Pneumatic Tires
Most of the tires that have been used during the past 100 years have been pneumatic tires. They are made from rubber and allow for a far more comfortable ride than other types of materials. The world's contemporary transportation system depends completely on pneumatic tires.
The pneumatic tire is a durable rubber tire and is then compressed with air. Motorized vehicles like airplanes, motorcycles, trucks, buses and cars all utilize pneumatic tires. Non-motorized wheeled vehicles, such as bicycles, also use pneumatic tires.
History
The history of tires starts with the creation of iron bands around wooden wheels. The use of solid rubber in the construction of tires started in the mid-19th century. The very 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 1888. This was when the term "pneumatic" began to describe tires.
In 1895, Andre and Edouard Michelin produced the first pneumatic tires for automobiles in France. The company of the Michelin brothers was destined to become a top manufacturer of tires for automobiles. The first company in the US to produce tires was Goodyear Tire company founded in 1898, followed by the Firestone Tire & Rubber company in 1900, the second United States company to make tires.
Function
For the first half of the 20th century, pneumatic tires needed a rubber inner tube to hold the air pressure. Tires were made of reinforced layers of cord or plies covered with rubber. The plies were laid on a bias or angle to strengthen it and to define the tire's shape. These "bias ply" tires had a tread pattern for traction.
The modern radial tire has been constructed with plies which run across the tire body. Inner tube is not necessary as the tire forms an airtight seal with the wheel. This was the Michelin's brother's creation in the year 1948. The tires did not become widely utilized until the late 1970s. Radial tires last longer and offer better fuel economy.