Explosion proof WE 2520

liteamorn · October 07, 2011, 09:36:51 AM

I just got a new addition for the collection I swore I was never going to start.

I work in an oil terminal. I found (and received permission to take) an old WE 2520 explosion proof phone!

This is a 12 button tone phone on the round heavy explosion proof base.

I am having a rough time opening it. The locking mechanism appears to be jammed (there is no key).

The handset appears to be an old bakelite g1. The transmitter caps and the reciever caps are both missing the center hole which would probably make it older than the phone itself. I'm not sure though as I can not find dates on it.

I don't know if the phone works, there was a very large explosion and fire in the area the phone was in and it appears that the phone survived it ok but I won't be able to tell for sure until I get it opened. I will post some pictues.

LarryInMichigan · October 07, 2011, 09:39:32 AM

QuoteI don't know if the phone works, there was a very large explosion and fire in the area the phone was in and it appears that the phone survived it ok but I won't be able to tell for sure until I get it opened. I will post some pictues.

I sure hope that the phone did not cause the explosion.

Larry

Doug Rose · October 07, 2011, 10:05:47 AM

Please post a picture, these did come with keys to open.....Doug

liteamorn · October 07, 2011, 10:52:48 AM

No Larry, it was just in the wrong place at the wrong time

Doug, there is no key mechanism in the front panel and where the actual lock was inside that panel is gone, I'm not sure it was ever there. The brass locking button will not move right now, I think it supposed to be pushed in to unlock the case so it can be unscrewed.

Babybearjs · October 11, 2011, 02:23:23 AM

WOW! what a big phone, hope you can get it to work!

HarrySmith · October 11, 2011, 01:32:48 PM

Nice find! I have been dying to get one of those! i think I just saw one like that on ebay. Would be intersting to see how the dial is set up, on the rotary ones there is actually 2 dials, the one on the outside having no electric to it.

paul-f · October 11, 2011, 02:46:40 PM

Quote from: liteamorn on October 07, 2011, 09:36:51 AM
The handset appears to be an old bakelite g1. The transmitter caps and the reciever caps are both missing the center hole which would probably make it older than the phone itself. I'm not sure though as I can not find dates on it.

Nice addition to your exploding collection!

Look inside the transmitter cavity for date info. Early dates were pressed into the bakelite or stamped ink (photo below), while later ones had the last 2 digits of the year pressed into a circle.

Photos of the rotary dial Harry mentioned can be found here:
http://www.paul-f.com/520.JPG

liteamorn · October 11, 2011, 04:04:32 PM

Update
I finally got it apart. The brass pin was a real pain in the neck to get out enough to unscrew the the base from the unit, I finally drove it out from the back of the unit. This would not be possible if the phone base had still been attached to the wall.

After much finagling I got the phone to work! The hook switch was real tight and had to be manipulated (it is activated by a plunger type device connected to the handset cradle. I could get it to ring and it worked fine exept i couldn't get it to call out. I would push one of the TT buttons and I could hear the dial tone faintly in the backround , when I released the button the dial tone would return as if I never pushed any TT buttons. I searched this site and found a similar problem with another TT phone. He was advised to switch the L1 and L2 connections. I did that and the phone works perfectly!

All the dates in the phone and the handset are 1982. I am still baffled about the handset and the caps over the mic and receiver as they are missing the center hole , typical of much older handsets. There is no g1 or g3 designation on the handset, it just says the usual "Bell System Property, Not for resale, Western Electric". All of the connections in the handset are covered by some kind of electrtian putty, I am sure to maintain it's intrinsically safe designation.

liteamorn · October 11, 2011, 04:10:11 PM

Harry
The touch tone buttons are connectet to spring loaded (stainless maybe) rods. These rods pass through the body of the phone and into the workings behind it, in the explosion proof environment.

The bells are of course brass as is the clapper which is located behind the cover panel.

Russ Kirk · October 11, 2011, 05:52:22 PM

I have one of these sets. It does not have the release button. For the life of me, I cannot get mine open either.

cihensley@aol.com · October 11, 2011, 06:08:50 PM

There is a You Tube video on hoe to open an explosion proof set without a key: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_wBrVNn5Ck

Chuck

liteamorn · October 11, 2011, 06:48:12 PM

On that youtube video he says that you push the button in to allow the phone to twist off of the base. I think that is incorrect, at least on my phone it was. You can see the brass pin if you look at the side of it. If the phone is not connected to the wall you can simply tap it out from the back. Make sure you take the face plate off first and any parts of the lock that may be attached to it. If you look at the second picture I posted you will see the brass sleeve and pin at about 3:30. That sleeve and pin are spring loaded and need to come out towards you. Again when I finally looked at the back of the mount I could see the pin so I just tapped it out that way.

Russ, if your phone was removed from the wall by prying it off and leaving the screws in make sure they are not interfering with unscrewing the base. A 1/2 threaded nipple was a huge help to use to unscrew the base just as the gentleman in the youtube video stated.

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Explosion proof WE 2520