Planes, Trains, and Automobiles…But Mostly Planes

Springs are helpful; the influence or hold they have on our everyday lives can go unnoticed sometimes. Without springs, we would have no cars, no elevators, certain pens wouldn’t exist, no trampolines, no mechanical boats or trains, and more! The role of springs has brought children together through endless hours of play on trampolines. They have brought people together who are hundreds of miles apart through cars, and even flown people through all different skies on dozens of airplanes. One airplane that uses spring steel struts is a Cessna. One aviation website describes the spring steel struts them as, “One of the most common landing strut systems on general aviation aircraft is the spring steel strut. If you’ve ever flown (or ridden in) a Cessna, you know what it is. These aircraft use strong, flexible materials like steel, aluminum or composites to help absorb the impact of a landing. As your plane touches down, the springs flex upward, dissipating and transferring the impact load to your airframe at rate that (hopefully) doesn’t bend your plane. Spring steel is popular because it’s mechanically simple, typically lightweight, and needs little to no maintenance”(Cutler). Families have been brought together after years of separation on planes, trains, and cars. Just as they have brought people together and strengthened relationships everywhere, they have also sculpted cultures and societies have evolved into the modern bliss that they are.

Cutler, Colin. “How The 4 Types Of Landing Gear Struts Work.” Online Flight Training Courses    and CFI Tools, 26 May 2016, http://www.boldmethod.com/learn-to-fly/systems/how-the-4-types-of-landing-gear-struts-work.

Sad Day for Springs (and the environment)

The mining of metals is a difficult and dangerous process, as it puts a risk on one’s life and health. Not only can it be dangerous for the miners but also for the environment too, as it can pollute the clean air around the wild life. One way of mining iron ore, which is used to create steel to form springs, is through open pit mining. Some of the issues are stated here, “Environmental hazards are present during every step of the open-pit mining process. Hardrock mining exposes rock that has lain unexposed for geological eras. When crushed, these rocks expose radioactive elements, asbestos-like minerals, and metallic dust. During separation, residual rock slurries, which are mixtures of pulverized rock and liquid, are produced as tailings, toxic and radioactive elements from these liquids can leak into bedrock if not properly contained”(The Future of Strategic Natural Resources). This type of activity can eventually build up and begin to tear down the environment very quickly. It also damages the towns and cultures around these mining areas eventually ruining and reeking havoc on the helpless life. The process of creating springs is difficult and has some environmental expenses, but it allows for a luxurious and technology-driven world.

“The Future of Strategic Natural Resources.” Environmental Risks of Mining,

web.mit.edu/12.000/www/m2016/finalwebsite/problems/mining.html.

Pop-Culture !

Springs pop up an incredible amount of pop culture. One company does an incredible job meshing together the old and the new, where springs have created a business and a lifestyle for people over multiple years, but also bring a modern twist. This british company called Folklore Tapes is on a mission to revive the country’s folklore record back to life. They do this through music and visual representations in record slips and songs created by them. They did an excellent piece on a little company that has been making all types of springs for thirty-eight years now. It is called B.P.S. Springs and they are located in Manchester, England. The author goes into detail to explain what each side of the vinyl record is and what it talks about, “This record commemorates the veiled labour and voice of the spring. The first side reveals the workshop of B.P.S Springs, featuring the men and the machines that have inhabited the space for thirty-eight years. The second side is a soundscape of tones from over ninety collected helical springs, handmade at B.P.S workshop and mounted in a circular arrangement atop a piece of wood, amplified and either plucked or oscillated with a motor”(Tapes, Folklore). This Folklore Tapes Springs edition explores their industry and the workshop, and they collect unique photos and audio clips and put them all together in a traditional record slip. Folklore Tapes records conversations and audio of their products at different stages of creation and use, and then burn it all onto a vinyl. This representation is very unique, and brings springs into a new, kind of retro light. Springs allow families to work and make a living off of their production, but the metals used to make them come with a price. They have to be mined, which can pollute and harm our environment.

Tapes, Folklore. “Industrial Folklore Tapes Vol.II – Springs.” Folklore Tapes, 2017, http://www.folkloretapes.co.uk/product/industrial-folklore-tapes-vol-ii-springs.

 

Background!!

To bounce back a couple hundred years, the first ever coiled spring to be made was by R. Tradewell in England during the year 1763.  These coiled springs were used in the seats of leather chairs. On author from an article on springs states, “Ever since the inventions of these coil springs, springs have been used in everything from shoes to trampolines. Springs help make the car industry what it is today. Springs are used in every type of machinery and they really do help make the world go around”(Coiling Technologies). Therefore, without this marvelous invention, our world would be extremely different, and could very much likely be not as advanced as it is now. Some of the newer technologies that use springs for example are cars. Without the basic leaf spring, cars would be even more dangerous than they already are.

Coiling Technologies. “The History of Springs.” Coiling Technologies, 4 Nov. 2012, coilingtech.com/history-springs/.

 

Disney Springs to Life

This weekend, I attended a leadership conference down at the University or Oregon with the Residence Hall Association here at school. As we all drove back up after a long, long three day weekend, I was talking to my advisor about my English paper, and asked him if he had any thoughts on springs. Now, this grown man is the biggest Disney fan I have ever met in my life. He has been to Disneyland over six hundred times! So he told me how springs can be a huge part and contributor to all of the work and magic that happens at these insane amusement parks. Springs allow rollercoasters to take off at extreme speeds, they bring statues to life, and allow cars and trains to get people to these magical places. Springs allow imaginations and dreams in children to come true! They are not just mechanical pieces in technology, but they are aids to dreams and desires of little kids, and sky rocket the imagination of magic and happiness in their hearts. It is truly incredible.

Guided Writing!

-What is the most interesting thing you’ve learned about your technology?

The most interesting thing that i have learned about my technology is the multitude of appliances and other technologies it is present in. The more thought and discussion on my topic the more realization i have about how abundant it is in almost everything. Springs seem to be the workhorse of technology that isn’t battery or electronically powered. Springs allow these technologies to move or open or close with ease and efficiency. They allow products to work to their full potential. Their size also matters in their ability to work well with other materials too. They range from the tiniest of springs to good foot long pieces of thick heavy metal made to balance cars. Springs are present in household items, furniture, automobiles, kitchenware, and school supplies.

-What has surprised me or been strange to me in the reading on my technology? How will i guide my reader to surprise and wow them?

What surprised me the most about my technology is the range of use and presence my technology has in our world. Sometimes we are using springs without even really knowing we’re using them. For example, I was really surprised to discover that springs are used in some of the daily items I use during a normal day like a pen or a microwave door. It shocks you to realize where they tend to pop up, and sometimes when you least expect it. I’m pretty sure springs are used under key boards too, so i’m using springs as i’m typing up this paper which is pretty nifty. I bet other people can’t say that about their technology. I also have hundreds of springs in my dorm room. I have springs in my matress and i have springs that help keep my light bent and tilted a certain way.

-Describe tech in list of facts that are true but not how you’d usually talk about it.

Springs are made of many different strong substances. These substances are sourced from under our feet in mines and mountains of steel and metals. They are coiled so tight that their figures hold a variety of different amount of strength and energy, ranging from the click of a pen to holding up a huge mattress to the side of a wall. These intensely strong metals also carry and balance vehicles with our loved ones, allowing them to travel safely. Springs are created for all aspects of our lives, and many not being as obvious as we would believe. Springs allow us to push open our microwave doors, they allow us to click open a pen with the smallest push of our fingers, and springs keep our mattresses cushiony and soft.

-What happens if we become overly reliant on our technology? What happens if their influence grows too strong?

If we as a people became too reliant on springs, we could potentially use them in everything. Instead of door with hinges and automatically opening buttons we could use springs that would shut them behind us. They could help us cut down on electricity and power if we replaced it all with springs. But then what would happen when we run out of metal or steel to use? The overuse and overmining of these specific metals could create more and more pollution and waste on our planet. Once there is nothing left people would lose their jobs and our economy would go down the drain. The overreliance on one material itself is never a good idea because there is always a deadline or a limit is reached with materials like this. Once it is gone it’s gone, there is no going back. Once these overused springs are no longer strong and elastic, there wouldn’t be a place for them besides a dump.

-What happens if we wake up and my technology has completely disappeared?

If one day, all of the multitude of springs on this planet vanished into thin air, we would be in some trouble. Beds would no longer be comfy, our hot pockets would never escape the microwave, and our beloved cars would be so unbalanced they’d be out of use. The disappearance of springs would put us all in a major pickle. When going to class we would have no nice pens to continuously click as we are stuck in deep thoughts, our lamps we dangle, unable to tilt and stay tilted in a certain direction, guns would be of no use, so say goodbye to hunting season unless you have a knife and very fast legs. Archery would be out of date, and everyone would walk everywhere unless they were willing to put their life into a wobbly car.

-To what degree is your technology accessible to all people?

As for springs, they are most of the time accessible to everyone. Springs in beds are very common, but wealthier and upper class people tend to go for foam or tempur pedic mattresses, while more normal and people have a standard mattress that have springs. Pens are pretty much used by all students and workers who have access to a classroom or office or about almost anywhere. They only people that don’t really have the ability to use pens are those who maybe had an accident and no longer have the use of their hands or those who don’t have the certain motor control fro their brain to have the ability to write. Also, along with cars and their leaf springs, pretty much anyone with a driver’s license or the right to drive can use these springs. It even gets used by those who don’t do the driving but just sit in the car with them.So overall the only people who wouldn’t have the access to these springs are the people who maybe don’t have the access or own a car.

-Net gain and loss of technology?

Some of the net gain of my technology is the money and discoveries people have made while trying to construct these technologies or mine the right materials and metals for them. The gain of knowledge is always a good thing. As of net loss, we use a lot of oil and human labor to try and release these metals that we need. But it is also a gain because it does create jobs for people too. Springs help society with losses and gains but neither are very drastic. We aren’t saving the world by creating springs but we aren’t necessarily killing it either.

Stage Three:Technology in Culture

The emotional response that my technology, the metal spring, generates is hugely varied. It goes along the spectrum from excitement to total discomfort. Springs are found all throughout modern culture and pop culture, they are just not as noticeable as other technologies may be. We see springs in all devices and electronics we use today, and they are presented all throughout social media and movies and urban legends too. In this blog post I am going to go through various feelings, urban legends, cartoon characters, movie scenes and even some popular songs and records that have all been devoted to our beloved springs!

Springs bring so many emotions to the table, sometimes without even noticing they are from the single action of the spring. These emotions range from discomfort, unhappiness, pain, shock, energy, thrill, speed and even anger. Bed springs or springy furniture can create feelings of discomfort or pain, and not having the ability to have a good night’s rest. Sleeping on hotel pull out beds or a friend’s couch can create annoyance and even morning-after pain. But springs can also bring thrill and excitement to someone’s life too. Like in an archery competition or hunting, making the shot or hitting the bull’s eye crates joy and excitement in someone’s mind, and makes people smile and even spring up with joy! Springs in cars also help those speed racers go as fast as they possibly can on a track or down a dark back road, building that hunger for speed, all thanks to those amazing leaf springs hidden underneath their beloved car. Emotions can spring up anywhere around this technology, and hit both ends of the spectrum.

Springs also pop up in old urban legends too. The most popular and much discussed story is titled “Spring-Heeled Jack”. Spring-Heeled Jack is a folklore tale back from the Victorian era in Great Britain about a man who could jump multiple feet up into the air. The first story based on his sighting dates all the way back to the year 1837. This myth of a man is described as a tall, thin, gentleman-like fellow who had deep red eyes and and could breath out impressive blue flames. He gets his name from his insane ability to jump very high, high enough to scale nine foot walls to escape angry civilians. The awful stories told about this mysterious man include terrorizing crowds of people walking around, jumping up high to peep into little children’s rooms, and ringing doorbells to maul away women’s clothes and attack them. He was spoken about as if he was the bogeyman back in that era, preying on naughty children and stealing away young women or putting them in psychotic fits with just a quick glance into their eyes. Some believe him to be devilish, or paranormal, never seeming to be hurt or affected by wounds or the occasional gunshot. He haunted multiple generations, the most recent sighting of him being in 1904.

Spring-Heeled Jack

After seeing my dad this weekend I talked to him about this paper and my struggles to find how springs could in any way be represented in modern pop culture. As I sat in my writer’s block, he told me a story. When he a little boy growing up in Manchester in the sixties, he had a favorite show. To my luck, the main character of this cartoon show was a spring! A metal spring, I could not believe my luck. The show was called Zebedee, and it was about a beloved jack in the box spring named Zebedee who loved magic and had a lot of close friends, and they all lived near this magic roundabout in england. Zebedee could perform magic from love and kindness, and he was a rival against the bad and evil magician named Zeebad. Zebedee was friends with a snail, a dog, a cow, a rabbit, a little girl. They would face challenges and bad magicians in each episode but would use their kindness and love to defeat it.

Zebedee The Spring

Coming back to modern day and times, I took a lot at Snopes.com to see if they could in anyway possible be any conspiracy theories or thoughts on springs. To my disbelief there was one. The question being argued was whether or not bed springs can cause cancer by amplifying radio waves. In short, it is not possible for this to happen, coiled springs in mattresses in fact cannot cause cancer by amplifying radio waves. An article and data were terribly misinterpreted from a post by a blogger that set off a wild fire of panic throughout people. It has been proven that the author of the original blog post was incredibly incorrect as they tried to interpret data from a swedish experiment, and they still have not gone back in to fix it. So overall, my beloved technology of choice does not in fact cause cancer.

As I was looking more closely for ways that springs are prevalent in pop culture, I stumbled across the most amazing website ever and I am still thanking the universe right now for it. There is a website called Folklore Tapes which is a british company that is on a mission to revive the country’s folklore record back to life. They do this through music and visual representations in record slips and songs created by them. In my case, they did an excellent piece on a cute little company that has been making all types of springs for thirty eight years now. It is called B.P.S. Springs and they are located in Manchester, England with is crazy because that is where both my parents are originally from. Their name stands for Bud, Pete and Sam as they are the three buddies who started the company together and are still running it. So this Folklore Tapes Springs edition explores their industry and the workshop and they collect unique photos and audio clips and put them all together in a traditional record slip. Folklore Tapes records conversations and audio of their products and such as different stages of creation and use and then burn it all onto a vinyl. The first side of this disc reveals he workshop and their springs, including the men and the machines that have been used for thirty eight years. The second side then has sounds of dozens of tones from over ninety collected helical springs handmade at the workshop. This site was incredible and a godsend, as it literally highlighted springs and their creation as long as their uses and unique sounds.

Folklore Tapes – Springs

Stage Two: Technological Materiality

My chosen technology is a metal spring. Springs are composed of steel most of the time, but they can sometimes be composed of other metals too. The steel is created from iron ore which can be mined in parts of the United States. Some other parts of the world that iron ore is mined from are Eastern Canada and Sweden. Springs use steel alloys because it allows them to improve the mechanical properties and be as strong as they possibly can. Some of the most popular metals used in springs are high-carbon steel, such as music wire used in guitar strings. There is also oil-tempered low-carbon steel, chrome silicon steel, chrome vanadium steel, and stainless steel.

Steel is produced a majority of the time in China. In 2015 they accounted for 50.3% of the world’s steel production. The United States comes in fourth place for the amount of crude steel that is produced in the country. China, Japan, and India all pass us by a couple of metric tons produced per year. Springs themselves are produced by many different companies that deal with metals and hardware. Once the metal is collected, special machines take the metal and bend or twist it into the identifiable spring shape. The most popular machine that twists the metal into a coil is called a spring coiler. Metal strips are placed on a point, which then coiles the metal at a certain coiling point, which created the term “coiling the spring”.

When springs are no longer usable they can be recycled and reused. One of the most popular uses of discarded metal is packaging. The metal is refined and broken down and eventually used in food packaging and wrapping. When steel is recycled it can help save a lot of oil and other products too. It can become electronic devices, automobiles, other vehicles, office supplies, hardware, construction materials, and cans and containers. When steel and springs are overused and worn out they can be recycled and put back to good work again.

Springs do use raw materials such as metals in their production. Some of the raw materials and metals found in springs are alloy steel, carbon steel, cobalt-nickel, copper based alloy, nickel base alloy, stainless steel and titanium. When these raw materials are mined they are mined from ore mines in different parts of the world.

Towards the future, springs have some big shoes to fill and are heading towards a good place. As the demand for phones and computers and laptops continue to go up, so will the demand for springs. Keypads use them to read the letters and tell the actual computer what to write. Medical devices also use very tiny springs. Sometimes they are so small that they are only 0.0012micrometers in diameter! These very tiny springs are used in cases with catheters and endoscopes. Doctors also plan on trying to make them even smaller. There has also been the creation of the molecular spring. It is created why twelve carbon atoms put together and attaching a vitamin B12 molecule to each end of the chain by means of a cobalt atom. It then has the ability to kink tightly together and release when water is introduced.

In conclusion, metal springs are extremely useful and are made from multiple different metals, but the most common one being steel. Springs pop up in almost all modern day pieces of technology and help our lives run smoothly. Without the creation or production of springs we would be in a pickle. The coiling machine allows metals to be twisted into the perfect coiled shape for all different uses of the spring. As we continue on our path the new and crazy ways springs are being used are endless, and will most likely be used for even more as the days and ideas go by.

Stage One: Technology in Practice

 

The spring has modified cultural practices in many ways, not just in mechanical ways but also in home environments too. The metal spring has morphed modern technology and furniture throughout the years and made many practices easier or more successful. The spring was created in 1763 in Great Britain, as it was the first ever coiled spring and replaced the leaf spring because it was a lot less squeaky and needed less oiling. The spring has helped modernize many technology and objects in our everyday lives, like cars and beds and microwave doors. Life without the invention of the spring would be a complicated, and most likely noisier world.

It is hard to imagine a world without springs because they are used in so many everyday objects and technologies that sometimes we don’t even know they are there. These technologies and objects range from pens and doorknobs to cars and microwaves. It is crazy to try and consider our world without these simple little helpers. Many of our everyday things would have to be altered and reconstructed just to work correctly, if they even could work without springs. Springs are also present in some outdoor sports too, like hunting and archery. Guns and bows and arrows both use springs to release their ammunition. Without the invention or introduction of the spring, these sports may not exist today.

Springs Highlighted In A Gun

Almost all of our everyday technologies would be hindered or non usable. The use of the microwave would be slightly more complicated. Metal springs hold energy as the door is shut to allow the release of the energy to push open the door once the food is done cooking. Without springs, this simple activity would become more complicated and bothersome. It also might make the use of a microwave a little more dangerous than it is now. Since microwaves use electricity, it would be dangerous to use plastic or metal as a clip door or a door that needed a handle to open. Springs definitely aid with the safety aspect of modern technologies too.

A world without springs and their use would also be very unbalanced. Cars and automobiles use springs to help keep the weight of the car balanced and safe. If we lived in a world without springs, the use of cars would become very complicated. It could even alter the price of gas and maintenance on cars. If there were a lot of weight in the back of the car, it would take more gas and energy to get the car to move faster, therefore creating the need for more gas as more in being burned. It could also create more maintenance problems with the car because of weight issues. Without a leaf spring to balance the car, more weight on one side than the other could hurt or damage pieces of the vehicle creating more need to get it fixed. Along with those two reasons, the riddance or non-existence of springs could also make cars extremely dangerous. With one side weighing more than the other and the car being unbalanced, the problems with accidents including rollovers could sky rocket up.

Car With Springs

Overall, a world without the invention or use of metal springs would be painfully slow. Technology and household items would be more old-fashioned and slow. We would have less outdoor sports and activities including guns or bows and arrows. Springs may seem like a small detail but it has a lot of strength and power behind it. Thankfully, we live in a world where the power of a small piece of coiled metal was recognized and put to good use by some very intelligent British man. I don’t think I would like to experience a world without them because I love my microwaved foods too much.

 

 

Technology Range

The range of options for springs out there is endless. The fanciest options would be luxurious cars, fancy modern garage doors, and expensive bicycles, which are all made with springs. One pop culture reference that is fairly new that uses springs is the new hit movie “It”. The kids in the movies are all young so they use bicycles to get around, and without the placement of these springs, the children would have no way of getting getting around or running away from the clown!

The Gang from It

Some of the cheaper or more utilian devices that use springs are microwave doors, ballpoint pens, older couches and beds, and vacuum cleaners.One of the best examples of the use of springs in beds is the unmistakable sounds of springs squeaking under the weight of two people having a good time, which tends to be in a lot of comedy movies of people living on their own in old creaky apartments in cities and highly populated places. Here is a clip from a movie that is a great example of the humorous, kind-of-awkward scenes I’m referring to.

Squeaky Bed Springs

Some unexpected options that probably aren’t as obvious are remotes, lawn sprinklers, and some interior door knobs. I know my remote controls at home have springs in the back where the batteries go, and I used to have a murphy bed which had the biggest springs I have ever seen in my life. They were almost the length of my calf! Springs are mysterious little objects, showing up or being discovered in technologies you never really thought would have springs. Springs can be made from various different metals. Some of these including high carbon spring steel, stainless spring steel, and nickel base spring alloy. The prices all vary but don’t seem to be too high. The price for springs that are bigger and longer are more expensive than springs that go in ball point pens, but they all seem reasonable prices.