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WE switchboard key identifier

Started by RB, May 08, 2017, 05:10:14 PM

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RB

The title says it...I need a couple more locking keys, and ebay has some, but I cannot tell what kind they are from description.
is there a list of WE key styles and configuration?

Babybearjs

Look at the TCI Library.... they have what you need....
John

Victor Laszlo

#2
Look in BSP 032-700-xxx. That's the section of practices that describes all the keys.

But aren't you the guy who is building a 555? Lever keys are not present in 555 PBX's. They are used in 550, 551, 552, and 600 PBX's. Also in test cabinets, test boards, and portable test equipment. A 555 has a turn key, not a lever key, and it's integral to the cord unit.  Actually, it's not really a key; it's a black handle that turns a rod that activates some contacts in the cord unit.

Are you familiar with a guy by the name of Joe Hurdler?  A few years ago he was involved in a long conversation on the Sundance Forum, trying, if memory serves, to build a 551 from scratch.  It was difficult to stay on topic with Joe, since he kept wandering off into political diatribes, but when he was lucid, he had some interesting ideas about designing cord circuits.

RB

Thanks bunches friends!
I will chk the lib.
Victor, you are a wizard!

unbeldi

Quote from: Victor Laszlo on May 09, 2017, 12:09:13 AM
when he was lucid, he had some interesting ideas about designing cord circuits.

What kind of flavor of "interesting" ?
The subject seems pretty much covered by the classical literature of Miller, Smith, McMeen, Aitken, Hershey, Mitchel, etc. etc. AE, Kellogg, WECo.  And the patents record contain more "interesting" ideas.  Reading through the issues of "Telephony" on Google Books, one finds short descriptions of telephony patents that almost no one has since heard of.

The Kellogg and Western Electric catalogs also contain detailed configurations of key and pushbutton switches.
Some of the WECo catalogs are linked to from the forum section about them, Kellogg catalogs are available on TCI.

RB

Wow! you folks are a wealth of knowledge!
Now, if I could just find the papers on the tci sight, I would be jammin!
I can only find NO FILES FOUND!
I have been on it for 15 mins, and still cannot find the BSP-032-700-xxx
can you guide a blind man to the doc please!

unbeldi

Quote from: RB on May 09, 2017, 10:36:35 AM
Wow! you folks are a wealth of knowledge!
Now, if I could just find the papers on the tci sight, I would be jammin!
I can only find NO FILES FOUND!
I have been on it for 15 mins, and still cannot find the BSP-032-700-xxx
can you guide a blind man to the doc please!

That is a group of BSPs, and only the start.  There should be quite a few in 032-701-xxx, 702-xxx, 703-xxx, etc. were xxx is usually 701 or 801.  For example,
032-701-701
032-702-701
032-703-801
032-704-701
032-705-701
032-706-701  and so forth till at least 032-726-701

I haven't checked to see whether they are on TCI or not.

RB

Thanks for the info.
i found tons of maint/adjust switches, but nothing on key configuration.
are there any other sights I can try?

Jim Stettler

Quote from: RB on May 09, 2017, 10:36:35 AM
Wow! you folks are a wealth of knowledge!
Now, if I could just find the papers on the tci sight, I would be jammin!
I can only find NO FILES FOUND!
I have been on it for 15 mins, and still cannot find the BSP-032-700-xxx
can you guide a blind man to the doc please!

Try the "browse the library tab", then BSP, then type the bsp# in the search box.
I was able to pull up the first bsp listed using this method.
Jim S.
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

RB

found the docs, thank you.
however, was not able to find the configurations of the keys, like "key number xxx has 3 make, 2 make/break...that is what I am needing.

unbeldi

Quote from: RB on May 10, 2017, 08:49:35 AM
found the docs, thank you.
however, was not able to find the configurations of the keys, like "key number xxx has 3 make, 2 make/break...that is what I am needing.

Indeed, the key information in Section 032 is officially described "Replacement, Requirements, and Adjusting" in the master index of all BSPs: 000-000-000.

Western Electric made an enormous number of different series of keys over the years, many of which are material improvements over earlier types.  Perhaps it is better to first determine the general key type from the catalogs and then look for specific configurations.  I don't know how you would actually succeed in finding the needed keys in the required quantities.  It is probably not a short-term project.

RB

I just need two more...lol.
Gonna stick to a 2 cord set board.
I just want to finish it so it does not have holes in the deck.