Sunday as usual I had to find something to write about that did not involve the extremely boring politics of the election….and that is not as easy for me as you would think…..something that would inform as well as giving me a chance to drop some history.

I recently got a laptop stand that I ordered from Amazon….it said some assembly required…..well when I got the contents of the package out it was a lot of assembly required….after laying everything out I noticed I needed a screwdriver so I yelled for Sue to bring me a Phillips screwdriver.  She brought it in to me and I took it and my brain kicked in….why is it called a ‘Phillips Screwdriver”?

Before I started the Herculean task of putting this damn thing together I had to answer my question….

So this post is for all those that have inquiring minds.

If you’ve ever undertaken any sort of home repair project, it’s all but assured you have either used or heard the following phrase: “Hand me the Phillips head screwdriver.” This distinction is key, as one cannot rotate a flat-head screw with a cross-patterned Phillips head tool nor use a flat-head driver with a Phillips screw.

But why have two different kinds of screws at all? What benefits does one have over the other? And why do we call the crosshead screw a “Phillips head”?

According to the National Inventors Hall of Fame, the Phillips in Phillips head refers to Henry Phillips, an inventor who undertook a radical rethink of fasteners. In 1933, Phillips obtained the rights to a socket screw invented by John Thompson that had a cross-slotted rather than slit head. To turn the screw, one had to use a tool that resembled an arrow at the end. (This wasn’t entirely a novel concept, as an inventor named John Frearson patented a cruciform screw in the late 1800s.)

Why did Thompson sell the patent? Apparently he had trouble getting manufacturers interested, as they feared such a screw might be damaged during production due to the deep depression needed in the center.

https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/why-is-it-called-phillips-head-screwdriver

As long as we are on tool names….why is it called a ‘crescent wrench’?  Or should I call it a ‘spanner’?

If you’ve ever embarked on any home improvement projects or tinkered on a car, you’ve probably picked up an adjustable wrench. The gripping tool can easily be resized by a wheel maneuverable with your thumb. Yet you’ve probably never asked for it by that name. That’s because the adjustable wrench is far more well-known by its other moniker: the crescent wrench. And while it might seem like the name is a nod to the crescent-shaped jaw of the tool, that’s not the entire story.

The crescent wrench is actually the Crescent wrench. It’s not a colloquial term but a brand name for an adjustable wrench invented by Swedish immigrant Karl Peterson and brought to market in the early 1900s. Peterson’s innovation was a simple one: Rather than force mechanics to harbor a complete set of wrenches in different sizes, the Crescent allowed them to quickly adjust the width of the wrench, creating a perfectly-suited tool regardless of the nut, bolt, or other fastener they were securing. (One jaw is fixed; the other can be moved inwardly or outwardly with the thumb wheel to change the width.)

Peterson originally opened his business in Jamestown, New York, in 1907, with a focus on standard pliers. But when Peterson received a visitor from Sweden who reminded him of an adjustable wrench popular in that country, he began to consider the possibilities. (While the Crescent is the most well-known of its type, it was not the first: Adjustable wrenches of various designs date to the 1800s, though most invited frustration when the moving jaw got stuck.)

https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/why-is-it-called-a-crescent-wrench

WHEW!  With my curiosity satisfied I went to work on the stand….to say it went smoothly would be an out right lie.  After an hour and half the stand was together and functional, which says a lot when I put things together.

Now are you not pleased that you stopped by today….for if not you would have no idea about the ‘Phillips Screwdriver’ or the ‘Crescent Wrench’…..you are welcome.

Have a wonderful Sunday and as always….Be Well and Be Safe….

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”