Porcelain cleats in a conduit spacer bar saddles box

PART OF:
The Bob
Made:
1900-1920 in United Kingdom
Box of conduit spacer bar saddles.

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Box of conduit spacer bar saddles.
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Porcelain cleats in a conduit spacer bar saddles box.

Part of the Bob Gray collection of electrical objects.

Electrical wiring needs to be held in place and these cleats were a quick, cheap, and easy way to do this job, especially in industry. Many early electrical installations were surface mounted using cleats like these. These cleats are made of porcelain which is non-conductive. Porcelain was a popular material for many types of electrical insulators until the 1930s when thermosetting plastics such as Bakelite started to take their place. By the 1930s a greater emphasis on electrical safety meant that cables for industry were enclosed in steel conduit or trunking. These cleats probably ended up in a spacer bar saddle box when they were taken out of service by electrician Bob Gray during a re-wiring job.

Details

Category:
Electricity Supply
Object Number:
Y2012.15.33
Materials:
porcelain and cardboard
Measurements:
overall: 55 mm x 145 mm x 145 mm, 1.55 kg
type:
cleat
credit:
Mr Robert Gray