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Other Vintage Household Electrical or Electromechanical Items For discussions about other vintage (over 25 years old) electrical and electromechanical household items. See the sticky thread for details. |
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30th Aug 2018, 2:43 pm | #1 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Colchester, Essex, UK.
Posts: 4,107
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Inspection lamp (is it of military origin?)
I would be in interested in comments on the origin of what appears to be a de-mountable vehicle inspection lamp. BS934 is stamped into the case.
A length of 2 core (rubber) red and black cable is wound inside the housing around the back of the reflector, it can be pulled out to make the lamp portable, then wound back in via the hand-crank on the rear. In the centre of the hand-crank is a screw head which is turned to alter the focus. While mounted on the vehicle, adjustment of the Y axis is available by loosening two wingnuts which secure the 'bracket-cum-carrying handle'. The bulb, as i recall, is a conventional 12v 18w or 21w, but is two pole. The bulb socket and reflector rotate as the cable is withdrawn, meaning the switch (at 12 o'clock) has to contact via spring leaves! There are two threaded bosses, at the side, one of which still has a brass cap..were these attached to an assembly on the vehicle which gave X axis adjustment, making it fully gimballed? I have seen a lamp superficially similar mounted on a Churchill tank, but would be interested in other ideas. It is painted black, by the way. The connector- whatever it was- is long gone. Switching it on with the cable still wound inside could, sooner or later, result in the thing setting itself on fire. When i got it many years ago sulphur from the cable had blackened the silvered reflector. It really is an odd design! Dave |
30th Aug 2018, 4:47 pm | #2 |
Octode
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Belper Derbyshire
Posts: 1,935
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Re: Inspection lamp (is it of military origin?)
Well BS934 is a British standard for mixtures of concrete, mortar and grout !! so that particular code in the lamp has no connections to do with British standards!!
Christopher Capener
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Interests in the collection and restoration of Tefifon players and 405 line television |
30th Aug 2018, 6:05 pm | #3 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Colchester, Essex, UK.
Posts: 4,107
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Re: Inspection lamp (is it of military origin?)
More digging....Apparently it was made by Butlers, and appeared on many vehicles, including Churchills, and the marvellously named Vickers-Carden-Loyd Light Tank, on which (in olive paint) it looks very much at home.
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31st Aug 2018, 12:15 am | #4 |
Heptode
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Scratby, Norfolk, UK.
Posts: 650
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Re: Inspection lamp (is it of military origin?)
Hi,
Butlers was a lamp manufacturer in Grange Road, Small Heath Birmingham, subsequently taken over by Joseph Lucas. Kind regards Dave |