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Old 7th Feb 2012, 1:33 am   #70
emeritus
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Brentwood, Essex, UK.
Posts: 5,316
Default Re: Another unusual plug and some other questions

Some more old GEC mains plugs, sockets and adapters from the 1911 catalogue that may be useful to date vintage items. It includes a different design of coax plug from the 1893 offering, evidently introduced around 1897 to overcome deficiencies in the earlier design according to the patent that describes it : http://worldwide.espacenet.com/publi...C&locale=en_EP

Earthed connectors were only offered for industrial and naval use. I used to have two almost identical 5A BS546-type surface mounted sockets, one of which [presumably the older] had its earth terminal sticking out of the top of the socket, no doubt in accordance with the early Home Office Earthing regulations. I remember that my aunt’s house had “Wandsworth” gauge plugs of the Home Office pattern.

Does anyone know anything about the BC adapter plug shown in the photo? It looks as if it is intended to provide an earth connection as the bayonet pin adjacent the groove in the body bears the remains of a screw thread. There is also the remains of another pin closer to the groove that has been cropped. The adaptor carries a patent number 385785 [ granted to GEC] which sets an earliest manufacture date as it was published in 1933, but the patent only relates to the cord grip and its drawings show a BC lampholder. In the second photo a piece of white nylon cord has been threaded through the groove to show how the earth lead might have been brought out.
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Last edited by Station X; 7th Feb 2012 at 10:38 am. Reason: Wallsall becomes Wandsworth
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