How to adjust bells ?

[xtal_01]

First ... what bells are these?  I think they are out of a 534 / 634 subset if I am correct.

Second ... is there a BSP on how to assemble and set the gap on these bells  ... the actual gap on the magnets, not the bells.

Who ever had this last has the adjustment screw so far up the arm will not move.

I can back off the adjuster but there is only a few threads before it is out of the hole ... and maybe that is the way it should be?

I can get an extra thread or two on the adjustment nut but extending the frame nuts one or two threads.

I can just take a guess and get them to where they work but I am thinking there must be a specified gap or a specific way to adjust these.

I did check the coils with my meter ... just over 4K Ohm ... infinity to the frame

Thanks .... Mike

[xtal_01]

Just a follow-up.

Just as I had suspected, there area 68JA ringer!

One of the members on another forum was able to point out the BSP for adjusting the ringer (knowing Bell, I knew there had to be one).

These ringers are for a 634BA subset.

I have a 634BA1AL  ... there will bring it back to a 634BA

And best of all ... they work!  Tried them on my 302

Thanks!

[loblolly986]

For future readers, here's the relevant B.S.P.:

https://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/search?q=c31+205+i3

General reference for the older-style ringer models found in standard 5x4/6x4 A/BA subsets:

8 type = older standard type with gongs mounted on posts.
68 type = inverted gongs like the one in the photo.
78 type = gongs facing upward, to fit inside the smaller 584 and 684 Bakelite subsets.

A suffix = regular (lower) impedance, coils marked 500 (earlier units), 700, or 750.
J (or JA) suffix = high impedance (for subsets with R or BA suffix), coils marked 1750 or 2150.

[poplar1]

Just a follow-up.

Just as I had suspected, there area 68JA ringer!

One of the members on another forum was able to point out the BSP for adjusting the ringer (knowing Bell, I knew there had to be one).

Which BSP?

These ringers are for a 634BA subset.

I have a 634BA1AL  ... there will bring it back to a 634BA

What is a "634BA1AL"?

[poplar1]

General reference for the older-style ringer models found in standard 5x4/6x4 A/BA subsets:

8 type = older standard type with gongs mounted on posts.
68 type = inverted gongs like the one in the photo.

The 8A and 68 type were used in the metal 534 and 634 subsets. They are too large to fit in a 584 or 684.

78 type = gongs facing upward, to fit inside the smaller 584 and 684 Bakelite subsets.

See attached photo of a 684A with 78-type ringer. ( https://www.ebay.com/itm/204288669296 )

[xtal_01]

What is a "634BA1AL"?

Ops ... should have said 634B1AL  ....

I was sent this by a member in another group ..

"B1AL" is the same ringer as in a #302 but it has longer leads, thus the "L" in the part number.

Long story but just as there was never a "new" 151AL  ... they were all put together from refurbished parts .... I am told there was never a "new" 634

My understanding is that they were all 534's that had "upgraded" 101A coils so they were now anti-sidetone

When the 302's came out Bell wanted to standardize and use as many of the same parts as they could.  When I first was a B1AL ringer in a 634 box, I thought it was just a hack someone did at home.

Not the case ... Bell actually did this when they refurbished them.

Honestly I was not totally convinced of this when I was told ... it just looked so bad I figured a factory would never to this.

Then I found the bracket available from a phone shop to do this!  Here was the link:  bracket

I have attached a picture of the subset I just purchased with a BA1L ringer in it.

Thanks so much for the info on the ringers.  As I said, when I saw the inverted bells ... and the high coil impedance, I guessed this wast he correct one for my subset.

Mike

[poplar1]

That picture is of a "634BA" -- not 634B1AL. It makes no difference  whether it has a 146C or 101A induction coil (both anti-sidetone) and no difference if it has a 68J, 68JA, B1A, or B1AL ringer (all high impedance): it's still coded 634BA. The 534/634 was superceded by the 584/684 around 1930/1931. There was no need to continue manufacture of the large metal subsets after that, except for those with harmonic ringers.

The same 534/634 base continued to be used from 1916-1945 for the wall telephone sets 533/633 manual and 553/653 dial. Of course the later wall sets were equipped with 5H dial, 101A IND, and B1A ringers from the factory.

Conversions from 534A to 634A were done in the WE Repair Shops, not the factory. There were also kits for the installer/repairman to do the conversions in the field. This could be done even without removing the subset from the wall.

[xtal_01]

That picture is of a "634BA" -- not 634B1AL.

Got it!

That makes sense ... why have a new number for the same part.  I am sure as they "ran out" of #68 ringers (why would you make more of an old style ringer), they just started using B1 ringers.

It is amazing to me just how "green" Bell was back then.  Very little got thrown away ... it was well built and would be recycled or rebuilt into newer units.

Thanks so much for all the information!!!!!!!!!

I like to learn as I go along !!!!!!!!!!!!

PS ... it says you are from Georgia (I lived in SC for 13 years but and originally from Canada) ... can you send some warm weather up here to VT.  It snowed again last night!  I am itching to get outside and keep working on my new shop but our weather is not co-operating with me.  Some videos of the shop build on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@xtalvt/videos   ... some video on my facebook but you need to look all the way back to Dec 17 .. me already working in snow trying to get rafter up:  https://www.facebook.com/michael.csele