Antique Trumbull Single Throw Knife Switch Copper & Slate 30 Amp 250V 6.5"

Description

Early to mid 20th century Trumbull single throw knife switch - 30 amp, 250V. Copper and slate with Bakelite handle.

"A knife switch is a type of switch used to control the flow of electricity in a circuit. It is composed of a hinge which allows a metal lever, or knife, to be lifted from or inserted into a slot or jaw. The hinge and jaw are both fixed to an insulated base, and the knife has an insulated handle. Current flows through the switch when the knife is pushed into the jaw. Knife switches can take several forms, including single-throw, in which the knife engages with only a single slot, and double-throw, in which the knife hinge is placed between two slots and can engage with either one. Multiple knives may be attached to a single handle and can be used to activate more than one circuit simultaneously; this is a multi-pole switch." (Source: Wikipedia)

"The Trumbull Electric Manufacturing Company was organized in 1899 in Plainville by three brothers, all electrical contract workers: John, Henry and Hugh Trumbull. (John Trumbull became governor of Connecticut from 1925 to 1931.) The brothers produced electrical components, such as porcelain rosettes for transferring power, in a rented barn on the east end of town. Within a year, the company built and moved into brick mill buildings at the current site on Woodford Avenue, and expanded their workforce from four to forty. As the demand for electrical products grew, it produced a variety of electrical wiring components. Trumbull Electric was awarded substantial government contracts during the First World War, and gained national fame for manufacturing the New York Times’ first electrical switchboard system. In June of 1919, a majority of the Trumbull Electric Company’s shares were purchased and the company became an affiliate of the General Electric Company, but continued to operate as Trumbull Electric. Under the umbrella of General Electric, Trumbull Electric grew rapidly, both in Plainville and across the country, by acquiring other electrical manufacturing firms in Kentucky, California, Washington and New Jersey. With the outbreak of the Second World War, came large defense contracts, and Trumbull Electric became Plainville’s largest employer (nearly 1,000 employees in 1942). The company continued to grow with post-war demand for electricity-driven markets. By the mid-1940s, the company product line had grown to include appliances, electrical control equipment, and even agricultural devices. In the 1950s, the company's military defense production grew with sales of more than one and a half million dollars in 1951, factory expansion, and a workforce of over 1,200 workers. Also in the 1950s, the Trumbull Electric Company became wholly controlled by General Electric. The Plainville facility is still operated by a division of General Electric, GE Industrial Solutions, which makes high efficiency transformers, power systems, power supplies, transfer switches, etc." (Source: Connecticut Mills)

Condition

Good Overall - Gentle wear

Dimensions

3.5" x 2.25" x 6.5" (Width x Depth x Height)