The Elevator Preservation Blog » car switch

Can You Identify This Old Part?

elevatorpreservation — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 14:24:00 +0000

These photos and e-mail were sent by Kim W. She asked “What the heck is it”? While it looks like it may have been a car switch there don’t appear to be enough contacts to control a motor. Typically you’d have at least two in both up and down directions at a minimum. Some had 10-12 which are still available over at www.cjanderson.com . Cutler Hammer back in the day manufactured elevator parts and actually had C.J. Anderson fabricate many of the switching devices that they sold under the Cutler Hammer name. No longer are these parts available from Cutler Hammer C.J. Anderson still fabricates many of them still today.

The actual e-mail and photos are below. If you know what this is or would like to share your opinion of what it might be please comment below.

I have an item that I don’t know what it is, does it have a value, are there collector’s for this type of item?, etc.
I am hoping that if I can give you a description and what little info I have gotten, you can answer some of my questions, or point me in a direction that could help me.

This item is made of a heavy metal. It is black, round, has a single electrical cord attached, it has a handle that turns the center section, I think…
There is a metal plate on this item and here is the information on that metal plate:
_______________________________________
THE CUTLER-HAMMER MFG. CO.
Milwaukee, Wis.
volts: 110      MAX AMPS: 10 – 2.5
16 C.P. LTS. 20      CAT NO 24115
SER NO. 682805      PAT’D FEB. 27, 1899

******I was told that it possibly had something to do with elevators so that is why I have contacted you.

Any information that you can share with me would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
Kim W.

Elevator Artwork!

elevatorpreservation — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:07:39 +0000

Jack Bultman Jr, stopped in recently at C.J. Anderson & Company and was suprised to have seen an old CJA Car Switch hanging on the wall here in the office. He stopped and said that he had one that looked amazingly similar and that his Dad, Jack Sr, had made a lamp out of it. Without hesitation I asked Jack to take photographs of it and e-mail them to me.

Along the photos Jack added the following history behind it.

The background for this unique piece was my Dad worked at Lietelt elevator works in Grand Rapids Michigan from 1959 until 1960 building the controllers for Montgomery Elevator. One day the construction Super talked him into going to work for them.

Dave Otten gave me, Jack Jr., the fixture in 1996 to give to my dad. My Dad built the lamp in 1998. When my dad past away in 1999 my mother gave it to me to keep in the family. Underneath it is my dad’s original gang box that Montgomery gave him to work out of. I remember as a kid the thing always being in our garage somewhere piled high with junk. My dad made it into a table as you see there around the same time as the lamp.

All I can say is very cool! I hope this piece stays in the Bultman family but if you’re ever looking for another home for it please let us know.

A.B. SEE Car Switch

elevatorpreservation — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:59:30 +0000

Found this old car switch for sale over on ebay. This unit which was taken out of an old hotel sold for $300 which was a steal to the winning bidder. A very cool piece of elevator memoribilia and one that would have looked great in any office, bar or garage. Don’t send any e-mails, this is long gone to the highest bidder. If you’re interested in a new car switch check this out. http://www.cjanderson.com/carswitches.aspx

If you’re interested in checking out some other cool car switches visit Elevator Bob’s website by clicking the following link; http://www.elevatorbobs-elevator-pics.com/car_switch_p1.html

Thanks to Bob for putting together this great photo website!