The Development History of Tires (Part 2)

6. Industrial production of tires

During the period from 1913 to 1926, the invention of tire cord and carbon-black tire technology laid the foundation for the development of tire industry. Meanwhile, because of the standardization of tire’s outer edge and the gradual improvement of manufacturing technology, the production speed has been improved than before, and the output of tire has been increasing steadily.

7. The technology development of tire in the early twentieth century

With the development of automobile industry, tire technology has been improved and enhanced constantly. For example:

• From the early 1920s to the mid-1930s, the tires for car transited from low-pressure to ultra-low-pressure;

• Since the 1940s, tires started to transit to wide rims gradually;

• In the late of 1940s, tubeless tires appeared;

• In the late of 1950s, low-profile tires were created.

8. Radial truck tire

• Gray and Sloper, two Englishmen, invented the radial truck tire and awarded patent in 1913, but this technology was hard to develop because the equipment and skeleton materials at that time couldn’t meet the technical requirement of radial tire manufacturing.

• In June 1946, Michelin company got the patent of all steel radial tire granted by the National Institute of Industrial Property of France, and this company produced the radial truck tire for the first time in 1948. This kind of tire is acclaimed as the revolution of tire industry because of its obvious longer duration and better performance, especially the fuel-saving in driving.

• In 1955, an Italian company named Pirelli developed the semi-steel radial tire that had the carcass made of rayon and the belt made of steel cord.

9. The history of Chinese tire's development

• In 1929, the national rubber industry of China was established.

• In 1934, the first automobile tire of China was produced.

• In 1964, the first all steel radial tire of China was produced.

• In 1982, the first radial tire for car of China was produced.

• In 2002, the first all steel OTR tire of China was produced.

• In 2003, the first all steel industrial tire of China was produced.