Phillips cross-head screw
Tornillo de cabeza en cruz Phillips
- Date
- 1932-1936 · confidence high
- Place
- Portland, Oregon, United States
- Credited to
- John P. Thompson; Henry F. Phillips
- Field
- Tools
⚠️ Disputed: the sources disagree.
What it is
A screw with a cross in the head and a tapered-tip driver that self-centres and tends to cam out if over-tightened. General Motors adopted it in 1936 for the Cadillac and it became the assembly line standard.
John P. Thompson patented the design in 1932; Henry Phillips acquired the rights, improved and promoted it, and the name stuck with him. The relation between the two is debated.
What it led to
- fast, automatic screwdriving on assembly lines
- appliances, cars and furniture with power drivers
- the universal cross-head screwdriver