Thomson, Robert William
Published: August 18, 2006, 4:51 pm
Updated: August 18, 2006, 4:51 pm
This article has been reviewed by the following Topic Editor:
Peter Saundry
Robert William Thomson (1822-1873), a British engineer and inventor best known for his invention of the vulcanized rubber pneumatic tire in 1845. His tire was a hollow belt of India rubber inflated with air so that the wheels presented "a cushion...to the ground, rail or track on which they run." This elastic belt of rubberized canvas was enclosed within a strong outer casing of leather that was bolted to the wheel. Further development of the technology was abandoned due to cost considerations. Some 43 years later, the pneumatic tire returned when John Boyd Dunlop developed it as a bicycle tire. Thomson’s other contributions included the self-filling pen, improvements in steam boilers and steam gauges, steam omnibuses, and the application of steam power in land cultivation.
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Citation
Cutler J. Cleveland (Lead Author);Peter Saundry (Topic Editor) "Thomson, Robert William". In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth August 18, 2006; Last revised Date August 18, 2006; Retrieved May 25, 2013 <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Thomson,_Robert_William>
The Author
Cutler J. Cleveland is Professor of Earth and Environment at Boston University, where he also is on the faculty of the Center for Energy and Environmental Studies. Professor Cleveland is Editor-in-Chief of the Encyclopedia of Energy (Elsevier, 2004), winner of an American Library Association award, the Dictionary of Energy (Elsevier, 2005), Handbook of Energy (Elsevier, forthcoming), and is the Founding Editor-in-Chief of the Encyclopedia of Earth. He is the recipient of the Adelma ... (Full Bio)
Robert William Thomson (1822-1873), a British engineer and inventor best known for his invention of the vulcanized rubber pneumatic tire in 1845. His tire was a hollow belt of India rubber inflated with air so that the wheels presented "a cushion...to the ground, rail or track on which they run." This elastic belt of rubberized canvas was enclosed within a strong outer casing of leather that was bolted to the wheel. Further development of the technology was abandoned due to cost considerations. Some 43 years later, the pneumatic tire returned when John Boyd Dunlop developed it as a bicycle tire. Thomson’s other contributions included the self-filling pen, improvements in steam boilers and steam gauges, steam omnibuses, and the application of steam power in land cultivation.
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