An odometer is an instrument that measures the distance traveled by a vehicle, deriving its name from the Greek words for path and measure. The device was described independently in the ancient Greco-Roman world, first by the Roman engineer Vitruvius in the 1st century BC and later by Hero of Alexandria, and separately in Han dynasty China, where it is credited to the polymath Zhang Heng in the 2nd century AD; the Chinese version mechanically struck a drum or gong at set distances. Mechanical odometers for wagons and carriages were revived and refined in Europe from the 1600s onward.
Facts
YearSourced to the subject's own account SignificanceSourced to the subject's own accountThe Warner brothers' patented Auto-meter of 1903 was the first instrument to give automobile drivers accurate distance and speed readings together, establishing the modern automotive odometer. 1 Connections
In Field
Source Odometer (Wikipedia)
Invented By
Source Odometer (Wikipedia)
Sources
1. Odometer (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHistory section, 1895 Veeder paragraph, sentence 1
In 1895, Curtis Hussey Veeder invented the Cyclometer.
History section, 1903 Warner paragraph, sentence 1
In 1903 Arthur P. and Charles H. Warner, two brothers from Beloit, Wisconsin, introduced their patented Auto-meter.
In Field: Mechanical Engineering, Lead section
The device may be electronic, mechanical, or a combination of the two (electromechanical).
Invented By: Thomas Savery, Article body
Odometers were developed for ships in 1698 with the odometer invented by the Englishman Thomas Savery.
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