Posts Tagged: "mary anderson"

The Evolution of Wind Shield Wipers – A Patent History

Almost immediately, Anderson began to conceive a design for a windshield wiper which could be operated by a driver from within a vehicle, which improved visibility while eliminating uncomfortable interactions with the wintry environment. Over the course of many months, Anderson settled on a working prototype: a set of wiper arms constructed from wood and rubber which could be operated through the use of a lever installed close to the steering wheel. Pulling on the lever would initiate a spring mechanism that dragged the wiper arm across the windshield, clearing away snow, rain and debris. On November 10, 1903, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued U.S. Patent No. 743,801, entitled WIndow-Cleaning Device, to Anderson. The windshield wiper protected by this patent was removable so that it wouldn’t obstruct a driver’s vision during fair weather.

Steve Brachmann

November 9, 2014

Celebrating Heroes of Invention at the Temple of Innovation

It would have done Members of Congress good to see the stories of these extraordinary individuals who researched, developed, innovated and succeeded beyond the wildest dreams of what anyone could ever reasonably hope to accomplish. It is this innovation that has lead to life saving treatments, a better way of life, and countless American jobs. It was an inspiring, non-political evening that should have been celebrated at the highest levels in our government. This is who we want our children to become. These are the role models. We all need to work toward making math, science, engineering and innovation the sexy career path it should be. These thirty-nine inductees, and the other 421 previous inductees, together create perhaps the most exclusive society anywhere in the globe. They are no less than heroes of invention.

Gene Quinn

May 5, 2011