turn of the screw: The history of Stanley screwdrivers part IV, The

In my last article, I discussed the introduction of Stanley's 100 Plus line of screwdrivers. Although based on Christian Bodmer's patent of 16 July 1929, the 100 Plus screwdrivers used only part of Bodmer's patent-the outside ferrule and the insulating washer. Bodmer's patent for the bolster provided for a knurled shank, which was driven under pressure into the bolster. Apparently, tests showed that under severe usage this was not substantial enough.

Harris Cook, another inventor at Stanley, patented an improvement (Figure 1) on Bodmer's patent by forming four wings and grooves on the shank, which was then driven into the bolster. The bolster had two rings formed on it. These rings lined up to the grooves of the shank when the bolster was inserted into it. After the shank was driven into the bolster, the bolster was placed into a die that squeezed the rings into the grooves and wings of the shank. It also placed four ribs on the outside of the bolster. The shank and bolster were next inserted with an insulating washer into the handle and ferrule and driven tight, thereby preventing axial movement between shank, bolster and handle. Beginning in 1934, this new bolster-type construction was used on upgraded no. 25, 45, and 55 screwdrivers.

The Hurwood bolster-type construction no. 25 screwdriver featured a standard tip (Figures 2 and 3) and was available in 2 1/2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, 6-, 8-, 10-, and 12-- inch blade lengths. This type screwdriver was also manufactured with a parallel-sided cabinet tip (Figure 4) in 11/2-, 2 1/2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, 6-, 8-, 10-, and 12-inch blades. Cabinet tips are parallel-sided blades that do not flare out at the tip and are the same diameter throughout the shank.

A light duty, small blade, bolster-type screwdriver -designated no. 55-was made for electrical work and for small screws. This screwdriver had a smaller standard tip with a 3/16-inch diameter blade and was produced in lengths 1 1/2 to 12 inches.

The Bell Telephone Company was quick to see the quality of this type of screwdriver and had Stanley manufacture for them a special screwdriver with a 3 1/2-inch blade, 1/ 8-inch diameter shank, and a cabinet tip. These screwdrivers were marked KS 6854 and Bell System (Figure 5) and were perfect for telephone line work.

Around 1935, Stanley engineers also experimented with a pear-shaped handle for the no. 25 screwdriver (Figure 6). Apparently, production costs were too high and it never went into full production.

Another experimental screwdriver, made in about 1935, is shown in Figure 7. This Hurwood no. 20, with an 8-inch blade, was fitted with a maple handle lacquered in satin black and grooved in a diamond pattern to improve the grip. It made a very interesting screwdriver, but it probably didn't make it out of the production shop.

On 26 December 1933, Austin Stowell of Stanley filed a patent for a spark-testing screwdriver (Figure 8). The patent was granted on 21 July 1936, but production had obviously begun in 1934. The no. 88, 1011, and 10 14 screwdrivers are illustrated on page 105 of Stanley's 1934 catalog (Figure 9).

The no. 1011 screwdriver had a standard tip and a pocket clip. It was kept in the Stanley line until 1955. The no. 1014 had a cabinet tip and remained in Stanley's line until 1971, when it was renumbered no. 66-140, which was produced until 1989. In 1960, Stanley added the same screwdriver under the Stanley Handyman logo as no. 3014 (Figure 10). These screwdrivers had a clear plastic and red handle.

On 3 July 1934 Henry Phillips of Portland, Oregon, filed two patents for a "means for uniting a screw with a driver" (Figure 11 (a and b) and Figure 12). These patents were granted on 7 July 1936 and were the beginning of the Phillips head screw. Mr. Phillips assigned the patent to his company, the Phillips Screw Co., incorporated in Wilmington, Delaware. On 15 January 1935 Henry Phillips filed two additional patents concerning the Phillips head screw and driver (Figures 13 and 14). The Phillips head screw has a tapering recess that extends into the upper portion of a screw head which has alternating ribs and flutes. Today these screws have taken over the market in fastening devices, not only on screws but on small bolts as well. Phillips's patents also claimed the driving tool used on these Phillips head fasteners.

Henry Phillips saw the potential use of his invention, but he also knew that success of this invention would only happen if he licensed out his patent for other companies to use. Stanley, seeing the potential of the Phillips head screw, applied for Phillips's license and received license no. 1.

Stanley's interest was not in manufacturing the screws but in making screwdrivers to use with them. With the no. I license in hand, Stanley quickly developed a Phillips head screwdriver and offered it to the trade beginning in April 1937. The no. 2701 through 2704 models were screwdrivers meant for general use (Figure 15). The no. 2701 had a no. 1 size tip; no. 2702 had a no. 2 size tip; no. 2703 had a no. 3 size tip; no. 2704 had a no. 4 size tip. These were different size Phillips recesses (Figure 16).

At the same time, a heavy duty model was made and bore Stanley numbers 2501 through 2504. Also introduced were two stubby screwdrivers, one with a 1-inch blade and a Phillips no. 1 tip. The other was a 114 -inch shank and a Phillips no. 2 tip. They were numbered 2711 and 2712 (Figure 17).

Another interesting screwdriver was invented by Austin Stowell of Stanley. He filed a patent in February 1937 (Figure 18) for a screwdriver with a light inside it to illuminate a screw head while using the driver. His patent was granted in May 1939, but Stanley manufactured and offered the screwdriver for sale beginning in October 1937 as their no. 1021 "Flashlite" screwdriver, with an octagonal brass case. It had a 2-inch cabinet tip blade and a total length of 5 8/5 inches (Figure 19). This screwdriver was discontinued in 1941. At the same time, a no. 100 Flash-lite screwdriver was offered, which also had a cabinet tip but had a 5-inch blade and was 10 1/2 inches in length. The case was a "Stanloid" black and amber composition. This screwdriver used two batteries and was discontinued in 1940 (Figure 20).

By the end of the 1930s, Stanley created another interesting screwdriver for use by electricians and auto mechanics. It was called Stanley's Jack Knife screwdriver no. 1022 (Figure 21) and was manufactured from 1929 to 1940. It had a flinch parallel tip blade. This screwdriver was basically a no. 45 bolster-type screwdriver (discussed earlier in this article) with a thicker 1/4-- inch diameter blade and a 2-inch jack knife fitted to the handle.

Also in 1939, Stanley experimented with two other jack knife screwdrivers. One had a composition Stanloid handle with a push-button locking mechanism to remove the knife from the handle. The other was a no. 70 standard tip screwdriver with a 6-inch blade, 5/16-- inch, in diameter and a friction fit removable jack knife in the handle (Figure 22).

Beginning around 1935, Stanley manufactured several models of screwdrivers using Stanloid handles. "Stanloid two-tone, amber-- colored handles were made from the toughest non-metallic substance ever."1 These plastic-- handle screwdrivers were called Stanloid and were offered in standard, square blade, and cabinet tips. Earlier models were numbered 1006, 1007, and 1008. These screwdrivers had the usual blade lengths, ranging from 4 to 12 inches. Stubby screwdrivers were also made with 1-- inch and 13/4-inch blade lengths with standard tips and were numbered 1009, 1012, and 10 13.

At the same time, another line of plastic-handle screwdrivers was introduced with numbers starting with 2006 (Figure 23). This line was known as the Victor line and was a medium-priced screwdriver.

A third line of plastic screwdrivers was introduced under the Hercules name and consisted of standard, cabinet tip, stubby or close quarter size, and pocket screwdrivers. They were available in a range of sizes and were numbered in the 3006 to 3027 range but not consecutively. All of the Hercules screwdrivers were budget-priced, low-end drivers.

By 1940, and through to the 1950s, the plastic-- handle screwdriver began to increase in models, sizes, and popularity and slowly took over the line. By the 1970s, wood-handle screwdrivers were almost eliminated from the line. By 1989 , wood-- handle screwdrivers were history and no longer produced by Stanley.

Additional Reading On Screwdrivers

"Stanley Non-Sparking Beryllium Copper Tools," by Walter Jacob. The Chronicle, Vol. 53, No. 3 (September 2000): 105107.

Endnotes

1 Stanley Tool Catalog No 139, (1 September 1939): 109.

Walter Jacobs writes a regular column on Stanley Tools for The Chronicle. This is the last article in a four-part series on Stanley screwdrivers that began with the March 2002 issue of The Chronicle.

Copyright Early American Industries Association Dec 2002
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved