Margaret A. Wilcox Invented The First Car Heater

Margaret A. Wilcox, born in 1838, was a mechanical engineer. It was against the law for women to file patents until the late 19th century, so Margaret had to file hers under her husband's name. But in 1893 she was granted a patent in her own name and it was for the car heater. Traveling by car in the cold wasn’t pleasant. Margaret’s idea was that the air should be directed from the engine of the car to warm the fingers of the driver. Her invention was flawed because the temperature could not be regulated, but the design still was a good basis to make improvements to that lead to the modern-day car heater.