Pneumatic Tire Definition
The term "pneumatic" comes from the Greek word for "spirit" that is "pneuma" and means anything which is filled with air. Nearly all tires you see or use today are more than likely pneumatic tires. The fact is, nearly all private motor vehicles and modern commercial transportation can not function without utilizing pneumatic tires.
Definition
Pneumatic tires as defined by Webster's on line dictionary are described as tires which are constructed from durable rubber, that hold compressed air. Any type of tire which requires air pressure to hold its shape is considered to be a pneumatic tire.
History
John Boyd Dunlop, the Irish surgeon has been credited to inventing the pneumatic tire. He developed the first practical pneumatic bicycle tire in 1888. In 1895, the Michelin brothers Edouard and Andre, the Michelin brothers were the first ones to utilize pneumatic tires on a car during a race.
Identification
Pneumatic tires are made from numerous bands of corded or plys fabric. Plys are normally coated with rubber which allows 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
Tube tires are a kind of tire which requires a rubber inner tube in order to hold the air pressure. Bicycle tires, motorcycle tires on spoke rims and car tires and older bias ply truck use inner tubes. Tubeless tires have a stiff bead on the edges of the sidewall which forms an airtight seal with the wheel. This eliminates the need for an inner tube.
Exceptions
Pneumatic tires can be punctured and lose air pressure which makes them unsuitable for certain applications. Tires tires utilized in construction, tires used by the military, used on forklifts are often constructed with solid rubber or filled with resilient foam.
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