Telegraph Key

Description (Brief):

Telegraph keys are electrical on-off switches used to send messages in Morse code. The message travels as a series of electrical pulses through a wire. The operator pushes the key’s lever down briefly to make a short signal, a dot, or holds the lever down for a moment to make a slightly longer signal, a dash. The sequence of dots and dashes represent letters and numbers. Keys can be quite simple devices. This key was hand-made by W. W. Shock, a Union operator at Point Of Rocks, MD, in 1864. Confederate troops had destroyed the regular key so Shock made this "perfectly practicable and serviceable" replacement.

Date Made: 1864

Location: Currently not on view

See more items in: Work and Industry: Electricity, Telegraph Keys, Communications

Exhibition:

Exhibition Location:

Credit Line: from Charles Selden

Data Source: National Museum of American History

Id Number: EM.220375Catalog Number: 220375Accession Number: 41421

Object Name: telegraph key

Physical Description: wood (overall material)rubber (overall material)brass (overall material)Measurements: overall including stand: 2 3/4 in x 3 in x 6 1/2 in; 6.985 cm x 7.62 cm x 16.51 cmkey only: 2 in x 2 1/2 in x 6 in; 5.08 cm x 6.35 cm x 15.24 cm

Guid: http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746aa-54cb-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Record Id: nmah_706534

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