Tire
an iron band around the fellies of a wheel. The circular continuous tire is of American origin. In Europe tires were till lately generally made in sections arranged to break joints with the fellies. The rim tire is expanded by heating, and then shrunk on so as to tightly compress the wheel, and bolted; in the sectional tire, bolts only are relied on to hold the parts together. Steel railway tires are always of the former kind. India-rubber wheel tires, solid and pneumatic, are used on bicycles, automobiles, ambulances, light vehicles, and steam fire engines, for the purpose of decreasing the jar on the vehicle, and as a means of increasing the tractive adherence.