If you found yourself driving as snow fell across the D.C. area this week, you undoubtedly used your windshield wipers quite frequently.
Every time you flip the wipers on, you can thank Mary Anderson, an American inventor and entrepreneur, who came up with the idea of putting wipers on vehicles.
In 1903, Anderson drew up her idea of a device that could enhance visibility for drivers during bad weather.
Her invention aimed to address the inconvenience and danger posed by manual methods of clearing windshields, such as stopping the vehicle to physically wipe it off with a towel.
“At the turn of the 20th century, streetcar drivers had to either open their windows to clear their view, or stop altogether to clean off the windshield,” said Rebekah Oakes, a historian with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Anderson, who lived in Alabama, saw streetcar drivers doing this when she visited New York City in 1902.
“She witnessed this inefficient and unsafe practice and decided to do something about it,” Oakes said.
Anderson’s windshield wiper design consisted of a lever-operated rubber blade that could be moved across the windshield from inside the vehicle.
Anderson was granted a patent for her invention on Nov. 10, 1903.
Despite her innovative contribution, Anderson’s windshield wiper did not gain widespread acceptance initially.
The reluctance of automobile manufacturers to adopt the technology limited its early impact, and Anderson’s patent expired in 1920.
Her invention was just ahead of its time.
“Anderson’s invention was primarily geared toward streetcars as it would be a few more years before personal vehicles took the commercial market by storm,” Oakes explained. “Her technology was later adapted for cars, and windshield wipers started becoming standard in the 1920s.”
Even though she never got rich from her invention, Anderson’s ingenuity in addressing a common problem faced by drivers has left a lasting legacy.
It has stood the test of time and paved the way for innovations in vehicle-related safety technology.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
