What's it called? - a latching spring retraction mechanism

I have never seen anything like that. You could have a non-retracting one using a socket from an extension lead and a flex outlet plate

Is

(Only cheaper!)

bistable switch and an electric motor?

Assuming you mean something that isn?t a actually winding the flex in like on some lamps then if you are looking for something simple just to hang a socket from then you could use an adjustable hanging basket hanger as used to lower them for watering.

Link given as example only ,there are many other suppliers at more or less cost.

GH

Am 20.03.2019 um 16:09 schrieb snipped-for-privacy@aolbin.com:

Such a cable-retracting mechanism can be found in some floor vacuum cleaners.

Thinking about if he wants something that actually winds the cable in then many people already have something similar on a vacuum cleaner , a quick perusal of espares shows they hold some units as spares which the OP may be able to adapt. Or he could go skip diving, hang around the the local tip.

GH

Nearly. It doesn't need to reel-in the cable, only lift a flying socket a few feet.

clasic way to do that is a counterbalance [spring] and some friction

That looks interesting - I didn't know about those. It isn't obvious whether they latch up and down so I'll look out for one to play with in a garden centre.

somewhewre in my bookcase is a volume of Heath Robinson inventions. I'm sure there'll be something suitable in it.

is it OK if it leaves a loop of flex dangling a few/2 feet?

My hope is that, if the retraction device is in-line with the cord (forming a triangle with sides: ceiling, cable, flex), it will/should keep the cable under light tension when retracted and prevent a significant dangle.

snipped-for-privacy@aolbin.com was thinking very hard :

Rod, or tube, with a socket mounted on the bottom end, hinge the rod at the top and add a spring to pull it up out of the way. Add a cord to pull it down when needed and arrange the spring tension, so the extra weight of an item plugged in, is enough to keep the socket pulled down.

The socket would need to be wired in flex, and probably ought to plug into a fixed high level socket.

Sounds rather like a rise and fall ceiling light.

Pull down to where wanted and it stays there. Pull down again and release and it retracts. Commonly used over dining tables. The power cable is usually a curly cable with the rise and fall support cord running down the centre.

SteveW

Yes, I remember them being popular in the 70s. There must be lots in recycling skips - I'll look in the local one.

If the other suggestions don't bear fruit I could use a length of bungee cord to do this. The flex will be connected to a flex outlet, ceiling pull switch and an FCU from the workshop ring.

you could, but you'd then have to hang from the thing to get it to descend. :)

NT

Basically a block-and-tackle arrangement with a weight and lots of friction...

Thomas Prufer

I have seen two types but many years ago, so may well not be allowed these days. One is kind of like track lighting where a track comes down a wall and the socket is on the track. The other worked a little like a vacuum cleaner chord retractor. Gave nothing but trouble though due to the lack of adjustment in the sprung rotation bit. However it was a very long time ago and a dangling line socket which often never retracted high enough kept hitting people in the head!

Brian