Signal Corps 302?

[teka-bb]

I have an odd WE 302 in my collection. The phone is dated 1945 but the dial is dated  1954 and has "Signal Corps US Army" on the back. The dial isn't made by WE.

The F1 handset reads "Bell System". Are the dial and handset correct for this phone?

[paul-f]

Is it a TP-6-A?
   http://www.paul-f.com/weTP6A.html

There's some more background in the chart:
   http://www.paul-f.com/we300typ.htm#TP6A

[teka-bb]

Is it a TP-6-A?
  http://www.paul-f.com/weTP6A.html

There's some more background in the chart:
  http://www.paul-f.com/we300typ.htm#TP6A

I don't think so, here are a few pictures:

(on the back of the dial it also reads "Radio Engineering Products".

[paul-f]

I agree.  It appears to be a standard H-1 302 that's had the dial added in refurb or by a past owner.

[Dan/Panther]

We discussed in the past the steel gongs, are they a war time addition, for conservation of brass?
D/P

[teka-bb]

I agree.  It appears to be a standard H-1 302 that's had the dial added in refurb or by a past owner.

Maybe the orange "SC" on the bottom stands for "Signal Corps" or could it mean something else?

[paul-f]

IMHO either is possible, without further proof.

I believe the Signal Corps bought phones several ways -- both directly from the Bell System under contract and through distributors.  Those bought under contract would probably have the TP-6-A handset handles, as shown on the page previously referenced.  Those bought from distributors would generally have had F1W handsets.

In either case, once they had the phones, they would have swapped parts to keep them going, just as an independent telephone company did.  It's reasonable to guess that they would have had the dials and F1 handsets available from other sources.

Of course, it's also reasonable to expect that the dials were either available on the open market or became available in government surplus auctions, so could have found their way to a refurbisher.

If the phones could only talk...

[Greg G.]

I have the "toaster phone" version that has a 6A WE dial in it and an F1 handset.  Signal Corps phones are specifically stamped "Signal Corps" on the back of the cover, as far as I know.

[teka-bb]

Today I cleaned the phone so it looks a little better:

I also cleaned the dial because it looked as if it was glued together.

Jorge's Picasa Web album was very helpful:
http://tinyurl.com/pmyz86

The dial still doesn't return smoothly, I'm afraid the oil I used is too thick or something else is wrong.

[JorgeAmely]

Remco:

The only things I can think of that may cause problems are:

a) Is the spring wound back with one and half to two turns?
b) Does the adjustment at the end of the governor shaft have a slight end play?

[paul-f]

In addition, try re-checking the cleaning and lubrication...
  http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=2711.msg37249#msg37249

[Dan/Panther]

I've also found that after a basic dis-assembly, not a complete dis-assembly, that once in awhile I will get a dial that works fine without the contacts mounted, or maybe the finger wheel. This can be an indication of a bent, or broken part. The last dial I worked on was a #8A Princess dial it was obvious someone had the dial apart. It worked perfect until I mounted the contacts. Then it would go about 3/4 the way back and stop. I found out the mounting plate of the contacts was slightly bend from being tightened while not seated into it's locating holes.
D/P

[teka-bb]

I cleaned the dial again and used a much thinner oil to lubricate it. It's working OK now but it's not one of my best dials. It looks as if it now spins as fast as a similar dial I have.