History - Inventions and discoveries - Windshield wipers - Automotive safety - United States - History of inventions
Which American inventor developed an early practical windshield wiper for vehicles in 1903?
Correct!
The American inventor Mary Anderson came up with the idea of a windshield wiper at the beginning of the 20th century. During a winter tram ride in New York, she observed how the driver had difficulty removing snow and precipitation from the windshield and had to partially open the window to do so. Anderson then developed a device with a movable arm and a wiper blade that could be operated by a lever from inside the vehicle. The wiper blade moved across the window and removed rain or snow. On June 18, 1903, Mary Anderson filed her patent application. On November 10, 1903, she received U.S. Patent No. 743,801 for her “Window-Cleaning Device.” Their design did not initially catch on immediately. However, with the increasing popularity of automobiles, windshield wipers became an indispensable part of vehicles. As early as 1922, windshield wipers were standard equipment at Cadillac. The National Inventors Hall of Fame describes Anderson's invention as the first effective windshield clearing device.
Mary Anderson developed an early practical windshield wiper for vehicles in 1903.
