Nickel Rejection Gate?

[Connu]

I'm six months new to 3-slot payphones and have decided to concentrate on the AE 96 series and earlier. One thing that I haven't been able to figure out is what the nickel rejection gate was supposed to do.  I'm not even sure if that's what it's called. 

The gate is closed by default and bumps nickels into the coin return on my 96-E-10.  But who or what, why, and how was this activated to allow nickels through?  I'm assuming the operator could trigger it remotely to allow nickels, but I'd really like to know for sure. I understand how the nickel microswitch worked, but no source ever seems to mention the gate.

[Stan S]

Your payphone is postpay. Meaning the initial deposit is made after the number being called is answered. After the call is answered and the initial deposit is made the central office reverses the tip and ring polarity to the payphone. The solenoid that kicked the nickels into the coin return for initial deposit now switches position and allows nickels to be deposited for OVERTIME. When the call is completed the tip and ring polarity switches back and the solenoid returns to its original position. You can't analyze the operation of a payphone without knowing the relationship between it and the central office.

[Connu]

Thanks Stan.  I knew the 96-E-10 is a semi-postpay 10-cent only phone but hadn't thought about the reverse polarity from the c/o triggering this.  Even more confusing was that someone had jammed a very small, almost invisible, piece of wood into the mechanism to defeat it before I realized it was there and pulled it out so that the gate was open to bump nickels. The automatic reverse polarity to trip it from the c/o makes sense rather than an operator actually doing it.  I know you make a controller to control prepay phones.  Would it be possible to mimic the semi-postpay overtime functionality?  I suppose it would be difficult to detect if the call connected to start a timer.

[Connu]

One other question. How many volts will trigger and test the solenoid?

[Stan S]

Connu -Last question first. To test the solenoid just momentarily connect a 9V transistor radio battery to it.

Getting your payphone working 100% because it's semipostpay is very easy. A prepay payphone isn't easy and requires a controller. Assuming the payphone is unmolested the only thing it needs is to be connected to a phone line that provides 'Called Party Answer Supervision'(polarity reversal on answer). This is a standard function of either an Xlink if you want to use the payphone connected to your cell phone via blue tooth, or get Voip phone service and use an ATA. If you still have POTS phone service your payphone will not work because POTS doesn't have polarity revesal on answer.

If you want a standard phone line (sort of) get Voip. I recommend Voip.MS. Google them. Very inexpensive and they give great service. You can Port your present phone number to them or they will assign a new number to you. You will have to buy an ATA (analog telephone adaptor) for Voip service. I use the Grandsteam HT801 ATA. Costs about $60 from Amazon. The ATA plugs into your router, the payphone plugs into the ATA. If your payphone is really in 'as removed from service condition' it should work 100% with either an Xlink or Voip phone service. No controller needed.

[Connu]

Interesting.  We have Charter Internet service and bundle a phone line in for a fax machine that we rarely use. We have kept it mostly to keep the phone number we've had for 30 years.  Charter's modems have ATA service built in so they can just light up the service from the c/o.  I think that this phone is pretty legit.  I was very happy once I stripped all the layers of paint and cleaned out all the bugs, a large spider, dust, and hay that were inside.  I had to drill out a couple screws to get the lower housing vault off where I found a very nice 2a coin box.  I'll try hooking up a line. I just need to find a wiring diagram.

BTW, the solenoid worked fine.  Thanks again for the tip. 

[Connu]

Stan, would you happen to have a 96-E-10 wiring diagram? I can't seem to get dial tone.

[Stan S]

Try reversing the tip amd ring. You will probably have to get Voip service separately. Cable companies usually don't give answer supervision as an option. Diagram attached below.

[Stan S]

Phone line goes to the top screw and the third from the top screws.

[Connu]

That's how I have it wired and Charter says they use answer supervision.

Timing on completed calls begins when the call is answered by the called party. Answering is determined by hardware answer supervision in all cases where signaling is provided by the terminating local carrier and any intermediate carrier(s). Timing terminates on all calls when the calling party hangs up or the Company's network receives an on-hook signal from the terminating carrier.

[5415551212]

I would look into a used Cisco ATA, there are two FXS port ones that can be had for $60 and they had better support for call supervision. If you don't want to pay for a VIOP line you can always get a number on c*net.

[Connu]

Thanks.  I think I may try Stan's ATA first.  The crazy thing is that I can see that the Charter ATA is detecting that the phone is off hook and very quickly changes status when it isn't.  I just can't hear a dial tone. I've traced most of the wiring using the diagram Stan posted and it checks out.  I'm starting to wonder if the handset or speaker is dead.

[Connu]

Turns out it was a faulty dial. I bumped it a certain way and I heard a very muted tone.  I played around with the dial a bit and got a good steady tone, but as soon as I let it go the tone was gone.  Anyone have a nice AE dial and porcelain daisy they could part with?

[TelePlay]

Anyone have a nice AE dial and porcelain daisy they could part with?

Post pictures of the dial back and front.

[Stan S]

Connu - I'm sure Charter uses Supervision internally. I'm also sure they don't transmit it to the calling phone. That's why I suggested a Voip line with an ATA.
Your dial probably needs a little 'tweaking'. I'd unmount it from the top and run the wires out connected, so you can reassemble the payphone with the back of the dial exposed. Then move the contacts until you hear a dial tone in the handset. You will probably see what the problem is and burnish or bend a contact to solve it. That's all part of the fun.