolution made once rare, natural, and expensive goods suddenly man made, inexpensive, and to the wealthier classes’ disdain made to be common and accessible to middle and working classes. This object based research will attempt to examine how extravagant hair accessories have changed throughout time. As well as the reason for the trend of the hair comb accessory dying out. 1 OBJECT ANALYSIS Construction The object is a hair comb for females constructed in the early 20th century. The main components of the object are the designed piece of green floral and leaf design, which contain blue and yellow artificial gemstones, which makes the item lightweight. The surface of the item is solid green with an iridescent shimmer while the underside is green with a yellow discolouration to it. The other main component of the piece are the four prongs which are intended to be fixed into the wearer’s hair.
    [Show full text]
  • Imitation Amber Beads of Phenolic Resin from the African Trade
    BEADS: Journal of the Society of Bead Researchers Volume 28 Article 4 2016 Imitation Amber Beads of Phenolic Resin from the African Trade Rosanna Falabella Follow this and additional works at: https://surface.syr.edu/beads Part of the Archaeological Anthropology Commons, History of Art, Architecture, and Archaeology Commons, Science and Technology Studies Commons, and the Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons Repository Citation Falabella, Rosanna (2016). "Imitation Amber Beads of Phenolic Resin from the African Trade." BEADS: Journal of the Society of Bead Researchers 28: 3-15. Available at: https://surface.syr.edu/beads/vol28/ iss1/4 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by SURFACE. It has been accepted for inclusion in BEADS: Journal of the Society of Bead Researchers by an authorized editor of SURFACE. For more information, please contact surface@syr.edu. BEADS Journal of the Society of Bead Researchers 2016 Vol. 28 IMITATION AMBER BEADS OF PHENOLIC RESIN FROM THE AFRICAN TRADE Rosanna Falabella Examination of contemporary beads with African provenance reveals large quantities of imitation amber beads made of phenol- formaldehyde thermosetting resins (PFs). This article delves into the early industrial history of PFs and their use in the production of imitation amber and bead materials. Attempts to discover actual sources that manufactured imitation amber beads for export to Africa and the time frame have not been very fruitful. While evidence exists that PFs were widely used as amber substitutes within Europe, only a few post-WWII references explicitly report the export of imitation amber PF beads to Africa. However they arrived in Africa, the durability of PF beads gave African beadworkers aesthetic freedom not only to rework the original beads into a variety of shapes and sizes, and impart decorative elements, but also to apply heat treatment to modify colors.
    [Show full text]
  • Bio-Plastics and Bio-Pigments
    Bio-plastics and bio-pigments Properly dyeing and preserving Products made of bio-plastics are becoming increasingly significant in our world. Whether as shopping bags or in the food industry, plastics based on renewable raw materials are being used more and more frequently in our everyday lives. The term bio-plastic stands both for plastics that are made from renewable materials as well as for plastics that are made from mineral substances but are bio-degradable. The options for using the different bio-plastics with functions are correspondingly complex and dependent on the use case. Example for a Flower pot made of plastics based on renewable raw materials (bio-based plastics). Alternatives which are the right choice for the environment THE MEANING OF BIO PLASTIC MATERIALS FOR THE FUTURE OF THE PLASTIC MARKET The importance of bioplastics is certain to rise steadily over the coming years, in tandem with a steady fall in crude oil reserves. Meanwhile, experts say that crude oil prices are only going to go one way: up. Bioplastics, and in particular engineering bioplastics, already represent an environmentally sustainable alternative to plastics made from fossil raw materials, and continuing technological development plus ever- growing production volumes mean that bioplastics will soon provide an economical alternative that does not entail any compromise in the quality of the end product. Worth knowing about bio-plastics WHAT ARE BIOPLASTICS EXACTLY? The terms “bioplastics” and “biopolymers” are not yet protected and as a result they are not used consistently. In general, however, they are used to refer to plastics made predominantly from renewable raw materials.
    [Show full text]