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10 Fun Facts about the Inventor of the Windshield Wiper

Do you remember the nursery rhyme about the Wheels on The Bus and this line specifically; the wipers on the bus go swish swish swish…all through the town? Well, that line has something to do with this article.

Driving during a heavy rain or snowstorm can be incredibly dangerous, with poor visibility caused by a snow-caked or rain-soaked windshield. However, turning on the windshield wipers provides essential clear vision to drive safely. It is a clever innovation that we take for granted today. However, did you know windshield wipers were only invented slightly over a century ago?

The ingenious woman who came up with the idea for the first windshield wiper in 1902 was Mary Anderson. Though she earned little money or fame for her invention in her lifetime, Anderson’s windshield-wiping mechanism was a significant innovation. Her creativity and problem-solving changed driving safety forever.

Read on to learn intriguing details about her early life, inspiration for invention, and the evolution of windshield wipers from her original patent. Anderson’s clever solution to a vexing driving problem proved vital for navigating rainy or snowy conditions.

1. Mary Anderson’s parents were originally from Scotland

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Mary Anderson was born in 1866 in Alabama, shortly after her parents emigrated from Scotland. Her parents were John C. and Rebecca Anderson. Her father was originally from Edinburgh and moved to the United States in 1859 seeking new opportunities and economic prospects during the challenging times in Scotland.

Mary was the youngest of three children. Growing up in the Reconstruction-era South as the daughter of Scottish immigrants gave Mary a unique perspective from a young age. Due to the limited educational opportunities in rural Alabama during that time, Mary’s formal education was minimal. However, her parents emphasized the value of learning through experience and hands-on problem-solving.

The values instilled by her parents, such as hard work, ingenuity, and a commitment to making a positive impact on society, stayed with Mary throughout her life and played a crucial role in her success as an inventor.

2. Mary Anderson’s first known job was at a cattle ranch

In 1893, Mary Anderson made a big move. She left her home in Birmingham, Alabama, and relocated to Fresno, California, to manage a vineyard and a cattle ranch. Anderson was a successful businesswoman, and she was always looking for new opportunities. She saw the move to Fresno as a chance to expand her business interests and to live in a more vibrant and exciting city.

Fresno was a growing city in the late 19th century. Located in the heart of California’s agricultural region, it was a major centre for cattle ranching and grape growing. The city also had a thriving business community and a growing population.

Anderson arrived in Fresno at a time of great change and upheaval. The city was rapidly expanding, and new businesses and industries were springing up all over. Anderson quickly immersed herself in the city’s bustling business community.

3. She left California to go care for an ailing aunt

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In 1900, Mary Anderson returned to Birmingham, Alabama, to help care for her ailing aunt. She and her aunt moved into the Fairmont Apartments with Anderson’s mother, her sister, and her brother-in-law, G. P. Thornton. Anderson’s aunt brought with her a number of large trunks that no one was allowed to examine. The trunks were kept in Anderson’s aunt’s room, and they were always locked.

Anderson’s family and friends were curious about the contents of the trunks, but Anderson’s aunt refused to let anyone open them. She said that the trunks contained personal belongings that she didn’t want anyone to see. Anderson’s aunt died in 1903, and the trunks passed to Anderson. She opened the trunks for the first time after her aunt’s death, and she was surprised to discover that they were filled with gold and jewellery. They sold them and were able to live comfortably.

4. Mary’s trip to New York on a rainy day inspired the invention of the Windshield Wiper

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In 1902, Mary Anderson was visiting New York City when she had the idea for windshield wipers. She was riding in a trolley car when she was struck by how difficult it was for the driver to see through the snow-covered windshield. The driver had to constantly stop the trolley and get out to wipe the windshield by hand. This was time-consuming and dangerous, as it meant that the trolley was stopped in the middle of the road.

Anderson realized that there needed to be a better way to keep windshields clean. She began to sketch out ideas for a device that could be operated from inside the vehicle to wipe the windshield clean. Identifying a problem and its opportunity, Anderson, an entrepreneur rather than an engineer, came up with a solution.

She envisaged a windshield wiper blade that could be operated by the trolley driver from inside. At the time, very few people considered eliminating the problem, as it was something that drivers had to accept and deal with.

5. Anderson sketched her first Windshield wiper in Alabama in 1903

In 1903, when Mary Anderson returned to Alabama, she hired a designer to help her create a hand-operated device that could keep a windshield clear. After producing a working model with the help of a local company, she applied for a patent for her invention. Her patent application was filed on June 18, 1903, and granted on November 10 of the same year.

Anderson was awarded patent number 743,801 by the United States Patent Office for her Window Cleaning device, which would go on to become the precursor to the modern windshield wiper. Her invention was a simple but effective solution to a common problem, and it quickly became standard equipment on all cars.

6. Her wiper design involved a lever that controlled a rubber blade moved across the windshield

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Mary Anderson conceived a windshield wiper composed of a rubber blade arm operated by a lever inside the vehicle. The lever when moved caused the spring-loaded wiping arm to go back and forth across the windshield. A counterweight kept the wiper blade in close contact with the glass.

This allowed the device to clear snow, rain or debris from the driver’s field of vision. Anderson’s windshield wiper was designed to be removable after winter since it was not needed in sunny conditions.

Prior inventors had attempted similar clearing mechanisms, but Anderson’s was the first practical, effective solution for the problem of maintaining visibility through a windshield in inclement weather. Her original design with its simple lever-operated arm and removable rubber blade established the basic components still used in windshield wipers today. However, modern fixed wiper blades lack the removable feature of Anderson’s early model.

7. She tried to market her invention to auto manufacturers but received little interest at the time

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In 1903, not many people owned a car, and Henry Ford‘s Model A had not yet been released. As a result, when Anderson tried to sell the rights to her invention to Dinning and Eckenstein, a well-known Canadian firm, in 1905, they refused, stating that they did not believe it had enough commercial value to be worth selling. Additionally, many people did not see the value of her invention and were concerned that the device and the moving wipers would distract the driver.

By the year 1913, there was significant growth in the automobile manufacturing industry, and as a result, windshield wipers became a standard feature. It was in 1922 that Cadillac became the first car manufacturer to introduce them as standard equipment. Unfortunately, Anderson did not make any profit from her invention as the patent expired in 1920.

8. Frustrated by the lack of commercial success, she gave up actively promoting her wiper design

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She had tried to sell the rights to her invention to car manufacturers and other businesses, but they were not interested.

One reason for the lack of interest was that cars were not yet very popular in the early 1900s. The Model T Ford, which helped to make cars more affordable and accessible to the average person, was not introduced until 1908.

Another reason for the lack of interest was that many people did not see the need for windshield wipers. They were used to driving in all weather conditions without them. However, as cars became more popular and people began to drive in more challenging conditions, the need for windshield wipers became more apparent.

9. The first electric windshield was patented in 1917 by another woman

Charlotte Bridgwood, president of the Bridgwood Manufacturing Company, Canada and automobile enthusiast, invented the first automatic windshield cleaner in October 1917. She improved Mary Anderson’s manual windshield wipers, which required drivers to use levers to operate them.

Bridgwood’s design never went into full production, so her patent expired in 1920. Without patent protection, large car manufacturers quickly adopted her design, with Cadillac being the first in 1922. Bridgwood’s invention remains largely unrecognized despite its significance.

10. Cadillac became the first auto company to adopt windshield wipers as a standard feature in 1922

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Mary Anderson’s patent for the windshield wiper expired in 1920, and she never profited from her invention. This is despite the fact that windshield wipers became standard equipment on cars by 1913, and Cadillac became the first car manufacturer to adopt them as standard equipment in 1922.

Mary Anderson was a pioneer in the field of automotive safety, and her invention has made driving safer for millions of people around the world. Mary died in 1953, at the age of 86. She was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2011 during their 50^th anniversary.