PDP-8/e front panels.

[Paul Koning]

> On Jun 9, 2015, at 9:27 AM, Noel Chiappa <jnc at mercury.lcs.mit.edu> wrote:
> 
>> From: Rod Smallwood
> 
>> The switches were made by a company in the US called Stackpole
>> ...
>> They are a normal slide type modified with a U bracket to allow the
>> attachment of a lever arm to operate the switch when toggled up and
>> down.
> 
> Ah; the 11/05's (which is what I need switches for) use toggle switches (like
> I said, pretty much standard micro toggle switches, excepts for the front
> plate). I'm pretty sure the later 11's with complete front panels (40's,
> 45's, etc) used the same kind of switch.
> 
> I was assuming all the PDP-x's of that era used the same front panel switch
> design, but apparently not. Or perhaps I'm mixing my eras a bit, and the
> slightly earlier ones all used the slide switch stuff (I just checked my KA-11
> panel, and it uses slide switches). I think the 11/20 might have used the
> slide switches (its switch register looks just like the one on the -8M).

I think the rocker switches as seen on the KA10 and PDP-12 are slide switches with a rocker mechanism mounted on top.  But the PDP11 switches are mini toggle switches as far as I remember; the only change is what sort of handle was slipped over the toggle.  Yes, the 11/40 and 11/45, for one; the 11/20 also.

	paul