1949 - 1957 Maytag AMP lid switch assembly
To add to Tom's thoughts, this assembly was used on the first iteration of Maytag automatic washers, known affectionally as the AMP. The two switches grouped together control the water valve/timer similarly to a pressure fill switch on a later Maytag washer (left), with the second controlling current to the motor (right). Both are staged opposite of each other where the water valve switch is closed upon initial fill with the motor switch open. Once the pressure from the agitator float overcomes the spring pressure on the assembly both switches flip and open the circuit for the water valve and close the circuit for the motor, as well as activating the timer motor.
The single switch on the backside was the out of balance switch that, when triggered, would fall into a detent within the assembly causing current to the motor to cut out. When the lid was raised and the load of laundry addressed it would force that switch away from the detent and would fall back into a closed position once the lid was lowered.
The switch assembly was later used to control a lamp within the lid assembly, through the 1955 102 and 1956 140. When the helical drive 141 was introduced a smaller mercury switch was used to control the lid lamp as the full assembly was no longer needed.
This particular assembly appears to be from an early AMP where sadly the wire insulation crumbles to dust. Maytag went through a few iterations of the mercury switches where the last version with the bright green tip has the higher likelihood of the wires fairing better with regular use.
Pictures provided from the restoration efforts of my 102 AMP, done back in 2018.
Ben[this post was last edited: 1/12/2023-14:15]
