Small Question

[jeeps8]

Spent too much time behind the sandblaster today. You know how the mind wanders, just to keep you from going crazy. Never really thought about it until today.

When was the phillips head screw invented?
Not a factor yet, but someday i will be putting parts back together. Haven't found 1 yet, so assuming after 1952.

[wesk]

This is from About.com:

http://inventors.about.com/od/sstartinv ... driver.htm

Robertson Screw
In 1908, square-drive screws were invented by Canadian P. L. Robertson. Twenty-eight years before Henry Phillips patented his Phillips head screws, which are also square-drive screws.The Robertson screw is considered the "first recess-drive type fastener practical for production usage." The design became a North American standard, as published in the sixth edition of Industrial Fasteners Institute Metric and Inch Standards. A square-drive head on a screw can be better than a slot head because the screwdriver will not slip out of the screw's head during installation. The Model T car made by the Ford Motor Company (one of Robertson's first customers) used over seven hundred Robertson screws.
Phillips Head Screw
In the early 1930s, the Phillips head screw was invented by Henry Phillips. Automobile manufacturers now used car assembly lines. They needed screws that could take greater torque and could provide tighter fastenings. The Phillips head screw was compatible with the automated screwdrivers used in assembly line.

Ironically, there is a Philips Screw Company that never made Phillips screws or drivers. Henry Phillips died in 1958 at the age of sixty-eight.

[jeeps8]

Thnx Wes, guess i could of done that. If you know off the top of your head, were they used on the M38? If not, I will find out in the manuals when I get that far.

P.S., I have the survey completed minus the motor info. It is still buried in the back of the Jeep. My normal loaner cherry picker is out of town. As soon as i have it out of there, will finish it up.

[wesk]

I believe you'll find that by the book only a few were phillips.

I have the same problem on antique aircraft I maintain. The common screws are a real PITA. When you screw up and let the blade slip the scratches in that fancy paint and dope covering really pisses the owner off!

If a fellow is doing a factory class perfect resto the common screws are a great idea. If it's a motor pool resto or driver the common screws suck.

[weasel]

A Philips has better torque than a Robertson I don't think so.

[wesk]

I didn't interpret the text to actually purport the Phillips was better than the Robertson. I believe they were inferring it was more readily adapted to their automatic screw assembly line drivers. I can see where in automated assembly work the driver would center and slide into the fastener head easier with the Phillips arrangement.

[weasel]

I agree with that

[jeeps8]

Then we evovle into the torx. Im sure great for the guy putting it together on the assembly line. However, we all know how great they are 20 years done the road.

[C15TA]

Robertson screws are acknowledged to be the best on the market. The Canadian inventor got stung, I think by the British, and was very cautious with manufacturing and uses rights and patents. Henry Ford used the screws and wanted to control the rights because of their time saving qualities in production.
Henry was refused of course and the Robertson screw was not readily available in the US. The US manufactured a square drive that was not as good because of the lack of the patented taper. Now that a lot of the patents have run out these screws are available and very poular in the US. When I was a kid and we visited friends in the US, a box of Robertson screws or a set of green, red and black "Robbies", was always a welcome gift.
Barry

[oilleaker1]

Believe it or not, another special phillips head screw exits---------"the posi-drive" type used on Austin Healeys. Now you know! John

[wesk]

Don't leave out Reed & Prinz