Single Slot Phone Modification

[ramegoom]

I picked up this phone locally for $50, disassembled it, and sent the housing out for red powdercoat. Turned out nice.

So now I want to make it work with my WE551a switchboard. Pretty sure the electronics are not compatible with anything I might have, so I'm thinking I'll use an old desk phone, take the guts out and graft them into this phone. I don't care if the touch-tone keypad works, just going to use the hook switch and handset wiring.

Anyone else do this? It seems there is enough room inside to place the desk phone components along with the bell, in order to make it sort of functional.

[Key2871]

What type of chassis does it have, can you post a picture.
If you have a 32 type chassis, it will work fine with a switch board.

[Payphone installer]

I have some dial pads that are a complete telephone meaning you can use them in the payphone dial housing and you dont need anything else.

[Key2871]

We'll that's nice.

[Payphone installer]

Just got to make it fit.

[HarrySmith]

Those dial pads are pretty cool!

[Protel8000]

Wow, that color look good. Also, I've never seen a card swipe add on like that! Was that a standard thing?

[Jim Stettler]

I have some dial pads that are a complete telephone meaning you can use them in the payphone dial housing and you dont need anything else.

That is a cool item to be aware of.
Jim S.

[ramegoom]

Here are a few inside pics. Any idea what make and model this would be? I believe Western Electric, that's all I know. The terminal strip with four screws leads to the handset, so it's a convenient access to that. Looks like much of the circuitry is in the coin acceptor and there are two connections to it along with a separate connector that leads to a magnetic sensor for the coin box, and the two terminals on the coin diverter coil. 

[Key2871]

The housing is western electric, but as for the rest.. maybe Jim could tell you.
But I think if you took the dial mech out, that touch tone dial Jim has could be installed nicely. Because the dial assembly is a lot like a 2500 set, loosen a couple screws on either side, and the dial pad comes out. And the one Jim has may just fit right back in. If that dial is the same width as a western coin phone dial is. You won't have the card slot anymore, but you could have a working phone.

It won't collect or return coins, unless you put a proper board in, some slight modifications may need to be done to the dial housing, to allow for a molar cord to plug into that dial, and hook switch operations.

[ramegoom]

I guess I'm trying to understand this type of pay phone. There is circuitry between the receiver and the phone line, and another connector that interfaces with the coin solenoid. Not sure how they work; there must be some operator interaction and control to that phone in order for it to make a call.

If I simply apply a normal phone line to it, where do I place that line? Can it work like a normal phone if I can find the connection to a phone line input? There must be additional electronic control to make it work properly.

I suppose it all comes down to exactly how a pay phone is controlled, which I have no idea.....

[Protel8000]

Is it missing a chassis?

[Jim Stettler]

It is a card only pay  phone with a data access port. I think it is odd enough to keep as is.
JMO,
Jim S.

[ramegoom]

Far as I can tell, it's complete. I was thinking on just installing a dial tone board into it, make so that whenever you lift the receiver you get the tone. But I have an extra pair of phone lines on my 551a switchboard, so it'd be novel to have it connected. I can put a small set of bells inside it so it can ring, and the subset from a desk phone so it will interface. Problem is, the hook switch is a single contact microswitch, unlike the multiple contact hook switch on a regular phone. Not sure if I need multiple contacts, but in order to keep it fully functional, I think I'd need the proper hook switch contacts.

[Key2871]

We'll I was under the impression that you already tried to connect it to a phone line. But now what I've read that's not the case.
In your picture of the lower housing I saw a connector that would connect to the dial assembly. And I also saw what could be a connector for a telephone line.
Try connecting it all up and if you have a modular port on your board, connect it and see what happens.
I think you may be able to call in to it, but you won't be able to call out, unless you make an initial deposit.