Weilaphone Telephone Device The Weilaphone was an assistive device marketed in the 1910s and 1920s as a hands free device for use with the candlestick telephones of the era. It was strictly an acoustic device--that is it just used air conduction and was similar in principle to our medical stethoscopes of today. Here is an ad for the Weilaphone. Notice that in 1919, the Weilaphone sold for $10.00. | | Click picture for larger view | | | | |
The base of the Weilaphone was placed against the phone receiver (ear piece).
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The ear tips were inserted into the ears to hear with both ears. | | Click picture for larger view | | |
The receiver unit of the candlestick phone was placed on the base of the Weilaphone and the stethoscope ear tips permitted hands free use of the phone, as well as, giving the user binaural hearing. It was also very useful for the hard of hearing to use with the telephone to reduce outside noises. | | Click picture for larger view | | |
The Weilaphone showing how it was used with the typical phone of the day. You placed the base of the Weilaphone on the table and sat the receiver on top of it, put the stethoscope ear tips in your ears, picked up the phone base and talked into the mouthpiece.
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