Yes... another "first pay phone"

[shortrackskater]

Well I need to post, so I can start learning...
I bought this AE 120b (I think) on Ebay for a whopping $26. It was local so I just picked it up.
Thankfully, I met a friend of a friend who collects REAL (dial) payphones and he helped me drill out the top lock, which put some larger grooves in the case from the roto-zip, but that was okay with me. When I cleaned it up, I bought a larger washer and painted it black, then super glued it around where the lock goes.
We also tested the phone. It does call out and receive (and ring) incoming calls.
I'll put my question here, now.
I know I will need a coin controller eventually, but when I put a quarter in, should it drop to the coin box? It's just sitting in the hopper now, seemingly stuck. And, there's a guide in the hopper. Does it just sort of rest in the groove below it? It seems like it's not really in firmly but I don't see any other way it goes in.
In the meantime. I drilled out the cash box lock myself (ugh!) and ordered two new locks while I did all this. I found a sealed cash box with nothing in it but found some dimes laying below it...weird.
There was a dent above the coin slot - apparently someone thought they could access the coin box from there and of course, could not. I pulled that out with some large flat pliers and then cleaned the entire phone up and did some touch up with semi gloss black paint, just dabbing it in with a Q tip. I also painted the perimeter of the aluminum mounting bracket.
Overall I think the phone looks like a "good condition original" payphone. I'll add some before and after shots.
By the way, this phone came from a restaurant that once owned by Tommy Lasorda. "Tommy Lasorda's Ribs and Pasta"
Any thoughts on the hopper, or what I think is a hopper issue?

[trainman]

The coins will stay in the hopper until the coin relay activates to dump them in the cash box.  You could push the coin relay closed, and tie it with a string, and make not of the little flapper in the hopper which way you want it to point. So you could have coins go either to the cash box or coin return.

[shortrackskater]

Okay I'll try that, thank you.
But do I need to do that with the phone plugged in?
One more... the guide on the back of the coin mechanism (the "coinco" device) doesn't seem to really go into anything. I'll add a picture here. Isn't it supposed to line up and into the slot on the hopper?

[shortrackskater]

I just took it apart and realized the quarter was being directed to the middle slot, that looks dime sized. So I think there is an issue with the guide.

UPDATE: I figured it out... the hopper wasn't latched into the guide in the case!
Sticking it all back together now...

[oldguy]

Shotrackskater, the phone looks great & a great price, congrats.

[dsk]

I think you did a great buy, It is several threads about these types of payphones, mine is here:
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=11846.msg127391#msg127391

dsk

[shortrackskater]

Thanks everyone.
Good information so far.
I still don't see how to flip that flapper in the hopper to send coins to the cash box though unless I just tie it open and tie the other side closed.
Just re-read post from trainman...so if I tie the relay in, the the flap will stay?

[trainman]

show a picture of the hopper and coin relay assembly. I told tou about a Western Electric style. I have no idea how GTE has theirs set up.

[shortrackskater]

Hope this is decent. I can take a better shot soon as I get home. I was going to use that for another question but I figured it out.

[trainman]

yeah, different that the Westerns. But pushing on the coin relay should move a flapper in the hopper which directs the coins either to the cash box or the coin return. You just need to figure out how that happens. Once you figure it out, you could tie the coin relay in its activated state once you get the flapper in a position to wither the coin box or coin return. that way you can drop money in the coin slot, and it willfall to the place you choose, rather than just sit in the hopper. I think you kind of get where I'm going with this.

[shortrackskater]

Got it! Thanks!
When I removed the hopper, there were two latch mechanisms at the base. Each one flipped the flapper. I was able to just set one open and one closed. It wasn't that hard, just pressed the relay multiple times and traced the action.
Now I need a controller... expensive... I found a book by Colin Chambers... has anyone built one from him? It looks challenging...

[Stan S]

"just pressed the relay multiple times and traced the action."

A word of caution.
Never push the armature of a single coil coin relay from the front. Doing that will put a strain on the plastic card with  the permanent magnet mounted in the back of the relay.

It's like picking a dog up by the tail. The dog wouldn't like it and either does the relay.

To manual operate the coin relay you push down on the left and right shoulders of the plastic card with a screw driver.

Stan S.

[shortrackskater]

Oh! I hope I didn't damage it...
Not sure what you mean though. I didn't see any kind of plastic card in there. Sorry I'm very new to this!
I probably have no reason to do this anymore since I could move the flappers manually from the bottom.

[Stan S]

If you don't want the coin mechanism to work it makes no difference if the relay is damaged or not.

Back of the coin relay.
//

Stan S.

[shortrackskater]

I actually want to get a coin controller... so yes I will want it to work eventually.
Thanks for the picture too. I'll see if I can find that on mine, which looks a bit different.