302 Ringers with muted gongs?

[HarrySmith]

This is the second picture I have con across with something in the gongs on a 302 ringer. I think it must be meant to mute the ring but I am not sure. Does anybody have one like this or know exactly the purpose?

Harry

[Phonesrfun]

I believe these were the resonators.

They were mostly used in offices to give a 302 a different sound, but I believe they were also used in houses to extend the range that they could be heard, so the exact opposite of muting.

The 1949 Bell Tel. article on the introduction of the 500 has some discussion about the better ringer in the 500, and how its more harmonic plus the use of the resonators was far better than the 302's with the resonators alone.

I am sure there is an old BSP covering them, but I am not a BSP expert.

[Russ Kirk]

Here is a BSP 501-250-302 referencing resonators in the B type ringers. I know this is not for the ringers in 302 sets, I could not find the exact resonator reference for resonators for a 302 set.  They state in the BSP resonators are for the hearing impaired.


I did find another reference to resonators in a BSP for C type ringers - they don't come with them.
BSP 501-250-303

Russ.....

[JorgeAmely]

As far as I know, resonators are used to amplify the sound originating from ringers.

However, I have never seen or heard gongs other than the standard C4x 54A and 55A gongs.

Anybody has seen or heard others?

[Russ Kirk]

In the BSPs,  gongs are the small brass bell,  ringers are what the unit is called.  Here is a handy reference BSP 501-250-100 on common ringers. 

There are many more ringers and too many to list here.  Ping me if anyone wants me to post a BSP.
Other ringers are: B - C - D - E1 - F1A - G1 - H1 - J1A - L1A - M - N - P and T1A.  I'm sure there are more.  Some are internal to a set, others are external.

Russ......

[McHeath]

What's that gizmo next to the coil?  (gizmo is the technical term)

[HarrySmith]

Thanks for the replies and the BSP's. Does anyone have one like this? Has anyone heard one like this? How are they attached?

As far as the gizmo goes, you got me! I did not even notice it and I have no idea what it is!

Harry

[JorgeAmely]

Harry, McH:

That is a 111B amplifier with no semiconductor devices in it. Essentially, it is a speaker coil coupled to a carbon microphone to provide gain in a phone made for the hearing impaired. The model must be a 332 phone.

Dennis Markham provided many pictures of a similar model just recently.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=2521.0

[paul-f]

There's a different angle on the "gizmo" here:
  http://www.paul-f.com/we332.html

Harry:  Does you set have 332 or H8 markings and the turn switch right plunger?

[Dan/Panther]

What's the connection between the Gizmo and the gongs. I don't see how it amplifies. Can someone spell it out.
D/P

[Phonesrfun]

I think it is a very basic "amplifier" that just takes a speaker coil and mechanically links it to a carbon microphone element and amplifies just by the fact that there is another battery source of 4.5 volts.  Kind of like holding a receiver up to a transmitter and creating a low-level of amplification.  Certainly not on a par with electronic amplification through tubes or transistors.  This method may have been used to boost the voice circuit in early long distance repeaters.

The resonators were in the ringer gongs to use the resonant frequency of the gongs to make the ringing louder, also for the hard of hearing.

The ringer resonators did not have any function in the voice amplification circuit, but both were used to make the use of the phone louder all the way around.

That's about all I think I know.

[HarrySmith]

It is not my phone, I just came across the picture and it was the second time I had seen gongs like that so I was curious. The first time I had thought it was something added by the owner to quiet it down!

Harry

[Dennis Markham]

I've run into those ringer resonators in other 302 sets that did not contain an amplifier. 

If you think about the ringers in the 500 sets (C Series Ringers) they have resonators too.  They look a little different but seem to perform the same function.

[Doug Rose]

I will have a pair of these resonators with gongs for sale on eBay Sunday.....Doug

[McHeath]

So this phone was set up for someone with hearing loss issues.  Would like to hear a B series ringer with these resonators.