Telegraph sounders convert electrical pulses into audible sounds and are used to receive Morse code messages. The message travels as a series of electrical pulses through a wire. Short pulses make a dot, slightly longer pulses make a dash. The sequence of dots and dashes represent letters and numbers. The pulses energize the sounder’s electromagnets which move a lever-arm. The arm makes a loud “click” when it strikes a crossbar and the operator translates the pattern of sounds into the original language. This sounder was manufactured by Western Electric, more typically known as the manufacturing company of the Bell Telephone system. Western Electric also made telegraph equipment and this unit displays the round, hollow armature often seen on their sounders.
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