Pneumatic Tires
Nearly all of the tires which have been utilized over the past 100 years have been pneumatic tires. They are made from rubber and allow for a far more comfortable ride compared to other materials. The contemporary transportation system of the world relies entirely on pneumatic tires.
A pneumatic tire is a type of tire made of toughened rubber and filled with compressed air. Motor vehicles such as airplanes, motorcycles, trucks, buses and cars all utilize pneumatic tires. Non-motorized wheeled vehicles, such as bicycles, also utilize pneumatic tires.
History
The history of tires begins with the invention of iron bands around wooden wheels. The utilization of solid rubber in the construction of tires started in 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. This was when the term "pneumatic" started to describe tires.
In the year 1895, Edouard and Andre Michelin made the very first pneumatic tires for automobiles in France. The Michelin brothers' company was destined to become a top producer of tires for cars. The very first United States company to produce tires was Goodyear Tire company established in 1898, followed by the Firestone Tire & Rubber company in 1900, the second company in the United States to make tires.
Function
For the first part of the 20th century, pneumatic tires needed a rubber inner tube in order to hold the air pressure. Tires were constructed of reinforced layers of cord or plies 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 body of the tire. They require no inner tube as the tire forms an airtight seal with the wheel. This was the Michelin's brother's creation in 1948. The tires did not become commonly used until the late 1970s. Radial tires provide better fuel economy and last longer.