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n Inventionsnthat don’t move us around, make noise, or cost a lot of money arensometimes pretty invisible, but the humble cardboard box has made anbig contribution in packing, storing, and shipping things that arenyummier or shinier or more electric. And somebody had to invent thencardboard box.
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nI’mnsure you’ve noticed the difference between “cardboard” cerealnboxes and “cardboard” packing boxes. Cereal boxes don’t have tonbe super strong, so a single layer of very thick, heavy paper doesnthe trick. The stuff that makes up cereal boxes is often callednpaperboard.
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nCorrugatedncardboard boxes are ever so much stronger. They are generally made upnof two layers of thick paperboard with a layer of corrugated (ripplednor pleated) paperboard in between.
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Butnmodern-day corrugated cardboard wasn’t invented in a single step, ofncourse. Few things are! Someone in England wanted to make papernstrong enough to stand up as a liner for tall hats and (in 1856)ninvented a way to make permanent “pleats” in paperboard bynpressing it with a hot corrugated metal form. On this day in 1871,nAlbert Jones of New York City used that corrugation idea but linednone side of the corrugated paperboard with regular paperboard—nthereby making a material that was even stronger but still flexible.nHe used the paper to wrap bottles and glass lantern chimneys. Somenpeople use one-sided corrugated cardboard to wrap cylindrical thingsneven today.
Butnmodern-day corrugated cardboard wasn’t invented in a single step, ofncourse. Few things are! Someone in England wanted to make papernstrong enough to stand up as a liner for tall hats and (in 1856)ninvented a way to make permanent “pleats” in paperboard bynpressing it with a hot corrugated metal form. On this day in 1871,nAlbert Jones of New York City used that corrugation idea but linednone side of the corrugated paperboard with regular paperboard—nthereby making a material that was even stronger but still flexible.nHe used the paper to wrap bottles and glass lantern chimneys. Somenpeople use one-sided corrugated cardboard to wrap cylindrical thingsneven today.n
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Butnto make strong cartons, the corrugated cardboard had to be evennthicker, stronger, and more rigid. The last step to making what isnnow the most familiar sort of corrugated cardboard was taken bynOliver Long in 1874, when he lined both sides of the corrugatednpaperboard with regular paperboards. Now the cardboard could be madeninto cartons and packing boxes!
Butnto make strong cartons, the corrugated cardboard had to be evennthicker, stronger, and more rigid. The last step to making what isnnow the most familiar sort of corrugated cardboard was taken bynOliver Long in 1874, when he lined both sides of the corrugatednpaperboard with regular paperboards. Now the cardboard could be madeninto cartons and packing boxes!n
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Humbleninventions that make a big difference…
Humbleninventions that make a big difference…n
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nLooknaround you. What sorts of inventions probably didn’t get big pressnbut still made a big difference?
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nSomenfolks at London’s Science Museum said that seemingly ordinary thingsnare often so ingeniously designed that they are manufactured fornyears with no substantial design changes. Their list ofnhumble-yet-important inventions includes pencils, paperclips,nbarcodes, ring binders, bubble wrap, snap fasteners, egg cartons,nrubber bands, light bulbs, adhesive tape, coat hangers, Velcro, tinncans, corkscrews, tissue paper, ballpoint pens, Legos, ear muffs,nPost-it-Notes, umbrellas, six-pack carriers, safety matches, teanbags, milk cartons, and folding rules. Plus more! What would youninclude on the list?
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nAlso on this date:
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Anniversary of Elvis being drafted into the army
Anniversary of Elvis being drafted into the armyn
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nElectricityntheme day
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nAnniversarynof first cantilever bridge over Niagara Falls
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