Who invented cats eyes

In he was allowed to demonstrate his invention — at his own expense. He was permitted to install 50 studs at a notoriously foggy crossroads between Leeds and Bradford.

Orders did not flood in. The first was for 36 studs for use near Bradford. Leeds Highways Dept then ordered a hundred studs, then another hundred three months later. Orders now poured in, and so did tributes from grateful drivers. Manufacture took place in Boothtown, of course. In the Japanese Army entered Malaya and supply of rubber plummeted; the company was allowed only a small quota.

Scrap rubber did not work, but old crepe soles, treated with alcohol and petroleum, gave a usable material. Production fell to 12, a week. After the war, Percy Shaw became famous.

In July the then Princess Elizabeth visited Halifax, saw a display of road studs, commented knowledgeably and asked to meet the inventor. He was awarded the OBE for services to exports in Road Reflecting Studs Ltd prospered and it is still located in Boothtown, Halifax: it ships over a million road studs worldwide each year. Commercially, Percy showed an early realisation of the importance of overseas markets by filing patent applications in the USA and Canada and in several European countries.

His inventions extended into areas including manufacture of pile fabrics, and cycle pedals, reflecting his work and leisure experience in his teenage years. Records of stories told by friends and relatives show that he was a generous man who loved parties and story-telling, and the Black Dyke Mills Band.

In later years he enjoyed golf and smoking his pipe, and driving around in his Rolls Royce. Never heard of them? Neither had I until I came to write this article. Percy Shaw came from a working class family, and had finished formal education by the age of thirteen. His father, James, was married twice, having seven children with his first wife, Jane.

When Jane died in , James married Esther Morrell. Born in Halifax, Yorkshire in , Percy was the fourth child and second son of this second marriage.

Two years later the family moved to nearby Boothtown and that was where Percy would spend the rest of his life. Money was in short supply, so when Percy reached the age of thirteen he started work as a labourer in a local mill.

That is until he had the fortune of spotting his headlights reflecting back from the eyes of a stray cat that was sat by the road. This was when it clicked that it would be a brilliant idea to replicate the reflection of Cat's Eyes to guide drivers along dark and dangerous roads. Shaw realised that as the car was becoming more popular and more motorists would want to drive at night - they would need a guide as headlights would not be enough to keep them safe.

Shaw registered the patent for the Cat's Eye in but it took several years to design what is known as the Cat's Eye. It took him so long because not only did he make it bright enough to illuminate the road at night, he also made it tough enough to withstand all weathers and vehicles driving over the top of it.

It was not until however, that Percy Shaw won the contract from the government to mass-produce the Cat's Eyes. Shaw made the road safety device from four glass beads, a rubber moulding and a cast iron base. Skip to main content. Search for free courses, interactives, videos and more! Free learning from The Open University. Featured content. Free courses. All content. Course content. About this free course 55 hours study.

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