Paper clip
A letter or paper clip is a helper object in the office, which serves to releasably attach multiple sheets together again. Paper clips are usually made of bent metal wire and about one to three inches long with an aspect ratio of approximately 3:1.
History
The origin of the invention of the paper clip is unclear. Paper clips have been industrially manufactured in England since about 1890 by The Gem Manufacturing Company. William Middlebrook of Waterbury, Connecticut, a patent for the industrial production of paper clips was granted in 1899.
On November 12, 1899, the Norwegian Johan Vaaler requested from Kristiania ( Oslo), a German patent on a forerunner of today's paper clip, which he however not marketed. This clip has not had the now common inner turn and was clearly round.
Also in 1899, American William Middlebrook acquired the patent for a machine that manufactures paper clips.
In 1919, the Austrian factory owner Heinrich Sachs designed the present optimized shape with a pointed end.
Manifestations
Today's versions of the paper clip is available in numerous sizes and shapes. More copies are also called paper clips, since they are suitable for stapling of quick binders and the like. They are also made of plastic, which depending on the model can even be printed. However, the plastic variants partially deviate strongly from the classic paper clip shape now and have material causes a slower stability.
For commercial office work paper clips are used most often made of metal wire. They are either galvanized, brass or copper-plated to prevent rusting, which would pollute the associated sheets by corrosion. Paper clips made of wire are coated with ( colored ) plastic.
To prevent scratches and other damage to the paper when pushing the paper clip, there are rare designs with spherical or rounded wire ends.
A wavy curved middle part, especially with large paper clips prevents slipping when connecting larger quantities of paper.
Political Symbol
During the Second World War, Norway was occupied in April 1940 by the German Wehrmacht, whereupon the Norwegians established wearing a paper clip on the collar or lapel as a symbol of solidarity with the king and government. The paper clip should be available for the " holding together " the Norwegians. The open carrying was indeed quickly banned by the occupying forces, but remained on the paper clip to clothing - albeit concealed carry - until the end of the occupation, a characteristic of resistance fighters and their sympathizers. Even today, she is a kind of Norwegian national symbol of resistance against occupiers and the cohesion of the population.
Computer Technology
Users of earlier Macintosh computers know the paper clip as an important tool for the ejection of disks when the controlled by software eject not working with servo motor. In today's PCs there is a similar system for the emergency eject CDs. Here, a thin wire into a small hole on the device housing must be introduced to eject the disk. This wire can be found in offices often only in the form of paper clips that are bent for this purpose.
In computer technology the company Microsoft has taken the paper clip as a motif with the name Karl brace for their help Assistant in the Office series.