Telegraph Apparatus

Description (Brief):

This telegraph system is a replica of one of the 1844 units used on Samuel Morse’s line between Baltimore and Washington. The replica includes the key, paper tape reel, and register. Telegraph registers are electrically-activated printers that receive Morse code messages. The message travels as a series of electrical pulses through a wire. The pulses energize the register’s electromagnets which move a lever-arm holding a pen or stylus. A clockwork mechanism pulls a strip of paper across the pen or stylus, recording the message. Short pulses draw or emboss a dot, slightly longer pulses a dash. The sequence of dots and dashes represent letters and numbers.

Location: Currently not on view

Web Subject: Communication, telegraph

Subject:

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

Exhibition:

Exhibition Location:

Credit Line: from Western Union Corporation

Data Source: National Museum of American History

Id Number: EM.332160Accession Number: 294351Catalog Number: 332160Collector/Donor Number: 100-389

Object Name: telegraph apparatustelegraph unit

Physical Description: wood (overall material)brass (overall material)paper (overall material)plastic (overall material)copper (overall material)steel (overall material)Measurements: overall: 11 in x 30 in x 7 in; 27.94 cm x 76.2 cm x 17.78 cm

Guid: http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a6-f67f-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Record Id: nmah_881808

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