Early Man

Earliest simple machine was the lever, the basis of all machines

Early Man

Man first used a spring to activate traps for game

8000 BC

Metallurgy led to wider use of springs in small tools like tweezers and pincers

5000 BC

In the bow and arrow, the bow stored energy and acted like a spring

Old Testament Times

Uzziah, King of Judah, used springs in crossbows and catapults

1200 BC

Springs used for broaches to fasten clothing

1st Century

Romans used springs in bronze and iron locks

7th Century

First vehicle suspension springs used in China

Late 1400's

Steel springs first used in the driving mechanism of a clock

1500's

Leonardo da Vinci's drawings described many designs that included springs

American Colonial Period

Springs imported for use in clocks, weapons and other mechanical devices

1700's

George Washington's false teeth joined by two gold-plated coiled springs

Late 1700's

Industrial Revolution in America made for dramatic changes from manufacturing one at a time with hand tools to mass production by machines

1801

American system of mass production of interchangeable parts introduced by Eli Whitney

1830

Joseph Whitworth invented a machine capable of accurate measuring to one hundred thousandth of an inch

1830

Americans began making domestic used springs for clock making and transportation

1832

First springs used in upholstery

1841

First American spring manufacturing company formed

1846

First fourslide machine developed

1850

Process of hot forming springs introduced

1868

First spring manufacturing company opened west of the Mississippi River

1912

First torsion spring equipment introduced

1913

Gardner Grinder was first belt-driven disc grinder used for leaf springs and later to grind both ends of coiled springs

1918

First patent issued for a universal automatic coiling machine

Late 1920's

Shot peen process introduced

1930

Spring Research Bureau founded in the U.S.

1933

Samuel Popcorn Type high speed coiler introduced

1938

#0 and #1 size Segment Type coilers invented

1939

Patent issued for Torin torsion attachment to spring coiling machine

WW II

American spring production came under government control and military applications were developed

1949

First constant force spring introduced

1949

First fast and accurate hand coiler introduced for prototypes
and short runs

1955

First combination coiler and looper introduced by Wafio

1960

New spring generator machine introduced to eliminate secondary hook and loop forming

1961

Spring Manufacturers Institute formed

1966

Double-action coiler introduced in England

mid 1970's

Introduction in U.S. of Japanese and European spring coiling machines