The credited inventor of the Phillips screw was John P. Thompson who, in 1932, patented (#1,908,080) a recessed cruciform screw and in 1933, a screwdriver for it.
Biography
After failing to interest manufacturers, Thompson sold his self-centering design to Phillips in 1935. Phillips formed the Phillips Screw Company in 1934. After refining the design (U.S. Patent #2,046,343, U.S. Patents #2,046,837 to 2,046,840) for the American Screw Company of Providence, Rhode Island, Phillips succeeded in bringing the design to industrial manufacturing and promoting its rapid adoption as a machine screw standard. American Screw then spent $500,000 originating a method of manufacture. One of the first customers was General Motors, who used the innovative design in 1936 for its Cadillac assembly-lines. By 1940, 85% of U.S. screw manufacturers had a license for the design.
Due to failing health, Phillips retired in 1945. He lost his patent in 1949. He died on 13 Apr 1958 at age 68 in Portland, Oregon.
To add to this, the Phillips screw was designed to be self centering for use with motorized screw drivers on assembly lines, with an added benefit of easy cam out that prevented over tightening by said screw drivers. All that is kinda obsolete now and actually disadvantageous, so Phillips is probably the most entrenched and enduring corporate propaganda screw.
The quoted block says that the screw format was invented in 1932 while the associated screwdriver was invented in 1933. I’m asking about the intervening period.
Both amazing, and it sucks that so many people in history bring about incredible ideas and creations and end up getting nothing for it in the end. At least Phillips got his name stuck to it, I suppose. My wife still insists on asking for the star screwdriver, and I correct her every time. “It’s Phillips!” You know what they say, you never truly die until people stop remembering you. Live on.
Also, while I understand its history being a simple to make design, the slot can die as far as I care. I HATE it, and whenever I find it in older places doing repairs I swear up and down. The worse is the slot that is a very shallow cut. Like, how am I supposed to put any torque on this without it slipping???
To add to this, the Phillips screw was designed to be self centering for use with motorized screw drivers on assembly lines, with an added benefit of easy cam out that prevented over tightening by said screw drivers. All that is kinda obsolete now and actually disadvantageous, so Phillips is probably the most entrenched and enduring corporate propaganda screw.
How did people tighten or loosen the screw between 1932 and 1933?
With a screwdriver.
The quoted block says that the screw format was invented in 1932 while the associated screwdriver was invented in 1933. I’m asking about the intervening period.
There was probably at least a year between the screw format being invented and the first screws being manufactured.
Both amazing, and it sucks that so many people in history bring about incredible ideas and creations and end up getting nothing for it in the end. At least Phillips got his name stuck to it, I suppose. My wife still insists on asking for the star screwdriver, and I correct her every time. “It’s Phillips!” You know what they say, you never truly die until people stop remembering you. Live on.
Also, while I understand its history being a simple to make design, the slot can die as far as I care. I HATE it, and whenever I find it in older places doing repairs I swear up and down. The worse is the slot that is a very shallow cut. Like, how am I supposed to put any torque on this without it slipping???