David F. Armstrong of Groton, Connecticut patented the device in this photograph in 1906. At that time, most automobiles were equipped with acetylene headlights, which apparently gave an impressive amount of light. The concept of low beams did not exist; drivers simply coped with the dazzling light of oncoming cars as best they could. Accidents were not infrequent. Armstrong’s device consisted of a tinted shield that could be lowered to cut the glare. Armstrong also suggested using a clear shield in the device when driving during the day for protection from dust and wind. This was in the days before windshields. The introduction of electric headlights and low beams—not to mention windshields—soon rendered Armstrong’s invention obsolete. Armstrong, his wife Helen, and his daughter Muriel, appear in a series of photographs taken by the commercial photographer William G. Dudley during the 1910s and 1920s. Volunteers at the Connecticut Historical Society have been working to digitize this collection and make it available to the public. Look for photos of Armstrong and his family in the CHS online catalog in weeks to come.
inside the CHS 