atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Other TDM Phone Systems Antique Telephones Old Switchboard?

A buddy sent me this link. I've never seen anything like it. Anyone have info/thoughts?
https://www.etsy.com/listing/66416307/rare-antique-1800s-phone-oak-swithboard?ref=sr_gallery_2

Jeff

If you look carefully at the device, there are a few clues.

There are no lamps, so it cannot have been used as a PAX or PABX. There would be no way for extensions to signal the attendant.

There are no trunk circuits, and no lamps for trunk ring-up indications.

There are no supervisory lamps to indicate that a call is finished. On a PAX they will light up to alert the attendant to take down the cords.

There is no attendant talk circuitry, nor any place to plug in a headset or handset.

There is no magneto, nor are there any power connections, nor any relays.

The plugs are 2-wire (Tip/Sleeve only, no Ring connection) so they could not perform supervision, even if there were cord circuits present.

The cords are looped at the point where they enter and leave the bottom of the board. They probably would have been used as patch cords. One end in one jack, the other end in another jack, to pass a signal through the board. It is a passive "patch panel" of sorts.

My vote is a railroad telegraph interconnection board that selects paths for (relatively) permanent connections, such as those that would be set up at the beginning of a shift.

Yep, for the same reasons, no lamps, drop keys, or supervisory circuitry, I'd vote for some sort of patch panel for patching A to B (hence the colored cords). While I don't doubt the veracity of the seller :-) I beleive that if it came from a hotel, it was probably used for night signalling in some sort of bell ringing intercom system with a lot of external equipment.

Clearly not worth that kind of cash.

Carl

This is just a guess.

Each 2-wire jack on the panel is wired to a jack or termina plate in the bedrooms.

If a guest is travelling with his valet, then a push is plugged in in the guest's room, and a battery/bell is plugged in in the valet's room. The two rooms are linked by plug-plug cord on the panel. The guest can then ring for his valet.

Notice in the picture shown that the number of jacks on the face and the number of screw terminations don't match.

My X-ray vision is out of order, so I can't be sure, but I think there are screw terminals on both edges of the jack panel. I count 12 terminals one side. That would make 24 screws total. There are 16 jacks, plus a couple of push buttons (?) on the front. Could be that some sleeves are commoned. It's all conjecture, without a field visit.

Just because I was in on the last cut of a manual switchboard in Ohio in 1980, I stopped there to see if they still had the old magneto board (they donated to some historical society), but they mentioned the the Ridgeville Telephone Co. had one in their lobby! I called and, alas, it was put in storage when they remodeled the office :-(.

However, I do have a request in to the manager to see if it's possible to get pics and archive the board. I assume it's a magneto board with drop keys, fairly fully loaded. I told them I was in no particular hurry, so maybe next month sometime or August :-) Ya never know.

For those following the color coded chart, that's McClure (419-748) and Ridgeville Corners 419-267. McClure cut to a Quatman stepper with Mitel Quadverters in 1980 and now use a Coppercom digital switch. They went from magneto to TT with ANI in maybe April, 1980. I don't know when the got CLASS (LASS) goodies.

Carl