| Name | Airlight II Booth |
| Date | 1970 |
| Manufacturer | WE |
| Usage | US Phone Booth |
Development of the Airlight II Booth
| KS-19580 Airlight II Booth – At a Glance Overview & Purpose The KS-19580, commonly referred to as the Airlight II Booth, is an outdoor telephone booth designed for single-unit or side-by-side installations, serving as a modern replacement for the earlier KS-14611 “Airlight” model It’s constructed from aluminum and safety glass, offering durable weather resistance and visibility Timeline & Documentation The booth is documented in Bell System Practices (BSP) under Section 508-402-100, Issue 3 from July 1977, encompassing identification, installation, and maintenance instructions; later issued up to Issue 4 in 1982 Installation and Maintenance guidance for the KS-19580 also appears in the Plant Series manual. A BSP listing indicates that Installation (Issue 3) and Maintenance (Issue 4) sections for the KS-19580 were established around 1970–1971. Design & Technical Specifications Finishes: Offered in polished aluminum (List 60), gold (List 61), and bronze (List 62). Door Features: Includes self-closing two-panel vertical safety glass doors folding inward on the right side. Lighting & Ventilation: Standard illumination is provided via a KS-19207, List 7 light fixture, which also lights the signage. Ventilation occurs through sign openings and possible louver panels; booths needing extra airflow can utilize the KS-19207 List 3 light and blower unit. Evolution & Legacy The KS-19580 replaced the earlier KS-14611 Airlight booth, offering improved materials and design—often referred to as Airlight II. On the Manufacturer There’s no explicit documentation naming the fabricator of the KS-19580. However, Western Electric served as its distributor under the Bell System. Historically, similar aluminum-and-glass booths (like the KS-16797 and KS-19206) were manufactured by the Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa) at their New Kensington, PA plant. It’s quite plausible that Alcoa—or another similar contractor—produced the KS-19580, though definitive records haven’t surfaced |
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