General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

PORCELAIN CASING; SYNTHETIC KEY OR SWITCH; METAL (INCLUDING COPPER & BRASS) FITTINGS; FABRIC COVERING ON ELECTRICAL CORDS.

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

6.1 cm

Width

4.5 cm

Height

7.3 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Energy-electric

Category

User site

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Smith Stone

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Unknown

Period

THIS TYPE OF SOCKET WAS USED C. 1920S- 1930S, AND POSSIBLY LATER.

Canada

PART OF A LARGE & VARIED COLLECTION OF ELECTRICAL ITEMS ACQUIRED & DOCUMENTED BY ONTARIO HYDRO IN THE 1960S. THIS COLLECTION CONSISTS OF OVER 7500 ARTIFACTS, AND IS THOUGHT TO BE THE LARGEST & MOST COMPREHENSIVE IN CANADA. IT WAS DONATED IN ITS ENTIRETY TO THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY IN 1992.

Function

TO SECURE AND CONNECT A LAMP BULB WITHIN AN ELECTRICAL FIXTURE.

Technical

SWITCHED SOCKETSWERE DEVELOPED IN THE 1880S, AND WERE CONTEMPORARY WITH EDISON'S SCREW LAMP FITTING. MUCH OF THE DEMAND FOR THE SWITCHED SOCKET WAS LEFT OVER FROM THE DAYS OF GAS LIGHTING, AND IT TOOK THE PUBLIC SOME TIME TO BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO SWITCHES PLACED ON THE WALL NEAR AN ENTRANCE. WHEN PORTABLE LAMPS WERE INTRODUCED, THE DEMAND FOR SWITCHED HOLDERS CONTINUED IN SPITE OF FREQUENT EFFORTS BY ENGINEERS & INSURANCE INTERESTS TO DISCOURAGE IT.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

" S&S/ 660 W/ 250 V " cast in raised pront on rim of socket. " S " cast in raised print on both sides of key. " S S " incised within double diamond motif, on contact point inside socket.

Missing

APPEARS COMPLETE.

Finish

GLAZED WHITE CASING; FLAT WHITE KEY.

Decoration

ORNATE "S" APPEARS IN RAISED PRINT ON BOTH SIDES OF KEY, CENTERED IN A RAISED, PEBBLE-TEXTURED DISK.