AE40 ringer & gasket?

[Ellen]

Hi, All.

My husband gave me an Automatic Electric Monophone 40 for my birthday.  It almost works great.  The dial spins, the calls go through, my Mom can hear me better than on the old (newer) phone, I found the L2 terminal to make the bells ring, I screwed the 4 spade things on the far end of the wall-line (wrong term, prob.) into the back of a jack-box, and then put a 4" jack-at-each-end-wire between the little box and the wall, and all is lovely, except that only one bell rings.  The screws in the bells are eccentric (not centered), but the quiet bell is already as close to the clapper as it can get.  What do I do to extend the arc of the clapper?  Or do I do something else?

Next question - where can I get a new rubber gasket to go between the top-case and the metal base?

Thanx and best wishes,
Ellen

ps Have you heard the song "Cell Phone" by The Cool Crooners of Bulawayo?

[Dan/Panther]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the bell get louder as you move the ringer away from the gong.  More travel, a harder hit ? Or is it the opposite ?
D/P

[Dan/Panther]

I got my gasket here. I had to look it up.

Gary Goff <ggoff@telis.org>

D/P

[Ellen]

Clarification, I hope: the "quiet bell" is not being struck by the clapper at all.  The clapper has a very small arc and just barely strikes the ringing bell.  So it isn't really about volume, but about any noise at all.  There are some nuts and screws at the other end of the ringer-electrical-stuff-box, but I am reluctant to mess with them without any clues.  I want to increase the arc of the clapper.

[Ellen]

What I have learned:

Gary Goff's Website Link:  http://telephonecollector.info/
WEBSITE UPDATED: November, 2008.  See Specialty Items.
"There is a great deal more I want to say, but I don't want to say any more, and I won't."
gdgoff@gmail.com


Ellen

[BDM]

What I have learned:

Gary Goff's Website Link:  http://telephonecollector.info/
WEBSITE UPDATED: November, 2008.  See Specialty Items.
"There is a great deal more I want to say, but I don't want to say any more, and I won't."
gdgoff@gmail.com


Ellen

Huh?

[Dennis Markham]

Ellen, it looks and sounds like you have a "frequency ringer" there.   On the little piece of paper that you see folded in half...open that up and along the top edge it MAY tell how many cycles that ringer is.....If it is a number greater than 20 the ringer will not ring as it should.  You have described the ringer as barely moving enough to "tinkle" one of the bells.  

I have been told that A.E. frequency ringers can be modified to ring but it is not an easy project.  The thick "reed spring" is an indicator that this is a frequency ringer.  If you can make a thinner one out of some type of sheet metal it may improve the ringing.  I have never done this but have talked with a collector that has.....it may be easier to find a replacement ringer.  

If the paper does not give the ringer value, check the ringer closely to see if you can see it printed somewhere else.  Also look on the outside bottom of the phone...it may say how many "cycles" there.

Attached is your photo with an arrow showing the reed spring I'm talking about.

[Dennis Markham]

I bought a couple of those gaskets from Gay Goff recently.  They were $11 (delivered) for one and $10 for each after.  You can reach him at:

gdgoff@gmail.com  (which is included in the above link).

[Ellen]

Wiring diagram says "RINGER FREQ." then is stamped in faint red (let me get my glasses)  ... " 54 S? ...CODE NO L 4 ... ? ... 7 "  (sloppy stamping job!)

I have spun the quiet bell a bit closer to the clapper, then shifted the clapper itself down the shaft a bit.  But people are sleeping.

How did frequency ringers work anyway?

... Time passes and the house awakens ...

It sound better.  Not all that loud, but at least both bells are ringing.  So if the reed spring were thinner metal, the clapper would throw faster (in it's tiny arc) and hit the bell harder?  Is that right?

Thank, see you soon.
Ellen

[Dennis Markham]

That's the way I understand it...I'm no expert on them.  Each ringer was assigned a different frequency to isolate that ringer from others on a party line.  A certain of voltage would be sent down the line which may have had several ringers (ringer A in one home, ringer B in another, etc).  Are there any numbers stamped on the bottom of the phone?  If so maybe you could post a photo and also of the piece of paper.

This page:  http://privateline.com/howtelephoneswork/howtelephoneswork.htm

explains the basic functions of each part of the phones.  There is a section near the bottom half of the page that explains ringers, frequencies, etc.  It doesn't answer all questions but does talk about about frequency ringers.

Ellen, it is important to identify the Hz (cycles) rating of your ringer.  As a general rule I have found in my experience that ringers with the adjustable clapper, the thick armature and a thick reed spring are frequency ringers that have a rating higher than 20hz.

[Ellen]

Afternoon, folks.

Well, I tried another idea - I backed off the 2 screws at the far end of the 2 electric - coils? - a turn and a half so that the shaft is loose and sloppy.  Then I shoved in a slip of cardboard shim to tighten it up a smidge, but with flex.  You can see the white shim in the photo.  Is this going to burst into flames?  I don't think so ...

I just got a call and it seems a bit louder, still on 2 bells.  I will be content with that.

The stampings on the bottom say:
BASE MTG. SCREW (X2)
L4123   B54 (overlaid with a little "22", maybe) 409

Writings in china marker:
9-13-65
66 HI

I couldn't remove an attachment, so I changed it to my Grandma, the young one, in front of her f-i-l's Chalmers touring car (I think).

[Dan/Panther]

I switch phones periodically, but right now one of two on my desk right now is an AE40, I like the heft of those phones, and frankly I think one of the reasons they didn't win the phone wars, was they were built to well. Too high tech for what they were used for. Modular, just overbuilt.
D/P

[BDM]

and frankly I think one of the reasons they didn't win the phone wars, was they were built to well. Too high tech for what they were used for. Modular, just overbuilt.
D/P

Nah, Ma Bell had the country tied up in a monopoly. Wouldn't matter how good or poor it was. They never got the chance from the word go.

[TIPandRING]

Hi, All.

My husband gave me an Automatic Electric Monophone 40 for my birthday.  It almost works great.  The dial spins, the calls go through, my Mom can hear me better than on the old (newer) phone, I found the L2 terminal to make the bells ring, I screwed the 4 spade things on the far end of the wall-line (wrong term, prob.) into the back of a jack-box, and then put a 4" jack-at-each-end-wire between the little box and the wall, and all is lovely, except that only one bell rings.  The screws in the bells are eccentric (not centered), but the quiet bell is already as close to the clapper as it can get.  What do I do to extend the arc of the clapper?  Or do I do something else?

Next question - where can I get a new rubber gasket to go between the top-case and the metal base?

Thanx and best wishes,
Ellen

ps Have you heard the song "Cell Phone" by The Cool Crooners of Bulawayo?

What does the writing say on the paper that is glued to one of the ringer coils?  If it says SL or straight line it will work on modern lines. Otherwise, it does appear that is a party line ringer assembly. With AE phones, not only is the ringer frequency dependent, but the ringing capacitor (inside that grey box) is a special value to allow only certain frequencies to work (so the phone ONLY rings when the specific phone is signaled).

[HobieSport]

Hi Ellen,

Concerning parts, like gaskets or gongs or whatever, I think you can get gaskets from Gary Goff for less expense, but Old Phone Works also has them, and is a great source for parts, and they are very good at helping you find parts and answering any questions:

http://www.oldphoneworks.com/

Thanks for posting that great family picture with the Chalmers (or whatever it is...)