Pneumatic Tire Definition
"Pneumatic" is a Greek word for "spirit". "Pneuma" translates to something which is filled with air. The majority of tires you see or use these days are more than likely pneumatic tires. The fact is, most private motor vehicles and modern commercial transportation could not function without pneumatic tires.
Definition
Webster's on-line dictionary defines pneumatic tires as tires that are manufactured from durable rubber and could hold compressed air. Any tire that needs air pressure to hold its shape is considered to be a pneumatic tire.
History
The invention of the pneumatic tire has been credited to John Boyd Dunlop, an Irish surgeon, who in 1888 developed the first practical pneumatic bicycle tire. During the year 1895, the Michelin brothers Edouard and Andre, the Michelin brothers were the very first to utilize pneumatic tires on a car during a race.
Identification
Pneumatic tires are made from many bands of corded or plys fabric. Plys are usually coated with rubber which enables them to hold air pressure. Bias ply tires have the plys overlaid at a specific angle to the other layers. Radial tires have all plys laid at 90 degrees to the tire body or casing.
Types
In tube tires, there are a type of rubber inner tube to hold the air pressure. Bicycle tires, motorcycle tires on spoke rims and older bias ply truck and car tires utilize inner tubes. Tubeless tires have a stiff bead on the edges of the sidewall which creates an airtight seal with the wheel. This type of tire does not need an inner tube.
Exceptions
The fact that pneumatic tires are able to be punctured and lose air pressure makes them unsuitable for certain applications. Tires utilized on forklifts, tires utilized in construction, tires used by the military are normally filled with resilient foam or constructed with solid rubber.
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