134 years ago, Friday, December 7, 1888, noted Scottish veterinary surgeon & inventor Dr. John Boyd Dunlop (1840-1921) patented the first practical pneumatic tire.
Dr. Dunlop developed the pneumatic tire for his son’s tricycle after a doctor recommended that the boy, who was suffering from a severe head cold, get outside & ride his tricycle as part of his treatment, Dr. Dunlop noted that the ride seemed extremely uncomfortable, so he began working on ways to improve the experience by fashioning cushioned coverings for the wheels. He used inflated canvas tubes made of pieces of an old garden hose & bonded together with liquid rubber, fitting them to the circumference of each wheel, which he found to be very effective.
Dr. Dunlop’s development of the pneumatic tire arrived at a crucial time in the development of road transportation. Commercial production began in late 1890 in Belfast, Ireland. Dunlop partnered with William Harvey du Cros (1846-1918) to found the Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Company, which is nowadays known as Dunlop Tyres, a subsidiary of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.
The undated photograph depicts Dr. Dunlop riding a bicycle that is fitted with pneumatic tires of his own invention.
Source: FaceBook group...
Today's quote:
"Pollution is nothing but resources we're not harvesting. We allow them to disperse because we've been ignorant of their value." - R. Buckminster Fuller |
...interesting quote by R. Buckminster Fuller. I have always enjoy his geodesic domes.
ReplyDeleteNot sure I agree with him, but I went ahead and posted it. I believe Fuller was certainly a genius.
DeleteWhat we would do without these smart inventors. Take care, have a happy day!
ReplyDeleteI sometimes wonder.
DeleteAn invention that changed the world.
ReplyDeleteSo happy it came along. What bumpy rides we'd have otherwise.
DeleteI've never heard the term "pneumatic tires" before... a wonderful invention. (NewRobin13)
ReplyDeleteYes, and the first tires had an inner tube that kept the shape of the tire, until it went flat! Now we even have tubeless tires, and I wonder when that came about...some Gooyear or Dunlop smart person figured that out!
DeleteInteresting! What a lot of research must have gone through to write this. I hope you are completely over your hospital stay and back to your usual routine.
ReplyDeleteFor goodness sake, I have never heard the story before. I know the name Dunlop tires. Interesting.
ReplyDelete