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  Mercury capsule switches and buttons

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Author Topic:   Mercury capsule switches and buttons
pbrowne
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Posts: 9
From: Perth, Western Australia
Registered: Apr 2020

posted 06-04-2020 07:07 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for pbrowne   Click Here to Email pbrowne     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I am trying to model the Mercury Capsule in 3D. Looking at the instrument panel, the toggle switches seem to have larger that normal toggle poles, probably to accommodate gloved hands.

Does anyone know where theses switched came from of have an example or plans?

Perhaps these are mil spec switches? Anything comparable in McMaster-Carr? Some of the switches also look to be in a neutral/centered position by default.

mercsim
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Posts: 237
From: Phoenix, AZ
Registered: Feb 2007

posted 06-06-2020 08:42 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for mercsim   Click Here to Email mercsim     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Welcome to collectSPACE.

They were standard mil spec switches found in airplanes. They were not special for gloves although many pilots of the day wore gloves. The red you see is simply RTV or high temp silicon to attempt to seal them. It's on the rear also. Here is a similar one.

nasamad
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Posts: 2153
From: Essex, UK
Registered: Jul 2001

posted 06-06-2020 09:05 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for nasamad   Click Here to Email nasamad     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Never noticed the rudimentary switch guard made from a pipe saddle clamp before.

space1
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Posts: 873
From: Danville, Ohio
Registered: Dec 2002

posted 06-06-2020 11:30 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for space1   Click Here to Email space1     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
It may resemble that, but it was custom made from acrylic sheet.

A very similar type of switch on McMaster-Carr is 8002K113 (a center off 3 position sealed toggle switch). Their online catalog includes a CAD model (but I notice the model does not include the lever seal).

ejectr
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Posts: 1775
From: Killingly, CT
Registered: Mar 2002

posted 06-06-2020 01:49 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for ejectr   Click Here to Email ejectr     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
What Mercury spacecraft is in the photo?

space1
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Posts: 873
From: Danville, Ohio
Registered: Dec 2002

posted 06-06-2020 03:00 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for space1   Click Here to Email space1     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Friendship 7.

pbrowne
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Posts: 9
From: Perth, Western Australia
Registered: Apr 2020

posted 06-08-2020 09:03 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for pbrowne   Click Here to Email pbrowne     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
OK, many thanks guys for the replies and info. Now that you're here, what about the rectangular push buttons, anyone know their background?

oly
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Posts: 1057
From: Perth, Western Australia
Registered: Apr 2015

posted 06-09-2020 01:54 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for oly   Click Here to Email oly     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Many of the switches and push buttons were items available in military and commercial aviation at the time due to the restricted timeframe available to get the spacecraft into service. The "push buttons" are used in many aircraft of the time, generally used as master caution and warning annunciators, fuel ,hydraulic, and other systems advisory.

You may find some available from aircraft salvage yards as the demand for such items has fallen over the years.

space1
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Posts: 873
From: Danville, Ohio
Registered: Dec 2002

posted 06-09-2020 09:39 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for space1   Click Here to Email space1     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
If by "rectangular push buttons" you mean the black and white blocks with labels such as "FUEL QUAN," those are light indicators. Behind the frosted white legend plates are colored lights.

pbrowne
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Posts: 9
From: Perth, Western Australia
Registered: Apr 2020

posted 06-17-2020 04:07 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for pbrowne   Click Here to Email pbrowne     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
What are the switches on the right instrument panel in Mercury? The ones at the foreground of this photo, to the right of the toggle switches?

They look like rocker switches, but I have not been able to find anything that looks like them.

oly
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Posts: 1057
From: Perth, Western Australia
Registered: Apr 2015

posted 06-17-2020 04:59 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for oly   Click Here to Email oly     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Using this image as a reference you can see a placard to the right showing the actions for these items. This indicates that they are a three position, center position off, switch. Probably a circuit breaker switch, main and backup positions on. This drawing from Spacecraft Replicas details the labeling on them.

They look to be that same type of switch as the item on the RH side panel and have the same placard of operation.

pbrowne
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Posts: 9
From: Perth, Western Australia
Registered: Apr 2020

posted 06-17-2020 08:24 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for pbrowne   Click Here to Email pbrowne     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks Oly, I later found they were fuse/circuit breaker switches. The switches look to be of one piece construction.

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