An interesting NE unit on the way to the Museum, made in 1955, and labelled S912AB.
It is located in a windowed wooden box, and was rescued in the 70s from a Sunbeam Canada facility in Toronto.
It contains a Uni-selector and a two motion Strowger switch. It had been suggested it may have been used as an intercom, but also that it may have been a Coded Ring device. Can anyone give me more information on it?
Alas, until it arrives, I won't be able to get clearer photos of it - these are the only photos I have of it, but I suspect, too that (coded calling) that is likely what it was meant for.
When it does arrive, I promise to get much clearer photos of all aspects or it. For now, all photos I have from Glen are on the Museum Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/PEITelelephoneMuseum/ (https://www.facebook.com/groups/PEITelelephoneMuseum/)
Glen says: "The story of how I got it is interesting.it was mounted in the Sunbeam Canada warehouse on Kipling St. In Toronto back in the 70's. I was working for Bell at the time and was in the plant to fix a key phone when one of the managers asked if I knew how to stop the loud ringing bell which had been going off in the warehouse for two days!
I traced the wiring back to this switch and found the selector stuck between banks. I released the selector and the ringing stopped. It hadn't been used for years so not sure how it got activated. I asked the manager later if could have it and he said it was OK. I unplugged it and went back a week later and no one complained so I removed it and have had it ever since. Unfortunately, the -48vdc power supply was the size of a house AC unit so I left it there. Neat unit, make a great traveling display if you could get it working. Weighs about 40lbs."
Dave
We have been able to confirm this is a code call unit, with the assistance from Keith Cheshire, and Keith Hlvacs:
I barely remember hearing code call in use in some of the old apartment store, etc. They would dial up the unit on the pbx, then dial the number of the person they wanted to hear from, and the bell would ring his coded ring throughout the facility. When he heard it, he would call the answer code number and be connected to the caller.
Dialing the connector would set up path for the uniselector to begin stepping and creating the code sequence. The high current relay on the lower left hand side (with micro switch located just above) would drive the chimes (the bell it was setting off in the plant)
I can't take credit for figuring this out myself. We have to thank Keith Hlvacs and Keith Cheshire, too. Keith H. found one a number of years ago, and is sending me the drawings..
It should be here some time in the first week of January.
I read the messages on the list. I was still not sure what a code call was but after reading this I now recall hearing it in a couple of large department stores in my youth. As a kid I wondered what they were for, I asked my Mom but she didn't know either. Thanks Dave! Brought back some childhood memories.
I remember back in the early 70s, I worked for Eatons for several years. While they had converted to 1A2, they still had the code call system operating. As you walked through the store, you might hear a chime gently ringing bong, bong, bong, or other code from chimes located through the store - it had been left in place to get in touch with upper management when needed. If I remember correctly, by the time I stopped working for them, the system had been removed, or at least was no longer in use.
This is in beautiful condition. I will have to find a nice sounding chime for it, and then will set it up in the museum, so that you can dial a number to ring the chime, then another to ring another code. It should be interesting. Keith Klvacs has one in poorer condition, and he is sending me the drawings for it. Once mine is here, we will swap the information needed for him to get his going as well.
Dave
I recall hearing the chime sequences in department stores as well. I knew what it was as I worked in PBX for quite a few years starting when I was 20 (1977). Though, I dont recall ever seeing one of these code call units in a phone room.
The odd thing is that I recall hearing what sounded like code call somewhere quite recently though it sounded like electronic tone inserted onto a PA system. I guess there may be modern versions in use still.
Do you know what voltage the chimes need to be Dave? If it was arranged for 90 volt ringing voltage the NE Bell Chime might be a good choice. Do you have any of them? I might know the answer if I had been to your museum by now......
Terry
Hi Terry - without having it or its drawings here yet, I suspect you could set it up to use with practically any voltage of chime. It has a high current relay (with micro switch driven by the device) that would drive the chimes. So it is actually the high current relay which would drive the bell, and whatever voltage is fed through its contacts is what drove the chime system....
To be confirmed, of course when I have it here (or at least its drawings)
A very interesting item. This would be a great item to make a YouTube video of.
Quote from: Weco355aman on October 25, 2015, 11:27:40 PM
A very interesting item. This would be a great item to make a YouTube video of.
You are right. Look for one after it arrives in January!
Dave
Here's a video I took of the (GEC?) code call unit that Keith Hlavacs brought to Lancaster this year: http://youtu.be/pL57RbqrYy8
I am looking for a suitable single tone chime to use with the Northern Electric Code Call unit when it arrives from Glen. Ideally, it should be a nice sounding chime, and ideally powered by 48 VDC. It has been suggested Wheelock made similar chimes, but many other manufacturers did, as well. Each pulse, should chime the gong. Any suggestions? A chime consisted of a tuned bar, and a solenoid which struck against it with each pulse. They were not loud - just a nice pleasant tone.
If not 48 Volt, I can likely accommodate that in the display, as the chime is driven by a contactor on the unit, which I can set up for other voltages. 48 volts would simplify my power supply requirements.
Below is an example from Keith's video. Below it, and Autocall type - it doesn't have to look like this, just perform the same function....
It is here! The Northern Electric S-912AA Code Call unit from Glen Cavers (https://www.facebook.com/glen.cavers.7) just dropped off by Robert Guth (https://www.facebook.com/robert.guth.319) about half an hour ago. Robert picked it up while in Toronto last month. This unit was manufactured in the mid-50s.
The unit appears to be in exceptional shape. The switches, and banks are clean, and little worn - even the wipers appear to be in great shape. These are only preliminary photos. The photo of the left hand side of the two motion switch turned out blurred I will take another of that side tomorrow. The photo of the other side of that switch turned out well - amazing since that is the side that is blocked by the case when it is folded back.
I hope to get this operational in the spring, and meantime have to find a chime to use with it.
Thank you, Glen and Robert!
A couple more photos, and finally a thumbnnail of the drawing. I have the drawing in full size and in PDF format, as well. This drawing derived from a scan from Keith Hlavacs:
Very cool item to have for the museum Dave!
Terry
Quote from: AE_Collector on January 07, 2016, 10:54:38 AM
Very cool item to have for the museum Dave!
Should be, indeed! Big chores now will be finding wall space for it - I will likely have to move some stuff around in the spring to make room, and finding an Autocall or Wheelock chime for it, the type with a solenoid that strikes a metal bar and will give that soft bing, bing, bing sound you used to hear in retail establishments with code call). The voltage of the chime doesn't matter, as it is separately powered from the unit itself. I will just have to provide a suitable power supply for it, too, in addition to the 48 volt supply for the switches. And if I can find a second chime, run one over to this house to signal Linda!
Have you begun to work out your codes.....for Linda?
_______ = I need a sandwich delivered to the museum
_______ = A beer as well
_______ = I noticed that the Grass needs Cutting (after delivering lunch)
_______ = Seasonal code to change above to Driveway needs Snow Shovelled.
Quote from: AE_Collector on January 07, 2016, 11:53:13 AM
Have you begun to work out your codes.....for Linda?
__201_____ = I need a sandwich delivered to the museum
__202_____ = A beer as well
__203_____ = I noticed that the Grass needs Cutting (after delivering lunch)
__204_____ = Seasonal code to change above to Driveway needs Snow Shovelled.
Hmmm., I will have to work on that!
Quote from: DavePEI on January 07, 2016, 12:14:07 PM
Quote from: AE_Collector on January 07, 2016, 11:53:13 AM
Have you begun to work out your codes.....for Linda?
__201_____ = I need a sandwich delivered to the museum
__202_____ = A beer as well
__203_____ = I noticed that the Grass needs Cutting (after delivering lunch)
__204_____ = Seasonal code to change above to Driveway needs Snow Shovelled.
Hmmm., I will have to work on that!
Oh, Dear!!! :o
I quite nearly snorted a
goodly measure of Guinness out of me nostrils, and onto me keyboard and monitor reading this, now didn't I???
Stop it at once, Naughty Boys!!! ;D
Easily the Biggest Laugh of the Year, thus far! ;D
Thanks, and Best Regards!
Just for the sake of a display, until you get your chime, have you thought of using a doorbell chime? They are usually pretty cheap, run off of 15vAC (you'd need a doorbell transformer and a relay), and the chime for the back door is usually a single chime that goes ding rather than ding-dong.
Quote from: Phonesrfun on January 07, 2016, 10:59:12 PM
Just for the sake of a display, until you get your chime, have you thought of using a doorbell chime? They are usually pretty cheap, run off of 15vAC (you'd need a doorbell transformer and a relay), and the chime for the back door is usually a single chime that goes ding rather than ding-dong.
Yes, thought of that. But I do hope to find a vintage industrial chime eventually for it...
WOW, what a fun toy to have..... I want one!
A chime has been found for the NE Code Call Unit, which should be here soon. I have a nice little Delta switching PMC-23V100W1AA PS to provide power for it at 24VDC at 4.17 amps. The switch itself will also be powered by a 48 volt unit of similar size and form factor.
Today, I received a chime which should work quite nicely with this unit from poplar1. Thank you, David. It was made by Auth Electric of N.Y., and runs on 24 volts D.C.
Nice! I can't wait to see this all together and running!
I got a chance today to power up the chime on my 24 VDC supply - it works like a charm, err. chime. I won't get at hooking it up to the code call unit until I get into the Museum in the spring and it warms up, but it is nice to know all is ready!
Dave
Gong Test. Just manually being connected with clip leads to power supply. This is a Windows WMA audio clip inside a zip file so I can upload it to the Forum - the forum doesn't support WMA files directly.
That's is really cool. the only thing I have that come close to that level of uniqueness is my three IBM and Simplex master clocks and various slave clocks.
Ok, finally I got the Code Call mounted and working in the Museum. The largest delay was clearing space for it,and that included moving the 1D2 into the new exterior booth, putting up a larger plywood backboard, then waiting for my son's visit to get the unit mounted on the wall.
It is now mounted, set up, and working. Dial any number from 1 to 99, and the gong will sound out that number. It has a bit of a flaky horizontal reset on the connector - as soon as I fix that, I will do a video of it in operation....
For those of you who have been following the saga of the
Northern Electric Code Call unit rescued in the 70s by Glen
Cavers and recently restored in the Museum, here is a video
of it in action:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koshK21Kh2s&feature=youtu.be
Dave
Thanks for the demo Dave! Very nice.
Is the chug chug chug chug noise in the background an interrupter for the chime output that operates as long as the system is being accessed?
Terry
very Cool!
Quote from: AE_Collector on July 14, 2016, 12:13:13 PM
Thanks for the demo Dave! Very nice.
Is the chug chug chug chug noise in the background an interrupter for the chime output that operates as long as the system is being accessed?
Terry
Terry:
I think what you are referring to is the sound of the rotary selector as it steps around... Have a good look at the video, and watch the movement of the rotary selector....
Okay, yes I think that is it. Is it a 25 outlet rotary switch? It does a complete revolution for each of the possible code call codes which are 1 to 99 with 1 to 9 being singles. in the "99" example the rotary outputs to the relay and chime 9 times, steps to position 10 where it doesn't chime, does 9 more steps with chime and then steps 6 times back to the beginning.
Terry
Quote from: AE_Collector on July 16, 2016, 11:52:40 AM
Okay, yes I think that is it. Is it a 25 outlet rotary switch? It does a complete revolution for each of the possible code call codes which are 1 to 99 with 1 to 9 being singles. in the "99" example the rotary outputs to the relay and chime 9 times, steps to position 10 where it doesn't chime, does 9 more steps with chime and then steps 6 times back to the beginning.
Terry
Yep!
This was a fun project. When I began, I knew very little about Code Call units other than having memories of them in use in the 50s to the early 70s. Then they were gone. This was very much a group effort.
I knew I had to power the unit with 48 VDC, and that I needed a gong and matching supply for that. I had a spare switching power supply for the 48 volts, and finally after a two month search, found the gong, and ordered a matching supply for that. Keith Hlavacs was the only collector with a similar unit, but his was missing parts, and thus couldn't be made operational.
However, he had located a poor copy of a TIFF drawing for the unit and shared a copy with me. I was able to clean it up enough to make it usable during the winter months.
I was very nervous about getting it to work, but was determined not to let Glen Cavers down - he was really hoping he would see it running again. Glen gave me the unit, and Robert Guth ferried it down from Toronto at the beginning of January.
The longest wait was waiting for the weather to warm up. A number of things had to be done to prepare for the work on it. First of all, I had to create room for it.
To do this, I needed to move a couple of payphones which were previously on the wall it was to mount on. First, I had to get the BN booth I had found a couple of years ago mounted, and was assisted by Robert Guth, who came down, and poured the slab for it. Then after the booth was in place, I moved a 1D2 into the booth from that wall, and then moved the AE phone sharing the same wall to the adjoining wall. I could then add a larger plywood backboard to the wall to support the unit.
Then another wait for my son, Jeff Hunter to come down from Ontario on vacation, and I had him help me mount the heavy and fragile unit. While I waited, I mounted the two power supplies inside the cabinet. Once mounted, it was time to get working on it in earnest - figuring out its wiring, getting the gong mounted, and wired, and finally connecting a 500 set to it to dial the switch. After a last minute adjustment of the Helical rotation spring to give the wiper enough oomph to return fully when released, it was working 100%.
I was so glad when I got the video done, as finally Glen could see it functioning again after 40 years! Glen hopes to make it down in person later this summer to see it operating in person. I want to thank anyone who helped in any way with this project! It has already been viewed and enjoyed by several museum viewers.
Once this was done, it gave me the room I needed to move the British Strowger Demo out into the Museum, once again with the assistance of my son, Jeff Hunter, which in turn, cleaned up my workshop space. It was a series of landmarks to get to the end - one job tied into the next, but I am so pleased, as finally, I have completed all those backed up jobs I had been wanting to get done for so very long. Thank you all!