WECo HA1 Receiver Element

[rp2813]

I was poking around in a couple of spare F1 handsets and found a HA1 element that has unusual (at least to me) markings.  See the photos below.

Does the "WECO" and "D" number signify any particular type of issue, as perhaps with an F1W handset?  The handset in question is a plain F1 and I don't currently own an F1W, but I may have in the past and parts may have gotten mixed up.

I'm particularly curious about the vermillion happy face thing on the side of the rounded part.  Even under a magnifier I can't make it out, but part of may read "58" or "BC" depending on how you are viewing it.

[LarryInMichigan]

Could this be a military part?  Could the stamp be "SC" for signal corps?

Larry

[ESalter]

I'm positive I have one that has that D number as well.  I believe it's in a seat of headphones.  I'll take a look tomorrow and see if I'm remembering correctly.

[rp2813]

Yeah, I don't know.  I definitely don't get "SC" from the happy face mark.

I've never owned any Signal Corps phone that I'm aware of.  I did have a couple of F1-type handsets that belonged to other types of equipment besides a D1/302/5302.  One of them had an on/off switch in area where the WECo logo is found on the handset.  It's quite possible that this element could have come out of that handset, but that particular handset is long gone.

[LarryInMichigan]

i just took a look at the receiver capsule in my North Signal Corps phone.  It has "D-141924" stamped onto the front in vermilion.  It also has "W.E.CO." and "FUNGUS TREATED" vermilion stamps, in addition to the date "12-52", but does not have the "happy face" thing.

Larry

[rp2813]

Maybe what I have is indeed a Signal Corps component and the happy face symbol is the 1944 equivalent of the term "Fungus Treated."

[unbeldi]

Such D- coded elements were contained in handsets made under contract to the Signal Corp. The SC part number was TS-9 for the handset and compatible handset were made by many telephone equipment manufacturers.

The Western Electric model of the the TS-9 was the TS-9-F or TS-9-M handset and, at least at the beginning of the war, had components labeled D-141914,  PAT.1628910 W.E.CO. for the F1 transmitter, and D-141915, W.E.CO for the receiver (HA1).

The handset usually had a switch in the handle, but this was not always the case.

Below is a TS-9-F handset from my collection, manufactured Nov 1943.

Other makers of the TS-9:

TS-9-AJ: H.C.Co
TS-9-AP: Connecticut Tel & Elect.
TS-9-AN: Conn. Telephone
TS-9-J: Automatic Electric
TS-9-K: Kellogg
TS-9-R: H.C. Co?
TS-9-W: