Pneumatic Tire Definition
"Pneumatic" is a Greek word for "spirit". "Pneuma" translates to something that is filled with air. Most tires you use or see these days are more than likely pneumatic tires. In fact, most modern commercial transportation and private motor vehicles can not work without using pneumatic tires.
Definition
Pneumatic tires as defined by Webster's online dictionary are described as tires which are made from reinforced rubber, that hold compressed air. Any tire which needs air pressure to hold its form is considered to be a pneumatic tire.
History
The invention of the pneumatic tire has been credited to Irish surgeon John Boyd Dunlop, who in 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 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 particular 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 kind of rubber inner tube to hold the air pressure. Bicycle tires, motorcycle tires on spoke rims and older bias ply truck and car tires use inner tubes. Tubeless tires have a stiff bead on the edges of the sidewall that forms an airtight seal with the wheel. This kind of tire does not require 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 used 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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