Aladdin Model 50 [Mod] Uni-Pak Vacuum Tube Hearing Aid
The Aladdin Model 50 [Mod] Uni-Pak vacuum tube hearing aid was a
three vacuum tube hearing aid
manufactured by the Aladdin Hearing Aid Manufacturing Co. of
Minneapolis, MN in 1945.
Aladdin Vacuum Tube Hearing Aids was established in Schenectady, NY
in 1940 and sold to a businessman early in 1942. This man died a few
months later. It was then purchased by Johnston Brothers of Minneapolis,
MN. They used the name "Aladdin Hearing Aid Manufacturing Co" but also
apparently used "Johnston Brothers" as shown on this
invoice.
The Aladdin Model 50 sold for $122.50 on October 25, 1945 according to
this invoice. In 1946, the Johnson brothers changed the name to
Goldentone.
This attractive royal blue hearing aid measured 5⅝" x 2˝" x 1 1/16"
thick (14.4 x 6.3 x 2.7 cm).
Without batteries it weighed 4.9 oz. (140 g). With batteries is
weighed 9.0 oz. (256 g).
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Front view of the Aladdin Model 50 [Mod] Uni-Pak vacuum tube hearing aid
showing the two vertical microphone slots (upper left). The cord on the
left goes to the external microphone and the cord on the right goes to
the earpiece (receiver).
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Top view of the Aladdin Model 50 [Mod] Uni-Pak vacuum tube
hearing aid showing the black volume control/on-off switch in the
center. This was the only control on this hearing aid. |
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Left side view of the Aladdin Model 50 [Mod] Uni-Pak vacuum tube
hearing aid. Note the wire pocket clip on the side and the wire going to
the external microphone (lower left). This hearing aid was unusual in
that it had both and internal microphone and an optional external
microphone. The external microphone wasn't easy to "plug in" or
"unplug". To do so you had to open the back of the hearing aid and
unscrew the blue connector in the top right corner of the circuit board
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Close-up view of the top right corner of the circuit board inside the Aladdin
Model 50 [Mod] Uni-Pak vacuum tube hearing aid. To disconnect the
microphone, you unscrewed the screw in the center of the dark blue
plastic connector. Since there are no switches or relays, it seems
that the internal microphone was always active even when the external
microphone was connected. |
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Close-up view of the front of the external microphone for the Aladdin
Model 50 [Mod] Uni-Pak vacuum tube hearing aid. The microphone was
very light for its size, weighing only 0.7 oz. (22 g).
It measured 1⅞" in diameter and ˝" thick (4.8 x 1.3 cm).
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Close-up view of the back of the external microphone for the Aladdin
Model 50 [Mod] Uni-Pak vacuum tube hearing aid. You pinned this
microphone on to your clothes in a convenient spot.
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Right side view of the Aladdin Model 50 [Mod] Uni-Pak vacuum tube
hearing aid showing the wire pocket clip and the receiver cord coming
out of the top corner (lower right).
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Rear view of the Aladdin Model 50 [Mod] Uni-Pak vacuum tube hearing aid.
One of the unusual things about this hearing aid case is that there are
absolutely no manufacturer's marks (name, model, serial no. etc.)
anywhere on the case. The external microphone cord is at the top left
and the receiver cord at the top right.
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Bottom view of the Aladdin Model 50 [Mod] Uni-Pak vacuum tube hearing
aid showing the battery door hinges.
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Right side view of the Aladdin Model 50 [Mod] Uni-Pak vacuum
tube hearing aid showing how the back (battery compartment door) swung
down from the top. |
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Inside rear view of the Aladdin Model 50
[Mod] Uni-Pak vacuum tube hearing aid showing the electronics in the top
half and the batteries in the bottom half. |
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Close-up view of the back of the circuit board of in the Aladdin Model 50
[Mod] Uni-Pak vacuum tube hearing aid. This is what you saw when you
open the back up. The center vacuum tube is a Raytheon CK 509 AX and the
one on the lower right is a Raytheon CK 505 AX.
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Close-up view of the underside of the above circuit board of the Aladdin Model
50 [Mod] Uni-Pak vacuum tube hearing aid showing the shiny round
microphone (bottom left), the volume control (top center) and the third vacuum
tube is a Raytheon CK 502 AX (right). Note that all the vacuum tubes are
soldered in place. They do not have plug in bases.
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View of the lower inside half of the Aladdin Model 50 [Mod] Uni-Pak
vacuum tube hearing aid showing the blue 30 volt "B" battery (left) and the smaller
1˝ volt "A" battery (right). The "B" battery was the
National Carbon Co. (N. C. Co.) No. 430-E war hearing aid battery, while
the "A" battery was a standard C-size battery such as this
Eveready 1035 battery.
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Close-up view of the inside of the battery door of the Aladdin
Model 50 [Mod] Uni-Pak vacuum tube hearing aid showing the label pasted
there.
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Close-up view of the front of the receiver of the Aladdin Model
50 [Mod] Uni-Pak vacuum tube hearing aid. Note the three small sound
holes in the center.
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Close-up view of the back of the receiver of the Aladdin Model 50 [Mod]
Uni-Pak vacuum tube hearing aid. This is a Brush receiver. Brush
receivers were crystal receivers, rather than dynamic receivers. Also,
they had a unique way of "plugging" the cord into the receiver. the
"plug" slid into two grooves on the back of the receiver here shown with
the "plug" laying ready to slide into the grooves. |
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Close-up view of the back of the receiver of the Aladdin Model 50 [Mod]
Uni-Pak vacuum tube hearing aid showing the receiver cord "plug" sliding
halfway into the grooves on the back of the receiver.
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Close-up view of the back of the receiver of the Aladdin Model 50 [Mod]
Uni-Pak vacuum tube hearing aid showing the receiver cord "plug" fully
connected. On the left and bottom are the words "Pat. Pend." and on
the top and right is the name "Brush".
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Close-up view of the front of the receiver (right) of the Aladdin Model
50 [Mod] Uni-Pak vacuum tube hearing aid and the hard clear plastic ear
mold (left). The ear mold snapped to the nubbin in the center of the
receiver.
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Side view of the ear mold snapped to the receiver of the Aladdin Model
50 [Mod] Uni-Pak vacuum tube hearing aid.
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View of the top of the box the Aladdin Model 50 [Mod] Uni-Pak vacuum
tube hearing aid came in showing its name "Aladdin Uni-Pak Hearing Aid".
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View of the right end of the box the Aladdin Model 50 [Mod] Uni-Pak
vacuum tube hearing aid came in showing the model no. (50) and the
serial number (423) which matches the numbers on the hearing aid itself.
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View of the box the Aladdin Model 50 [Mod] Uni-Pak vacuum tube
hearing aid came in.
The box measured 6" x 3" x 2 1/16" high (15.3 x 7.7 x 5.2 cm).
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