WE magneto box-What is it?

[Sargeguy]

I just won this on eBay

http://tinyurl.com/3j67te5

A nice old 47F for $27 with what appears to be a patent date box.  Any idea of the purpose of this beast?  What is that sticking out the side above the crank?

[Sargeguy]

Just as long as it zaps worms!

[bigdaddylove]

Really, for bait?

[Bill]

Can you give us a better picture of the diagram in the lid?
Do you know if the parts and connections within the box match the diagram?

Bill

[rdelius]

Harder to find WE magnito. Ringer might be a SC though

[Sargeguy]

I just won it so better pics will have to wait.  I'm sure it will have a nice stamp on the inside that gives us the model #.  I have seen similar sets that have a switch in the bottom.  You can see the switch contacts in front of the fly wheel.

[Wallphone]

I like how the metal strip for the ringer wire goes right through the wiring diagram. That has to be a classic. I wonder who/what was there first? We'll have to wait for you to get it to know what kind of switch is on the side and whether it is wired according to the diagram. One guess is that maybe it was for silent signaling to the switchboard operator.
Doug Pav

[Sargeguy]

That makes sense, wouldn't want to wake the chickens.  My guess is that it is a version of a 119 box.

[Wallphone]

Actually silent signaling was so that you didn't alert any of your nosy party line neighbors that you were about to make a phone call. Back then listening in on others calls was a major form of entertainment. The normal ring signal would reach the switchboard operator through L1 & L2. By pushing the silent signal button while cranking the magneto, the signal used ground return for one of the two wires, therefore it did not ring all the other phones that you shared a party line with.
Doug Pav