C15A Wireless Signal Buzzer

[David Dunlop]

Mounted in the left rear corner of the Cab 13 WIRE-5 Truck, roughly by the ear of the co-driver, is a small wooden mounting bracket, with a signal buzzer fastened to it. This piece of equipment is very likely NOT unique to this particular CMP and was probably used in a number of vehicles where a crew in an isolated rear body needed to alert the driver and his mate in the cab of something important.

The back surface of the wooden bracket has been shaped to fit snugly in the corner curve of the cab and is held in place by two mounting screws set diagonally, upper left to lower right, when viewing the buzzer from inside the cab. The recessed lock nuts are identical to those used to anchor the roof of the 2K1 body immediately above and parallel to the side rain gutters. The screw is the same aluminum slotted truss head as well (although I have seen very thin headed steel hex screws also used -later replacements???).

In case someone needs to know what this particular item looks like, I have posted some pictures of one. For reference, the lens cap in the photos is 85mm diameter.

Sadly, there are absolutely no makers marks of any kind to be found on the buzzer, but I cannot help feeling that it was probably a very common devise pre-war: perhaps as a simple door buzzer in homes, or in street cars and other public transit vehicles. Certainly the lanyard/switch assembly slung along the ceiling of the 2K1 Wireless Body, used by either the wireless operator or Cypher Clerk to activate the buzzer was identical to those I remember seeing and using in Canadian Car and Foundry built Transit Buses in Winnipeg in the 1950's.

Anyway, for those that need, now you know what they look like, so it will hopefully be easier to spot one at your next antique shop or flea market visit.

David

[David Dunlop]

Last two pictures for your reference.


David

[Jordan Baker]

I was recently given this original buzzer for my C15a Wire-3 project. It came out of another Wire-3 truck.

The wooden block appears to match the other known original one posted above. There was still original SCC2 paint on the backside. However the buzzer on mine is a bit different. After some internet sleuthing I discovered this buzzer is still made today. It is the Edwards Dixie Buzzer #725. Once I had that, I found they are rather plentiful with everything from new made to period NOS ones available.

[David Dunlop]

Nice find, Jordan, and great to add to the pool of information on these buzzers.

It looks like your buzzer installation will have the wiring coming in from the top. On the 2K1 buzzer set up, the wiring comes across the cab/body gap below the floor in the left side corner of the cab and is fed up to the buzzer assembly, with one or two clips holding it in place. It's a two conductor shielded cable.

Any indications with your Wireless Body as to where/how the signalling wire was fed from the body to the cab?

David

[Jordan Baker]

Nothing was left on my truck. This came from a friends truck. He said you could see on the sheet metal where another was supposed to be punched beneath the wood block but hadn't been. From what I can remember on his truck I didn't see any remains of the wiring for this switch.

Did you have any remains of the wiring available for a picture?

Also, you made mention of a lanyard in the rear box used to activate the buzzer. Any pictures of this?

[David Dunlop]

Jordan. I think I have photos of the lanyard setup filed away somewhere, and possibly some of the conductor route through the 2K1 box and chassis/cab assemblies. May take a bit of searching.

The only thing I do not know for certain, is exactly where in the buzzer wiring the power feed fitted into the scheme of things. It is a single, two conductor shielded cable that exits the switch assembly connected to the lanyard and disappearing into the wall conduit of the 2K1 box. it is also a similar cable crossing from underneath the front of the box to under the left front corner of the cab and up the cab wall corner to the two bottom terminals of that particular model buzzer. Somewhere under the front of the 2K1 box, that signal buzzer line has to have a 'Y' in it to pick up the necessary power feed. My suspicion is that this feed feeds from the rear chassis wiring harness in some manner. Never seen the setup to actually understand it,

Which makes for an interesting side topic. Has anyone ever run across a Chevrolet 15-cwt rear chassis wiring harness with a connection fitting near the cab end of it that does not make sense, in that they cannot figure out what it supposed to tie into it? Maybe it could be for this signal buzzer setup and maybe it was used with the installation for your box as well, Jordan.


David