Paper clip facts for kids
A paper clip is a small piece of plastic or metal. It is used to hold several pieces of paper together. Paper clips are very common in homes, schools, and offices around the world.
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What is a Paper Clip?
A paper clip is usually a thin wire bent into a special shape. This shape lets it hold two or more pieces of paper tightly together using pressure. Some other types of paper clips use two separate pieces to hold papers.
The most common type of wire paper clip, called the "Gem" clip, was never officially patented. It was first made by The Gem Manufacturing Company around the 1890s. The first advertisement for paper clips appeared in August 1894. The "Gem" name became a trademark in the United States in 1904. The company's records said the paper clip had been sold since March 1892.
It is known that the Gem paper clip was very popular by 1899. That year, a patent was given to William Middlebrook for a "machine to make wire paper clips." The drawing in this patent shows a Gem paper clip, proving it was already widely used.
Different Paper Clip Designs
There are many different kinds of paper clips.
- Some have pointy ends instead of round ones.
- Some have a bent end, which makes it easier to slide paper in.
- Some have wires with small bumps that help them grip the paper better.
- Paper clips can also be made to look fun or decorative. They sometimes come in shapes like a triangle or a circle.
The Norwegian Claim: Who Invented the Paper Clip?
A Norwegian inventor named Johan Vaaler (1866–1910) is sometimes said to have invented the paper clip. He received patents in Germany and the United States for a paper clip design that was different from the Gem clip.
After Vaaler passed away, some Norwegians started a story that the paper clip was invented by a Norwegian genius. Since the 1950s, some dictionaries have listed Vaaler as the inventor of the paper clip.
Vaaler probably got patents in other countries because patent laws in the 1800s were not as strict as they are today. Vaaler worked in a patent office, which might have made it easier for him to get a patent.
However, Vaaler's paper clip design was not as good as the Gem version. It was harder to put paper into his design, and it did not look as neat when holding papers. The Gem paper clip became popular all over the world, even in Norway.
A National Symbol in Norway
The story that a Norwegian invented the paper clip started with someone who worked for Norway's patent office. In the 1920s, he found Vaaler's patent while visiting Germany. He did not realize that Vaaler's design was different from the common Gem paper clip. In a pamphlet celebrating the patent office's 50th year, he wrote that Vaaler was the inventor. This idea then appeared in many Norwegian encyclopedias after World War II.
The war helped turn the paper clip into a national symbol in Norway. During the German occupation, Norwegian patriots wore paper clips on their clothes. This was a quiet way to show their resistance to the German soldiers and local Nazi rulers, especially when they were not allowed to protest. Soon, the Nazis made wearing paper clips illegal.
After the war, Norway continued to see the paper clip as a national symbol. Authors writing about Norwegian technology often used this story. They usually did not mention that Vaaler's clip was different from the Gem clip.
- In 1989, a huge paper clip, almost 7 meters tall, was put up at a college near Oslo to honor Vaaler. Interestingly, this monument is a giant Gem paper clip, not the one Vaaler patented.
- In 1999, 100 years after Vaaler's German patent was accepted, Norway celebrated by making a postage stamp with a paper clip on it. Again, the stamp showed the Gem paper clip.
- In 2005, a Norwegian biography was written about Johan Vaaler, titled 'The inventor of the paper clip.'
Other Cool Uses for Paper Clips
Paper clips are usually made from metal wire. This makes them useful for many things beyond just holding paper.
- Computer Help: The metal wire can be straightened out. Some electronic devices have tiny buttons that are hard to reach with fingers. For example, most CD-ROM drives have a small hole with a button inside to eject the CD if there is no power. A straightened paper clip can be used to press this button.
- Amazing Trades: A man named Kyle MacDonald famously started with one red paper clip and traded it for bigger and better things. He began by posting on craigslist, trading the paper clip for a pen. MacDonald kept trading items, eventually trading a movie role for a two-story house in Kipling, Saskatchewan!
- Lock Picking: Paper clips can sometimes be used to pick a lock. However, professional lock picking tools are usually stronger and more effective, as most paper clips are not strong enough for this use.
Other Ways to Hold Papers
- Treasury tag
- Staple (fastener)
- Binder clip
- Bulldog clip
- Brass fastener
Images for kids
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Assorted paperclip shapes, sizes, and designs
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Middlebrook's 1899 patent for a paper clip machine, showing the Gem clip was already common.
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An advertisement for the GEM Paper Clip from January 1893.
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A paper clip icon on a poster advertising the Year of Design in Barcelona 2003.
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A postage stamp from 1999 celebrating Vaaler's paper clip. It shows the popular Gem clip, not Vaaler's original design.
See also
In Spanish: Clip para niños
