Pneumatic Tires
Nearly all of the tires which have been utilized during the last 100 years have been pneumatic tires. They are constructed of rubber and allow for a way more comfortable ride than other materials. The world's contemporary transportation system relies entirely on pneumatic tires.
A pneumatic tire is a type of tire made of toughened rubber and filled with compressed air. Motor vehicles including motorcycles, airplanes, trucks, buses and cars all use pneumatic tires. Non-motorized wheeled vehicles, such as bicycles, also utilize pneumatic tires.
History
The history of tires begins with the creation of iron bands around wooden wheels. The use of solid rubber in the creation of tires began in the middle part of the 19th century. The very first patent for a successful pneumatic tire was issued in the year 1888 to Irishman John Dunlop who created an inner-tube for a bicycle tire. This was when the term "pneumatic" started to describe tires.
In 1895, Edouard and Andre Michelin produced the first pneumatic tires for automobiles in France. The Michelin brothers' company was destined to become a top producer of automobile tires. The first U.S. company to make tires was Goodyear Tire company founded in 1898, followed by the Firestone Tire & Rubber company in 1900, the second company in the US to produce tires.
Function
A rubber inner tube was utilized in all pneumatic tires during the first part of the 20th century to be able help hold the air pressure. Tires were constructed of toughened layers of plies or cord covered with rubber. The plies were laid on a bias or angle to strengthen it and to define the shape of the tire. These "bias ply" tires had a tread pattern for traction.
Modern radial tires are made with the plies running at 90 degrees across the tire body. Inner tube is not necessary since the tire forms an airtight seal with the wheel. This was the Michelin's brother's invention in 1948. The tires did not become widely utilized until the late 1970s. Radial tires provide better fuel economy and last longer.