Friday, May 14, 2021

The Unknown Thompson Screwdriver

 

John P. Thompson, a Portland, Oregon auto mechanic, is credited as the inventor of the crosshead screw n 1932 with a screwdriver for it one year later. With no success in attracting manufacturers, Thompson sold his self-centering design patent to the Phillips Screw Company in 1935. The crosshead screw is named after Henry Frank Phillips. Thompson’s invention eventually revolutionized assembly lines. 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.

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