Northern Electric UNI #1 Production Dates

[DavePEI]

There's an opportunity for more research here to identify variations and component changes!

There is. Another interesting question is what percentage of Uniphones had BPO and AE dials installed. I still need to go through my 15 or so Uniphones to see if ANY have BPO dials. The difference, I think is that the west had a larger percentage of British exchanges than the Maritimes - here we seem to have used mostly NE dials. This came up on another list a while back.

I need to inventory mine and list years manufactured. I do know I have some very early ones, and some quite late ones.

By the way, the brown colored ones were called by NE grained or Burled Walnut, not mahogany. See the ad I posted above.

One could spend a lot of time studying the Uniphone.

Dave

[DavePEI]

These files may be of interest - it begins with  a PDF file containing the Uniphone information from the T7 catalog... I did the T7 first as it gives much more information such as drawings, info on installing different dials, etc. than T6. I have added a scan of the 1936/37 information since. By the way, the T8 catalog (1955) also includes the uniphones - the same information given in the T7 catalog. So, that gives us for sure, manufacturing dates from 1936 until 1955.

Dave

[GG]

From the info Dave provided, it appears that the magneto Uniphone has nothing in the telephone set but the hookswitch and terminal strip, and the ringer box contains a 2-winding induction coil (sidetone-type booster circuit) as well as the usual ringer, condenser, and magneto. 

Also it seems that these were originally equipped with 2-1/2" Northern Electric dials, and then with 3" Northern Electric dials, so that's how they should be from the factory with all-original equipment.  Presumably a WE 5-H dial could be used in a pinch. 

I haven't managed to pick up one of these yet, but I'd be happy with the more common version with the F1 handset and GPO dial. 

[DavePEI]

From the info Dave provided, it appears that the magneto Uniphone has nothing in the telephone set but the hookswitch and terminal strip, and the ringer box contains a 2-winding induction coil (sidetone-type booster circuit) as well as the usual ringer, condenser, and magneto.  

Also it seems that these were originally equipped with 2-1/2" Northern Electric dials, and then with 3" Northern Electric dials, so that's how they should be from the factory with all-original equipment.  Presumably a WE 5-H dial could be used in a pinch.  

I haven't managed to pick up one of these yet, but I'd be happy with the more common version with the F1 handset and GPO dial.  

Mostly correct, but not quite. They could be ordered from the factory without dial, so Telcos could install the dial of their choice.  I have seen original invoices specifying a number 1 with dial to be installed at a later date.Those who used a BPO exchange as out West, could opt to install a BPO dial.  They weren't forced to take the 5-H with the phone.

As for the magneto ones, remember here in Canada in 1950, exchanges were only beginning to be automated. PEI got is first automated exchange in 1950 in Summerside. So there was still a need to provide phones for magneto service - in fact, up until 1977 when the last magneto exchange was taken out of service (the Tyne Valley exchange, from which I have the 1240 switchboard)

We still find lots of dial-less ones here, too. I have several. When a dial-less magneto one was ordered it was a Number 5 or 6 depending upon whether a desk or wall phone was needed.

The Number 1 dial-less phone had an induction coil, capacitor, ringer and was ready to install a BPO or Automatic Electric dial on it as ment1oned above.

So, boiling this all down, neither the number one or number 2 dial or dial-less phone required a network. If you needed a magneto stand, you would order a number 5 or 6. This is the empty case set. Photo of one of my Number 5s & N400CG Subset below. #6 shown below that.

[AE_Collector]

Dave:

I thought the dial on your Burled Walnut Uniphone looked like a British one?  I didn't realise that your burled walnut one had a NU handset too. Very nice.

We had one holdout area in BC that used a lot of NE phones in the 1930 - 1970's timeframe when the rest of the province used AE phones. That was the "Okanagan Telephone" service area that while majority owned by BC Telephone they still did their own thing. Thus Uniphones are seen here in British Columbia reasonably often too.

Funny we were just discussing Uniphones before this thread got underway.

Terry

[DavePEI]

Mostly correct, but not quite. They could be ordered from the factory without dial, so Telcos could install the dial of their choice.  I have seen original invoices specifying a number 1 with dial to be installed at a later date.Those who used a BPO exchange as out West, could opt to install a BPO dial.  They weren't forced to take the 5-H with the phone.
We still find lots of dial-less ones here, too. I have several. When a dial-less magneto one was ordered it was a Number 5 or 6 depending upon whether a desk or wall phone was needed.

The Number 1 dial-less phone had an induction coil, capacitor, ringer and was ready to install a BPO or Automatic Electric dial on it as ment1oned above.

So, boiling this all down, neither the number one or number 2 dial or dial-less phone required a network. If you needed a magneto stand, you would order a number 5 or 6. This is the empty case set.

I received today what amounts to proof of this. I received a Number One Uniphone which is dial-less. First thing I did was open it up, and it was like I said the number 1 dial-less ones were complete sets with induction coil, capacitor, bell, etc. The only thing they didn't have was a dial and were equipped instead with a dial blank.

The #5 and #6 were the gutless Uniphone stands. The #1 sets were sold for adding dials to, or if someone wanted a dial less stand-alone dial...

I will post a photo of the interior of the dial-less Number one later...

Incidentally, if anyone is looking for any vacuum tubes, let me know what you are looking for. I just picked up 6 large cardboard cartons of new in the box vacuum tubes, most no longer made. You might get lucky, though it will take me the weekend to sort them all out. I also have a hundred of so aside from these. The price will be right.

Dave

[DavePEI]

I will post a photo of the interior of the dial-less Number one later...

Uniphone #1 no-dial photos... This is a no-dial number 1 uniphone. The difference between this and the #5 uniphone is that the #5 is a stand only - the #1 No-Dial is a complete set minus the dial. They have the induction coil, capacitor, and a bell, ready to plug in for non dial use, or to add a dial for dial usage.

This one belonged to the Royal Canadian Air Force according to its Identity and Condition tag. This would originally have been at CFB Summerside. Inside, it was as clean as when it was new. Outside, of course it is dusty and will need a thorough cleaning.

This is the first #1 non-dial I have, though I was previously aware of the difference between it and the #5 and #6. I have a number of #1 dial sets, as well as #2 dial sets, and I also have a couple of #5 and #6 sets.

This incidentally came extremely close to being a birthday phone for me, only one month late according to its dates. That will be my excuse for hanging on to it at a time when I am planning to get rid of a few of my many uniphones...

I am kind of thinking it would be interesting to keep the RCAF tag on it.

Dave

[AE_Collector]

Dave:
If you were displaying the new Uniphone leaving the tag with it adds some interest. What we need is a complete list of the Uniphone models with the equipment that they contained.

Odd numbers are desk and even numbers are wall sets.

1 Desk & 2 Wall = Complete Desk or Wall phones except that they could be ordered less dial for common battery service or so the Telco could add their own dial.

5 Desk & 6 Wall = Desk or Wall Stand for use with an existing Subset. Has no network, Dial or ringer.

7 Desk & 8 Wall = Desk or Wall Stand for use with an existing Subset. Has no network, or ringer but does have a dial.

Is that close? Number 3 and 4 have never been heard of or seen?

Since 5, 6, 7 & 8 are all for use with an existing subset but 5 & 6 have no dial and 7 & 8 have a dial, it would have made sence that 1, 2, 3 & 4 were all self contained but two with dial and 2 without dial. Instead they made the 1 & 2 available with or without dial. I guess that thr 5, 6, 7 & 8 with or without dial may have had more differences than just being with or without a dial. More contacts in switch hook or more mounting cord conductors due to the subset being remote to the desk/wall stand.

Terry

[DavePEI]

Since 5, 6, 7 & 8 are all for use with an existing subset but 5 & 6 have no dial and 7 & 8 have a dial, it would have made sence that 1, 2, 3 & 4 were all self contained but two with dial and 2 without dial. Instead they made the 1 & 2 available with or without dial. I guess that thr 5, 6, 7 & 8 with or without dial may have had more differences than just being with or without a dial. More contacts in switch hook or more mounting cord conductors due to the subset being remote to the desk/wall stand.

As far as I have ever seen, there were no #3 or #4. However in the back of my mind, it seems I heard once that they were made, and were a 211-like phone, but I have no references to back that statement.

#1 and #2 were both self contained, with the option of ordering without dial.
#5 and #6 were stands only for magneto service, empty except for a hook switch.
#7 and #8  were made according to Northern Electric, but I have never seen one, so I can't comment about their hookswitches etc. All I have by way of information on them is from the catalog...

So at least with #1, #2, #5, #6 you are dead on, and from the information I do have, with #7 and #8, though I don't have examples. The existence of a #3 and #4 remains up in the air....

Of course, in addition to the standard black, there was the optional Burled or  grained Walnut and a very rare white - I have only seen one of these. Walter Auld had one given to him on his retirement from Island Tel. These were never distributed widely, since the bases were unstable - probably too much colorant leading to warping and the plastic flowing many years after they were built. I remember Walter told me every second year or so, he had to ream out the handset button holes so they wouldn't jam...

Yes, I agree with you - I think I may laminate the military tag and keep it with the phone (Now Done ). These phones would have been purchased two years after the installation of the new Strowger exchange in Summerside. Kind of neat getting the phone, and like I said, though I knew #1s and #2s were available in dial-less, I had never found one of them before. Then, this one gets dropped in my lap, and just by chance turns out one month late to be a birthday phone. However, it is the closest I have to a birthday phone, so I was thrilled! :-) And what would be more suitable for a birthday phone for an NE collector than a Uniphone!

I hope to get your buttons made up this weekend, but tomorrow, I am going to try to complete my inventory of the boxes of vacuum tubes so I can bring the laptop back inside. I hope that I will get to your buttons at least Sunday.

Dave

[AE_Collector]

No rush for the buttons at all Dave, but I know you; you will be up working on them in the middle of the night to get them done!

I am trying to get one of my Strowgers as complete and authentic as possible so getting buttons will be nice. Then to figure out what part of an old AE phone I can modify into the contact set!

Terry

[DavePEI]

No rush for the buttons at all Dave, but I know you; you will be up working on them in the middle of the night to get them done!

I am trying to get one of my Strowgers as complete and authentic as possible so getting buttons will be nice. Then to figure out what part of an old AE phone I can modify into the contact set!
Terry

I am sure you will figure out a way to simulate it. If you want, I could take a better photo of the contact set. Basically it is a double throw single pole switch, the lower two contacts making contact when the button isn't depressed, and that pair of contacts break and the upper contacts shorts to the center contact when the button is depressed. The layers of contacts are separated from each other by fiber spacers.

Wiring is shown on the diagram I posted on the 11 digit thread and on my links page.

If worse comes to worse, you could simply use a piece of spring steel to make the button "feel" normal even if it really isn't doing anything.

The center contact is the longest, just touching the button top when at rest.

My new business cards for the museum are set to arrive Monday morning, so I will try to get some of them as well as the buttons and catalogs on CD sent mid week... Long overdue, I know.

Dave

[wds]

I recently picked up a NE No. 1 Uniphone, and quickly discovered that the #10 GPO dial had a broken main spring - and it's going off to Steve Hilz.  The ringer was also dead, and after reading several different threads about the WE ringer not working on a NE phone, I grabbed a spare ringer out of a 302 and bolted it right in to the NE.  I check three of my other 302's and the ringers in all three of them had the holes in them for mounting in the NE phones.  So now I'm confused.  Is it a fluke that 4 We ringers in a row worked on my NE phone, or did NE change the mounting holes on their phones later on?  This picture is the ringer that came out of the NE phone.

[DavePEI]

I recently picked up a NE No. 1 Uniphone, and quickly discovered that the #10 GPO dial had a broken main spring - and it's going off to Steve Hilz.  The ringer was also dead, and after reading several different threads about the WE ringer not working on a NE phone, I grabbed a spare ringer out of a 302 and bolted it right in to the NE.  I check three of my other 302's and the ringers in all three of them had the holes in them for mounting in the NE phones.  So now I'm confused.  Is it a fluke that 4 We ringers in a row worked on my NE phone, or did NE change the mounting holes on their phones later on?  This picture is the ringer that came out of the NE phone.

I have worked on dozens of Uniphones, and never seen one where both holes on a WE ringer will align properly with the holes in a NE base. There is a fractional difference between the spacing on a Uniphone base and the holes on a WE ringer normally. Perhaps one or the other was slightly mis-punched when made allowing a fit.

Of course, electrically, WE ringers work just fine in a Uniphone, but normally only one bolt can be done up.

By the way, on the NE ringer, re-solder where the coil connects to the leads. That will often fix them up.

Dave

[GG]

It occurs to me that it might be possible to make a nondestructive adaptor bracket to enable WE ringers to fit into the NE bases:

Take one thin strip of metal, drill holes for two flat-head screws to fit into it pointing downward, at the spacing of the holes in the base.  Spot-weld the two screws into place and grind flush on top.

Take another strip of metal, drill holes for two flat-head screws to fit into it pointing upward, at the spacing of the holes in the base.  Spot-weld those screws into place and grind flush on the bottom.

Now your second strip of metal with screw threads visible above it, gets welded to your first strip of metal, with screw threads visible below it.  Put this on the base, and screw nuts onto the visible threads from the underside of the base.  Now drop the ringer into place atop it, and screw nuts onto the visible threads from above the ringer.  Done!

Though IMHO it would not be impermissible to file one hole in either the base or ringer into more of a "slot" whereby to accommodate a screw in any position, for NE or WE ringers.  If I was running a telco workshop at the time and using these phones, I would have had them modified this way to enable greater interchangeability of parts. 

[G-Man]

I found this in the TCI Library describing the differences and showing the wiring diagrams and placement parts:

http://tinyurl.com/7r8prx6

Here is a page with additional Uniphone documents:

http://tinyurl.com/7n6q63t