Invention of the windshield wiper

[supton]

From my email inbox today: Windshield wipre is patented

Wikipedia link to Mary Anderson

For those who don't want to click on the links:

Quote:
While visiting New York City in the winter of 1902, Anderson was caught in a sudden downpour while riding in a streetcar. She noticed that her driver was having difficulty seeing out the front window, and had to resort to rolling down the window to stick his head out.

Upon returning to Alabama, she began conducting experiments to create a device that would keep front windshields clear of rain and sleet. She finally imagined a device that used rubber squeegees to remove water from the windshields.

After much trial and error, Anderson finally produced a hand lever device, operated by the driver or passenger, that used rubber wiper blades to remove rain from vehicle windshields. The lever was designed to cause a spring-loaded arm to move back and forth across the windshield. She had a model of her design manufactured and then patented on November 10, 1903.

In 1905, she wrote to a Canadian firm about purchasing the patent, but the company declared that they saw no commercial value in the product. This was reportedly Anderson’s only attempt to market her invention.

 

[KGMtech]

Dumb Canucks (

 

[Papa Bear]

Progress not perfection.

My first car (a 1951 Ford 2-door) mated that lovely little squeegee to a vacuum motor to drive it.

When you were going down the road in a rainstorm and trying to pass some dawdler who was crawling along, the wipers (when you needed them most) would stop in mid-swipe and not operate again until you took your foot off the gas.

I know there are folks here who know what I'm talking about.

 

[supton]

Not having been alive in those days, it is an enigma to me how how vacuum motors were called on for wiper duty. Yes, I understand the cost savings--well, no I don't, my experience is in the today, where cost is not really an issue.

I seem to recall the problem in those days was driving fast enough to get enough volts from the generator for the lights, and slow enough to get enough vacuum for the wipers. Add in the tire technology of the day, and rainy weather driving must have been quite an adventure.

Although, to go off on a tangent: how reliable were those vacuum wipers? Apart from issues with getting vacuum from the motor.

 

[sonofbumperbolt]

Originally Posted By: Papa Bear
Progress not perfection.

My first car (a 1951 Ford 2-door) mated that lovely little squeegee to a vacuum motor to drive it.

When you were going down the road in a rainstorm and trying to pass some dawdler who was crawling along, the wipers (when you needed them most) would stop in mid-swipe and not operate again until you took your foot off the gas.

I know there are folks here who know what I'm talking about.

Yup. My 1962 Falcon did the same thing. Cool car nonetheless.

 

[Andrew1972]

On vacuum operated things the Germans and Swedes were morons making cars in the eighties and into 90's that used tubing run all over the car to make the door locks operate.

 

[ag_ghost]

Originally Posted By: Papa Bear
Progress not perfection.

My first car (a 1951 Ford 2-door) mated that lovely little squeegee to a vacuum motor to drive it.

When you were going down the road in a rainstorm and trying to pass some dawdler who was crawling along, the wipers (when you needed them most) would stop in mid-swipe and not operate again until you took your foot off the gas.

I know there are folks here who know what I'm talking about.

I remember that with my Dad's car at an early age; something like a 51 or 52 Ford. Maybe his '56 was that way too; I'll have to look that up; maybe so with the comment about about the Falcon.
Kevin

 

[Charlie1935]

Some cars had a double action fuel pump that created vacuum on one side for the wiper motor.
Correct me if I am wrong.

 

[lubricatosaurus]

Reminds me I need to finally see the windshield wiper movie (Alda and Kinnear, what could be better?)

 

[4wheeldog]

Originally Posted By: supton
Not having been alive in those days, it is an enigma to me how how vacuum motors were called on for wiper duty. Yes, I understand the cost savings--well, no I don't, my experience is in the today, where cost is not really an issue.

I seem to recall the problem in those days was driving fast enough to get enough volts from the generator for the lights, and slow enough to get enough vacuum for the wipers. Add in the tire technology of the day, and rainy weather driving must have been quite an adventure.

Although, to go off on a tangent: how reliable were those vacuum wipers? Apart from issues with getting vacuum from the motor.


I don't think dollar cost was the issue....I think the issue was taking the load off the electrical system. Generators did not produce a big surplus, and when the lights and heater blower were going, at slow speeds you might just be breaking even.

The vacuum systems were pretty reliable, though they lost efficiency after a lot of miles and/or years. I believe the seals dried out.

I remember repairing/replacing more generators than starters, and starters were not nearly as reliable as they are these days.

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted By: supton
Not having been alive in those days, it is an enigma to me how how vacuum motors were called on for wiper duty. Yes, I understand the cost savings--well, no I don't, my experience is in the today, where cost is not really an issue.


Simple, electric DC motors were huge and heavy. That is why vacuum motors were used where there was limited space like inside cowlings or doors.
What puzzles me is why most manufacturers insisted on using manifold vacuum instead of installing a vacuum pump.

 

[Oldmoparguy1]

Originally Posted By: Charlie1935
Some cars had a double action fuel pump that created vacuum on one side for the wiper motor.
Correct me if I am wrong.
Yup. You could even buy a replacement duel action fuel pump from J C Whitney.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: Charlie1935
Some cars had a double action fuel pump that created vacuum on one side for the wiper motor.
Correct me if I am wrong.


They browbeat the supplier down on vacuum wiper motors for so long, they had to meet their end of the bargain with the fuel pump thingy. At least it could draw more and more the faster the car went.

My diesel mercedes has a timing chain-driven vacuum pump and analog vacuum computer full of cams, orifices and other gizmos to translate engine load into something the gasoline-intended transmission can handle.

On the other end of things, my mom's VW bug ran the windshield squirter off the spare tire.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted By: Charlie1935
Some cars had a double action fuel pump that created vacuum on one side for the wiper motor.
Correct me if I am wrong.
My 68 international scout had an extra port on the fuel pump that ran the wipers using vacuum.

When the pump died I could not get another with the correct vacuum port so the wipers were hooked up to the intake manifold vacuum.And just like somebody else said. The wipers would stop under acceleration and speed up when slowing LOL

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted By: supton


Although, to go off on a tangent: how reliable were those vacuum wipers? Apart from issues with getting vacuum from the motor.
I scrapped my 68 Scout around 2005 and they were one of the few things that still worked.

 

[Jetronic]

Originally Posted By: Papa Bear
Progress not perfection.

My first car (a 1951 Ford 2-door) mated that lovely little squeegee to a vacuum motor to drive it.

When you were going down the road in a rainstorm and trying to pass some dawdler who was crawling along, the wipers (when you needed them most) would stop in mid-swipe and not operate again until you took your foot off the gas.

I know there are folks here who know what I'm talking about.

adverse weather speed limiter?

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Papa Bear
I know there are folks here who know what I'm talking about.

I drove a 51 Chev truck as a grain truck years back, and remember that, too.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: supton
Not having been alive in those days, it is an enigma to me how how vacuum motors were called on for wiper duty. Yes, I understand the cost savings--well, no I don't, my experience is in the today, where cost is not really an issue.

I seem to recall the problem in those days was driving fast enough to get enough volts from the generator for the lights, and slow enough to get enough vacuum for the wipers. Add in the tire technology of the day, and rainy weather driving must have been quite an adventure.

Although, to go off on a tangent: how reliable were those vacuum wipers? Apart from issues with getting vacuum from the motor.
"Better cars" had a vacuum booster pump installed.

 

[Virtus_Probi]

Originally Posted By: eljefino

They browbeat the supplier down on vacuum wiper motors for so long, they had to meet their end of the bargain with the fuel pump thingy. At least it could draw more and more the faster the car went.

My diesel mercedes has a timing chain-driven vacuum pump and analog vacuum computer full of cams, orifices and other gizmos to translate engine load into something the gasoline-intended transmission can handle.

On the other end of things, my mom's VW bug ran the windshield squirter off the spare tire.


That solution is an amazing combination of inspired and completely whacked.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
Originally Posted By: eljefino


On the other end of things, my mom's VW bug ran the windshield squirter off the spare tire.


That solution is an amazing combination of inspired and completely whacked.


Remember the era of full serve gas and an air hose nearby. VW latched on to all that "free air".