'61 - '62 Wiper Arms/Blade Holders

[Bill O.]

The more I try to find the answer in the archives the more confused I become. HELP.

As relates a 1962, do the top-side ends of the blade holder containing the stamped TRICO logo also include some patent dates partially hidden under the next bar?

A post in June '08, "C-1 Wiper Arms" suggested "No", but here's what the TIMJG says: TRICO logo is stamped on the topside ends of blade holders with black rubber tips on both ends. The lower insert mounts have a series of patient numbers. Reproduction blade holders may not have these numbers"

Maybe the "lower insert mount" is where the rubber inserts fasten and is not part of the blade holder???

Thanks for any clarity you can offer.

Bill

[Jack H.]

Re: '61 - '62 Wiper Arms/Blade Holders

OK, I'm holding an NOS Trico RB12 (NOT RB12-2 as used on Corvette; the difference is the arm to blade attaching mechanism). The answer is 'YES' to both questions.

One side of the rubber insert is embossed with various Patent disclosures (US, Canada, Britian) and these are 'sprinkled' in the sidewall of the rubber above the 'dots'.

Next, the two outer bridges of the blade holder are embossed with TRICO's name and the various applicable patents in force at the time of manufacture. These marks cover the entire upper surface of the outside, 'short' bridge components, so they extend from the visible half of the bridge through the bridge's hinge point to the side that's covered by the bridge assy of the holder above.

Also, there's a difference between 'early' versions of the blade, those known to have been used in the period your car was built and later service replacement blades. Both of the early versions used black plastic 'snap on' tips to retain the rubber insert in its mounting rail. Later era service replacement blades eliminated these tips and the raw blade rail was 'notched' to 'snap' into the blade holder.

Last, the very early version of the blade had a 'short' release tab on the blade-to-arm bayonet mechanism. It was known as a fingernail breaker because there was almost no clearance between the release tab and the bayonet holder on the blade. Those from the era of your car had a longer release tab (extends approximately 1/4" beyond the bayonet housing).

So, that should provide a textual description of what the judges are looking for in terms of factory originality...

[Bill O.]

Re: '61 - '62 Wiper Arms/Blade Holders

Thanks a Million, Jack.

Can't get any clearer than that.

Bill

[Dave S.]

Re: '61 - '62 Wiper Arms/Blade Holders

The more I try to find the answer in the archives the more confused I become. HELP.

As relates a 1962, do the top-side ends of the blade holder containing the stamped TRICO logo also include some patent dates partially hidden under the next bar?

A post in June '08, "C-1 Wiper Arms" suggested "No", but here's what the TIMJG says: TRICO logo is stamped on the topside ends of blade holders with black rubber tips on both ends. The lower insert mounts have a series of patient numbers. Reproduction blade holders may not have these numbers"

Maybe the "lower insert mount" is where the rubber inserts fasten and is not part of the blade holder???

Thanks for any clarity you can offer.

Bill

Bill,
Based on my experience on the judging field I think you will be disappointed if you have patent numbers on the blade holder next to TRICO. Not only did I get that lecture from the late Dale Pearman but I learned first hand with my 61.

[John F.]

Re: '61 - '62 Wiper Arms/Blade Holders

Photos, photos, and more photos would make this even more clear! Any body have photos of originals? Sure wish Roy had a 62.
John

[Roy B.]

Re: '61 - '62 Wiper Arms/Blade Holders

I cant afford a 62

[John S.]

Re: '61 - '62 Wiper Arms/Blade Holders

i spent several hours going through books yesterday after a listing on ebay stated the correct blades had no patent numbers next to the trico. i purchased the 58-60 corvette restoration handbook by bob baird and tom howey and on page 135 it states " trico put patent numbers on just about every available space on the metal and rubber parts." on the same page is a picture showing the original blade holder with the trico and the start of patent numbers next to it. after all that was posted about this book i figured it might make a good reference.

[John S.]

Re: '61 - '62 Wiper Arms/Blade Holders

roy, i tried to copy these charts but writing is too small. what is the arm length on 58-62? (i know the blades are 12")

[Bob H.]

Re: '61 - '62 Wiper Arms/Blade Holders

I will post photos of originals when I return home Saturday

[Bob H.]

Re: '61 - '62 Wiper Arms/Blade Holders

As promised, here is a breakdown of what I have on what I believe to be original wipers on my low mile 61.

Numbers are everywhere. Trico on each end with PAT # starting with 702. There are several other PAT #'s on the remaining metal on each end.

The rubber blade has Trico on it along with the listed PAT #'s

The short pivoting that attaches to the arm has Pat 2.752.626 on one side and 2807822 on the other side. This may be a part number since there is no reference to a patent.

Hope this helps!!

[Bill O.]

Re: '61 - '62 Wiper Arms/Blade Holders

Bob:

Thanks for going to all the trouble of providing pics and patent data.
The top-side ends of the blade holder on one wiper set I have match part of the numbers you provided, yours "702", mine "270239". The position at one end of the rubber insert where we find the two lines of larger patient numbers, none of mine agree with yours....mine being BR.593775.702.900 799456/ PAT.2733469 CAN. 54 BR.733626I

That being said, let me acknowledge that I know nothing about what would have been on a '61...one might assume they would be the same for a '62, particularly a early one. But just know that I've received feed-back in addition to this Board which suggests that a '62 of my vintage should have no patient numbers on the ends of the blade holder; only the word TRICO....and should have the long version of the tang that releases the blade from the arm.

Thanks again to all who took the time to provide help. Much appreciated.

Bill

[Jack H.]

Re: '61 - '62 Wiper Arms/Blade Holders

I wrote an article for the Rocky Mtn Chapter newsletter on the subject of 'Patent Dating'. The gist of the article was the US Patent Office's data base is now open to on-line public query. With a given Patent Number, you can pull the file and find out when the patent was applied for as well as when it was granted.

Once a patent is granted, the patent holder has an obligation of due diligence to visually disclose the invention's patent status. That's when marks change from Pat Pending to Patent No. XYZ. Of course, there's a 'reasonable' time interval here for the inventor to receive notice of the patent grant + make changes to the mfgr/distributioin process to alter the patent disclosure.

All this came up with respect to WSW blades on mid-year cars. It had been noted that the attaching bayonet (blade to arm) were marked differently with some bearing the 'CAN 63' emboss in addition to other US Patent No's.

My research identified 'approximately' when this change should have come down based on the various patent #'s involved. Bottom line, it couldn't have been before early 1964 that the later blades with more patent numbers and the 'CAN 63' emboss were produced.

Note, the blade documented above LACKS the 'CAN 63' emboss on its bayonet socket. In my opinion, that places its date of manufacture BEFORE 1964...