Card Dialer Question

[Fabius]

Does the single line (residential) card dialer work off the 48vdc line voltage or did it use an external power supply?

Did other companies make card dialers? Thanks.

[poplar1]

If I recall correctly, the rotary card dialer requires 18 Volts AC, fed on a separate pair, and the Touch-Tone doesn't require external power, other than the force of the user pushing down the card before hitting the start button.

[Russ Kirk]

If I recall correctly, the rotary card dialer requires 18 Volts AC, fed on a separate pair, and the Touch-Tone doesn't require external power, other than the force of the user pushing down the card before hitting the start button.

Yes that is correct. The rotary version uses a 2012B or 2012D 15-18VDC output.  TT version used line voltage. Tom, I am not aware of ANY other manufacturer that made a card dialer.

[Dave F]

Western Electric was the only company to manufacture Card Dialers.  The first version, model 661, was a 5-line rotary-dial keyset which was introduced in 1961.  The automatic dialer in the 661 (40A dial) was powered from the phone line.  Shortly after going into production it was discovered that the 40A dial was not reliable on long loop circuits.  A new auto dialer (41A) was quickly designed and incorporated into a new series of phones.  The 41A dial was powered by a 2012B (15-18V) transformer, and was therefore immune to the problems of the earlier 40A.  The new rotary-dial Card Dialers, released in 1963, were designated 660 (single-line) and 662 (keyset).  The original 661 sets were slowly retired from service and today are among the most uncommon to find as collectibles.  All Touch Tone Card Dialers use a spring-powered mechanism and require no additional source of electrical power, as they utilize the oscillators in the associated TT dial to produce the tones.

DF

[Russ Kirk]

So the TT are sping powered, thanks for the correction. I learn something everyday.

[Dave F]

For those who would like to delve further into the development of the Card Dialer, you might enjoy these documents (which took considerable sleuthing to unearth!):

Bell Labs received U.S. patent #3,189,692 for what would become the 40A dial used in the original 661 Card Dialer.

Later, they were awarded patent #3,320,369 for what would be the 41A dial, the successor to the 40A.  The following excerpt from 3,320,369 explains the deficiencies of the 40A and what the 41A was designed to correct:

Automatic code transmitters of this type may be employed to transmit signals representing the digits of a telephone number, and recently several such code transmitters have become available to telephone subscribers. One such code transmitter that has received wide acceptance by the subscribers is disclosed in the application of E. R. Andregg W. Pferd R. R. Stokes, Ser. No. 193,267, now Patent No. 3,189,692 filed May 8, 1962 and assigned to the assignee of this invention. This automatic code transmiter provides accurate and trouble free service at a comparatively economical cost to the subscriber.

This code transmitter does, however, have some deficiencies. It offers some problems in manufacturing inasmuch as it is necessary to make individual adjustments on each code transmitter during the assembly thereof. In addition, the code transmitter is polarity sensitive, and the pulse characteristics of the code transmitter are affected by the age of the transmitter, the loop characteristics of the telephone set with which the transmitter is associated, and the conditions at the location at which the telephone set is installed. The code transmitter is also somewhat noisy, both mechanically and electrically, in operation.

An object of this invention is to provide an automatic code transmitter that does not suffer from the aforementioned deficiencies.

Note that by the time these patents were finally awarded, the devices described were, in fact, already in production.

Happy reading!

DF

[poplar1]

A 661-A1 Tel. Set dated 3-61 sold last week on Ebay. . This one apparently has an apparatus blank where the lamps and the  pickup and hold keys would be. Was this intended to be a single line version? Yet it still has the amphenol plug. (The start button is missing.)


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Western-Electric-CARD-CALLER-Office-Telephone-for-Bell-System-DIAL-PHONE-Broch-/111662959078
Sold for $107.50. It was from the same estate as the Contour set that was an auction contest.

[Dave F]

A 661-A1 Tel. Set dated 3-61 sold last week on Ebay. . This one apparently has an apparatus blank where the lamps and the  pickup and hold keys would be. Was this intended to be a single line version? Yet it still has the amphenol plug. (The start button is missing.)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Western-Electric-CARD-CALLER-Office-Telephone-for-Bell-System-DIAL-PHONE-Broch-/111662959078
Sold for $107.50. It was from the same estate as the Contour set that was an auction contest.

3-61 is a very early date for a Card Dialer.  Considering the other items from that seller, this set might very well have been something special cooked up by Bell Labs.  I know who won this eBay auction.  We'll have to see what he finds when he gets to look inside.

DF