Abstract: A method for restoration and re-utilization of discharged gas for use in a vulcanization employing inert gas in part of the vulcanization of elastomer products, which includes the steps of restoring a mixture of used inert gas discharged from a vulcanizing unit and vulcanizing medium for steam separation thereof, subjecting the elastomer product mounted in a metal mold to a preshaping by supplying the inert gas obtained by the steam separation to the vulcanizing unit prior to starting of the vulcanization, and subjecting the inert gas obtained by the steam separation to supplementary pressurization by inert gas obtained from an inert gas generating unit when the inert gas is to be supplied to the vulcanizing unit, and also an arrangement for carrying out the above method in an efficient manner.

Abstract: An improved process for vulcanization of elastomer products which includes the steps of heating under pressure, the elastomer product mounted in a metal mold by supplying vulcanizing medium, suspending the supply of the vulcanizing medium when the elastomer product has reached a predetermined temperature or passed through a predetermined time period, subsequently supplying inert gas preliminarily extracted from atmospheric air and maintained at least under approximately the same pressure as that of the vulcanizing medium, up to the termination of the heating step so as to maintain the elastomer product at the predetermined temperature, and, upon termination of said heating step, restoring a mixture of the inert gas and the vulcanizing medium so as to derive the inert gas through steam separation for re-utilization of the inert gas for a preshaping of the elastomer product prior to the vulcanization of the elastomer product and the like.