Those little rubber thingies

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.

 

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

 

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.

 

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

 

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.

 

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...

 

Woods/Dunlop

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

May they RIP

 

well done guys Dunlop valves they are.

 

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.

 

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

 

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

 

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.

 

Most kids bikes had them in NZ in the 60's and 70's, until they got replaced by the car tyre sort. Although most had the spring style valves, instead of the rubber.