Plastic container. History of invention and production

Free technical library

HISTORY OF TECHNOLOGY, TECHNOLOGY, OBJECTS AROUND US
Free library / Directory / The history of technology, technology, objects around us

Plastic container. History of invention and production

The history of technology, technology, objects around us

Directory / The history of technology, technology, objects around us

Comments on the article

Plastic containers with airtight lids are used in almost every modern family - especially urban ones.

Plastic container

Earl Silas Tupper, born in 1907 in New Hampshire, in the family of a poor farmer, from childhood showed a penchant for invention: he invented mechanisms that made life and work of the farmer easier, for example, a device for gutting chickens. At the age of 17, he left school and went to work in Massachusetts, where a couple of years later he took up landscape design and founded Tupper Tree Doctors. In 1936, the Great Depression bankrupted Tupper's company. All this time, however, he did not leave invention - presenting himself as a modern Leonardo da Vinci, he came up with various improvements and recorded them in his album.

Silas' interests were extremely wide: he invented new garters for stockings, designs for women's corsets, leak-proof ice cream cups, a dagger-shaped comb with a mirror handle and a clip for attaching to a belt, new designs of steelyards, a device for sucking venom from snake bites, a hand washing a car in the form of an expander, a fish-powered boat and hundreds of other things - simple and complex, crazy and ingenious. However, he could not sell his inventions, and in order to support his family, he got a job at Viscoloid, the plastics division of the DuPont chemical concern in Leominster.

In a little over a year, Tupper learned more about plastic manufacturing than anyone else had learned in a decade. In 1938, he bought several polymer thermoforming machines and founded his own company, Tupper Plastics, which initially did contract work for DuPont and, when World War II broke out, began supplying the military with plastic parts for gas masks.

After the end of the war, Tupper turned his attention to polyethylene, the technology of which was developed by DuPont chemists (in the war years it was used to insulate wires, and in peacetime it was considered a waste of petrochemical production. People are accustomed to heavy and hard Bakelite, and too soft, colorless and light polyethylene did not inspire confidence in them. To make it harder, fillers were added to the material in DuPont, but in this form polyethylene was almost impossible to mold. Therefore, the company's chemists were surprised when Tupper asked them to experiment with pure polyethylene. After several months of experiments, he managed to develop the molding process of this plastic.

Thinking about what could be made from this material, Silas turned his attention to food packaging, which at that time was made from waxed cardboard or tin foil. Taking paint cans as a model, Tupper in 1946 made a container with an airtight lid from transparent and elastic polyethylene, which he called Wonderbowl ("Wonderful Bowl").

Advertisement for plastic containers, 1940s

The first two years of Tupper's containers were not successful, but after the inventor decided to use word of mouth advertising and organized "shopping parties" in 1948, sales skyrocketed. And the name Tupperware has since become a household name.

Author: S.Apresov

We recommend interesting articles Section The history of technology, technology, objects around us:

▪ Sail and ship

▪ Diesel

▪ ice filling machine

See other articles Section The history of technology, technology, objects around us.

Read and write useful comments on this article.

<< Back

Latest news of science and technology, new electronics:

Artificial leather for touch emulation 15.04.2024

In a modern technology world where distance is becoming increasingly commonplace, maintaining connection and a sense of closeness is important. Recent developments in artificial skin by German scientists from Saarland University represent a new era in virtual interactions. German researchers from Saarland University have developed ultra-thin films that can transmit the sensation of touch over a distance. This cutting-edge technology provides new opportunities for virtual communication, especially for those who find themselves far from their loved ones. The ultra-thin films developed by the researchers, just 50 micrometers thick, can be integrated into textiles and worn like a second skin. These films act as sensors that recognize tactile signals from mom or dad, and as actuators that transmit these movements to the baby. Parents' touch to the fabric activates sensors that react to pressure and deform the ultra-thin film. This ... >>

Petgugu Global cat litter 15.04.2024

Taking care of pets can often be a challenge, especially when it comes to keeping your home clean. A new interesting solution from the Petgugu Global startup has been presented, which will make life easier for cat owners and help them keep their home perfectly clean and tidy. Startup Petgugu Global has unveiled a unique cat toilet that can automatically flush feces, keeping your home clean and fresh. This innovative device is equipped with various smart sensors that monitor your pet's toilet activity and activate to automatically clean after use. The device connects to the sewer system and ensures efficient waste removal without the need for intervention from the owner. Additionally, the toilet has a large flushable storage capacity, making it ideal for multi-cat households. The Petgugu cat litter bowl is designed for use with water-soluble litters and offers a range of additional ... >>

The attractiveness of caring men 14.04.2024

The stereotype that women prefer "bad boys" has long been widespread. However, recent research conducted by British scientists from Monash University offers a new perspective on this issue. They looked at how women responded to men's emotional responsibility and willingness to help others. The study's findings could change our understanding of what makes men attractive to women. A study conducted by scientists from Monash University leads to new findings about men's attractiveness to women. In the experiment, women were shown photographs of men with brief stories about their behavior in various situations, including their reaction to an encounter with a homeless person. Some of the men ignored the homeless man, while others helped him, such as buying him food. A study found that men who showed empathy and kindness were more attractive to women compared to men who showed empathy and kindness. ... >>

Random news from the Archive

Toshiba launches new generation of 4K TVs 05.07.2013

Toshiba Corporation officially introduced the second generation of Ultra HD (4K) LCD TVs, which included models with a screen diagonal of 58, 65 and 84 inches. All of the new devices are equipped with 6-core processors to convert sub-4K content to 4K with "quality close to that of original 4K content," the company said.

In addition, all devices have Ethernet and Wi-Fi support and offer users an expert mode for adjusting image parameters.

The 58L9300U, 65L9300U, and 84L9300U will be available in the US in August 2013 for $4999, $6999, and $16999, respectively.

The Ultra HD format offers four times the resolution of Full HD - 3840 x 2160 versus 1920 x 1080 pixels. Notably, Toshiba was the first company to introduce such a TV to the consumer market in October 2011.

Subsequently, similar devices were released by other manufacturers. So, for example, since April 2013, Sony Corporation has been selling the XBR-55X900A and XBR-65X900A models with a diagonal of 55 and 65 inches in the US for $5 and $7, respectively.

Other interesting news:

▪ Fall protection for your smartphone

▪ Harm of gas stoves

▪ Energy can be stored in the air

▪ Chernobyl immunity

▪ Hydrogen fuel from sea water

News feed of science and technology, new electronics

Interesting materials of the Free Technical Library:

▪ section of the site Household electrical appliances. Selection of articles

▪ article Marriage and family, culture of relations between the sexes. Basics of safe life

▪ What are the largest planets in the solar system? Detailed answer

▪ article Anti-terrorism security and protection of children. Standard instruction on labor protection

▪ article Permissible long-term current loads on bare wires. Encyclopedia of radio electronics and electrical engineering

▪ article Microcircuits. Voltage stabilizer 1158ENxx. Encyclopedia of radio electronics and electrical engineering

Leave your comment on this article:

All languages of this page

Home page | Library | Articles | Website map | Site Reviews