Unknown switch

[jonmiller]

Hello
Can anyone throw any light on what this switch is from please. It is a six way switch and rather well built.

Many thanks

Jonathan

[Peter.N.]

Judging by the size of the connectors its a fairly high current switch, perhaps an electric cooker or other heating device?

Peter

[jonmiller]

Hi Peter
Thanks for reply, have just noticed it has stamped on a lug, GIEME (MOD arrow under that) and then CS2 under that.
Kind regards

Jonathan

[Lucien Nunes]

I can't identify it specifically but that type of rotary switch was fairly standard on all sorts of industrial equipment and control gear for many decades. Within 10 feet of where I'm standing there are similar examples on a large battery charger, a lathe, and a cine projector control box.

[G6Tanuki]

I recall those kinds of switch being fitted on water-boilers in commercial kitchens and wired to switch 2 heating elements in different series/parallel combos depending on the heat required.

Off
Slow [1 element only]
Fast [2 elements in parallel]
Simmer [2 elements in series].

[Tractorfan]

Hi,
The unit construction means that they could be stacked up to switch several poles simultaneously (and at the same time), a bit like wafer switches.
The names 'Diamond H' and 'Square D' spring to mind, but I'm certain other makers did them too.
There's a couple on this ex-military charging board.
Cheers, Pete.

[Radio Wrangler]

They have a very stiff, sprung snap-action so contacts close and open quickly, however slowly the handle is operated. They were designed to quickly stop arcs and to last indefinitely.

All sorts of makers made them in all sorts of formats.

David

[Lucien Nunes]

The unit construction means that they could be stacked up to switch several poles simultaneously

Here's a long one in a mercury arc emergency lighting control unit. Like the record switch in a valve portable tape recorder, it reconfigures the entire circuit according to which mode you select. Unlike a valve tape recorder, it carries up to 60A.

[coil1234]

I've a similar one here, made by Santon Wales UK, rated at 40A 250Vac. It has 4 positions and is continuously rotatable. I rescued it from the scrap pile during a ship re-fit.

Regards Mike A

[Leon Crampin]

Santon were also a maker of these excellent rotary switches.

Leon.

[dseymo1]

As a matter of fact, one of these acts as a master switch for my workshop supply, housed in a box together with RCDs.

A simpler, standardised version was for many years used on cookers, to enable series / parallel switching of elements. Useful for a lot of other projects, too - I still have a few knocking around.

[Lucien Nunes]

A Santon example serves as the direction switch of EK's 1967 Lansing forklift. It's in the housing arrowed and fitted with a miniature 'gearstick' lever instead of a knob. You can hear me operate it at 0:21 in this clip...

https://youtu.be/2M79FmIHScQ

[jonmiller]

Many thanks for all the replies.
The switch is one of six switches that came in a junk box. Two of them are glove heater switches from aircraft:
found here http://spitfirespares.co.uk/Electrical%20Switches.html

Of the others, one is a TOK, and one is a Santon SR127, which I believe was used on Myfords at manufacture.

[Mad Mal]

That looks similar to the switch (speed) on a Compton Woodworking Lathe we had at school when I was a Kid. I've seen similar ones still used on heavy duty equipment these days. The contacts are probably Berylium Copper alloy.