General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

2

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

METAL SHELL, PULL CORD & FITTINGS; MICA INSULATING DISK; ASBESTOS PAPER LINER BETWEEN INNER AND OUTER CASING SHELLS; PORCELAIN FIXTURE INSIDE SHELL.

Dimensions

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

Length

5.0 cm

Width

3.8 cm

Height

7.2 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

HUBBELL

Country

United States of America

State/Province

Connecticut

City

Bridgeport

Context

Country

North America

State/Province

Unknown

Period

THIS TYPE OF SOCKET PROBABLY USED EARLY 1900S.

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 CONNECT AND SECURE AN ELECTRIC LAMP BULB WITHIN A FIXTURE.

Technical

EDISON INVENTED THE SCREW SOCKET, APPARENTLY GETTING THE IDEA WHILE SCREWING THE CAP ON A KEROSENE CAN. THE ADAVANTAGE OF THIS DESIGN WAS IT ALLOWED THE LAMP TO BE FIRMLY SEATED WITHOUT PLACING ANY STRESS ON THE DELICATE FILAMENTS. MUCH OF THE DEMAND FOR SWITCHED SOCKETS (IE. FITTED WITH PULL CHAINS, KEYS, ETC.) WAS LEFT OVER FROM THE DAYS OF GAS LIGHTING, AND IT TOOK PEOPLE A WHILE TO GET USED TO THE CONVENIENCE OF SWITCHING A LAMP ON AND/OR OFF NEAR THE DOOR OF A ROOM INSTEAD OF AT THE LAMP ITSELF. WHEN PORTABLE LAMPS WERE INTRODUCED, THE DEMAND FOR SWITCH HOLDERS CONTINUED, IN SPITE OF EFFORTS BY ENGINEERS AND INSURANCE INTERESTS TO DISCOURAGE IT. (REF.1)

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

.1 &.2 " HARVEY HUBBELL/ AUG. 11,96/ MAY 8,OO/ PAT'D/ JULY 30,01/ FEBY. 18,02./ 250 V. 50 C.P. " INCISED ON CASING; " HUBBELL " cast in raised print, below pull chain collar.

Missing

NONE. PULL CHAIN ON .2 IS BROKEN, BUT PRESENT.

Finish

.1 ORIGINAL FINISH UNCERTAIN- MAY HAVE BEEN SILVER OR NICKEL PLATED OR CHEMICALLY BLUED;.2 BRUSHED BRASS FINISH.

Decoration

N/A