Pneumatic Tires
Nearly all of the tires which have been used during the past 100 years have been pneumatic tires. They are constructed of rubber and allow for a far more comfortable ride than other materials. The contemporary transportation system of the world depends entirely on pneumatic tires.
A pneumatic tire is a type of tire made of reinforced rubber and filled with compressed air. Motorized vehicles like trucks, buses, cars, airplanes and motorcycles all use pneumatic tires. Wheeled vehicles which are not motorized, like for instance bicycles, also utilize pneumatic tires.
History
The history of tires starts with the invention of iron bands around wooden wheels. The utilization of solid rubber in the creation of tires began during the middle part of the 19th century. The first patent for a successful pneumatic tire was issued in 1888 to Irishman John Dunlop who invented an inner-tube for a bicycle tire in the year 1888. This was when the word "pneumatic" began to describe tires.
In 1895, Edouard and Andre Michelin made the very first pneumatic tires for automobiles in France. The company of the Michelin brothers was destined to become a leading manufacturer of car tires. The first U.S. company to make tires was Goodyear Tire company established in the year 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 used in all pneumatic tires during the first part of the 20th century to be able help hold the air pressure. Tires were constructed of reinforced layers of plies or cord covered with rubber. The plies were laid on an angle or bias to define the shape of the tire and strengthen it. These "bias ply" tires had a tread pattern for traction.
The modern radial tire has been constructed with plies that run across the tire body. They need no inner tube since the tire forms an airtight seal with the wheel. This was the Michelin's brother's creation in 1948. The tires did not become widely utilized until the latter parts of the 1970s. Radial tires provide better fuel economy and last longer.