Pneumatic Tires
Most of the tires which have been used during the past 100 years have been pneumatic tires. They are made from rubber and allow for a way more comfortable ride than other types of materials. The contemporary transportation system of the world relies entirely on pneumatic tires.
The pneumatic tire is a durable rubber tire and is then compressed with air. Motor vehicles like trucks, buses, cars, motorcycles and airplanes all use pneumatic tires. Non-motorized wheeled vehicles, like for example 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 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 created an inner-tube for a bicycle tire. This was when the term "pneumatic" appeared to describe tires.
In 1895, Andre and Edouard Michelin produced the very first pneumatic tires for automobiles in France. The company of the Michelin brothers was destined to become a top producer of car tires. The very first United States company to make tires was Goodyear Tire company established in 1898, followed by the Firestone Tire & Rubber company in the year 1900, the second company in the US 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 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 made with plies which run across the body of the tire. Inner tube is not required as the tire forms an airtight seal with the wheel. This was a creation of the Michelin company in the year 1948. The tires did not become widely used until the late 1970s. Radial tires offer better fuel economy and last longer.