The Virtual Corkscrew Museum's Daily Newspaper


Thursday, August 14, 2003

News Index


Niftier

Newark, New Jersey, August 14, 1928 - Back in 1916 Harry Vaughan of Chicago, Illinois patented his corkscrew which gained wide-spread fame as the "Nifty." They have been produced by the millions and can be found with a variety of advertising on the handles. It is a pocket type folding corkscrew which has a cap lifter in the handle. A hole is provided in one end for attachment to a key chain.

Newark's Thomas Harding has now come up with an improvement on the Vaughan corkscrew and has been granted United States Patent Number 1,680,291. Harding's corkscrew is manufactured by the J. L. Sommer Manufacturing Company of Newark, New Jersey. The improved design is a single stamping with worm riveted to it. It is easier, faster and less expensive to manufacture than the Vaughan type which is a double stamping folded over the pivoting worm. Harding has added a notch to secure the worm in the closed position.

Top: Harding's Corkscrew

Bottom: Vaughan's "Nifty"



To the Point

Brooklyn, New York, August 14, 1906 - The United States Patent office has notified John Hasselbring that Design Patent Number 38,166 has been issued to him. Hasselbring's patent calls for a "new, original, and ornamental Design for Bottle-Openers."

The patent drawing shows a bottle cap lifter with a bottle stopper remover but does not show a corkscrew. However, Hasselbring is producing the opener with a variety of handles which serve as a sheath for a worm attached to the cap lifter.






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©2003 Don Bull, Editor

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