The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-07
PNEUMATIC TIRES.
THEIR REMARKABLE EVOLUTION
IN RECENT YEARS:
The Uses to Which They Arc Now
Put-Great sums of Money Invest
ed in Them,


The Brazilans who tap the rubber trees
in the forest of Para will during the com
ing year have abundant reason to thank
the bicycle industry. Not only so, but
they will find their gains largely increased
by the use of rubber in the manufacture
of tires of other vehicles. Para rubber is
the favorite, though importations from
other sources are also increasing. The
perfection to which the bicycle tire is be-
ing brought and the rapidly extending use
OF tires on light and heavy carriages are
the cause of the sudden growth of this
branch of industry. Rubber importations
into the United States now average about
10000 tons a year and a fourth OF this
amount is used for tires. Fortunately
the supply, even of the best, seems to be
unlimited. The tapping season lasts
about twelve weeks; and though the work
is often carelessly and wastefully done
the virgin forests are stili Of immense ex-
tent and make the question of reduced sup
ply unnecessary.
The United States, Great Britain and
Russia are the largest importing
ly exceeded the other two in the amount
of rubber used in tires. The British cy-
cling industry, with an invested capital of
between f11,000,0O0 and f12 100000 has an
output of about 10000 cycles this year in
it's home market, besides a steadily in
creasing foreign trade. In this country
the home market is now practically mo-
nopolized by domestic makers, who are
also looking to the building up of a good
export trade.
1t is hardly too much to say that the
present and future of the bicycle trade are
more bound up with the perfection of the
pneumatic tire than with any other part
of the machine, and therefore it is inter-
esting to note some of the steps which
have marked the progress of this branch
of industry, and to refer to the impetus it
has given to allied branches. In England,
in 1915. Robert William Thomson aston
ished the conservative coach builders of
that time by constructing a tire the like
of which had never before been seen or
heard Of He described it as consisting
of elastic bearings round the tires of
wheels of carriages, rendering their mo
ton easier and diminishing the noise while
in motion. The inner tube of ThOmsons
pneumatic tire-for such It was-was COM
posed of several thicknesses of canvas,
each saturated, and covered on both sides
with India rubber or guttapercha in a
state of solution This tire had a strong
leather shoe, and was of great size, being
five inches in diameter and intended to be
inflated so as to keep the tire of the wheel
two and half inches above the ground
This contrivance was exhibited at the
great London exhibition of 1851, and at
tracted much attention. The idea does
not seem, however, to have made much
practical Roadway, and apparently faded
away from the consciousness of coach
builders Thomson afterwards turned
his attention to solid rubber tires, and as
late as 1868 the scientific journals of Eu-
rope referred to them as in use for tract
ion engines on common roads. 1t is at
least an open question whether the essen
tial features of the most recent patent
were not included in Thomson's inven-
ton.
The hard solid tire of the Ordinary or
high-wheeled bicycle needs no especial
mention. When the Safety first appear
ed, it also had solid tire Cushion and
pneumatic tires were introduced in 1890
and the rivalry which was at first appa-
rent between them was speedily done
away with by the evident superiority of
the latter, which rapidly progressed from
the first attempts until they now demand
close competition among makers in the
race towards perfection in construction
The problem of a perfect pneumatic tire
for bicycles is thus seen to be of very re-
cent origin. A year ago some expert cal
culated that within eighteen months the
demand for bicycle tires had made a diff
ference of 100000 in favor of the crude
rubber trade In 1895. 100000 more pounds
of rubber were needed than in 1894. In
1895. 100000 tires were needed for Ameri-
can bicycles sold, and the record for the
year now closing will show a large in
crease. Besides, these figures take no ac-
count of the immense number of tires
needed to replace faulty or punctured ones
Our makers, who have demonstrated their
ability to start a good export trade in the
English market and in face of the keenest
competition, are now looking forward to a
further extension OF their markets in for
eign countries, and will unquestionably
see during the coming year the greatest
output recorded in the trade.
Amid the claims of competing tire
builders it is somewhat invidious to specify
points of excellence or inferiority; but the
consensus of experts and the approval of
the purchasing public have recognized
certain qualities as essential to a good tire,
and accordingly the skill of makers is d.
rected to perfecting certain points of con-
struction. Strength, lightness, resiliency,
and durability now seem like the common
places of excellence In tire-building; they
represent, however, the difficulty of har-
monizing partially contradictory qualities
in the same article, as the failure of many
expensive attempts will testify. For ex-
ample, 1t seems beyond question, accord
ing to experience thus far that a punct-
ureless tire necessarily lacks resiliency ;the
rubber and fabric necessary to resist pune
ture have to undergo a degenerative pro-
cess which deprives them of elasticity,
and most of the touch and co. is taken
out of the tire. Riders will not have a
heavy and sIow-going tire, however strong
and punctureless, and the efforts of maxi
ers now have to be shaped more in har-
mony with lightness and facility of repair |
Bicyclists are evidently showing a prefer !
ence for tire which reaches the practical |
BILE maximum OF lightness combined with |
durability; bat IL one of these two quail |
ties has to be relatively sacrificed they |
prefer a light and speedy tire which can |
be quickly and securely repaired, to one |
whose durability is gained at the expense |
Of llghtness.. The devices OF repairing |
have multiplied apace since the recognition |
Of this tendency TO hghtness, and an UNI |
usual variety OF them viii be seen at the |
bicycle show In this city next February.
The good qualities now demanded In the |
best tire fabric have given "A strong impe- |
ms 10 qQrtafn Industries Cation duelx /