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Old 7th Feb 2012, 3:46 pm   #74
rogerla
Diode
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Nottingham, UK.
Posts: 4
Default Re: Another unusual plug and some other questions

In large houses during the 20's/30's, a separate lighting circuit was run to 2 amp sockets adjacent to various positions where people were likely to sit in a room, to allow standard lamps/table lamps to be switched on and off as one entered or left that room, to avoid having to have 'n' large current gobbling ceiling fittings to provide overall high levels of illumination.

There is a 'worldwide plugs and sockets' 'museum' website at http://www.fam-oud.nl/~plugsocket/Overview.html and if you click on the UK map link you will see examples of previous arrangements by (for instance) Wylex and other manufacturers. Not all previous types have yet been captured, so the 'museum' would probably be interested from anyone having pic's of those old devices not yet shown.

I think that the 'staggered flat pin/central round pin' Wylex sockets were used in some organisations to identify circuits connected to secure (generator backed up) circuits etc.
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