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OBJECT TYPE: tumbler/single pole/surface
DATE: 1895
ARTIFACT NUMBER: 1992.2500.001

MANUFACTURER: Sperrynwood
MODEL: Unknown
LOCATION: Unknown

More Information

General Information

Serial #: N/A
Part Number: 1
Total Parts: 1
AKA: N/A
Patents: N/A
General Description: porcelain base/ brass shell & switch handle

Dimensions

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

Length: N/A
Width: N/A
Height: 5.1 cm
Thickness: N/A
Weight: N/A
Diameter: 5.5 cm
Volume: N/A

Lexicon

Group: Energy-electric
Category: User site
Sub-Category: N/A

Manufacturer

AKA: Sperryn
Country: Unknown
State/Province: Unknown
City: Unknown

Context

Country: North America
State/Province: Unknown
Period: late 19th century
Canada: A British made switch of a type used in Canadian households. Part of a large & varied collection of over 7500 electrical items acquired & documented by Ontario Hydro in the 1960s. The collection was thought to be the largest & most comprehensive of its kind in Canada & was donated to the National Museum of Science & Technology in 1992.
Function: An electrical wiring device used to make or break a connection in an electrical circuit, specifically in domestic lighting.
Technical: The tumbler switch was one of the most characteristic British contributions to wiring installation practice. Coming into regular use around 1890, it rapidly superceded all other movements in Britain & ultimately went abroad to replace the established turn & two-button arrangements (Ref. 2). After 1905, the design of tumbler switches became simpler & thinner & flush type soon became more popular than surface type. In Canada, the flush type soon became the favourite over the surface type. The latter was probably still available for older houses in which flush type switches could not be used. (Ref. 2). A similar model was offered in the Canadian General Electric catalogue of 1903 but not in the CGE catalogue of 1915 (Ref. 1).
Area Notes: Unknown

Details

Markings: almost illegible raised lettering on underside reads "SPERRYNWOOD", "568200", "5 AMP."
Missing: appears complete
Finish: glazed white porcelain/ gold coloured brass
Decoration: shell cast in form of shell

CITE THIS OBJECT

If you choose to share our information about this collection object, please cite:

Sperrynwood, Switch, circa 1895, Artifact no. 1992.2500, Ingenium – Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation, http://collection.ingeniumcanada.org/en/id/1992.2500.001/

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