The Elk Mountain pilot., 1920-12-09
IMPROVEMENTS NEVER CEASE

For years there has been a constant
cry for better telephone service
something that would speed up SER
vice, eliminate confusion of rings,
and hold up the efficiency on our par
ty line telephones. Our party line
telephones are a necessity on account
of the prohibitive cost of stringing
private wires. The telephone world
has been wishing for some way to
bring up party telephone service to
a practicable proposition. 1t has been
done by device known as The Sc
lect-a-phone.
The Select-a-phone is being handled
by syndicate of Denver men, who
are laying plans to make it one of
our big enterprises. The field for
such a device is large. The device is
an attachment to our present tele-
phone equipment. 1t is contained in
a small box that is placed on or near
the telephone in each house and
switches the desired phone onto the
circuit, leaving those not called dis
connected during the conversation.
In other words. when you are using
the phone, you have direct connection
with the party to whom you are talk
ing just the same as though you had
a private wire. In fact, you have a
private wire when you are using the
phone and visa-versa when some other
party is using the line.
These instruments are being made
to accommodate any number up to IL
parties on a circuit. 1t gives indi-
vidual ringing. Your bell will ring
only when you are called. You do
not have to listen for your three
shorts or four longs as the case may
be. When you are talking your efTi-
cheney is held up to standard, as an
other subscriber taking down his re-
ceiver does not cut into the circuit.
A lady's watch has been heard tick
ing distinctly at a distance of 81
miles, at 1000 feet altitude over a
range, with all the receivers down.
Any combination desired may be
had Any one can be called, or any
two or three, as the case may be,
leaving out the rest, or all may be
called at once, if desired for any gen.
eral information. An emergency sig-
nal is provided for so any party can
get Central any time in case of need.
Central controls all lines at all times.
The device is a simple switching
mechanism, contained in metal box,
31ax5x21a inches and is installed
ahead of each phone on the line. One
device is placed at the switchboard
for each operator, and takes care of
all the lines that operator switches.
If there are two operators, two de-
vices are necessary at the central
Office. The central device is installed
without SO much as making screw
hole in the switchboard or cutting
a single circuit.
The present equipment now in use
is used on all telephones using alter
mating current in multiple with the
main circuit. This same principle
has been carried out in the Select-a-
phone. The coils that operate the de-
vice are the ordinary polarized ringer
coil, bridged directly across the cir
cult. This feature in telephone work
is what made party lines possible.
Before the alternating current ringer
coil was brought about by Watson,
we had no party line telephones. Up
to that time the telephone signal was
merely door bell proposition which
could be operated only at very
short distance Watson brought about
the polarized ringer coil to gain dis
tance by taking power from a per-
manent magnet instead of from the
current so that it could be operated
with very light current that would
not be affected by line resistance.
This coil brought about our present
party line telephone and established
the principle used everywhere in tel
ephone work To build selector
that would not conform with this
principle would be impossible. The
Select-a-phone is operated by this
same principle and no changing of
currents or coils.
This Select-a-phone gives the farm
er direct, private, uninterrupted and
efficient connection with any party
on his line or with any party on any
other line and also perfect connec-
tion with long distance service to
the Bell System.
We wonder whether or not this
phone will meet with the enthusiastic