Screw-Thread Cutting by the Master-Screw Method since 1480

The author surveys the historical development of screw-thread cutting by the master-screw method, tracing mechanical principles from late 15th-century engraved representations through successive refinements into the early 20th century. He analyzes surviving drawings and instruments, comparing lead-screw arrangements, tool-support and cross-slide designs, and notes errors and interpretive issues in early illustrations. Patent records are followed to show technical evolution and dissemination, and museum examples and detailed descriptions illustrate how specialized, then increasingly versatile, machine tools emerged within the broader machine-tool industry.