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Northern Electric Uniphone - No. 1
Desk Set
"Burled Walnut"
F1 handset
AE dial with brown fingerwhee |
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Northern Electric Uniphone - No. 2
Wall Set
"Burled Walnut"
NU handset
BPO dial
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Uniphones
were Northern Electric's combined set that included the
traditional desk set and subset components in one package. In
general,
they use the same internal components as the Western and Northern 302.
Uniphones were sold primarily to independent phone companies, while the
302 was used within the Bell System in Canada. Therefore, they
are
found with a variety of handsets, ringers and dials that were added
based on local need and supply.
The NE T-7 catalog mentions two primary models, the No. 1 desk set and
No.2 wall set.
Deskset replacement models were also made with the same shells and only
a switchhook to
replace earlier sets such as candlesticks, and B and D mountings.
Desk: No. 5 (manual) and No. 7 (dial)
Wall: No.6 (manual) and No.8 (dial)
Uniphones are usually found with the NE #5
dials, but the catalog also
shows wiring for the AE #24 and BPO (British Post Office) dials.
BPO
dials were often made by Siemens and have their name on the
fingerstop. These dials were supplied for comptibility with
switches
used by independents. Announcement documents and the T-6 catalog
also show early Uniphones
supplied
with
the now scarce Northern N14 dial.
All were available in black or "burled walnut" (brown with black
highlights).
A few desk sets in ivory have been found (see below). They were
apparently never
marketed due to warping and color stability issues.
(From Uniphone
Announcement brochure.)
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Left: No. 1 and No. 2 bottom
view. Note holes through feet for wall mounting of No. 2.
Right: Inside view of No.1, showing B1A ringer, 101A coil and
capacitor. Dated 1951.
Below: Inside view of No. 2, showing B1A ringer, 101A coil
and capacitor. Dated 1940.
Note the hinge mechanism in the center that firmly holds the shell to
the bottom plate. Very useful for maintenance after wall mounting.
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Uniphone handset
evolution
Shown left to right:
NF NU F1
NF and NU have a taller, more angular handle than the F1,
with a flat
ridge down the back. At first glance, they appear identical, but
have subtle differences.
The receiver caps on all three are different, but have the same threads
so can be
interchanged. NU and NF have a similar cross-section, but the
circular hole pattern is tighter on the NU. The F1 cross section
is smoother and not as tall.
Contact springs are different, depending on the receiver capsule used
(see 2 styles shown below).
The cavity casting is the same for the NF and NU, but different style
springs are used for the two capsules. Although both NF and NU
will take either spring set, so either capsule may be used, I have
never seen a NU handset with the earlier capsule.
The cavity and springs for the F1 were apparently simplified for
manufacturing economy.
The NF uses a 2-piece transmitter cap. The black plate with hole
pattern is an insert, similar to the one used on the E handset
transmitter.
All models use the same F-style transmitter elements that were used in
both Northern and Western late E and most F-model handsets.
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Receiver Capsules
Early NF handsets used a D 96337 capsule (left).
Later NFs and all NUs and most F handsets used the HA1-style capsule
(right).
The D part number suggests it was a design model and not intended for
volume manufacturing. The diaphragm is held on by magnetic
attraction only.
The HA1 is a sealed unit. The circular contact symmetry means the
capsule does not have to be properly physically aligned when installed.
The lower photo shows the D 96337 with diaphragm removed.
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Photos from Glenn
Pitre
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No. 1 Uniphone with NU
handset and BPO dial in ivory, showing the common color stability
issues and some warping.
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