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The wheel was invented in the 4th millennium BC in Lower Mesopotamia(modern-day Iraq), where the Sumerian people inserted rotating axles into solid discs of wood. It was only in 2000 BC that the discs began to be hollowed out to make a lighter wheel. -
First time it was used as transportation was in 3200 BC and as used to move Mesopotamian chariots -
It took 1500 hundred years for the wheel to be upgraded. The need for faster transportation and the idea of using less material stemmed this technological breakthrough. The Egyptians are credited with the first implementation of a spoked wheel on their model year 2000 BC chariots. They narrowed it by carving both sides to shape, but it was the Greeks that first introduced the cross-bar, or H-type, wheel. -
The first iron rims were seen on Celtic chariots and the origin of how these were created are unknown. -
G.F. Bauer registered a patent for the first wire tension spoke. This wire spoke consisted of a length of wire threaded through the rim of the wheel and secured at both ends to the hub. Over the next few years, this wire spoke evolved into the round tension spoke we see on bicycles today. -
The pnuematic tire was patented by R.W. Thompson in 1845 but his invvention was further improved in 1888 by John Dunlop who is credited as the creator of the bicycle tire. -
In 1885 Karl Benz patented Motorwagen, this three wheel automobile used tires like bicycles as they were wired and equipped with hard rubber. -
The model T overseas used wooden artillery wheels which were followed in 1926 and 1927 by steel welded-spoke wheels. Unlike Karl Benz's first vehicle, the car that "put America on wheels" had pneumatic tires invented by Mr. Dunlop. There was, however, a big difference between those tires and the ones we used today. Made of white carbonless rubber, the tire had a life expectancy of around 2000 miles. A tire only lasted for around 30 or 40 miles before it needed repairs. -
the next step in wheel evolution was the steel disc , which bears more resemblance to the initial solid designs. As with many other things in our history, the change was prompted by lower costs as the steel disc wheels were cheaper to make. The rim could be rolled out of a straight strip of metal, and the disc itself could be stamped from sheet metal in one easy motion. The two components were welded or riveted together. This invention didn't get very popular until 1950's
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Currently wheels come in all shapes and sizes and may look different, they all have the same purpose and that is to make things easier whether its moving tons or just getting you to work. The original purpose of the wheel has never changed.