The term “hose clamp” combines “hose” (flexible tube) and “clamp” (fastener). As the word order suggests, hoses predated clamps by millennia. The Oxford Dictionary defines a hose as: “A hollow cylinder made of metal, plastic, or glass, primarily for transporting liquids or gases.”
Early History of Hoses
Around 500 BC, the Greek historian Herodotus documented leather tubes stitched from oxhide. These transported water from rivers to desert cisterns, marking the earliest pipeline prototypes. By 200 BC, Byzantium (modern Istanbul) used similar hoses to carry Caspian Sea oil for heating public baths. This technology persisted for centuries until Leonardo da Vinci revolutionized hose design around 1500. His leather diving tube, reinforced with rings, enabled extended underwater breathing.
Industrial Revolution and the Birth of Hose Clamps
Initially, hoses were secured with leather straps or hemp ropes. The steam engine’s advent introduced metal wire fasteners, yet high-pressure sealing remained challenging. In 1896, Swedish inventor Knut Edwin Bergström patented the worm-drive hose clamp and founded ABA Company. Later, British engineer Lumley Robinson refined the design in 1921, launching the “Jubilee Clip” brand—the prototype of modern worm-gear clamps.
Controversies and Anecdotes
The title of “world’s first clamp” sparks debate. A notable contender comes from Riquewihr, France: in 1768, blacksmith Johann Irion forged a metal bracket to repair a fountain. This artifact, still preserved, may represent an early clamp variant.