George Selden
George Selden (1846-1922): Combustion Engine
Selden developed a lightweight internal combustion engine in 1878; a one-cylinder, 400 lb. version employing an enclosed crankshaft. In 1879, Selden patented his design under the witness of George Eastman. Later, in 1899, he sold his patent to William Whitney, who four years earlier proposed the idea of making an electric patented taxicab under the Electric Vehicle Company. His application included the engine and its use in four-wheeled automobile. This brought Whitney and Selden into contention with Henry Ford, against whom they filed a patent infringement. Ford won the case because a judge declared that the gasoline-powered engine used in Ford’s patent was fundamentally different than that of Selden’s.