Life, 1911-10-19 · page 35 of 48
Life — October 19, 1911 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not satire or a political cartoon** — it's a straightforward **product advertisement** for Goodyear tires, appearing in Life magazine (which published both humor and advertising). The page promotes Goodyear's "No-Rim-Cut" tire with its new "Non-Skid" tread design. The advertiser claims: - The tire prevents rim-cutting (damage from tire deflation), which they say affects 23% of competing "clincher" tires - Deep-cut tread blocks improve traction and durability - 10% oversizing increases air capacity and mileage without extra cost - No metal chains needed (relevant for winter driving) - 700,000 units already sold The diagrams compare Goodyear's removable-rim design to ordinary clincher tires. The text emphasizes extensive testing (24,000 tires) and manufacturing capacity (3,800 daily production). This represents early automotive advertising targeting car owners concerned with tire safety and economy—practical consumer messaging rather than satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Another Goodyear Invention The Utmost in Non-Skid Treads We knew that you wanted a Non-Skid tread. Our experts have worked on it since 1908. We have tried out some 24,000 tires in our efforts to meet your requirements. But tire users expect a Goodyear device to be utterly perfect—the very best of its kind. So we have waited three years to know that we had it. ideal Non-Skid tread—a fitting addition to N:-Rim-Cut tires. The Double Tread This Non-Skid tread is almost as thick as our regular tread. It is vulcanized onto our regular tread, giving double thickness to the part w what that means. Instead of cutting these projections in our regular tread, we add another tread of the toughest sort of rubber. A rubber tread can never be made more impervious to wear. When it does wear off you still have left our regular smooth-tread tire. The greatest sensation ever known in tire history has been the Goodyear No-Rim-Cut tire. The control of this tire has mul- tiplied our tire sales six times over in the past two years, Its sales to date exceed 700,000 tires. And we are equipping ourselves for next year to make 3,800 per day. Every motor car owner who ies the subject is bound to adopt ese tires. 23% Are Rim-Cut We have examined thousands of ruined clincher tires, And 23 per by actual count, have been rim-cut. Out of 700,000 No-Rim- Cut tires there has never been an instance of rim-cutting. A clincher tire, if punctured, may be wrecked in a single block. Rim-Cut tires have been run de- flated as far as 20 miles. According to our figures, this avoidance of rim-cutting saves nearly one- pone on tires, % Oversize vIn de to this, No-Rim-Cut tires are 10 per cent. over the rated Another result is that you get a tire which is almost puncture-proof. Deep-Cut Blocks This extra-thick tread permits deep-cut blocks, and these blocks widen out at the bottom, so the load is spread over as wide a surface as it with the smooth-tread tire. Note how we. set them—so_ the cdges and angles grasp the road surface in every direction. The grooves between keep clean. size. The extra flare, when the rim flanges curve outward, makes this extra size possible without mis- fit to the rim, That means 10 per cent. more air . added carrying ca- “cost, Goodyear No-Rim-Cut Tire Both on the same rim. They don’t fill up. And the swish of the air through them keeps the tire cool, avoiding the damage done by friction heat. This tire tread is s white, diamond-shaped blocks form the handsomest tread on the mar- ket. Thus we do away forever with the need for ruinous chains. Metal projections are made utterly need- less. Rubber and metal never com- ine, and the friction between them ly ruins a tire, The Tires That Cut Tire Bills in Two—700,000 Sold capacity adds 25 per cent. to the tire mileage. These two features together— No-Rim-Cut_ and oversize—under average conditions, cut tire bills in two. Yet No-Rim-Cut tires now cost the same as other standard tires. The saving is entirely clear. Ordinary Clincher Tire The removable rim flanges are simply reversed to use the No-Rim-Cut type. No-Rim-Cut Tires With or Without Non-Skid Treads Now we offer you an Thus we do away with the small, soft projections which wear such a little time. No non-skid device ever invented before can stand compari- son with this, Non-Skid tires are essential in winter. The risk of going without them is too great to take. We con- sider this tre: ad—durable, effective d s one of the zreatest contributions we have made to this industry, Our No-Rim-Cut tire with this Non-Skid tread forms the greatest winter tire in existence. No-Rim-Cut Tires 10% Oversize No Hooks—No Bolts No-Rim-Cut tires have no hooks on the base. No bolts are needed to hold them on. Through the tire base on each side run three flat bands of 126 braided wires. These bands make the tire base unstretch- able, so nothing can force the tire off of the rim. When the tire is inflated it is held to the rim by 134 pounds to the inch. So your removable rim flanges, when you use this tire, are simply reversed. They are set to curve outward, instead of inward, so the tire comes against a rounded edge. About 96 per cent. of the rims that are made—quick-detachable or de- mountable—take No-Rim-Cut tires. This braided wire feature which makes this type possible is con- trolled by our patents. With any other device this type of tire is not practicable. And the old clincher tire is doomed. That is why the demand has lately centered so large- ly on Goodyear No-Rim-Cut Tires. Tire Book, based on 12 y aking, is Glled with facts y should know. Ask us to mailit to you, THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY, Wayne Street, AKRON, OHIO Branches and Agencies in 103 Principal Cities We Make All Kinds of Rubber Tires, Tire Accessories and Repair Outfits Canadian Factory, Bowmanville, Ont. (304) Main Canadian Office, Toronto, Ont. comicbooks.com