What is this wall jack?
April 24, 2017 8:15 AM Subscribe
I came across this disused wall jack the other day and I am very curious as to what it's purpose was.
The jack is at floor level in the lounge area of men's dormitory at a small private university in Pennsylvania. The building was built in the late 50's or early 60's. The lounge area looks like little has changed since then. Possibly a 16mm projector remote control and speaker connection but I can't seem to find anything that confirms my suspicion.
The jack is at floor level in the lounge area of men's dormitory at a small private university in Pennsylvania. The building was built in the late 50's or early 60's. The lounge area looks like little has changed since then. Possibly a 16mm projector remote control and speaker connection but I can't seem to find anything that confirms my suspicion.
For the upper, the USA has used inline two-blade plugs (NEMA 2-15) along with the more common parallel two-blade plugs (NEMA 1-15), and there have been combo outlets that accepted either. There's also been a perpendicular blade layout (NEMA 2-20), and it looks like this might even be able to accommodate that. So I'm speculating it's some kind of combo outlet.
For the lower, not sure.
posted by adamrice at 8:47 AM on April 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
For the lower, not sure.
posted by adamrice at 8:47 AM on April 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
I have seen the bottom round one as a speaker connector on and old Hilton tube amplifier, and I
think the top one is similar to what they used for the connector to run power over to the record player, and audio back from the player to the amp...
No idea why either of those would be in a wall, unless there's built-in speakers somewhere.
posted by straw at 8:53 AM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
think the top one is similar to what they used for the connector to run power over to the record player, and audio back from the player to the amp...
No idea why either of those would be in a wall, unless there's built-in speakers somewhere.
posted by straw at 8:53 AM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
Looks like old, but regular, non-grounded outlets to me.
The bottom one is just a non-grounded (but polar) outlet. Big is neutral, small is hot. The top looks weird, but wikipedia to the rescue? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_power_plugs_and_sockets#US_perpendicular_socket
posted by Phredward at 9:10 AM on April 24, 2017
The bottom one is just a non-grounded (but polar) outlet. Big is neutral, small is hot. The top looks weird, but wikipedia to the rescue? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_power_plugs_and_sockets#US_perpendicular_socket
posted by Phredward at 9:10 AM on April 24, 2017
Response by poster: The slots are much much smaller than a standard power plug probably half the size.
posted by jmsta at 9:14 AM on April 24, 2017
posted by jmsta at 9:14 AM on April 24, 2017
Best answer: Those are Cinch-Jones connectors. They're used for a variety things, power, audio, signaling. My guess is some part of a PA system.
4 pin Cinch-Jones on ebay
2 pin Cinch-Jones on eBay.
posted by Grumpy old geek at 9:21 AM on April 24, 2017 [7 favorites]
4 pin Cinch-Jones on ebay
2 pin Cinch-Jones on eBay.
posted by Grumpy old geek at 9:21 AM on April 24, 2017 [7 favorites]
No idea why either of those would be in a wall, unless there's built-in speakers somewhere.
Plausible, in a dormitory lounge area?
posted by tobascodagama at 9:22 AM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
Plausible, in a dormitory lounge area?
posted by tobascodagama at 9:22 AM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
I've seen these used for TV/Radio antennas.
posted by Geckwoistmeinauto at 12:30 PM on April 24, 2017
posted by Geckwoistmeinauto at 12:30 PM on April 24, 2017
I've seen these used for TV/Radio antennas.
That would make sense. I know at the small college where I did my undergrad, I was told that the campus radio station was distributed over wires before there was an actual broadcast antenna (in the 1950s/1960s).
posted by dhens at 5:49 PM on April 24, 2017
That would make sense. I know at the small college where I did my undergrad, I was told that the campus radio station was distributed over wires before there was an actual broadcast antenna (in the 1950s/1960s).
posted by dhens at 5:49 PM on April 24, 2017
On second thought, what I just said might refer to carrier current.
posted by dhens at 5:56 PM on April 24, 2017
posted by dhens at 5:56 PM on April 24, 2017
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posted by nickggully at 8:35 AM on April 24, 2017 [1 favorite]