What is this????

[David P. Valley]

Someone please tell me what this is....



I'm thinking smoke alarm (probably inactive).

[Michael Larson]

Originally Posted by dvalley

Someone please tell me what this is....

Attachment 26469Attachment 26470

I'm thinking smoke alarm (probably inactive).

Since it is marked 135 deg. F I'm thinking heat detector of some type.

[wsiegel]

looks like an old trasmitter, possibly for a telephone

[Frank Magdefrau]

Originally Posted by dvalley

Someone please tell me what this is....

Attachment 26469Attachment 26470

I'm thinking smoke alarm (probably inactive).

It is a old eavesdropping device. It magnifies sound.

[Stephen W. Stanczyk]

It is a thermal sensing unit. Patent from June 9, 1959. Attached is a pdf on the patent.

For those who may find the need, here is a link to Free Patents Online. If you have a patent number, they have copies of many of them online. There is a free sign up at the site to view the information.

[David P. Valley]

Originally Posted by sstanczyk

It is a thermal sensing unit. Patent from June 9, 1959. Attached is a pdf on the patent.

For those who may find the need, here is a link to Free Patents Online. If you have a patent number, they have copies of many of them online. There is a free sign up at the site to view the information.

So it's a smoke detector. That's what I thought.

Thanks Stan.

[Michael Larson]

Originally Posted by dvalley

So it's a smoke detector. That's what I thought.

Thanks Stan.

No, it does not detect smoke only heat.

[David P. Valley]

Originally Posted by mlarson

No, it does not detect smoke only heat.

Hmmm, why would a homeowner have heat detectors in all rooms?

[Doug Edwards, CMI]

I used to have heat detectors in a home (made by Vanguard). This was before I ever heard of smoke detectors. Back in early 70s. I don't know when smoke alarms came along. The old Vanguard alarms were mechanical bell on a spring that could not be shut off, it had to run down and it would wake the dead.

[Christopher Currins]

Originally Posted by dvalley

Hmmm, why would a homeowner have heat detectors in all rooms?

1959, before smoke detectors.

[Stephen W. Stanczyk]

Originally Posted by dedwards

I used to have heat detectors in a home (made by Vanguard). This was before I ever heard of smoke detectors. Back in early 70s. I don't know when smoke alarms came along. The old Vanguard alarms were mechanical bell on a spring that could not be shut off, it had to run down and it would wake the dead.

I remember going through the sales pitch for those. Big round copper colored things. And yes, they could wake the dead.

[Doug Edwards, CMI]

That's the one. Somebody is trying to sell some on Ebay.

[Michael Larson]

Originally Posted by dvalley

Hmmm, why would a homeowner have heat detectors in all rooms?

Smoke detectors did not exist in 1959.

I used to work with fire alarm systems and in one of our buildings that was built in 1960 only had heat detectors but was later retrofitted to add smoke detectors.

[Barry Adair]

6 pack special

[David P. Valley]

Thank you kindly, Gentlemen.

I don't inspect smoke alarms in Massachusetts and I'm not familiar with the hundreds of different brands out there.

Thanks.