Broadwood Grand

Conrad Hoffsommer hoffsoco@martin.luther.edu
Tue, 12 Oct 1999 14:39:41 -0500


Ron N.,
At 13:42 10/12/99 -0500, you wrote:

>>Would they be Whitworth threads by any chance? 

>Ah, yet another hole in my education. How about a short history lesson.
> Ron N


In 1841, Sir Joseph Whitworth (1803-1887) proposed a system of standardised
screw threads.  (More than likely the reason for his knighthood, though I'm
not sure) It set out specifications for things like bolt diameter, pitch,
cut(shape) and nut size. This development greatly aided the industrial
revolution then taking place. 

Unlike modern inch size where you might grab a 1/2" wrench to tighten the
1/2" diameter nut on a 1/4-20 bolt, with WW you would simply grab a 1/4"
wrench (actually spanner, since it _was_ England) to do the job.  The
actual size of the nut is often xx/64ths - i.e. usually between metric and
inch size, as frustrated me mightily when I first started working under the
bonnet of an MG TD. BTW, anybody need a set of WW sockets and open end
spanners?  ;-}



Conrad Hoffsommer - Music Technician 	mailto:hoffsoco@luther.edu
Luther College				(319)-387-1204
Decorah, Iowa 52101-1045

Early to rise, and early to bed,
makes a man healthy but socially dead.




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