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Ingenium, 1992.2506.001
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OBJECT TYPE: tumbler/surface/quick make & break
DATE: 1920
ARTIFACT NUMBER: 1992.2506.001

MANUFACTURER: Crabtree
MODEL: Unknown
LOCATION: England

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/ metal parts

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: 4.1 cm
Thickness: N/A
Weight: N/A
Diameter: 5.7 cm
Volume: N/A

Lexicon

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

Manufacturer

AKA: Crabtree
Country: England
State/Province: Unknown
City: Unknown

Context

Country: North America
State/Province: Unknown
Period: circa 1920+
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 Coming into regular use around 1890, it rapidly superceded all other movements in Britain & ultimately went abroad to replace the established turn & two-button arrangements in America & Europe. The Kelvin switch of 1881 showed a radical departure from the influence of the gas tap. The J.A Crabtree Co. was founded in 1919 & within ten years became very successful, specializing in tumbler switches (Ref. 2).
Area Notes: Unknown

Details

Markings: raised lettering on underside reads "BRITISH MAKE/ CRABTREE/ RD NO 667073&702174/ C1030/ VITREOUS/ 7211/3"
Missing: appears complete
Finish: glazed black base with brown underside/ gold coloured shell & switch handle
Decoration: N/A

CITE THIS OBJECT

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

Crabtree, Switch, circa 1920, Artifact no. 1992.2506, Ingenium – Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation, http://collection.ingeniumcanada.org/en/id/1992.2506.001/

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