Western Electric Payphone

[poplar1]

I think you're correct that it was a 191G. The terminals on the hookswitch are BBX and W. ON a 166G they would be REC and REC.

Below the terminals shown in the pictures, on a 191G there would also be another transfer spring and terminal marked BKX.

Can you look at the hook (cradle) and see that it does not appear to have been altered? If not, it is probably an original part from a 166G (10 cents). The part going inside the phone would be the same for both the 16x and the 181/191.

The transmitter mount is an 8A so it is not from a pay phone. It may have been from a 1317 magneto wall set.

[poplar1]

There are some really good line drawings of 166s, 191s, 55s and 155s in BSP Section C42.107 (Issue 1, 11-30-49).

http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/document-repository/doc_details/4859-c42-107-i1-nov49-coin-collectors-multi-slot-prepayment-converted-10-cent-operation-cording

Can someone attach the figures from the BSP?

Fig. 5 and Fig.10 for 191

Fig. 4 and Fig. 9 for 166

Fig. 3 for 55 and 155 (Upper Housing)

Fig. 6 for  55 (Lower housing and backplate)

Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 for 155 (Lower housing and backplate)

Notice the difference in the receiver cord entry for two different 155s. in Fig. 7 (converted from a 150) and Fig. 8 (converted from a 161).

I am still researching to see what differences there are in the 16x and the 18x/19x. Other than the terminal designations changing from REC and REC to BBX and W, the addition of the plate to mount the induction coil, and the addition of the BBX terminal and spring, are there other differences?

[DavePEI]

I think you're correct that it was a 191G. The terminals on the hookswitch are BBX and W. ON a 166G they would be REC and REC.

Hi David:

Stan thought you would be interested in this:

http://atcaonline.com/WE160pay.html

Dave

[poplar1]

I think you're correct that it was a 191G. The terminals on the hookswitch are BBX and W. ON a 166G they would be REC and REC.

Hi David:

Stan thought you would be interested in this:

http://atcaonline.com/WE160pay.html

Dave

I should have said that I was comparing only the hookswitch terminals on the 166G with those on a 191G (both 10-cent models. I was attempting to help Nick determine what his phone was originally.

I would be happy for Stan or anyone else to point out the errors in any of my posts. I don't have many older pay phones to look at.

[Nick in Manitou]

Attached are a couple photos of the hook.  It doesn't match either of the hooks shown in the reference provided by "DavePEI" above.

There is also a photo showing the original wiring harness that had been disconnected and stuffed down into a space in the lower part of the phone.

I noticed that in the BSP referenced a couple responses earlier, the spring-type gong is mounted to the side of the case in all of the drawings, but is mounted differently in this phone.

Also attached is a photo of the date stamped on one of the components of this phone.

Thanks for all the info and the references.  It is appreciated.

[poplar1]

On the cast iron ("double lip") upper housings (50 and 150), both gongs were originally mounted on the sides of the housing. On the 191, the gongs mount on a separate assembly that swings up and locks as shown in one of your photos.

[poplar1]

Ray, I think you were right the first time when you said 191G. The 197G has a pull bucket coin return. (Also a coin release button???)

http://webspace.webring.com/people/am/mvtel/we197g.html

http://webspace.webring.com/people/am/mvtel/payphones.html

Yep; I couldn't remember whether the 197 had a coin bucket or not.

Here's a complete (except for the vault door) 197G that sold tonight for $638. Maybe someone can post the photos?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/171029369944

[Haf]

I watched that auction but sadly I was overbid
I can't afford that much money for a pay phone right now. What I noticed about that phone, there is a coin return sign right behind the return bucket. As far as I know the 197G didn't had that sign, so maybe this was updated some time too (The upper housing has a 1947 date) or they used an older bottom at production. But I would have loved to get it, o.k, maybe another time

Haf

[poplar1]

Haf, I don't know for sure, but it is possible that they used the same type coin return tag on 195s and 197s that was on the 191G and 193, and just added the pull bucket. Since the 191 and 193 don't have a pull bucket, you would need "coin return" to be on the phone itself.

[Nick in Manitou]

Below are the photos of the 197G that sold on eBay (item #171029369944) for $638!!

Poplar1, if there are any other photos of that phone that you want me to post, just let me know and I will snag them from eBay and put them up here.

[Nick in Manitou]

I figured that I would mention that the phone I have been asking questions about after I hijacked this thread will be listed in the "Classified" section of the forum.

It seems that it is a 191G that was modified by changing the hook and mounting a transmitter on the front of the upper body.

Most of the internals are still there and are correct for a 191G.

We are moving across the country to a smaller house and will not have room to store or use this phone.

Thanks to all who spoke up with their input as we tried to identify the origins of the phone.

Nick