The History of Windshields

Not long after the invention of the automobile, people realized something was missing. Goggles were standard wear for the first motorists, but drivers still needed something to protect themselves from a mouthful of bugs or a face full of mud.

The appearance of the windshield

The first self-propelled vehicles were manufactured in the late 19th century, and the development of the internal combustion engine set the stage for the first production of gas-powered automobiles in the 1890s. It was not until 1904, though, that the first windshields were introduced.

Early windshield design

The first windshields were two-piece affairs, and when the windshield became too dirty the driver could simply fold the top half down. Windshields were originally made of plate glass, although automobile manufactures quickly realized the dangers posed by flying glass shards in the event of an accident. A bump from behind could send unwitting motorists headfirst through the glass, causing serious injury or death.

Safety glass

In the early 20th century, two European scientists each developed their own solution to the hazards posed by plate-glass windshields. French scientist Edouard Benedictus developed a windshield that consisted of two layers of plate glass with a layer of cellulose between, while British inventor John C. Wood developed a similar type of laminated windshield and produced it under the brand name Triplex. In 1927, Henry Ford began incorporating Triplex windshields in his automobiles. The main drawback of laminated windshields was that the center celluloid layer would become discolored over time.

Tempered glass

In the 1950s, automobile manufactures began using tempered glass for the side and rear windows. Tempered glass, which is hardened by heating in an oven, can withstand tremendous force and when broken, disintegrates into smooth beads.

The first curved windshield

The 1934 Chrysler Imperial Airflow CW was the first production car that had a single-piece curved windshield. The Imperial Airflow CW, which sold for $5,000 and up, was the largest car that had ever been made by Chrysler. The car also featured foldaway auxiliary seats, reading lights and cigarette lighters.

The windshield wiper

Manufacturers began incorporating mechanical windshield wipers on cars in 1916. The driver or a passenger operated a crank that moved the wipers. Inventors Fred and William Folberth are generally credited as the developers of the automatic windshield wipers. The wipers, known as "Folberths," were powered by air being drawn into the car's intake manifold. Auto parts manufacturer Bosch developed electric wipers in the 1920s. Robert Kearns developed and patented intermittent powered wipers in the 1960s. After Ford introduced automobiles with intermittent wipers in 1978, Kearns sued the company and eventually won a multimillion dollar judgment.

Resources

• Plastics 4 Performance
• Windshield Wipers