Celluloid
Celluloid
It was not only the innovative design of the reels and weed-cutting equipment that made the company stand out from others but also the use of celluloid.
In 1863 Phelan and Collander, an American maker of Billiard balls offered a $10,000 reward for anyone who could find a substitute for ivory suitable for making billiard balls. It was estimated that 12,000 elephants a year were killed to meet the demand for billiard balls. John Wesley Hyatt took up the challenge and eventually produced a suitable material. There is no record of him either claiming or receiving the reward.
His discovery was by accident when he spilt a bottle of Collodian, a mixture of cellulose nitrate and ethyl alcohol. The spilt substance set hard and looked exactly like ivory. A variation of the liquid was used as a protective second skin applied with a brush to the hands to protect them from printer’s ink, grease and other substances.
One small problem with the billiard balls was that they would catch fire when a lighted cigar came into contact with them. They would also occasionally explode when hit against each other.
He eventually came up with the solution by adding camphor to the collodion and applying heat to the mixture. In 1869 he invented pyroxylin plastic, the world’s first semi-synthetic thermoplastic.
John’s brother, Isaiah, called the new material Celluloid. The exact meaning is not known but is either an abridgement of “colloid of cellulose” or cellulose coupled with the Greek “oid” meaning like.
The new material was quickly accepted as a better option to gutta percha in the manufacture of denture plates.
About the same time Alexander Parkes a Birmingham metallurgist, whilst experimenting with cellulose nitrate, various oils and camphor, came up with a substance which he called Parkesine, the world’s first plastic. In 1862 he started making novelties from his material, but because he used poor quality raw materials, particularly the purity of the water, the venture was not a success.
Daniel Spill a former associate of Alexander Parkes reformulated Parkes process and in 1869 came up with a new plastic compound that he called Xylonite. An imitation ivory version of xylonite was produced and he called it ivoride. Both materials would be used in the manufacture of reels.
Hyatt’s Company, The Celluloid Manufacturing Company had registered the name celluloid and had started granting licences for companies to manufacture and use the trade name. Hyatt and Spill’s companies had a long quarrel over the patent rights and, after several long drawn out and procrastinated legal battles the Celluloid Company won. The Celluloid Company eventually absorbed the Xylonite Company after they could not pay the legal fees and damages.
Celluloids quickly became established in many fields with unlimited uses. By adding colours, dyes and compounds many effects could be produced. Film for still and movie cameras saw an explosion in its use. Percy Wadham whilst possibly not the first person to apply celluloid to fishing tackle certainly was the master.