Andrew Gabriel wrote:
They were called "Scruits" (TM) ...
I have a number of old books on wiring (stangely, I find the
history of it interesting). The most recent one with any reference
to this type of connector is about 1935, and that's only in a
picture -- I suspect thet were probably rather obsolete even by
then.
I had an electrical wiring book in the mid 1980s which recommended them.
Can't remember which one though.
Well, there are loads of books which recommend them in 2005 too,
to Americans...

Yebbut this was a British book, and referred specifically to Scruits for
doing loop ins in lighting circuits.

I have some genuine glazed porcelain scruits and find them preferable to
any plastic imitators.

Owain