that they may have both of their hands free to set up and take down
the connections and to perform all of the switching operations
required, a special form of receiver is employed for this purpose,
which is worn as a part of a head-gear and is commonly termed a _head
receiver_. These are necessarily of very light construction, in
order not to be burdensome to the operators, and obviously they
must be efficient. They are ordinarily held in place at the ear by a
metallic head band fitting over the head of the operator.

[Illustration: GRANT AVENUE OFFICE OF HOME TELEPHONE COMPANY, SAN
FRANCISCO, CAL. A Type of Central-Office Buildings in Down-Town
Districts of Large Cities.]

Such a receiver is shown in cross-section in Fig. 57, and completely
assembled with its head band in Fig. 58. Referring to Fig. 57 the
shell _1_ of the receiver is of aluminum and the magnets are formed of
steel rings _2_, cross-magnetized so as to present a north pole on one
side of the ring and a south pole on the other. The two L-shaped pole
pieces _3_ are secured by screws to the poles of these ring magnets,
and these pole pieces carry the magnet coils, as is clearly indicated.
These poles are presented to a soft iron diaphragm in exactly the same
way as in the larger hand receivers, the diaphragm being clamped in
place by a hard rubber ear piece, as shown. The head bands are
frequently of steel covered with leather. They have assumed numerous
forms, but the general form shown in Fig. 58 is the one commonly
adopted.

[Illustration: Fig. 58. Operator's Receiver and Cord]

[Illustration: Fig. 59. Receiver Symbols]