Hobbies And Interests
History
In the 1870s, several inventors patented different means of using a telephone. Most of these were dials; others were buttons. Almon Strowger patented the first rotary telephone dial in production. It was the first regular telephone without the need for a switchboard operator. In 1892, the use of the new phone system took effect. By 1943, all areas in the United States had the use of rotary telephones.
The candlestick rotary telephone was the first commercialized device that was in residential homes, in 1919. The phone could be placed on a desk in the home or office. In 1927, a handset model was in production. This rotary telephone assisted the user to complete other tasks while talking on the phone. Between 1930 and 1980, the rotary phone became more convenient to use and less awkward. In the 1980s, push button phones began production; however, you could still find rotary phone in many homes.
Significance
Before the invention of the rotary dial, people believe that switchboard operators were sabotaging them. This was especially true in business. Some people who worked for the phone companies would direct calls to their family's business. This is said to be the main reason Strowger invented the rotary dial telephone.
Since the 1990s, rotary telephones have slowly disappeared from homes. With the invention of push button, wireless and cell phones, rotary telephones became all but obsolete. A generation may have never had the use of these types of phones. However, collectors and vintage enthusiasts pay top dollar for certain models.
Types
The types of rotary telephones that have been in production were for usability and style. In the early days of rotary phones, the candlestick, handset and oval base were in production. These phones had a ringer device mounted on instead of inside. In the late 1930s, all of the mechanics were inside the base of the telephone. Other types of rotary phones were the wall mounted, office message data phone, office key set and number dialer. In wartime, companies made explosion-proof, weather-resistant and space-saving phones. Not all of the rotary phones were practical. Exotic, Disney and sculpted rotary telephones were in production.
Identification
The first candlestick telephone was a long device with a protruding earpiece. The voice mechanism was on a long neck above the dial. You put the piece to your ear, dialed the number and spoke directly into the phone. The next model was complete with a handset, where you talk and listen from this part of the phone. These were lightweight, so you could move them easily while working or doing things around the home.
When World War II broke out in 1939, manufacturers were going to build telephones out of cast iron. However, metal was an important resource in the war effort, so they opted for a sturdy plastic material. These rotary telephones had all of the mechanics inside the base, including the ringer. The design of the dial was from small to large. On some of them, you needed to use the whole tip of your finger; in others, you could use just the tip of your pinky. The smallest dial required the use of a lever to dial the number.
Function
Rotary telephones work on a pulse system. The corresponding numbers release a pulse to dial the number. If you dial the number 3, three pulses will be released. At first, you would have to manually stop the dial or you would produce too many pulses and end up with the wrong number. Then the telephones were made with a spring-loaded mechanism. This would allow the dial to stop when you released your finger. Pulse dialing took approximately 3 minutes to dial a number locally. A long-distance call took longer.