Looped square

The loop square (⌘ ), also Tristramsknoten ( for an alternative designation of similar Bowen node from English heraldry ), colloquially known as the propeller, clover or cauliflower, is a mostly a symbol used ornament as well as an available on computer systems characters.

In correspondence to the names in Scandinavian languages ​​(such as Danish johanneskors ) there is also the name of John Cross, which is to go back to medieval calendars to use for the identification of the locust day. However, this term in heraldry a fundamentally different character ( see John Cross).

In Unicode, the square loop as U 2318 place of interest sign ( " sight " icon) is included Various technical characters in the block.

Form

The square loop consists of a horizontal square (ie, a horizontal lower edge ) whose edges are also depending on the key points equidistant straight and extended outwardly connected kinks from each corner, each with a three-quarter circle. It can be drawn in a train; is in use as an ornament often the Linienzugverlauf visible through emphasis on the "later" part -drawn train at the crossing points, while the direction of rotation of the loops is the same.

Use

Ornament

On coins it is found for example on the back of the 1963-1990 five- embossed Finnish Penniä coin.

Outside Europe there is the ornament for example, finds the Mississippian culture, in which the symbol of mostly four, often three parallel line trains is formed.

A related ornament is the shield knot in its basic form. Here the loop edges are fitted into a circular outline.

Cheese molds with ornament in the National Museum of Finland, Helsinki

Finnish five- Penniä coin

Jewel of mussel shell ( Mississippian culture, Tennessee, USA, dated about 1250 to 1450 )

Sign nodes ( basic form )

Heraldry

In the English Heraldry the symbol is a representation of several different forms of Bowen node. Outside of the UK space comes the icon also rotated by 45 °, sometimes as common figure in coat of arms before, without a consistent naming has naturalized.

A similar figure is the common windows diamond cross or cube knot cross. Here are the " grinding" square instead of round.

For other similar figures can be found in heraldry no special name, they are, therefore, to describe in detail in the blazon. In some cases, such variants, especially when they have only straight lines, be counted among the house brands.

"Totem " "mark as a symbol of the ancient culture of the region " in the arms of Kostomuksha ( Karelia )

Windows diamond cross

Coat of arms of Hausgereut ( Rheinau, Baden): House brand with triangles instead of grinding

Coat of arms of Lødingen (North Norway): five instead of four loops

Note characters

The symbol was first proposed in the early 1950s by Finnish homestead associations for the identification of cultural monuments and used since the late 1960s in the Scandinavian countries as a traffic sign to generally point out historical sites or monuments. In other States, such as Germany, it is used to reference characters especially for prehistoric and early historical sights.

Swedish traffic sign " sevärdhet " ( " sight " )

Guide to grave hills in Albers village (Holstein)

Keyboard icon

The square loop is used since 1984 by the computer manufacturer Apple Computer in the menus of the Macintosh computer and on their keyboards to identify the command button to be achieved by a special symbol a unique assignment of keyboard commands and menu items. This usage dates back to the time working at Apple designer Susan Kare. When Steve Jobs introduced the use of the Apple logo did not want there, as he feared a devaluation of the logo by inflationary use, the designer has found the Swedish locating signs of interest in an international symbol dictionary.

The square loop is standardized as a keyboard icon since 2012:

• In IEC 60417 "Graphical Symbols for Use on Equipment " as a symbol IEC 60417-6090 "Operating System Key".
• In Amendment 1 (2012 ) to ISO / IEC 9995-7:2009, " Information technology - Keyboard layouts for text and office systems - Symbols used to represent functions" as a symbol 99 "Operating System Key". In place of this symbol specifically a logo of an operating system may be used. The function of such a labeled button is up to the operating system. For example, corresponds to the Windows key from this standardization.

Apple command key