Museum of Plugs and Sockets: Catalog pages of classic uncommon plugs

Classic continental European
catalog pages of uncommon plugs

In catalogs of electro-technical companies and retailers, published in the 1920s to 1960s you will find a large variety of plugs with uncommon combinations of pin types. Two catalog pages shown below give an impression.
During the second half of the 20st century most uncommon plug types have disappeared because of an increasing standardization, but a demand for plugs for special purposes still exists (see museum section on uncommon plugs and sockets).

Stotz-Kontakt 1939-'40 catalog, part of page 248

Polzahl = number of poles; Stiftstellung = pin configuration.

Besides common 6A and 10A plugs with 4 and 5 mm pins (resp. nos. 14352 and 14354), Stotz-Kontakt offered a range of plugs and sockets for special purposes. The museum has two examples, no. 14264 (link) and no. 14219 (below).

Stotz-Kontakt socket and type 14219 plug pins

Stotz-Kontakt socket and type 14219 plug pins

The pin configuration of plug no. 14219 matches perfectly to the socket shown on the previous page. However, in 1939 plug 14219 was presented as a 3-pole, not earthed plug rated at 10A - 380V*.
Socket is rated at 220-380V - 10A. Moreover, the bottom left pole has a clear earth symbol, which makes sense when it is used for single phase, 220 Volt.

* 380V 3-pole means three-phase (formerly R, S, T, now L1, L2, L3), without neutral and protective earth. Three-pin, three-phase requires a balanced load between R, S and T, not uncommon in older days.

Pin configuration of SK 14219 ≡ Czech ČSN 35 4517 type C1
SK 14260 ≈ Czech type C or German HNA.

Plug pin configurations, redrawn from catalog page 70

Page 70 of 1936 Elin catalog

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

i

1936 catalog of Austrian company ELIN

not polarized, 2-pin plug with 4 mm pins (commonly used for 6A-250V plugs)

not polarized plug with 5 mm pins (used for higher amperage)

polarized 3-pin plug

polarized 2-pin plug

polarized plug; probably HNA type or Czech ČSN 35 4517, type C plug (there is a subtle difference in pin spacing between HNA and Czech plugs).

polarized, 2-pole plug without earth

polarized, 2-pole plug with earth

earthed plug, possibly identical to Stotz-Kontakt 14219 and Czech ČSN 35 4517 type C1 plug.

4-pin plug, probably 380V 3-phase + N or protective earth.
Comparable model is still available in Czech Republic, see type D of ČSN 35 4517 series (rated at 10A 400V).

D i g i t a l M u s e u m o f

P l u g s a n d S o c k e t s