There’s no question that the screw with the recessed cross is one of the world’s least loved inventions. The reason is the screw driver’s maddening tendency to slip out of the screw head, ruining the screw or the dnver, instead of turning it. Another disadvantage is that Phillips screws come in a variety of sizes and if the driver doesn’t fit just right, it probably won’t work. Also, Japanese and American Phillips screws are slightly different from each other in the depths of their crosses, compounding the difficulty.
The screw was invented in the early 30’s by Henry F. Phillips, a Portland, Oregon businessman. He knew that car makers needed a screw that could be driven with more torque and that would hold tighter than slotted screws. Car makers also needed a screw that would center quickly and easily, and could be used efficiently on an assembly line. The Phillips screw was designed so that it could be driven by an automated screw driver with increasing force until the tip of the driver popped out without ruining the screw head. So what many consider a design flaw is actually a feature (at least if you’re a car manufacturer).
The Phillips screw first gained acceptance with Cadillac in the late 30’s. Although there is a Phillips Screw Co. today, the company never actually made Phillips screws or drivers. They were produced under license by other companies. Unlicensed knockoffs proliferated, so that in 1949, Mr. Phillips was stripped of his patent. He died in 1958 at the age of 68.