Windshield Wiper Blade

In a visit to New York City in the winter of 1902, Anderson sat in a trolley car on a frosty day. She observed that the trolley car driver struggled to see past the windows because of the falling sleet. To clear the sights, the driver needed to open the window, lean out of the vehicle, or stop the car to go outside in order to wipe the windscreen with his or her hands. Anderson, who was not an engineer but an entrepreneur, identified the problem and its opportunity. She envisioned a windshield wiper blade that the trolley driver could operate from the inside. Her new device consisted of a lever inside the vehicle that controlled a rubber blade on the outside of the windshield. The lever could be operated to cause the spring-loaded arm to move back and forth across the windshield. A counterweight was used to ensure contact between the wiper and the window. The device could be easily removed if desired after the winter was over. She applied for, and in 1903 was granted, a 17-year patent for a windshield wiper. The patent application was filed on June 18, 1903. On November 10, 1903, the United States Patent Office awarded Anderson patent number 743,801 for her Window Cleaning device.

Windshield wiper Blade operated manually

Category:
Automotive

Completion Status:
yes

Patent Number:
"743 801"

Co-Inventor:
none