dead man's switch

[Garson O'Toole]

> The earliest for "dead man's handle/knob" in the OED is 1908 (includes both
> knob and handle). Ironically, the switch makes its appearance in the same
> year.

Here is a cite for "dead man's handle" in 1902. Also, here are the
details for a false match in 1902 that is really dated 1905.

Cite: 1902 February 15, The Electrical World and Engineer, Page 312,
Column 1, The Electrical World and Engineer, Inc., New York. (Google
Books full view)

DEAD MAN'S HANDLE - A patent issued Jan. 28 to W. B. Potter relates to
a railway controller attachment sometimes-known as "the dead man's
handle." ...

It is thus necessary for the motorman to have his hand on the
controller handle at all times when power is being applied to the
motors to drive the train and should he drop dead or become disabled,
the train will stop of itself, and will not run wild. Hence the
popular name "dead man's handle."

http://books.google.com/books?id=OU9EAQAAIAAJ&q=%22dead+man%27s%22#v=snippet&


There is a match in Google Books in "The Technograph" with an
incorrect 1902 date.

Cite: 1905-1906, The Technograph, The Electric Test Car by E. I.
Wenger, Start Page 56, Quote Page 61, Number 20, Association of
Engineering Societies of the University of Illinois. (Google Books
full view)

The handle is removable and is what is called a dead man's handle.
That is, it is spring actuated and if, for any reason, the hand is
removed the handle comes to the off position, thereby opening all the
switches.

http://books.google.com/books?id=xWUiAQAAMAAJ&q=%22dead+man%27s%22#v=snippet&

HathiTrust shows a match in a children's book called "My Picture Book
of Railways". The database assigns the book a date of 1900, but the
images show no date, and a closer look at the record shows a date of
19--, i.e., the date is unknown. GB gives the work a date of 192-.

Garson

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