Photo of Margaret A. Wilcox

Margaret A. Wilcox

1838 - 1912
Mechanical Engineering/Inventor
USA USA

Personal Information

Born: 1838

Died: 1912

Country of Birth: USA

Nationality: USA

Ethnicity: White

Education

Unknown

Professional Life

Field of Study: Mechanical Engineering/Inventor

Institution/Corporation: None

Degrees & Memberships: None found

Awards & Achievements

Awards: 2020, her patent for car heater made the list of top 10 patents by women in Inventor's Digest

Achievements: Founded Wilcox Company around 1892 to market her inventions; Ford began using her hot engine air design in 1929

Held 12 patents including: rail car heater design, baking pans, hot water house heater, stove, dough mixer, radiator, & combined clothes & dish washer

Women couldn't hold patents in their own name until 1893 in the US; her earlier patents were in her husband's name until he died in 1883; all patents in his name were unsuccessful

1892, founded Wilcox Company to market her inventions

1929, Ford implemented a heating system in their Model As based on her original design

1930, GM began installing heating systems in their cars for an additional fee; also in the 1930s, Nash used heating & air conditioning systems based on her original designs