Gray 150GJ
Published: 3/25/2014
Today I took the Gray 150GJ down from the shelf! This model paystation was created by Gray as a way to utilize older models by modernizing them. This phone most likely would have originally been a type 150G. The phone was modified to use a handset instead of a separate receiver and transmitter. The receiver hook was replaced with an early Gray handset hook. The mounting holes for the transmitter were covered by the instruction card holder. Internally it was mostly left alone except for a few wiring changes. The dial and shroud assembly are Western Electric and the handset is Automatic Electric, the AE 1A or 34 type. The lock that secures the upper housing is an E-10-E which uses a flat key. The vault door lock is a 10L. The body of the paystation is all steel including the backboard. The coin gauge (slots) is the early cast bronze type. One important modification to the inside is that a bracket is added to the coin chute that houses a signal transmitter. When the phone was a 2 piece the transmitter mounted to the front of it was used to pick up the sound of the coins as they were dropped and hit the bell and gong. With that transmitter removed this this was made necessary. The 150GJ is a 5 cent automatic pre-pay model. Once a coin is dropped the line switched to dial tone. The coin would be held in escrow by a Gray coin relay and hopper that could be signaled from the central office to either collect or return it. The phone doesn't contain the talk circuit or ringer, it would be connected to a subset located nearby.