W.E. Type 124 questions

[Alex G. Bell]

The patent dates indicate that something is up with this phone.  Most compact wall phones have an early date of 1890 and a late date of 1901.

"Something is up"?  What, do you suppose?

[wds]

You're right.  This one has an early Patent Date of 1886. 

[Alex G. Bell]

You're right.  This one has an early Patent Date of 1886.

Yes, but the latest date is 1901 for both, so it must have been made in 1901 or after.  So I can't interpret the meaning of the earlier first date.  Maybe finding and reading the patents would provide some insight.

[poplar1]

1886 + 17  = 1903
So this 124F was made between 1901 and 1903.

Phones made after 1903 would no longer show the expired 1886 patent.

[unbeldi]

My patent data base yields the following most likely results. Some of the dates saw multiple suitable patents issued.


US352596 1886-11-16 1884 Wilson ABT--Hinge-Connection for Electrical Instruments
US449106 1891-03-31 1890 Carty ABT--Telephone Circuit and Apparatus (bridging bell)
US473911 1892-05-03 1889 Carty WECo--Telephone-Exchange Apparatus
US474323 1892-05-03 1892 Hayes ABT--Telephone-Circuit
US501087 1893-07-11 1893 Lockwood Larned ATT ABT--Electric Signaling
US518367 1894-04-17 1893 Jacques ABT--Multiplex Telephony
US575394 1897-01-19 1886 Field ABT--Magneto-Telephone
US575653 1897-01-19 1896 Lee Westcott Robes ABT--Electrical Condenser
US669710 1901-03-12 1897 Scribner WECo--Telephone-Circuit (booster circuit)


Format:
patent number, pub date, application year, authors, company -- Title  (notes)

[Alex G. Bell]

1886 + 17  = 1903
So this 124F was made between 1901 and 1903.

Phones made after 1903 would no longer show the expired 1886 patent.

I see.  Good point.  So if Greg cited 1890 as a usual date this seems indeed to be an early example.

[Sargeguy]

The patent could refer to a technology that was not used on other phones. 

[unbeldi]

The patent could refer to a technology that was not used on other phones.

If so, the technology is the use of a spiral spring 'wire' wound onto the same pin that holds the hinge together to transmit the electrical current between the two halves of the hinge.

[wds]

Noticed another difference between this 124 and my "newer" one.  The receiver arm has a slightly different profile.  First picture is the older one.