Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Income tax expense for discontinued operations	$ 78,700,000	$ 7,600,000	$ 42,300,000
Income from continuing operations before taxes	5,042,000	118,099,000	69,466,000
Income tax benefit	38,194,000	(16,791,000)	(8,190,000)
Retained income tax expense (benefit) of assets	10.00%
Tax benefit	4,557,000	15,134,000	10,923,000
Net operating loss carryforwards	211,400,000
Net tax credit carryforwards	49,000,000
Operating loss carry forward expiration in year one	1,000,000
Operating loss carry forward expiration in year two to four year	36,300,000
Operating loss carry forward expiration in year three to five year	66,900,000
Operating loss carry forward expiration in after year five	65,400,000
Net operating losses with indefinite carryforward period	41,800,000
Net operating loss carryforwards with expiration date	211,400,000
Operating loss carryforwards that will be used in expiration periods	143,200,000
Net tax credit carryforwards that will expire	30,000,000
Net tax credit carry forwards with indefinite carry forward period	19,000,000
Expiration period of net tax credit carryforwards	2018 and 2020
Provision for U.S or additional foreign withholding taxes	380,200,000
Net change in reserve for uncertain tax positions	5,800,000
Additions for tax positions	8,928,000	2,186,000
Balance at end of the year of unrecognized tax benefits	17,377,000	23,199,000	24,122,000
Estimate the range of reasonably possible changes to unrecognized tax positions	1,500,000
Recognized interest expense (income) and penalties of unrecognized tax benefits	100,000	1,000,000	(600,000)
Accrued interest expense (income) and penalties of unrecognized tax benefits	1,400,000	5,200,000
Cooper Industries [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Final settlement amount	30,000,000
Tax benefit	$ 21,000,000