Because of the virus "stay at home" orders, I was out in the shop keeping busy. Sorting through my screwdriver drawer I came across the Reed Prince screwdriver. Now, like many/most of you, I have taps and dies and I know how to use them. I know the difference between pan head screws and round head, internal hex, slotted, Phillips head, etc. etc. etc. I have been an aircraft mechanic on C130s, been an electronic tech at Fairchild and National Semiconductor, had my own business making wiring harnesses for HP, Cisco, National, IGT and a number of other large companies. I have, like most of you, owned a lot of cars, both HAMB friendly and O.T cars. I have messed around with boats and built an airplane. So, in my 75 years on this earth and numerous jobs and hobbies using tools, I have never found a legitimate use for the Reed Prince screw driver. Craftsman tool sets always included one so I have several rattling around in the screwdriver drawer. So my question is, where is or was a Reed Prince head screw commonality used?
Only thing I have found about them is that they will strip a Phillips head screw. Phillips screws have a 30 degree angle and beveled sides on the cross and R & P are 45 degree and straight sided. The R & P screw also has a deeper recess in the head than the Phillips. It's just another example of a better mousetrap.
I found this post on a boat building web site: had a visit from my friend edgar reed today. edgar's nearly eighty, and a gamer, more bantam-like old bird you'd be hard-pressed to find. now, as a boatbuilder, i've been hearing from ed for a few years about how the damned phillips head screws i was using were no good, and i needed to switch to reed and prince screws and reed and prince bits, etc.. well, of course, edgar's a little biased, being a past president of reed and prince, his father having been such before him, and edgar being their best salesman before he took over the reins in the sixties. why, did you know, forum reader, that during the great war (the one in the forties, not the police action we're now witnessing) 49% of all american aircraft used reed and prince screws? that all higgins boats used them? that chris-craft, who used them in their war work, never went back to standard phillips head screws after the war? it's all true, though most of us can't tell you what a reed and prince screw is. if you've heard of the frearson head screw, you've heard the generic term for what i'm talking about. frearson, an englishman, developed his screw head design in the 1870s, but never held a patent. reed and prince took frearson's design and ran with it in the thirties, patenting it and succesfully defending themselves against the holders of the phillips patent when they were able to show that their design was substantially different. (phillips, by the way, was an american convict who developed his screw while in stir). unlike the phillips screw, which requires a different driver bit or screwdriver for every size of screw, the reed and prince head is uniform to the extent that a screwdriver that will drive the largest screw will also drive the smallest. amazing!
Picture Please... @Marcosmadness it helps with the discussion... Wishing continued good health in these difficult times... They are still a force... https://www.reedandprince.com/about-us/
Cross[edit] A cross-recess screw drive has two slots, oriented perpendicular to each other, in the fastener head; a slotted screwdriver is still used to drive just one of the slots. This type is usually found in cheaply made roofing bolts and the like, where a thread of 5 mm (0.20 in) or above has a large flattened pan head. The sole advantage is that they provide some measure of redundancy: should one slot be deformed in service, the second may still be used. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_screw_drives Philips and Read & Prince are also discussed. Phillips[edit] Phillips drive tool and fastener sizes[4] Tool size Fastener size 0 0–1 1 2–4 2 5–9 3 10–16 4 18–24 Created by Henry F. Phillips, the Phillips screw drive was purposely designed to cam out when the screw stalled,[citation needed] to prevent the fastener damaging the work or the head, instead damaging the driver. This was caused by the relative difficulty in building torque limiting into the early drivers. The American Screw Company of Providence, Rhode Island was responsible for devising a means of manufacturing the screw, and successfully patented and licensed their method; other screw makers of the 1930s dismissed the Phillips concept because it calls for a relatively complex recessed socket shape in the head of the screw — as distinct from the simple milled slot of a slotted type screw. Phillips drive sizes (different from the screw size) are designated 0000, 000, 00, 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 (by order of increasing size).[4][6] Frearson[edit] The Frearson screw drive, also known as the Reed and Prince screw drive, is similar to a Phillips but the Frearson has a sharp tip and larger angle in the V shape.[7] One advantage over the Phillips drive is that one driver or bit fits all screw sizes. It is often found in marine hardware and requires a Frearson screwdriver or bit to work properly. The tool recess is a perfect, sharp cross, allowing for higher applied torque, unlike the rounded, tapered Phillips head, which was designed to cam out at high torque. It was developed by an English inventor named Frearson in the 19th century and produced from the late 1930s to the mid-1970s. The Reed & Prince Mfg. Company of Worcester, Massachusetts, was put into bankruptcy in 1987 and liquidated in 1990. Another entity called Reed & Prince Manufacturing Corporation, now of Leominster, Massachusetts, purchased some of the assets including the name at the liquidation sale.[8]
Did you know a pigeon can fly at 50 MPH and have been clocked as fast as 90? 2 more weeks of isolation and we are all going to be discussing tube socks and their many uses.
The only place I have found clutch head screws was attaching metering plates on four barrel Holley carburetors.
They are common on Chevy cars and trucks (maybe other GM makes too) from the late ‘40s into the mid ‘50s. Those I know of for certain. Other year models may have them as well, but I don’t recall specific examples. Ray
...This Highlights that many of the numerous failures to remove or tighten fasteners with an at first glance a Star shape as it's referred to in our common world many times followed by an airborne tool and an expletive more than likely was caused by lack of understanding all Stars are not alike... There are many Star shaped fasteners used in many applications that obviously ended up on many a Hotrod/Custom/Race application either through Factory Production or usage by the Hoodlums in Our World that got a great deal at the Swap Meet or Factory Fastener bin... I feel sorry for anyone working with a Boss, Lead or Hoodlum Buddy who doesn't understand that...saying Just get that F'ing thing tight and don't think it didn't happen...
I forgot about the clutch screw that was hopelessly ceased on dads 37 Dodge holding the passenger lock cylinder on. That was a pain in the ass to extract.
Working on a 36 chevy pickup. Also has clutch head stuff. I think they were around long before that also. Just mentioning that. Lippy
O.K, I have learned something new today, which is nice. Not to stray too far from the discussion of the Reed and Prince and some comparisons with the "Phillips head screw" let me add another dimension to the discussion. I have read that the "phillips screw" and driver were designed to "cam out" under installation torque at a point before the screw would break (to prevent broken screws). I have certainly experienced the "cam out" feature which shows up readily and annoyingly with even a slightly worn Phillips screwdriver. My solution to this "cam out problem" is to use the Japanese JIT screwdriver instead of a Phillips screwdriver. With a JIT screwdriver you can really tighten the screws. Especially in tough material. And yes, I supposed that this could lead to broken screws but I haven't had that problem. And I really like the way the JIT screwdrivers lets me tighten the screws with less downward pressure.
But then we have Pozi-Drive, as well. On the British bikes. When we were young we all thought they were Phillips so they always got the head tore out. A new PD screw with a new PD driver never slips.
In Aerospace especially and I suspect the Auto Industry, Torque is a requirement for just about every install that I can recall in prevention of Cam out and Breakage and damage...In Hotrod well...that is certainly not universal... I do however know even when adhering to the Rules of Engagement Shit Happens...It can be the fault of many things not being to spec...from Tooling to Product to Operator. I have seen that type of bit and I thought it was an unusual looking bugger...Now I know...
3 am and I already learned something, great stuff! Here's a pic of the clutch head screw used on tri 5's, since it was brought up.
Amazing information , never heard of a Reed and Prince ! Now, if we could only help you find the shift key on your keyboard.........
Lyman Boat used them in wooden lapstrake boats till the end of wood production in 1973. Built in Sandusky Ohio & the softest ride on the lake.
Arkie, I really like this information but the Freason is actually not the same as the Reed Prince and if it is the Artist didn't illustrate it correctly and that very well may be the case...
Since 'star' drives were mentioned: Most common is Torx which was a licensed trade name by CamCar. But a similar design by GM was called the 'Turnstead'. The only applications I am familiar with is seat belt and door strikers. Ever notice that your #50 Torx doesn't fit those real well? Try a Snap-on FTX500. If you buy one, it helps my retirement
I'm surprised my fellow Canadians haven't mentioned the Robertson screw. I've found them the header panel in my T coupe and think they came there originally since Ford did use them back when.
The CH47 Chinook used these damn Reed and Prince screws to fasten the flooring of the cabin. As a part of scheduled inspection, the entire floor was to be removed to check the condition of the substructure; cross-members and frame that was under it. They were always a PITA to remove, because the threaded insert they went into was deformed slightly so that they wouldn't vibrate loose. I remember having my parents send my 3/8" impact driver over in 1969 to make the job a little easier. Someone else has it now.......damn thief. Fortunately the inspections were not that frequent........ just memorable.
Well , I learned something today, also! That the Phillips was DESIGNED to cam out! I always though it was a design flaw! Lol Never liked Phillips,or slot for that matter. What I use mostly now,are those screw drivers with the replacement tips, so I can keep my screw driver in good shape! They make a Phillips tip that has little serrations that improve the holding power of Phillips screws. These really work, but wear out rather quickly, especially using a cordless drill! Also, a little trick that will amaze you is use valve grinding compound on a strippedPhillips screw or to keep from stripping one out that is hard to get out! Bones
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