Bill-Saving Lock for Dial Phones (Apr, 1932)
Filed under: Telephone — @ 1:20 am
Source: Modern Mechanix ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Apr, 1932
| Buy on Ebay
Source: Modern Mechanix ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Apr, 1932
| Buy on Ebay
Bill-Saving Lock for Dial Phones
LONG distance and other expensive calls made over your telephone without your consent can be prevented by a dial lock now being marketed. The lock consists of a metal cover which fits snugly over the dial, and is equipped with a lock which holds it firmly in place, as illustrated in the accompanying photo. Key may be carried on ring.
Do they make them for cell phones too?
But yeah, I had a phsycho aunt that had one of those things in the 1970’s it was different than this one, it was smaller and just clamped to the number 0 but still wouldn’t let you dial the ugly avocado green rotary desk phone.
Comment by Al Bear — November 17, 2008 @ 10:41 am
What an awesome way to prevent anyone from calling the fire or police departments. Because, of course, saving $2.00 is more important than saving someone’s life.
Comment by Charlene — November 17, 2008 @ 11:28 am
Well the problem was that long distance phone calls at that time cost a few dollars a minute. And in 1932 dollars, that’s a whole lot of money.
Comment by Charlie — November 17, 2008 @ 12:12 pm
Al Bear, I remember those, but I think they went it the “1″ hole. If they went in the “0″ hole you could still dial all the numbers. The lock prevented the dial from moving past that point.
Comment by Mike — November 17, 2008 @ 2:10 pm
I don’t see how this could work. You could still tap out the number you want to dial using the hook switch. Or just ask the operator to connect you.
Comment by Simon — November 17, 2008 @ 9:41 pm
I guess local calls were still made mostly through an operator, and in 1932 it was really blleding-edge tech to have a dial on your phone.
Comment by nlpnt — November 17, 2008 @ 9:41 pm
I’d forgotten about those little locks that plugged into the dial, I saw one when I was a kid at my piano teacher’s house. I’m sure there’s a joke there someplace.
I love the last sentence; “Key may be carried on ring”. Darn, and I’ve always just thrown them out the front door into the yard and trusted my luck!
Comment by Neil Russell — November 17, 2008 @ 11:58 pm
Couldn’t you still dial with the hook switch?
Comment by Casandro — November 19, 2008 @ 4:51 pm