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Ingenium, 1992.2522.001
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OBJECT TYPE: push-button/flush/luminous/double pole
DATE: 1914
ARTIFACT NUMBER: 1992.2522.001

MANUFACTURER: PERKINS
MODEL: G5544
LOCATION: United States of America

More Information

General Information

Serial #: N/A
Part Number: 1
Total Parts: 1
AKA: N/A
Patents: N/A
General Description: porcelain cup/ brass plate, push button & lamp protector/ glass lamp/ metal parts/ fabric covered wiring

Dimensions

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

Length: 11.4 cm
Width: 7.0 cm
Height: 7.9 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: PERKINS
Country: United States of America
State/Province: Unknown
City: Unknown

Context

Country: North America
State/Province: Unknown
Period: circa 1914+
Canada: An American 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, & also to warn if the light is still turned on.
Technical: The single push button switch which turned on & off with alternately each time button was pushed was an Ediswan patent of 1893 (No. 180647). It had the disadvantage that it provided no visual indication as to whether the switch was open or closed. The lamp accessory provided this warning. The two button switch & the turn switch were the most popular in Canada until the late 1920s.
Area Notes: Unknown

Details

Markings: raised lettering on button reads "PERKINS"/ raised lettering on underside on porcelain reads "G5544"
Missing: appears complete
Finish: unglazed white porcelain/ gold coloured plate, button, lamp protector
Decoration: N/A

CITE THIS OBJECT

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

PERKINS, Switch, circa 1914, Artifact no. 1992.2522, Ingenium – Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation, http://collection.ingeniumcanada.org/en/id/1992.2522.001/

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