Drinking straw
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The drinking straw is a device used for sucking up a liquid - usually a drink. A thin tube of plastic (especially polystyrene) or other material, straight or with an accordion-like living hinge, it is employed by being held with one end in the mouth and another end in the drink. Muscular action reduces air pressure in the mouth, whereupon atmospheric pressure forces the drink up the straw. The first straws were made by the Sumerians, and used for drinking beer (as to avoid the solid byproducts of fermentation). Argentinians use a similar device called bombilla that acts as both a straw and sieve for drinking mate tea. The modern drinking straw was patented in 1888 by Marvin Stone.
In 1888, Marvin Stone patented the spiral winding process to manufacture the first paper drinking straws. Stone was already a producer of paper cigarette holders. His idea was to make paper drinking straws. Before his straws, beverage drinkers were using the natural rye grass straws.
Stone made his prototype straw by winding strips of paper around a pencil and gluing it together. He then experimented with paraffin-coated manila paper, so the straws would not become soggy while someone was drinking. Marvin Stone decided the ideal straw was 8 1/2-inches long with a diameter just wide enough to prevent things like lemon seeds from being lodged in the tube.
The product was patented on January 3, 1888. By 1890, his factory was producing more straws than cigarette holders. In 1906, the first machine was invented by the Stone's "Stone Straw Corporation" to machine-wind straws, ending the hand-winding process. Later other kinds of spiral-wound paper and non-paper products were made.
In 1928, electrical engineers began to use spiral-wound tubes in the first mass produced radios. All made by the same process invented by Stone. Spiral-wound tubing is now found everywhere -- in electric motors, electrical apparatus, electronic devices, electronic components, aerospace, textile, automotive, fuses, batteries, transformers, pyrotechnics, medical packaging, product protection, and packaging applications.
[edit] Types of drinking straws
- A basic drinking straw is straight for the full length.
- A bendable straw has a concertina-type hinge near the top for convenience.
- A "crazy" straw is hard plastic and has a number of twists and turns at the top. When liquid is sucked through the straw, it quickly flows through the winding path, creating an entertaining spectacle, especially for children.
- A spoon straw features a cut-away shape at one end that functions as a miniature spoon. It is intended for slush drinks.
- Candy straws, such as licorice straws (or lico-straws).
- A miniature straw often comes attached to a drink box.
[edit] Trivia
- It is possible to make some straws into wind instruments by cutting holes in them as finger holes and cutting a reed in a certain way so it makes a strange noise.
