Paris central exchange jacknife switch
Date: circa 1884
Inventory Number: 8035a
Classification: Telephone Equipment
Subject:
Maker: Société Générale des Téléphones (1880 - 1889)
Cultural Region:
Place of Origin:
Dimensions:
switch without cord: 10.3 × 6 × 2.6 cm (4 1/16 × 2 3/8 × 1 in.)
Accessories: switchboard call drop (8035b)
Description:
A telephone jackknife switch, from the Paris central exchange c.1884. At that time, the busy exchange served only Paris, and had seventy operators working by day and thirty by night. Ms. Hattie Landon, an American, supervised the operators.
The telephone switch consists of a pair of turned-wood jack handles, connected to and perpendicular to a pair of parallel, rectangular wooden plates. The plates are held in position by a pair of long metal screws, parallel to the jack handles. A length of frayed blue and grey cloth-wrapped electrical cord is attached to the end of each jack handle. Affixed to the top edge of each wooden plate is a black metal strip, secured on one end by a screw. Ebonite, a form of hard rubber, is between the plates.
Left side of each plate is stamped, "1"
The telephone switch consists of a pair of turned-wood jack handles, connected to and perpendicular to a pair of parallel, rectangular wooden plates. The plates are held in position by a pair of long metal screws, parallel to the jack handles. A length of frayed blue and grey cloth-wrapped electrical cord is attached to the end of each jack handle. Affixed to the top edge of each wooden plate is a black metal strip, secured on one end by a screw. Ebonite, a form of hard rubber, is between the plates.
Left side of each plate is stamped, "1"
Signedunsigned
Inscribedleft side of each plate stamped: 1
FunctionConnection of operator to subscriber and one subscriber to another in a telephone exchange
ProvenanceJefferson Laboratory, Physics Department, Harvard University
Published ReferencesThis instrument is described in:
Thomas G. Hedberg, "Catalogue: Telephones, Phonographs and Related Instruments in The Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments at Harvard University." William Andrewes, Project Director (unpublished manuscript, President and Fellows of Harvard College and Thomas G. Hedberg, 1989. Fifth Draft), pp. 84-85.
See also:
George B. Prescott, Bell's Electric Speaking Telephone: Its Invention, Construction, Application, Modification and History. (New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1884). pp. 198, 216, 202, 230.
website.