Socket

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Ingenium, 1992.2022.001
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OBJECT TYPE: SCREW/SWITCHED
DATE: 1882
ARTIFACT NUMBER: 1992.2022.001

MANUFACTURER: Edison General Electric Co.
MODEL: Unknown
LOCATION: Schenectady, New York, 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: BRASS SOCKET CASING & KEY; COPPER CONTACT POINT; COMPOSITE MATERIAL (?) LINER; PORCELAIN INNER FITTING; FABRIC COVERING ON WIRES.

Dimensions

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

Length: 7.0 cm
Width: 4.0 cm
Height: 7.0 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: Edison
Country: United States of America
State/Province: New York
City: Schenectady

Context

Country: North America
State/Province: Unknown
Period: THIS TYPE OF SOCKET USED C. 1883- EARLY 1900S, AND POSSIBLY LATER.
Canada: PART OF A LARGE & VARIED COLLECTION OF ELECTRICAL ITEMS ACQUIRED & DOCUMENTED BYONTARIO 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 SECURE AND CONNECT AN ELECTRICAL BULB WITHIN A FIXTURE.
Technical: EDISON'S IDEA FOR DESIGNING A SCREW SOCKET WAS PROMPTED BY SCREWING THE CAP ON A KEROSENE CAN. A SCREW FITTING ALLOWED THE BULB TO BE FIRMLY SEATED WITHOUT RISK OF DAMAGE TO THE DELICATE FILAMENTS, AND BY THE 1880S 70% OF SOCKETS SOLD WERE EDISON'S. SWITCHED LAMP HOLDERS WERE AN IDEA LEFT OVER FROM THE DAYS OF GAS LIGHTING, AND IT TOOK PEOPLE A WHILE TO GET USED TO THE CONVENIENCE OF SWITCHING A LIGHT ON/OFF NEAR THE ENTRANCE TO A ROOM. THE DEMAND FOR SWITCH SOCKETS CONTINUED IN SPITE OF FREQUENT EFFORTS BY ENGINEERS & INSURANCE INTERESTS TO DISCOURAGE IT. (REF. 1)
Area Notes: Unknown

Details

Markings: " EDISON GENERAL/ ELECTRIC CO./ PATENTED/ OCT.20 1882/ OCT. 25 1882 " incised on socket casing.
Missing: NONE.
Finish: BRIGHT LACQUERED FINISH ON CASING EXTERIOR.
Decoration: STYLIZED CROSS-LIKE MOTIF CAST IN RAISED FORM ON BOTH SIDES OF KEY.

CITE THIS OBJECT

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

Edison General Electric Co., Socket, after 1882, Artifact no. 1992.2022, Ingenium – Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation, http://collections.ingeniumcanada.org/en/id/1992.2022.001/

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