Square D Company Circuit Breaker, circa 1950

01

Artifact Overview

In the late 1800s, as companies began producing electricity to light cities, run streetcars, and power factories, homes and offices, new apparatus was needed to safely deliver and use electricity. Excess current in a circuit could damage electric lines and equipment. Circuit breakers protected electrical circuits by automatically interrupting the power flow during an event overload.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Circuit breaker

Date Made

circa 1950

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

2017.0.34.961

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Metal
Plastic
Paper (Fiber product)

Color

Brown
Beige (Color)
Black (Color)
White (Color)

Dimensions

Height: 3 in
Width: 6.938 in
Length: 2.25 in

Inscriptions

on top: ON / LINE / MULTI-BREAKER / OFF OFF / ON on side: 260111 / SOQUUCA2 / A / PN5645 printed on label on side: Manufactured under one or / more of the following U.S. / Letters Patent: / RE. 19,887 / 1,399,498 2,096,545 / 1,781,441 2,096,546 / 1,936,791 2,096,547 / 1,982,812 2,096,548 / 2,071,848 2,100,749 / 2,073,103 2,105,421 / L-3853 printed on label on end: Underwriter's / Laboratories, Inc. / INSPECTED / CIRCUIT BREAKER / 3 POLE UNIT / ISSUE F-92 / 115 VOLTS A.C. / SQUARE D CO. / DETROIT, MICH. in raised type on bottom: D
Square D Company Circuit Breaker, circa 1950