The New Westinghouse Air Spring

On February 11, 1912, The New York Times reported that “after years of experiment, the inventor George Westinghouse has perfected the shock absorber for automobiles.”

As the article’s headline announces, “More Comfort for Motor Car Drivers.” George Westinghouse kept addressing his mind to new challenges even as he aged.

It is also interesting that the Times article preceded by ten days the date when Westinghouse actually applied for the patent, as shown in the application archived below, which details his vision.

These are Westinghouse’s own drawing and words of explanation.

However, as the document also shows, the patent for his revolutionary Air Spring was not granted until May 30, 1916, more than two years after Westinghouse had died.

As it turned out, Westinghouse nine of the 360 patents he received were issued to him posthumously.