The modern disc brake that we know of today was first pioneered in the 1890's by Frederick William Lanchester. It worked in a similar way to today's setup, but used mainly copper components due to the lack of other materials at the time, which led to quick wearing parts that weren't really viable for this application. Because the disc is clamped on the outside of its surface, unlike being pressed from the inside like older style drum brakes, disc brakes tend to cool faster and offer better stopping performance. Today, there are many different styles of disc brakes, including the outrageously expensive carbon-ceramic composite discs, which are able to operate under temperatures that are hot enough to melt traditional steel discs.