Posted 6 years ago
AnythingOb…
(1778 items)
I don't know the exact age/story behind this, having grabbed it for cheap offa eBay a few yrs ago simply because I wanted one to "play with". <wink, grin, giggle> I then mounted it to a block of scrap oak as a 'base'. Hard to see, but it is stamped "THE STROMBERG-CARLSON TEL. MFG. CO. CHICAGO" on its front plate. (pic 4)
It still operates perfectly as near as I can tell...completely capable of delivering a nice jolt of electricity when given a good crank... :-)
So interesting!! The first one of these I've ever seen.
Now you just need the case.
Awesome. A case would be good but I think it looks great without the case, showing off it's mechanics.
THANKS SO MUCH to fortapache, jscott0363, buckethead, Brunswick, SpiritBear, and racer4four for your <loves> and kind comments!!
Jscott, this (as the others imply) is basically what's on the other end of the crank, inside any odd variety of antique oak-box telephone set. (roughly 1920's-40's?) These were made in similar sizes/styles by all the common telephone companies/equipment manufacturers of the time, as far as I know there's nothing particularly unique about this one. The 4 rounded parts are permanent magnets (similar generators are commonly found with anywhere between 3 and 6 of these) and inside the bottom part of it, connected to the crank/gears, is an axle/armature thing including coils of copper wire -- when the crank is turned the axle spins, sending freshly generated electricity out thru the switch-contact mechanism on the end opposite the crank. <bzzzzt> I haven't ever tested it with a meter, but believe these things can put out roughly 80-90 volts...*definitely* enough to feel, ifn's one was holding bare wires connected to it while somebody else cranked it... <eeek>
Racer -- I too rather enjoy looking at it 'bare'. ;-) It is indeed a beautifully made little machine, even if it really wasn't ever intended to be seen? :-)
Great info!! Thanks!!
More thanks to AnnaB, Manikin, Caperkid, officialfuel, and ttomtucker for stopping by and tapping the <love it> button! :-) :-) :-)
Sooooo very cool.....
Thanks to Shikaka, Mr.Been-Bodybuilding, Collectables59, and MyCountry for adding y'all's <love it>s!