Socket

Use this image

Can I reuse this image without permission? Yes

Object images on the Ingenium Collection’s portal have the following Creative Commons license:

ATTRIBUTE THIS IMAGE

Ingenium, 1992.2542.001
Permalink:

Ingenium is releasing this image under the Creative Commons licensing framework, and encourages downloading and reuse for non-commercial purposes. Please acknowledge Ingenium and cite the artifact number.

DOWNLOAD IMAGE

PURCHASE THIS IMAGE

This image is free for non-commercial use.

For commercial use, please consult our Reproduction Fees and contact us to purchase the image.

OBJECT TYPE: Thomson-Houston/switched/reciprocating
DATE: 1892
ARTIFACT NUMBER: 1992.2542.001

MANUFACTURER: Unknown
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: brass shell/ copper/ porcelain switch handle

Dimensions

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

Length: 5.5 cm
Width: 3.5 cm
Height: 5.2 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: Unknown
Country: Unknown
State/Province: Unknown
City: Unknown

Context

Country: North America
State/Province: Unknown
Period: late 19th century
Canada: An example of an American made socket of a type used in Canada. 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 support & connect to electricity a lamp or other electrical device.
Technical: An example of a Thomson-Houston socket of the early 1890s. From 1880 to 1889 other methods of supporting lamps appeared besides the Edison screw socket & receptacle, including the Thomson-Houston, the Westinghouse & the bayonet types. 1890 to 1899 was a period during which the details of wiring devices which had appeared in the previous decade were improved. Keys were added to lamp sockets & receptacles. Where the lamp switch was controlled by the wall or base switch, the socket could remain keyless; otherwise the light switch had to be incorporated within the socket utilizing as its switching mechanism the key, pull-chain or push-button (Ref. 4). A simple arrangement which did not require the service of a mechanic to change a lamp was a necessity for commercial production of electric lamp sockets. In 1880 Edison introduced the screw cap which still bears his name. Holders with switches were Edison's original design. Much of the demand for these was left over from the days of lighting with gas and it took people some time to become accustomed to switching on the lights at the door. When portable lamps were introduced, the demand for switched sockets was reinforced (Ref. 3).
Area Notes: Unknown

Details

Markings: none
Missing: appears complete
Finish: gold coloured metal/ white porcelain
Decoration: N/A

CITE THIS OBJECT

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

Unknown Manufacturer, Socket, circa 1892, Artifact no. 1992.2542, Ingenium – Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation, http://collection.ingeniumcanada.org/en/id/1992.2542.001/

FEEDBACK

Submit a question or comment about this artifact.