Plug sockets

[G6Tanuki]

Originally Posted by Tractorfan

Yes, guys, that is exactly what clock connectors were for and they contained a BS545 1amp fuse. But I'm certain there is a higher rated connector which looked very similar, and has a larger BS1362 fuse.

I've seen them also used for "Sustained luminaires" - rechargeable-battery-containing emergency-lighting to the non-professionally-involved. Such luminaires need to be tested regularly.
A standard work-instruction for this would be "when the luminaire is in an elevated location requiring tools to access the person doing this test should safely remove the luminaire to ground-level, test it and then refit it" to avoid the H&S issues of balancing atop a ladder with test gear. The "clock sockets" provide an easy method for doing this while stopping people plugging other things into the secured lighting circuit.

The guy who I use for this work has a time-learned way of doing it. First luminaire he does, he takes a new unit up the ladder and uses it to replace the old one - which he brings down to ground-level to test. Once tested, assuming it passes he takes it and his ladder to the next luminaire and repeats the process, swapping luminaires as he goes.

Saves journeys up and down the ladder, y'see.

[Nickthedentist]

This seems likely in the stairway of a public building. Mystery solved!

[camtechman]

Just an aside,

Has anyone ever seen the "History of MK Electric". I was only made aware of it in my last year at MK (mid 90's) and it was in the form of loose A4 typed sheets (many well dog-eared) but I was told that they intended to produce a proper glossy, magazine style version for their preferred customers.

Somwhere around, I have photo copies of the loose leafs and, if I can find them and anyone is interested, I'll stick it on a CD as PDF ?

[Mach One]

Would love to read it. Would it be too big to offer as a download?

[Tractorfan]

Hi,
I had a 1969 and a 1971 MK catalogue which I'm certain I have here somewhere, but they've just disappeared into the usual 'timewarp' just when I needed them. Typical!
However, I can scan the leaflet shown in one of my earlier posts. When I get a minute.
I'm still convinced that there was a connector similar to those shown earlier but higher rated, as I've seen one supplying an infra red wall heater. No, it wasn't the more usual fused spur unit.
Cheers, Pete.

[camtechman]

Originally Posted by Mach One

Would love to read it. Would it be too big to offer as a download?

Firstly I've got to find the pages (note it's not the elusive glossy publication - if MK ever printed one). The pages are photocopies of the well dog-eared A4 typed pages and, until I find them, I won't know the quality or quantity.

Once the above have been achieved, then I'll know if it can be provided as a PDF download. As of this afternoon, I'll start the search and will report back.

One thing I seem to remember (if memory serves me) it detailed the two founding friends who started the company. Again, if I remember correctly, both had served in the 1st World War, in the fledgling 'RAF'. They set up a small business, opposite where the much later Head Office & major factory was built in Park Lane, Edmonton, North London.

The original building they occupied was an old animal feed suppliers with upper loft. They first got an enquiry/order from the Government/Ministry for high quality Knife Switches and the rest became history.

That original building still exists but, when I was last there, it was a plumbing/builders & bathroom supplier.

Watch this thread for news.

Tony

[johnpriceuk]

Ah I think I speak for all the MK geeks on here, when I say that would be fantastic to read Good luck with your searching

[Herald1360]

I'll second the "good luck with finding it" wishes, camtechman's residence is rather "busy" electronics wise

[AC/HL]

Honeywell now: https://www.mkelectric.com/en-my/Abo...s/default.aspx

[camtechman]

Thanks for that AC/HL,

However, I shall still continue to search for the loose leaf typed version which looked as if it had been done in the 1960's, looking at the type face of the typewriter that must have been used, and it contained a whole lot more info than the Honeywell summary.

I now remember it contained some B&W photos of various people & places, including photos of Charles Arnold and some of the factory areas, one of which showing the area where MK's 13A plugs were hand assembled.

There were about 20 long benches where women (about 50) were sat, assembling them and I remember being given a tour of these 'workhouse' looking assembly areas when I first joined MK in the early 80's. Talk about modern day Asian sweat shops, these were more like something out of the Victorian period !

[Nicklyons2]

Reading that link how fascinated I was to find out that Charles Arnold not only founded MK but was a co-founder, with Mr Belling, of Belling - two redoubtable pillars of the UK electrical business for almost all its existence; and the media portray Alan Sugar as a great entrepreneur ...... hmmm

[camtechman]

It is with regret that I've been unable to find the MK History documents and I fear that have gone the way of several other items did just before I moved to Milton Keynes 7 years ago.

At that time I was in a bit of a pickle a few days before I moved, mainly not being able to make my mind up what to dispose of as the new place was I moving to was only half the size of my old house.

Then my sister & brother-in-law, known for radical decision making and the b.i.l having a big walk-in van came down to give me a hand move my delicate items to my new house and, at the same time, dispose of items that were no longer viable to keep. Also, there were several boxes that contained documents & instruments and that needed careful handling but were not for disposal.

A couple of years back I started to discover that I couldn't find some items that were in these boxes and one such item was my collection of Letraset (worth some £500 !). Then as further months went by, I couldn't find other items and these too would have been in these boxes and I now suspect, the MK History was also another item.

I'm pretty certain that my Brother-In-Law forgot the "DO NOT DISPOSE OF" instruction and these boxes went the way of those items that did need chucking away !!!!!

Ho - Hum....................

[matthewhouse]

Here is another Britmac iron socket, this time 15 amp with indicator. The socket it quite big and the red indicator jewel is massive compared to the little neon indicators of today. It's nearly 2" in diameter. The bulb is a 10W BC pigmy, and the lamp holder is wired in to the socket by the installer to an extra live screw terminal that is after the switch. This socket has a rather elaborate shutter mechanism too.

Sorry for the poor photos, my cheap camera has dust inside the lenses!

[Nicklyons2]

The local girl's High School of my youth had a variant of the above in the domestic science room - 5Amp socket with a pull cord switch. The sockets were mounted on the ceiling beams, facing down, the mains leads of the appliances spiralling up - well, no trip hazzard!

[matthewhouse]

Here is another socket, this time an MK cooker switch with 15A socket. The socket has its own 15A cartridge fuse under the cover at the bottom right. This was pulled out during a rewire, it was still in use 3 years ago. It was filthy and covered in paint, the coloured labels paint had flaked away as well. I have since refurbished it for the photo.

Also attached is an article from one of the free Electrical Times magazines. It is about British 3 pin plugs, and also has a photo of some excellent vintage MK plugs and sockets, including the cooker one in my photo (but with neons). I love the old industrial metal cooker switch/socket unit, I want one!

[hannahs radios]

Up until just recently our local chemist still had a 5 amp in switched socket mounted at ceiling level it had been painted over at least once. Unfortunately its gone now as the shop was refurbished and totally rewired

[AndiiT]

Hi,
One of my parent's neighbours had a cooker socket like the MK 15 amp one shown above.
It took me many years to figure out why theirs had an integral fuse and the equivalent 13 amp version, which was fitted in our kitchen, didn't

Andrew

[Tractorfan]

Hi,
I had quite a few of these when in the UK that I accumulated over the years both 13 and 15 amp, including a metalclad rectangular one with a large cooker switch above and a 13amp switchsocket below.
In our first house I wanted to fit a flush version and spent hours chiselling out the wall. Half way through I realised it was solid engineering brick!
Cheers, Pete.

[Tractorfan]

Hi,
With reference to post #32. I reckoned that the shown connector wasn't a clock connector, but one of a higher rating.
Yesterday I found this item that I've had for ages. It's similar, but fits a standard round conduit box. It's rated at 13amps and is earthed.
A clock connector is rated at 1amp and not earthed.
I rest my case m'lud.
Cheers, Pete.

[Nickthedentist]

That's interesting. I have one or two of those too, but always assumed they were just a more modern style of clock connector, with higher current rating and and an earth connection allowing them to be used for non-clocky applications too.

In the MK catalogue, P/N 993WHI is a similar thing, described as a "clock connector", "including earthing facilities" and "Fitted with 2 amp fuse-link to BS 1362" which means someone could easily fit a standard 13A fuse in its place. No mention of what its actual maximum current capacity is though: http://www.mkelectric.com/en-gb/Prod...es/993WHI.aspx

So I think it is technically a Clock Connector, but it's intended for other uses too. When was the last time you saw a new installation with a synchronous clock

Nick.