Knife Switch
01
Artifact Overview
Switches open or close an electrical circuit to turn things off or on. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, knife switches were commonly found in engine or generating rooms, connected to factory motors, or mounted on a building's power and lighting switchboard. Operators pushed the hinged, metal blades into the switch's jaws to send electricity to where it was needed.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Knife switch
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
2017.0.34.841
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
Metal
Wood (Plant material)
Stone (Worked rock)
Color
Black (Color)
Copper (Color)
Dimensions
Height: 2.25 in
Width: 6 in
Length: 3.5 in
Inscriptions
on sides of blades:
PERKINS / 25 AMP. 250 V
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