Socket

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OBJECT TYPE: screw/special electrolier
DATE: 1906
ARTIFACT NUMBER: 1992.2557.001

MANUFACTURER: General Electric Co. Ltd.
MODEL: Unknown
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: brass shell/ copper/ porcelain

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: 5.2 cm
Thickness: N/A
Weight: N/A
Diameter: 3.6 cm
Volume: N/A

Lexicon

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

Manufacturer

AKA: General Electric
Country: United States of America
State/Province: Unknown
City: Unknown

Context

Country: North America
State/Province: Unknown
Period: early 20th 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 an "electrolier" type socket of circa 1906. The first lighting fittings were often converted gas brackets or "gasoliers" & the latter soon developed into "electroliers", frequently of ornate design. Some of the early electroliers incorporated complicated devices to permit turning, swinging & adjustment of height. The simplicity of electricity soon gave rise to the plain pendant. 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 (Ref. 3). Edison had the idea for a light socket while screwing the cap on a kerosene can. It has the advantage of firmly seating the bulb without having to snap, pull or otherwise jar the lamp and its delicate filament. There were rival lamps before 1900, each with its own base, but Edison's base had 70% of the market in the early 1900s (Ref. 4).
Area Notes: Unknown

Details

Markings: incised lettering on shell reads "660W. 250 VOLTS/ PAT. OCT. 31, 1905/ GEN. ELEC. CO. U.S.A."
Missing: appears complete
Finish: gold & copper coloured metal/ white porcelain
Decoration: N/A

CITE THIS OBJECT

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

General Electric Co. Ltd., Socket, circa 1906, Artifact no. 1992.2557, Ingenium – Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation, http://collections.ingeniumcanada.org/en/id/1992.2557.001/

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