An Antique Western Electric 233G 3-Slot Payphone

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An Antique Western Electric 233G 3-Slot Payphone:
$975.00

A Western Electric 233G3-Slot PayphoneWithA Working Coin Mechanism. This is a picture of the actual payphone being saleed. It is not a stock photo. _____Step into 'The Wayback Machine'Submitted for your consideration:The only antique Western Electric payphone currently on with a coin mechanism that functions in a 100% historically correct way.Itis themarriageof vintage parts and 'state of the art'technology.Alittle telephone history.andIf you're old enough, hopefully some pleasant memories._____Turn your speakers on.This sale has historically appropriate background music.(Sorry folks,doesn't work with the ipad browser.)____When I'm 64The BeatlesEMI Records 1967_____A LittleHistoryIn 1949, The Bell Systemintroduced the model 500 desk telephone. This newmodel with improved transmitter and receiver had a 425 networkwhichmaintained the audio of the telephone at aconstant level.Below is a picture of the inside of a 500 series desk phone. The 425 network is the block with the screws on the top.The 233Gwas Western Electric's payphoneequivalentof the model 500 series deskphone.Unfortunately, it wasn't possible to fit the425 networkinside the 233G payphone,so a separate box or 'subset' containing the 425 network and a ringerwasmountednext tothe payphone.Below is a picture of the inside of the subset that would have been used with thispayphone.It is a Western Electric model 685. More about the need for this external 'subset' later in the sale._____The pre-pay 233Gwasintroduced in 1959 and was the first model payphone tousethe'singlecoil coin relay' developed by Bell Labs.Below is a front view ofa single coil coin relay. _____ConditionThis payphone has been refurbished and is in excellent condition.If you own a phone booth and have been waiting fora perfect 3-slotto put in it, this is the payphone for you._____It Comes WithA modified Western Electric 531A external ringerA line coupler/power supply built into the external ringerA front andtop mounted instruction card holderwith instruction cardsLocks and keysAcast chrome plated vault door_____Added AssembliesTo eliminate the need foran external 'subset' (previously mentioned),a speech networkboard was installed insidethe payphone.An RJ-11phone line interface board withan 'incoming call detector' was also installed.To make the coin mechanism function as it did when this payphone was in actual service, the coin relay was rebuilt so it would work in conjunction witha coin control modulethat was also added.I designed and manufacturedthese assemblies._____OperationIf you aren't old enough to know (or are, but have forgotten),below is a description of how this payphoneoperates.In the 1950s and early 1960s you didn't walk up to a payphone, lift the handset and geta dial tone; you had to deposit 10 cents first.This type of operation was called 'Coin First'.Whenyou deposited a dime you heard two'dings' and you received a dial tone.Ifyou deposited twonickels, the first nickel was held in the phone until the secondnickel was deposited; then you heard two 'dings'andyou received a dial tone.If your dialed call wasn't answered and you hung up, after a long time your initialdeposit was returned.If your dialed call was answered and you hung up, after a long time your initial depositwas collected.___Every original detail has been duplicated in the design of thisunique payphone; even the precise timing of the slower coinfunctions.Using this payphone is like taking a step back in time!_____Below is a simplifieddescription of how thispayphone operates.You lift the handset and deposit adime or 2 nickels.After the initial depositis madeyou hear a dial tone.You dialthe desired number.If your dialed number isn't answered,theinitial depositwilleventually bereturnedwhen you hang up,ifit's been less than 60 secondssince you got the dial tone.If your dialed number is answered,theinitial depositwill eventually be collectedwhen you hang up, if it's been more than 60 seconds since you got the dial tone.You answer incoming calls like you would with any telephone._____Below is amore detailed description of this payphone and its operation.This payphone is equipped witha programmable coin control module. The coin control module operates the coin mechanism of the payphone exactly as it operated when the payphone was in actual use.The coin control module and the coin mechanism are powered by a small, external9 volt power supply.The control module and the coin mechanism take no power, receive no information,and are totally isolated from the phone line. Thispayphone wasdesigned to operate with modern featuressuch as'Call Waiting'.There is no need to worrythatthis payphonewon't work with your present telephoneservice, or if you change telephone service providers in the future.A Rotary To Touch Tone Converter can be added outside of the payphone at the walljack,if it becomes necessary in the future._____A 7-ft. telephone cord comes standard with the payphone. If you need a longer cord, or have to replace it because of damage,one can be purchased from most chain drug stores or Radio Shack._____The payphone has an internal RJ-11 connector that makesreplacing the cord very simple._____Theassemblies not original tothis payphoneare:The speech network boardThe programmable coin control moduleandThe RJ-11 phone line interface board.These assemblies are additionstothepayphone to makeiteasyto install and operate asit did in the past.They are what give this payphone 'PERSONALITY'_____ The picturesin this saleare the actual items you will receive.If a 'stock photo' is used it will be as an example for educational purposes._____Obviously thefun of usingthis payphone is making outgoing calls because you areusing the coin mechanism.You answer incoming calls as you would with any phone._____PLEASE!Before you offer make sure your telephone service provider supports rotary dialing.If they don't, you will have to add a Rotary To Touch Tone converter between thepayphone and the phone line._____Thispayphone was never intended to be used as a profit-making public telephone.It issold for amusement purposes only!

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Scroll down and look at the pictures with detailed descriptions.

Please do not hesitate to email any questions you may have._____Internal Wiring This is the inside of the actual payphone in this sale with the top removed. This is not a stock photo.Added assembliesnot original to the payphone are pictured and described in detail below._____Line Input BoardBelow is a stock photo ofa line input board. The RJ-11 connector on the board allows you to replace the cord going to the telephonejack if it gets damaged,or you want a different length or color.Theboard has an 'incoming call detector' circuit.This circuit allows the payphone to connect to the phone line,by-passing the coinmechanism when the handset is lifted on an incoming call._____Speech Network BoardBelow is aclose-up of the actual speech network board in this payphone. The speech network electronically matches the receiver and transmitter components inthe handset of the payphone to the telephone line.In conjunction with the external ringer,the networkboard eliminates the need forthe externalsubset. _____Coin Control ModuleThe pictures below are stock photos that show the size of the module and the way it's mounted.The 9 volt battery is for size comparison only.There are no batteries in this payphone. Below is a picture of the coin control module mounted in the payphone. With the track for the coin can in placeit's not possible to see the control module. _____Operation Of The Coin MechanismWhen these payphones were in service, deposited coins were collected only if thecalled party actually answered.Unfortunately, do to changes in telephone technology, a payphone that is capableofoperating that way today would be very expensive.Since this payphone is being used for amusement purposes and is not a revenueproducing public telephone, the coin return/collect function can be timed.Thepayphone switches from coin return to collect60 secondsafter the initial depositis made.This givesenough time to:Dial all the digits of the phone number, even ifit has lots of9s and 0s, which take the most time to dialAllows time for the call to connectGives the called party time to answer after 3 or 4 rings.___Timing this function adds coin control at a realistic cost.___The 'brain' ofthe payphone is the programmable coin control module. The coin control module tells the coin mechanism of the payphone how and when tofunction. The operation of the coin control module and the coin mechanism is a function of thelength of time the payphone's handset is off hook. When a dime or two nickels is deposited in the payphone and a dial-tone is obtained, asignal is sent to the coin control module.The coin control module tells the coin mechanism to: Refund the initial deposit if the handset of the payphone is hung up before an elapsed timeof about 60 seconds; Collect the initial deposit if the handset of the payphone is hung up after an elapsed timeof about 60 seconds;Perform this refund / collect functionwith a delay of 2-4 seconds after the handset is hungup (this timing is dependent on the model andvintage of the payphone); Perform this refund / collect function for a period of 1 second so that the deposited coinwill have sufficient time to clear the coin mechanism before it resets. These timed functions done by the coin control module are what givethis payphoneits personality. Each coin control module is individually programmed to assure the operation of thepayphone it is installed in is historically correct. The coin control module isdoing what the telephone company central office did in thepast.These functions are powered by a small, external 9 volt power supply._____Payphone's Top This is the inside of the payphone'stop.
Itis 100% factory original, except for the substitution of a21B lock in place of the original 10G.The security lock (lower left hand corner)is nonfunctional.It is used for cosmetic reasonsonly._____Dial And 'Daisy'The porcelain dial 'daisy' is an original and inexcellent condition.The dial is a #6 Western Electric that has been ultrasonically cleaned andaccurately adjusted._____Instruction Cards
Front and top mounted instruction card holdersare included with the payphone.Theinstruction cardsarecopies of originals from the 1960s.The top card is from Brooklyn, New York andone of my favorites.This is a stock photo.There areplenty of antique 3 slot payphones sold on with instruction cardsthat arenothing but decorations.I'll bet this is the onlyantique payphone on that iscapable of operating exactlythe way the instruction cards says it should._____Locks and Keys The payphone comes with a 21Bupper housing lockandkey.The vault lock is a type30C withonekey._____ Coin CanA locking coin can is not supplied with this payphone.They are more trouble than they're worth.The track for the coin can is mounted in the payphone.If youmust have a locking coin can buy it from someoneelse and use it at your own risk._____Vault DoorThe payphoneis supplied with a cast chrome plated vault door._____External Ringer/Phone Line CouplerPower Supply The payphone comes witha Western Electric 531A external ringer.This ringerhas two brass bells.These bells sound great!Theringer has beenrebuilt to also act as a coupler. The coupler connects the payphone to the telephone line anda 9 volt power supplythat powersthe coin control module and the coin mechanism.___The gray telephone cable plugs into the telephone line.The small power supply plugs into a standard 110V outlet.It is UL listed.The payphone plugs into the connector in the ringer box.___Below is aphotoof the inside ofthemodified ringer boxincluded in this sale._____If the winner of this sale requires a power supply that is 230V AC,it will be supplied in place of the 110V unit at no extra cost._____Payphone PersonalityOne of the characteristics of 3-slot payphones that gavethem theirpersonalitywas the delay after the handset was hung-up, until thedeposited coins werereturned or collected.If you were a kid in the 1950s and 60s and grew up using 3-slots you didn't justhang-up a payphone and walk away.Back then ten cents was a lot of money to a kid!A candy barcost 5 cents.A Coke (in a real glass bottle) was a dime.Maybe 'accidentally' the coins in the payphone would be returned instead of collected.So, after you hung-up you stood and watched the payphone and waited and waited and waited,Remember?This payphone was designed to mirror every original characteristicof the way you rememberthese payphones operating in 'the good old days'.___If You Own A 3-Slot PayphoneIf you already own a prepay 3-slot payphone that is in 'as removed from servicecondition' and you would like the coin mechanism to operate,click on 'See Other Items' at the beginning of this sale. I manufacture an outboard payphone controller for that purpose.Adding an outboard controllerto your payphone is more cost-effective than buyinga payphone with built-in coin control._____Sorry, No Popcorn The 233G payphone in the video that follows is not the one being offered in this sale.Except forminor cosmetic differencesthey are identical and operate in exactly the same way.___This video won't win any awards butit does an adequate jobdemonstrating how the payphone:Returnsthe deposited coinswhen a call is not completed.Holds the first deposited nickel until the second nickel is deposited.Returns both nickels after a delay when the call is abandoned.Collects the deposited nickels with a time delay, if 60 seconds has passedsince the deposit was made.___Payclose attention to the timing of the various coin functions.Notice the time delay before the payphone returns or collects deposited coins.___ The telephone audioyou hear isfrom a 'Spokesman' telephone amplifierconnected to the phone line and out ofcamera view.___This payphone was designed to mirror every original characteristicof the way these payphones operated in actual service.__________A SuggestionIf you have an interest in the history of the payphoneyou should own a copy of this book. 'Payphone History'is the most comprehensivestudy ofthe evolution of the payphone ever undertaken.It is the result of an enormous amount of research.Itcovers over 100 years of payphone history.The author, Ron Knappen, is a recognized experton the subject. The book is available on .Do a search for seller:THISUNDTHAT5HNQ_____Thanks for looking and have a great day!_____

Terms of Sale

offerding

If you have zero response you must contact us before offerding.

If you have more than 3 negatives in the past year you must contact us before offerding.

We reserve the right to cancel any offer for any reason.

Payment

Payment is by Paypal ONLY!

New York State residentsmustadd 8.7% Sales Tax or email a valid

Tax Resale Certificate after the close of the sale.

Shipping and Insurance

We Do Not Make A Profit On Shipping!

No local pickup- all items must be shipped.

We only ship via UPS within the U. S.

Insurance is MANDATORY!

We ship the next business day after payment is received.

Foreignbuyers please note:

Shipments are via USPS

Customs Declarations are filledout accurately.

What is on the Customs Declaration is what is in the box.

The declared value on the Customs Declaration is the exact amount of the winning offer.

The winning buyer is solely responsible for all taxes, fees and duties.

Packing

Their isno charge for packing.

Packing material is a cost of doing business.

Thepayphoneisencased in2 inchesof bubble wrap.

Itisthen double-boxed withbubble wrapbetween the two boxes.

The outerbox isan extra heavy duty type ECT-44.

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Every effort is made to insure that what comes out of the box at your end is in the

same condition it was in when it went into the box at our end.