Information Brochure

Delivering More... Delivering Service SWITCH HISTORY Developed by RAILWAY & INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING COMPANY 1910 - First air switch built to interrupt load current, known as the “Burke” switch. (Original in Ford Museum, Dearborn, Michigan) 1924 - First switch with high-pressure contact and rotating blade, which opened vertically. 1925 - First 230 KV switch east of the Rocky Mountains. 1929 - First double-break switch with rotating blade (TTT). 1929 - First high-pressure spot contacts for disconnecting switches. 1941 - First automatic high-speed grounding switch. 1943 - First silver-to-copper contacts. 1947 - Acquired by I-T-E Circuit Breaker Co. (Name changed to R&IE Equipment Division of I-T-E Circuit Breaker Co.) 1949 - First shuntless switch (TTR-49). 1959 - Name changed to I-T-E Circuit Breaker Company.

1960 - First aluminum switch (TTR-6). 1964 - First 500 KV vertical break switch. 1964 - First 1-1/2" ice breaking switch. 1968 - First 765 KV vertical reach switch. 1969 - Name changed to I-T-E Imperial Corp. 1976 - Name changed to Gould Inc., Power Systems Division. 1979 - Name changed to Gould - Brown Boveri. 1981 - Name changed to Brown Boveri Electric, Inc. 1984 - Name changed to Brown Boveri, Inc.