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Mystery Bell System item - need help

Started by bob833, September 17, 2022, 08:43:12 PM

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bob833

Hi, I was at a telephone auction and picked this up. I have no idea what it is and no one else at the auction did.
Any help you be appreciated. Looks like it might be missing some parts. Bottom is metal and has a coil and cap. The top is wood.

TelePlay

Is there a number cast into the metal housing just below the black circled "10"?

G-Man

#2
Depending on the model, it is either a Central Office alarm chime or code alert such as may have been used in a department store.

The wooden box at the top is the resonator.

Unfortunately the chime-bar (suspended by the remnants of the string that is shown), along with the nomenclature plate and its (cast) back-housing are missing.



bob833

Quote from: TelePlay on September 17, 2022, 10:13:53 PMIs there a number cast into the metal housing just below the black circled "10"?

There is a casting number P-35012

bob833

Thanks guys and gals!
This was the 3rd auction of this guys collection. Maybe the parts were in another tote of stuff I didn't win. I did get a tote with a Gray pay station in for $5. It is in rough shape but I don't think the other people knew what it was.
I sold it on ebay for $100 within a 1/2 hour of posting it. Hmm, maybe I should have done an auction.
Thanks again, Bob.

CanadianGuy

I don't post here often, but thought you might like to hear what they sound like. YouTube channel "Connections Museum" posted this video earlier this year. I had always wondered what they sounded like when I used to frequent the COs here, but I'm pretty sure they were abandoned many years ago.


bob833

#8
Quote from: CanadianGuy on September 18, 2022, 12:32:19 PM...thought you might like to hear what they sound like...
Thanks, so that is what the MJ stand for on the front of the unit. I wish it wasn't missing parts.

TelePlay

IIRC, from similar chimes, the top coil could be a solenoid that is missing the plunger or rod that is pushed up/out of the coil when energized to strike the missing chime bar.

Is there a hole in the housing above and centered on the coil/solenoid for the striker to pass through?

bob833

Quote from: TelePlay on September 18, 2022, 08:41:52 PMIIRC, from similar chimes, the top coil could be a solenoid that is missing the plunger or rod that is pushed up/out of the coil when energized to strike the missing chime bar.

Is there a hole in the housing above and centered on the coil/solenoid for the striker to pass through?
There is a square hole going in the top of coil. I got about 8 totes of phones and parts I have to search though, hopefully some missing parts will show up.
In one tote there is a Dasa Magicall unit, missing parts of course. I picked up a 1970's 510 e/f still in the box that I have on ebay right now but I find the mystery parts more exciting.