What is National Odometer Day?
Each year, the National Odometer Day on May 12th gives the opportunity to learn a little bit about the odometer.
An odometer is a device that measures the distance traveled by a vehicle. It may be electronic, mechanical, or a combination of both. The word odometer comes from the Greek words hodos, meaning path or metron, and metron, which refers to length. An odometer, kilometer, or tripometer is used in several countries.
Odometers were first introduced in the 1600s for wagons and other horse-drawn carriages to record distance traveled. Arthur P. and Charles H. Warner of Beloit, Wisconsin, pioneered the first odometer for the automobile, which appeared in 1903 and was patented as the Auto-Meter.
In addition, the brothers will patent other items such as a tachometer, paper making machine, electric brake, and power clutch. A thermometer for the motor was developed at one point in their company, Stewart-Warner Speedometer corporation, created a thermometer for the motor. They did lose a case for patent infringement, but they did lose.
Arthur Warner was one of America's oldest pilots. His engineering curiosity led him to build and eventually fly a Curtiss Pusher plane.
