When were elastic bands invented, and by whom?

• THE ENGLISHMAN Thomas Hancock invented the rubber band in about 1820. The bands invented at that time were not vulcanised and would soften on hot days or harden on cold ones. The American Charles Goodyear invented vulcanisation in the 1840s, but Hancock was quick to exploit the technique (and claimed the invention!): vulcanisation eliminated the temperature dependence of rubber behaviour.

  K P Jones, The Malaysian Rubber Producers' Research Association, Tun Abdul Razak Laboratory, Brickendonbury, Herts.

• ELASTIC BANDS evolved by chance in the rubber plantations of the Congo (now Zaire) as long ago as the last century. Felix Saabye, director of the Canada India Rubber Company, noticed his labourers working raw latex between their fingers until it became firm and elastic. They wore long bands of this substance around their heads as ornament. Saabye used these flexible bands around company documents in place of the usual cloth tape. Unfortunately the raw latex was unstable and quickly broke down but Saabye found that when he dusted the rubber with kaolin it would last longer without sticking to itself. Saabye was unable to interest backers in his 'Indiarubber tape' however, and the idea died with him. The development of high temperature sulphur vulcanisation led eventually to the modern production of long, extruded tubes still dusted with powder which are subsequently cut into the durable elastic bands most people know today. My company is presently undertaking research to combat the short life of rubber bands in hot places like Los Angeles where I have a hard time with the darn things breaking down.

  Harvey Weintraub, Chairman, National Latex, McLean, Virginia, US.