What is this thing for???

[JorgeAmely]

160352664266

[Phonesrfun]

Appears to be an old portable (probably military) switchboard with individual bells for each incoming line, rather than drops.  The earliest switchboards (like this one) used ringers; one for each incoming line.  Then they went to drops because it took up less space, and with all those ringers it was hard to tell exactly which line was ringing.  In a military situation, it was also preferable to have signaling that was not so noisy, as you did not want to give away the position of the command post, due to the enemy hearing a lot of ringing.

This would have been used with field phones that had magnetos for signalling the operator, which carried right on through the Korean and Viet Nam era wars.  Korean and and Viet Nam era field phones were designated EE-8 and the phones, themselves had a switch that the soldier could switch between having the internal ringer actually ring or a light that lit up so that it would not produce a noise.

-Bill

[Dan/Panther]

I can't imagine a battle situation where they would prefer bells to lights.
How would you know which one was ringing, watch the clapper, then you wouldn't need the bells. Whichever clapper moved was the party thats calling.
I think whatever it is, they could find a better way to do it.
D/P

[Phonesrfun]

These multi-bell switchboards were early 20th century.  Maybe even before WWI.  Switchboards just did not have lights back then.  Also, I only think it may be military, because it seems to be portble, and the color of it (olive drab).  Maybe it was used by a telephone company as a temporary switchboard.

For anyone that wants to do some research, there are Kellogg catalogs out there that may have this "thing" in it.

-Bill

[bingster]

I've always wondered about that multiple ringer arrangement, too.   I know they were common at one time, but I just don't see how they could tell what line was ringing without some sort of annunciator drop function.  A person would have to be really on the ball to spot the ringing ringer.

[Dan/Panther]

Whatever they would have to point to the ringing bell, just use it instead of the bells. For the life of me I see no logical, practical use for it.
D/P