NOTE.  The matter of automatic ringing and other special forms of ringing will be referred to and discussed at their proper places in this work, but at this point they are not pertinent as they are not employed in simple switchboards.

Operator’s Telephone Equipment.  Little need be said concerning the matter of the operator’s talking apparatus, i.e., the operator’s transmitter and receiver, since as transmitters and receivers they are practically the same as those in ordinary use for other purposes.  The watch-case receiver is nearly always employed for operators’ purposes on account of its lightness and compactness.  It is used in connection with a head band so as to be held continually at the operator’s ear, allowing both of her hands to be free.

The transmitter used by operators does not in itself differ from the transmitters employed by subscribers, but the methods by which it is supported differ, two general practices being followed.  One of these is to suspend the transmitter by flexible conducting cords so as to be adjustable in a vertical direction.  A good illustration of this is given in Fig. 270.  The other method, and one that is coming into more and more favor, is to mount the transmitter on a light bracket suspended by a flexible band from the neck of the operator, a breast plate being furnished so that the transmitter will rest on her breast and be at all times within proper position to receive her speech.  To facilitate this, a long curved mouthpiece is commonly employed, as shown clearly in Fig. 47.

[Illustration:  Fig. 270.  Operator’s Transmitter Suspension]

Cut-in Jack. It is common to terminate that portion of the apparatus which is worn on the operator’s person—­that is, the receiver only if the suspended type of transmitter is employed, and the receiver and transmitter if the breast plate type of transmitter is employed—­in a plug, and a flexible cord connecting the plug terminates with the apparatus.  The portions of the operator’s talking circuit that are located permanently in the switchboard cabinet are in such cases terminated in a jack, called an operator’s cut-in jack.  This is usually mounted on the front rail of the switchboard cabinet just below the key shelf.  Such a cut-in jack is shown in Fig. 271 and it is merely a specialized form of spring jack adapted to receive the short, stout plug in which the operator’s transmitter, or transmitter and receiver, terminate.  By this arrangement the operator is enabled readily to connect or disconnect her talking apparatus, which is worn on her person, whenever she comes to the board for work or leaves it at the end of her work.  A complete operator’s telephone set, or that portion that is carried on the person of the operator, together with the cut-in plug, is shown in Fig. 272.

[Illustration:  Fig. 271.  Operator’s Cut-in Jack]

[Illustration:  Fig. 272.  Operator’s Talking Set]