Old House Mystery: 6-Bell Servants’ Call Box – 2 Still Missing, Any Ideas?

[Harry Bloomfield]

Without knowing exactly that the products are it's fairly likely they are low resistance solenoids and bell in series, that was certainly a popular system.

They typically, ran from an 'accumulator', then later a bell battery. Pressing a bell push, energised a relay, which unlatched a flag, which then 'waved' a flag, in one of the windows, as it rocked, and rang a bell. The flag would then need to be reset, or latched, via a manual reset button.

 

[SUNRAY]

They typically, ran from an 'accumulator', then later a bell battery. Pressing a bell push, energised a relay, which unlatched a flag, which then 'waved' a flag, in one of the windows, as it rocked, and rang a bell. The flag would then need to be reset, or latched, via a manual reset button.

That doesn't appear to describe this one, I dont see any reset/release mechanism so I think it's the type were the solenoid pull the flag to start it swinging- I'm not there to inspect it so very happy to be corrected on this - as such it tends to require a greater magnetic flux and greater current hence the lower resistance.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

That doesn't appear to describe this one, I dont see any reset/release mechanism so I think it's the type were the solenoid pull the flag to start it swinging- I'm not there to inspect it so very happy to be corrected on this - as such it tends to require a greater magnetic flux and greater current hence the lower resistance.

You are correct - it's the basic model, rather than the deluxe latching version

 

[SUNRAY]

You are correct - it's the basic model, rather than the deluxe latching version

I don't know about delux, there were several different versions

 

[morqthana]

... the Falkirk Wheel.
Oh I could name many many more both ancient and modern.

The Anderton Lift

 

[ebee]

The Anderton Lift

Yes another brilliant feat of engineering - sadly I have not seen that one in real life yet.

 

[JohnD]

Must admit I do appreciate the ingenuity of old techniques, some of them were very clever too.
A joy to behold.

Some of the famous builds of the old engineers Like Brunel to name just one. the mechanical and electrical disciplines of old were really imaginative and I commend them alongside modern stuff like the Moon landings and the Falkirk Wheel.
Oh I could name many many more both ancient and modern.

The London Hydraulic Power Company.

 

[Ragnar_AT]

It may not be as low current as you imagine, the wire showing looks like it might even be modern 1.0mm² T&E, I'd be tempted to not deviate too far from there.

Without knowing exactly that the products are it's fairly likely they are low resistance solenoids and bell in series, that was certainly a popular system.

Yes, that's how they were usually wired, each button connected to one solenoid and the common of all solenoids wired to the bell. Last year I built a working late-20s setup (original transformer, bell, panel) on my bench as a demonstration. The panel was much less ornate than this one, just a plain steel box painted black. The wires were something like 0.5 mm2 solid cores, rubber and cloth covered.

Those bell transformers are usually 1 A so I'd expect the current to be no more than that. I've been taught it takes more than 300 mA at 230 V to start a fire (70 W) so I wouldn't be particularly worried about 12 V/1 A on an isolation transformer.

 

[endecotp]

Re the required wire thickness, I once had a ding-dong doorbell that was connected to the button by maybe 20m of telephone-type wire, and that had enough resistance to reduce it from dong-dong to just donk. I fixed that with a transistor. If you plan to reinstate the missing buttons here, I'd use something similar to what the other buttons have, not thinner.

 

[ebee]

I`m trying to remember an old domestic signalling system that was deployed in old houses (mansions with servants probably) and if I remember correctly it caused a number of compass needle to point one way or the other on a marked lattice to signify which phrase or letter of the alphabet was signified.
maybe six wire to signify the whole alphabet or some such.
I might be a bit out with those number but I`m sure you get the drift.
Why the heck Lord and Lady Posh People could not simply open a door and shout to Jeeves the Butler or Connie the Cook like us ordinary folks might do, I dont know.

But it was somewhat ingenious nonetheless to see a diagram of it as a young boy.

 

[JohnD]

I`m trying to remember an old domestic signalling system that was deployed in old houses (mansions with servants probably) and if I remember correctly it caused a number of compass needle to point one way or the other on a marked lattice to signify which phrase or letter of the alphabet was signified.
maybe six wire to signify the whole alphabet or some such.
I might be a bit out with those number but I`m sure you get the drift.
Why the heck Lord and Lady Posh People could not simply open a door and shout to Jeeves the Butler or Connie the Cook like us ordinary folks might do, I dont know.

But it was somewhat ingenious nonetheless to see a diagram of it as a young boy.

Some hospitals.

 

[bernardgreen]

The five needle telegraph was not used in domestic applications

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

The five needle telegraph was not used in domestic applications

That, had applications in railway signal boxes.

 

[SUNRAY]

Re the required wire thickness, I once had a ding-dong doorbell that was connected to the button by maybe 20m of telephone-type wire, and that had enough resistance to reduce it from dong-dong to just donk. I fixed that with a transistor. If you plan to reinstate the missing buttons here, I'd use something similar to what the other buttons have, not thinner.

Indeed these thing are quite hungry

 

[morqthana]

Yes another brilliant feat of engineering - sadly I have not seen that one in real life yet.

Nor I the Falkirk Wheel.