Quote:
Originally Posted by AndiiT
a switch which would not move to the on position until the plug was inserted and the plug could not be removed once the switch was in the on position.
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Interlocked plugs and sockets were widely used in hospitals as a precaution against causing explosions in operating theatres due to the flammable anaesthetic gases in use. Notched earth pins fitted sockets which had a sparkless mercury bottle tilt-switch behind the fascia plate. Wandsworth and Walsall were popular makes.
I also seem to recall 13-amp BS1363 plugs with the earth pin set at 90 degrees to the live and neutral, and I think these were unfused plugs made specially for mobile X-ray machines to restrict their use to special sockets with a very low source impedance.
Interesting thread, this!