How did Thomas Hancock's masticator improve rubber manufacturing?

Thomas Hancock’s invention of the masticator in 1820 revolutionized rubber manufacturing by providing a practical way to reuse waste material. Originally designed to process scrap cuttings, the device consisted of a hollow wooden cylinder with a hand-driven, spiked roller.1

Instead of simply shredding the material, the machine generated enough friction to weld the rubber scraps into a coherent, workable mass. This process allowed manufacturers to form the rubber into blocks or roll it into sheets, which could then be used for further production. By enabling the efficient handling and shaping of raw rubber, Hancock’s invention became a foundational step in the industrial processing of elastomers, which today typically begins with mastication to break down molecules for easier flow.123