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Help Identify phone (Military 302?)

Started by nodistortion, May 22, 2015, 09:35:02 AM

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nodistortion

Hi new to forum and I was hoping to get help identifying a phone.  It looks like a 302 but has 1957 stamp on the back.

I posted some pics on photobucket, hopefully the arrows allow browsing through the pictures 

http://s1095.photobucket.com/user/beepster8/media/WE302Phone/1.jpg.html?o=0

Thanks, Jim

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EDIT: photos added for posterity



Jack Ryan

That appears to be a military version of the 302 with an AE type dial. The dial is military as well and may not be made by AE.

Jack

unbeldi

#2
Welcome!

It certainly is a 302.  But it was not made for use in the Bell System (handset type is F1W without BELL SYSTEM mark), but was a phone used by the US Army Signal Corp. The red logo stamp is the S.C.'s identification. The date stamp is probably not an acquisition date, probably it was remanufactured at that time by the army technicians. The original manufacturing time is indicated by the date stamps on the base (next to the ringer, if present), on the ringer coil wrappings, and on the induction coil. Until ca 1941, housings were made from zinc alloys and that's what yours indeed is.

The dial is not by Western Electric, but is an Automatic Electric type. That is not so unusual, as the S.C. purchased phones and parts from many manufacturers. Likely the dial was replaced or added at some time.  It is the correct type of dial that is completely compatible with the WECo switch configuration.  Standard AE dials on AE phones have a different, simpler switch arrangement.

PS: I think Jack may be right about it actually being a special dial.  I seem to see five ON contacts, rather than the four needed by the AK-29 type (WECo-compatible).

G-Man

As Jack has already stated, it was manufactured for the U.S. Signal Corps. The S.C. and M.F.P. stamps are a clear giveaway along with the Denso dial. There is a wiring diagram for it in the TCI Library.

nodistortion

That was fast!   I am giving it to my brother, so it is great to have the actual description. Thank you!

LarryInMichigan

The Signal Corps stamps were done in 1957, but the phone is much older than that.  Would this phone have been originally made for the Signal Corps or just refurbished 16 years after manufacture for use by the Signal Corps.  I am guessing that the Denso dial was made in occupied Japan under US Army contract.  It is obviously based on the AE design.

Larry

wds

Very nice metal phone.  And by the way, Welcome to the forum!  We look forward to many more posts from you!  Dave
Dave

Dan/Panther

I also notice like Dave it's a metal housing. Were they made Metal for the military at that late a date, or is it an older refurbed shell ?

D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

Doug Rose

I had a few of these dials awhile back. Here are the close ups. I thought it was an AE, but it is marked Nanasi. I love the old AE dial card.

I agree SC reused metal WE metal sets and put these dials in....Doug
Kidphone

Doug Rose

Directions to wire it up

WIRE A MILITARY DIAL TO A #302
1.      To the movable pulse terminal, connect the yellow/brown switch wire.
2.      To the fixed pulse terminal (it has a strap on it to one of the shunt terminals), connect both the black condenser wire and the black handset cord wire.
3.      To the middle shunt terminal, connect the red/slate wire from "L1" on the induction coil.
4.      4. Do not use the remaining shunt contact.
5.      There are two contact screws by themselves to the left of the regular shunt contact screws. These are the receiver disconnect contacts. Connect the blue switch wire to one of the  disconnect contacts.
6.      Connect the white handset cord wire to the remaining disconnect contact.


WIRE AN AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC DIAL TO A #302

1.      Connect the yellow/brown switch wire to the moveable pulse contact.
2.      Connect both the black condenser wire and the black handset cord wire to the fixed pulse contact (it has a strap on it).
3.      Connect the red/slate wire from "L1" on the induction coil to the middle shunt contact.
4.      Connect both the blue switch wire and the white handset cord wire to the remaining shunt contact.
5.      IMPORTANT: Move the rd/slate wire from "L1" on the induction coil to "R" on the induction coil.
Kidphone

G-Man

Just to clarify, WECo 302 instruments manufactured for the military were designated as TP-6 sets.

WECo did not install their own dials in these sets, so A.E. type dials were added at the factory unless it was ordered as a manual set.
When a dial set was needed they were converted in the field or shops by S.C. technicians using A.E. or Telephonics/Denso/Nanasitype TA-45 dials.

After WWII these sets were sold in bulk by the military for their scrap value. Of course many small telcos and others bought them by the pound and installed dials in manual sets so you may come across various dials of diverse manufacturer and wiring kludges.
Here is the original wiring diagram for dial instruments.

Doug Rose

G-Man...weren't all sets for Military; North,  Conn or WE designated as TP-6?....Doug
Kidphone

G-Man

Quote from: Doug Rose on May 23, 2015, 05:02:49 PM
G-Man...weren't all sets for Military; North,  Conn or WE designated as TP-6?....Doug
Yes, you are correct! In addition to the Connecticut, there were seven other instruments designated as TP-6 by the military.

paul-f

Quote from: Doug Rose on May 23, 2015, 05:02:49 PM
G-Man...weren't all sets for Military; North,  Conn or WE designated as TP-6?....Doug

Doug,

I trust you meant "all 302-type sets" or "all 302-generation sets."

The military used many other generations of phone equipment dating before and after the TP-6, including the TA236/FT (military marking), GA-51859 (WE marking) set based on 500-type technology.

Also, many standard phones from Western and other makers found their way onto military bases.
Visit: paul-f.com         WE  500  Design_Line

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