What Is It???

LNG24

OK, well I'll give it up as its been almost 24 hours.

This is a Garage Door Opener BEFORE Keypads and Key Switches.

You simply moved the dip switches to the right combination of up and down and it would open. Funny, this was what he came up with for the very first garage door opener Sears had ever sold.

As with most of his inventions. I do not remove them out of respect for him. Some I have updated to keep working and others we leave up as examples of his work.

LNG24

I missed this post. KUDOS to you for coming up with its function, just attached to the wrong thing. It is indeed a keypad just for the garage door.

Here is something else he did. Realizing that electric can go out at any time and having an electric garage door opener with no access from inside the house. He came up with a contraption that was hooked to a key lock.Turn the key and pull out the key cylinder and attached to it was the pull cord to emergency release.

GregS

This is a very common item and is exactly how you describe now. Available at Home Depot/RONA for $19.95.. I have to install them whenever there is no man-door into the garage.

I'm just surprised he needed pressure switches for the GDO. Didn't they have mercury switches back then?

These days I install little mercury switch transmitters that hang on the door. When the door is up it inverts and closes the switch, transmitting a signal to a receiver inside which just lights up showing that the door is open.

I am entertained by his security 'keypad'. Nothing a flathead screwdriver couldn't figure out though

LNG24

Yes, thats what it looks like, now rewind to 1957 when he came up with it.

Speedy Petey

LGN, is this place local to you?

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GregS

Hope he got a patent and some royalties on it!

LNG24

Yeah, why?

mickeyco

I think Speedy Petey wants to get his hands on that technology and patent it for himself, that or he might live near there and wants to know if he should increase his fire insurance coverage.

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Some people climb mountains. I take out the trash. But we both do it for the same reason.

mickeyco

Just curious, where is this stuff located in the house, is it in the basement or where?

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Some people climb mountains. I take out the trash. But we both do it for the same reason.

LNG24

The dip switches are located just outside of the garage. The relays are located inside of the garage.

robertc65

Some people including myself like to build and experiment with all sorts of things. It does not mean you are a hack as long as it's only done in your own house. Also just because it's a code violation does not always make it unsafe. I'm sure this guy knows a whole more about electricty than yourself. If the work was obviously unsafe I would agree with you. I don't really mean to sound harsh, I just get excited sometimes with people who have the attitude that if it's not a certain way it's bad.


Rob

L. B. Condulet

I'm pretty sure before he died he drove his wife crazy.

LNG24

well I know this for sure...Before he died he drove a contractor crazy

He had a very small addition added to the hose when I was a kid. Just a little 6 x 6 vestibule added to the front door to help save heat. Contractors started to work and he stopped them.

THEY WERE USING NAILS to frame the addition See, everything is screwed or riveted on a ship, so he wanted everthing screwed together. They eventually worked it out, but I would have loved to see the guys face when the homeowner got all upset over this.

aWorkaHolic

Had a neighbor that had a bunch of slide switches like that, off course he was a Vietnam Vet and I do believe those are the switches to set off strategically placed claymore mines next to the bird houses in his back yard.