History of the Passenger Tire
The
Evolution of the Passenger Tire
Dateline
3500 B.C.--Today man invented the greatest invention ever seen, THE
WHEEL!
Thousands of years later, the wheel has come a long way. For one thing
it is no longer made of wood and it is guaranteed that the ride is much
smoother. What hasn't changed is the fact it is still one of man's
greatest inventions. Could you even imagine where we would be today
without it?
The
early wheel was very simple...a solid curved piece of wood, then leather
was eventually added to soften the ride, as time progressed it became
solid rubber which led to today's tire--the pneumatic, or air inflated,
radial tire.
The
first wheels made of metal or wood were very durable but did not provide
a very comfortable ride. The nearest thing to the first tire was a metal
hoop. There were many individuals that made contributions in creating
the tire as we think of it today.
Vulcanization and Charles Goodyear
Rubber
was not always as useful as it is today. Early rubber did not hold
shape; it would be sticky in hot weather and become inflexible in the
cold.
In 1839
Charles Goodyear was credited with the discovery of the vulcanization
process. Vulcanization is the process of heating rubber with sulfur.
This transforms sticky raw rubber to firm pliable material which makes
rubber a perfect material for tires.
The
story of Charles Goodyear is a sad one, although he dedicated his entire
life to making rubber a better form he would never profit from all his
work. Charles Goodyear died bankrupt.
Forty
years later a rubber company would honor his hard work by using his name
for their new tire company.
Solid
Rubber Tires
Soon,
after the discovery of vulcanization tires were made out of solid
rubber. These tires were strong, absorbed shocks and resisted cuts and
abrasions. Although they were a vast improvement, these tires were very
heavy and did not provide a smooth ride.
Today
there are still types of tires made of solid rubber
Pneumatic Tires
The
pneumatic rubber tire uses rubber and enclosed air to reduce vibration
and improve traction. Robert W. Thomson, a Scottish engineer, first
patented the air filled tire. Unfortunately the idea was too early for
its time and was not a commercial success.
In 1888
John Boyd Dunlop of Belfast, Ireland became the second inventor of the
pneumatic tire. Dunlop claimed to have no knowledge of Thomsons earlier
invention.
The
second time around the pneumatic tire caught the publics attention. The
timing was perfect because bicycles were becoming extremely popular and
the lighter tire provided a much better ride.
Bias
Ply Tires
For the
next fifty years vehicle tires were made up of an inner tube that
contained compressed air and an outer casing. This casing protected the
inner tube and provided the tire with traction.
Layers
called plys reinforced the casing. The plys were made of rubberized
fabric cords that were embedded in the rubber. These tires were known as
bias-ply tires. They were named bias ply because the cords in a single
ply run diagonally from the beads on one inner rim to the beads on the
other. However, the orientation of the cords is reversed from ply to ply
so that the cords crisscross each other.
Today
you can still find bias-ply tires as authentic equipment for antique and
collector cars, as well as for certain type of off-the-road tractor
tires.
Radial
Tires
Michelin
invented radial tires in 1948 and they were first introduced in Europe
that year. Radial tires are so named because the ply cords radiate at a
90 degree angle from the wheel rim, and the casing is strengthened by a
belt of steel fabric that runs around the circumference of the tire.
Radial
tire ply cords are made of nylon, rayon, or polyester. The advantages of
radial tires include longer tread life, better steering and less rolling
resistance, which increases gas mileage. On the other hand, radials have
a harder riding quality, and are about twice as expensive to make.
