Henry Frank Phillips (June 4, 1889 – April 13, 1958) was an American businessman from Portland, Oregon. The Phillips-head ("crosshead") screw and screwdriver are named after him.[1]
The importance of the crosshead screw design lies in its self-centering property, useful on automated production lines that use powered screwdrivers.[2] Phillips' major contribution was in driving the crosshead concept forward to the point where it was adopted by screwmakers and automobile companies. The credited inventor of the Phillips screw was John P. Thompson who, in 1932, patented (#1,908,080) a recessed cruciform screw and in 1933, a screwdriver for it.[3]
- ^ US2046837A, Phillips, Henry F., "Means for uniting a screw with a driver", issued 1936-07-07
- ^ Adams, Cecil (24 November 1989). "Why did this guy Phillips think we needed a new type of screw?". The Straight Dope. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
- ^ "Patent Application". Retrieved 23 November 2019.