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Kellogg wooden phone

Started by bdoss2006, February 09, 2023, 04:45:28 AM

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bdoss2006

I bought this Kellogg wooden phone, if anyone has in info on it that would be great. I would like to do something with it, possibly wire it a modern day phone line, is that possible without modifying it?
  

HarrySmith

Nice find. Looks to be complete except for the batteries of course. It should not be a problem getting it to work. The one thing most important is to be sure the magneto does not send power into the line.
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

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

bdoss2006

Quote from: HarrySmith on February 09, 2023, 07:52:01 AMNice find. Looks to be complete except for the batteries of course. It should not be a problem getting it to work. The one thing most important is to be sure the magneto does not send power into the line.
yeah I was wondering about that, out of curiosity what would happen if you did?

HarrySmith

Depends on your system but nothing good for sure!
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

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

bdoss2006

Quote from: HarrySmith on February 09, 2023, 02:08:40 PMDepends on your system but nothing good for sure!
that's what I figured. what would you do to wire it up? Simply disconnect the magneto and wire a phone line to it like a newer phone? Or is there something else that would need done?

poplar1

Quote from: bdoss2006 on February 09, 2023, 02:46:00 PMthat's what I figured. what would you do to wire it up? Simply disconnect the magneto and wire a phone line to it like a newer phone? Or is there something else that would need done?

You will need to add a capacitor in series with the ringer, so that the phone does not stay "off-hook" and keep the line busy. Probably a 1.0 uF capacitor or two 0.5 uF or 0.47 uF in parallel.

You will also need a source of DC current to power the transmitter. You don't have to get the large #6 cells that were originally used; you can use 2 small batteries or a "wall wart" if it produces 3V or 4.5 V filtered DC.
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

HarrySmith

Youi do not want to disconnect the magneto. The first thing anyone who sees it will do is turn the crank. Maybe pick up the receiver first :D IIRC a diode will do that. I purchased a premade setup from one of our members to build one.
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

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

bdoss2006

Quote from: HarrySmith on February 09, 2023, 03:04:58 PMYoui do not want to disconnect the magneto. The first thing anyone who sees it will do is turn the crank. Maybe pick up the receiver first :D IIRC a diode will do that. I purchased a premade setup from one of our members to build one.
so I'm confused, what would you do to keep it from sending power down the line?

HarrySmith

There a a few ways to do it. I asked on the lists for the clubs and received a few ideas. The easiest way was the premade unit I bought from Denny. It cost less than $30 shipped. Here is his email: bdcacorp1@yahoo.com
Other ways include switches, relays & diodes. I can dig up those emails if you are interested. I have attached one of the documents I was sent using a switch. I did not use that as you would have to hold the switch while cranking the magneto.
Here is the post on my project:
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=26193.msg255156#msg255156
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

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

bdoss2006

Quote from: HarrySmith on February 09, 2023, 04:09:27 PMThere a a few ways to do it. I asked on the lists for the clubs and received a few ideas. The easiest way was the premade unit I bought from Denny. It cost less than $30 shipped. Here is his email: bdcacorp1@yahoo.com
Other ways include switches, relays & diodes. I can dig up those emails if you are interested. I have attached one of the documents I was sent using a switch. I did not use that as you would have to hold the switch while cranking the magneto.
Here is the post on my project:
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=26193.msg255156#msg255156
ok, I'll look at that and maybe send him an email. So basically you just want it to where when you crank the magneto the power goes somewhere, correct? Could you connect it to the ringer on the phone and just make the phones ringer ring when you turned it?

TelePlay

Quote from: bdoss2006 on February 09, 2023, 06:51:35 PMCould you connect it to the ringer on the phone and just make the phones ringer ring when you turned it?

That what I did when I converted a LB magneto railroad way station phone to work on a POTS line but still have the magneto ring the phones original ringer.

The key point is to totally separate the magneto and its ringer local battery circuit from the POTS common battery circuit.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=23408.0

bdoss2006

Quote from: TelePlay on February 09, 2023, 07:09:32 PMThat what I did when I converted a LB magneto railroad way station phone to work on a POTS line but still have the magneto ring the phones original ringer.

The key point is to totally separate the magneto and its ringer local battery circuit from the POTS common battery circuit.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=23408.0

How did you do it? Sorry if I seem stupid, I have never done anything to one this old. The other person said I would need a batter to make it work, what kind and how would I wire it up? If you wire it to make the bells ring when you turn the magneto, will it still ring when someone calls?

TelePlay

It's all in that topic, keeping in mind that the phone is different than yours but the topic offered as how to separate the magneto from the talk circuit, to absolutely prevent magneto voltage from being sent down the POTS line to the CO (central office).

When separated, cranking the magneto would ring the original ringer.

You would have to add a second ringer into the talk circuit if you wanted it to ring on incoming calls.

You could not make calls from the phone, no dialing device.

Given the completeness of your phone as found, I'd restore it to it's original configuration for display, not attach it to a POTS line.


bdoss2006

Quote from: TelePlay on February 09, 2023, 08:28:01 PMIt's all in that topic, keeping in mind that the phone is different than yours but the topic offered as how to separate the magneto from the talk circuit, to absolutely prevent magneto voltage from being sent down the POTS line to the CO (central office).

When separated, cranking the magneto would ring the original ringer.

You would have to add a second ringer into the talk circuit if you wanted it to ring on incoming calls.

You could not make calls from the phone, no dialing device.

Given the completeness of your phone as found, I'd restore it to it's original configuration for display, not attach it to a POTS line.


what do you mean by original configuration?

TelePlay

#14
Quote from: bdoss2006 on February 09, 2023, 09:10:52 PMwhat do you mean by original configuration?

As shipped from the factory.

And BTW, my project is completely reversible so the railroad phone could be returned to its as shipped from the factory LB operation by removing the dial, removing the ringer and re-wiring the magneto into the circuit. No harm was done to the phone.