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What is an AE Pushutton Rotary Telephone?

Started by TelePlay, December 02, 2013, 12:58:50 AM

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TelePlay

Hard to tell if it's just the "dial" or a whole phone for sale here by the pictures, or lack thereof:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/200997561552

Seller calls it a "Antique Automatic Electric Push Button Rotary Telephone with case/info book" and said "Antique Automatic Electric Push Button Rotary Telephone with case and information booklet Description: Black automatic electric telephone with patent dates of January 31, and August 22, 1933. The telephone was personalized by Mr. Abram Myers, Lawyer from Chicago. The telephone is made from plastic and steel with the base and receiver being Bakelite or Catalin. The push buttons are steel. This telephone comes with a case and information booklet which is rare for its age. The telephone has push buttons which are rotary orientated. Mr. Myers placed his own business card from 1933 in the box as well. A great piece of history! Shipping and handling charges include the lower 48 states, all others please contact prior to bidding."

What is it and is it worth the $1,750 being asked in the BIN auction?

Phonesrfun

#1
maybe the patent numbers will help....

I just tried, perhaps too few digits, or not US patents?
-Bill G

Jack Ryan

I've never seen a dial like that.

The phone looks like an AE 1-A
The dial letters are North American meaning the patents should be American.
The patents are from the 19th Century and are not phone related.
The numbers are too large for US design numbers from the 1930s
The circuit is from some sort of key system or intercom.

At this point I can't see value for money...but then, if I were really astute I would be rich.

Jack

HarrySmith

This patent was linked by Steve C. on the list: http://www.google.com/patents/US1923947
Looks like this dial. Since it is in a presentation type case with documentation I would be inclined to think it was a prototype created by this lawyer.
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

Phonesrfun

#4
Hmmm, I wonder what the patent numbers on the face of the dial card refer to.

I just read the patent description.  It looks like it would have been a nightmare to keep millions of them in operation in a national phone system.  I can see why it never saw the light of day.

That being said, this is probably pretty rare.  At least I have not seen one before.
-Bill G

Jack Ryan

That's it Harry - thanks.

I wonder why the inventor didn't get the patent numbers right?

It would be interesting to have the opportunity to play with it. As it wasn't used there must have been some problem with it - too expensive or perhaps too difficult to adjust.

I guess the drawings in the patent are just that but it is hard to see:
1. How lever 15 would operate as described
2. How pressing the buttons would properly (or sufficiently) wind the mechanism.

The GPO, PMG & others used the Keysender No 5 mostly at exchanges. Its buttons had a much longer travel to wind the mechanism.

Jack


HarrySmith

Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

Jack Ryan


Phonesrfun

I just looked at the drawings of that patent.  Now I can say with certainty that it would have been too complicated, and too expensive for them to make at that time.  It was doomed to not get off the ground.  Nice concept, but way too complicated.  They would have had to charge an arm and a leg for the phone.
-Bill G

HarrySmith

Yes, I agree. The consumer probably would not have been happy with the amount of time it was not working too!

Still, an interesting, probably one of a kind phone. If anyone here bought it please share it with us!

Also a question as I do not have an AE 2, is all that writing on the bottom normally present?
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

Jack Ryan

Quote from: HarrySmith on December 02, 2013, 09:55:19 PM
Also a question as I do not have an AE 2, is all that writing on the bottom normally present?

I think it's an AE 1-A and yes, some do have the patent information on the bottom.

I haven't got back the patents yet (still at work) but I don't remember a reference to AE. The dial is on an AE phone but there is no indication that the patent was given/sold to AE. Did I miss something?

Jack

TelePlay

Sold in about 18 hours from being listed.

Would have been interesting to see what it would have sold for in a normal auction.

poplar1

These patents were on the phone. Also, the SDs appear to be something unrelated to the phone or the Myers dial. Notice that there are references to 2 phones, 2 buzzers and "line lamps" and "busy lamps." Early WE Key systems such as 100A had 2 lamps for each line: the line lamp indicated an incoming call and the busy lamp indicated a call on hold or in use.
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

Contempra

I suppose that its a non-rotary with push-buttons...;)

HarrySmith

No, AE is not mentioned in the patents. Since this lawyer was in Chicago I guess that was the easiest phone for him to get for his prototype?
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"