What is this garage wall fixture? (see photo)

Can someone help identify this old device? It's mounted almost 9 feet up the wall of a garage in an early 1950's California house, and the other side of the wall is the kitchen. No obvious signs of what it might connect to inside.

This is what's stamped on the body: RITTENHOUSE 5 V.A. no. 180

Photo:

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(black corners are from image-rotation)

Thanks for any details. Jim

Reply to
Jim
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t

Looks like the door bell transformer to me.

Neil S.

Reply to
nesesu

Probably the door-bell transformer. If so, you'd probably find a few volts of AC on those two screw terminals... and disconnecting either wire would leave your doorbell inoperable.

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Reply to
Dave Platt

On Fri, 2 Jul 2010 15:18:05 -0700 (PDT), nesesu put finger to keyboard and composed:

I think I can see Bugle and Bell terminals, so I guess it may be a novelty door bell.

- Franc Zabkar

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Reply to
Franc Zabkar

nesesu wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@b4g2000pra.googlegroups.com:

That rings true, since searching for that brand name brought up links for old doorbells. Not sure why it's so far from the doorbell itself - at the kitchen entrance.

Thanks. Jim

Reply to
Jim

Franc Zabkar wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

The doorbell itself is just a simple two-tone plunger type.

Jim

Reply to
Jim

t

In the Dining Room, also look for a push button in the floor [may be covered over now] near where the master would sit. That transformer may have been the power to ring the maid's bell.

Reply to
Robert Macy

That's definately a door bell transformer. the 5VA refers to the output capacity (roughly 5 watt). that wire you see is the old "push back" bell wire. waxed cotton, you just "push back" to expose the copper.

Jeff

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Reply to
Jeffrey D Angus

That would require Viagra. ;-)

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Reply to
Michael A. Terrell

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