I Love This Switch Mechanism!

Nothing major this week, we're running training classes for loads of folk at RTA. We have a ton of virtual students as well as in-class students so managing all of it at once is a lot! But it's good to be teaching, as always.

Some cool tool and door videos coming soon, though!

(And, yes, I am playing with some new filter ideas for thumbnails. Thank you for noticing. I hope the change isn't freaking people out. I love consistency, myself, so this could be a brain-bender for me. We'll see if this sticks around or not!) 😉👍

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[ConnorDobbins]

This avoids the whole issue of being able to hover the switch between off and on, which can cause damage to the switch over time. Nicely designed switch

[itwasrightthere]

When I was a kid, I’d try and “balance” my light switch between on and off. If I got it just right, it would make a beautiful zapping sound and the light would flicker. Good times.

[Danny.._]

most wall switches do this today, just with a much weaker spring. the goal is to get the contacts away from each other as quickly as possible to prevent arcing because it can damage the contacts and prevent the switch from working correctly.

[zago]

I had a course in engineering school called "Mechanism Design" that was based on older methods like this. Was amazing to see how simple and genius plays on geometry made designs. Now I regularly see poor cost-cutting designs or burned out chips for the most mundane tasks.

[LimitedState]

I find the audible part of this switch just as enjoyable as the sounds an old 10-speed bike use to make. I just self reported my age but those old skool folks will get it.

[Leo]

When the system has two stable equilibrium states like this, it's called bistability. Intended to stop intermediate states from causing issues, like partial engagement of the power switch might.

[Corinth]

Delightfully snappy! Technology Connections would approve!

[kubeek]

just beautiful. double disconnection, double wide contacts for balanced clamp force and low chance of losing contact.. If the plastic holds your grand kids will still be admiring the mechanism.

[ConstantlyDamaged]

Damn fine bit of engineering went into that switch. The double knife-contacts, the fast action to stop arcing and increase contact life.

*_chef's kiss_*

[clemdelaclem]

this spring is so strong those contacts will probably last another 60 years because there's 0 arching

[cland]

Ahhh, the simple pleasures...of something well designed and well executed. Nice to find in todays use once, throw away society.

[swe_nurse]

Light switches is such an amazing invention, I've known how rocker switches worked most of my life since my father showed me when I was young and even then I'm always amazed by the design when I see it up close like this.

[michaelgraziano]

I love these switches.
The arcing on them once those contacts wear a bit, less so. But you get a good number of years on the switch before you start to see a blue spark when you flip it.

[Anfidurl]

Nice. Always loved the buckling spring designs. Still have an IBM model M to this day.

[donatj]

Love a good mechanism. Ranted for an hour about how awesome the release mechanism on this pour-over coffee maker I imported from Japan was. Could not make my wife care despite my best efforts.

[philthejet]

I love them too. As a lifetime automobile/motorcycle mechanic, I have always been fascinated with mechanical stuff. I have never owned a car with an automatic gearbox and love repairing stuff instead of replacing them. Unfortunatly, electronics are taking over and repairing is less and less an option. Take care buddy.

[NoPegs]

I share your appreciation of this sort of vintage genius design... The difference between us is I have a 2 gallon bucket mostly full of various 50+ year old line switches. Oddly enough not a one of mine are white. Black? Mostly. Natural Bakelite? More than a few... White? Not a one to be found...

[tygerbomb]

There's a lot to be said for reliable analog technology. I had homeowners lock themselves in their master bedroom a couple years ago because the electronic drop-bolt lock could not disengage because they changed the ambient humidity in their home, causing the door to warp just enough that it put lateral pressure on the mechanism, rendering it inoperable.

[williamnerlich]

Centrifugal switch on the start winding of an electric motor works the same way. These switches have stood the test of time.

[formliy]

Wow! I haven't seen one of those in a very long time. I wired one of them into a short extensive cord when I was a kid. My grandmother's tv development a bad power switch that also functioned as the volume dial. It would only turn the TV on/off half the time so I put that switch in the extension cord to act as the on/switch. It nice to see someone still using those old switches.