Pneumatic Tire Definition
The term "pneumatic" comes from the Greek word for "spirit" that is "pneuma" and means something which is filled with air. The majority of tires you utilize or see these days are more than likely pneumatic tires. In fact, most private vehicles and modern commercial transportation can not function without using pneumatic tires.
Definition
Pneumatic tires as defined by Webster's on-line dictionary are described as tires that are made from durable rubber, holding compressed air. Any kind of tire which 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 during the year 1888 developed the very first practical pneumatic bicycle tire. During the year 1895, the Michelin brothers Edouard and Andre, the Michelin brothers were the very first ones to utilize pneumatic tires on a car during a race.
Identification
Pneumatic tires are made from many bands of plys or corded fabric. Plys are often coated with rubber which enables them to hold air pressure. Bias ply tires have the plys overlaid at a certain angle to the other layers. Radial tires have all plys laid at 90 degrees to the tire body or casing.
Types
Inside tube tires, there are a type of rubber inner tube to hold the air pressure. Motorcycle tires on spoke rims, bicycle tires and older bias ply truck and car tires use inner tubes. Tubeless tires have a stiff bead on the sidewall edges that forms an airtight seal with the wheel. This kind of tire does not need an inner tube.
Exceptions
Pneumatic tires can lose air pressure when punctured that makes them unsuitable for certain applications. Tires tires used in construction, tires used by the military, used on forklifts are normally filled with resilient foam or constructed with solid rubber.
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