Automatic Electric Found at an Antique Store

[Ed Morris]

Found today at an antique store, an Automatic Electric desk set.  This is the first AE phone I've ever seen, so I'm not sure which model, but I'm guessing a Model 40.  It has the Type 41 receiver element.  It will need new line and handset cords.  The dial sounds and feels a little rough.

[LarryInMichigan]

That is an AE40.  It looks like it has a frequency ringer, so it may not ring on your phone line.  It might be possible to modify it to work.

Larry

[unbeldi]

Indeed it is a Type 40 Monophone.
But you will have troubles getting it to ring on modern telephone lines, because it has a 42 hertz frequency-selective ringer used on party lines.
Modern telephone lines ring at 20 Hz only.

[Ed Morris]

Thanks for the info, guys.  I'm learning a lot.  Is modifying the ringer a matter of finding and swapping out the 42 hz ringer for a 20 hz ringer?

[poplar1]

Thanks for the info, guys.  I'm learning a lot.  Is modifying the ringer a matter of finding and swapping out the 42 hz ringer for a 20 hz ringer?

It will probably be easier to find a "Straight Line" ringer, which will work on either 20~ or 30~.

[poplar1]

AE Straight Line Ringers for AE 40:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Automatic-Electric-Straight-Line-Ringer-/201820851116  (sold)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Automatic-Electric-Coil-Clapper-Ringer-Telephone-Part/201907529130 (for sale, but missing the wires)

[TelePlay]

The dial sounds and feels a little rough.

AE dials like this clean up very nicely in an ultrasonic cleaner. After cleaning, dry well and then oil where needed and that should be it. Measure the dial speed (PPS) before removing and after cleaning. I've cleaned quite a few this way and have always had excellent results.

It is possible to take them apart for cleaning but a ultrasonic bath is easier, if it works. Search the forum for ultrasonic cleaning.

[Ed Morris]

Looks like changing to a straight line ringer also requires changing the 1mfd cap to a .4mfd cap?  And I have an ultrasonic cleaner so I will give that a try.  Thanks!

[poplar1]

Looks like changing to a straight line ringer also requires changing the 1mfd cap to a .4mfd cap?  And I have an ultrasonic cleaner so I will give that a try.  Thanks!

The larger (older) style says use a 1.0 uF or 0.7 uF. The newer one pictured says use a 0.4 uF.

[unbeldi]

When manufactured, your set had a 30 Hz frequency ringer, which was changed to a 42 Hz ringer when the phone was refurbished and installed once again.
Both ringers were low-impedance ringers as often still in use in the 1940s. The dial appears to be from the turn of the decade, perhaps 1949-1952.

You mentioned that the handset transducers are Type 41. What is the two letter code that is also stamped on them ?  Can you find the same code on the rear of the dial ?

[oldguy]

Nice find Ed.

[Ed Morris]

The two digit code on the receiver element looks like "NB" but I'm not sure.  I can't make out what the code is on the transmitter element or the back of the dial.

[unbeldi]

The two digit code on the receiver element looks like "NB" but I'm not sure.  I can't make out what the code is on the transmitter element or the back of the dial.

Thanks.   Looks like UB to me, on both elements.  That means they were installed at the same time, but are not likely to be original to the set either, as the bottom plate doesn't seem to show that code.  It's hard to identify, but appears as   ?A7, where ? is unreadable, IMHO.

[Ed Morris]

For a follow up on this phone, jump to the thread on the link below.  It describes swapping out the ringer, dial cleaning, and cosmetic restoration.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=18200.0