Western Electric telegraph neutral relay

Western Electric telegraph neutral relay

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Description
Telegraph relays amplify an electrical signal in a telegraph line. Telegraph messages travel as a series of electrical pulses through a wire from a transmitter to a receiver. The pulses fade in strength as they travel through the wire, limiting the distance a message can be sent. Relays remedy that problem by detecting a weak signal and automatically re-transmitting that signal down the line using a local power source.
Location
Currently not on view
Object Name
relay
neutral relay
telegraph relay
Other Terms
telegraph relay; telegraphy
maker
Western Electric
Physical Description
wood (part: material)
metal (part: material)
plastic (part: material)
Measurements
overall: 6 1/4 in x 11 in x 6 in; 15.875 cm x 27.94 cm x 15.24 cm
ID Number
EM.332191
accession number
294351
catalog number
332191
collector/donor number
100-820
Credit Line
from Western Union Corporation
See more items in
Work and Industry: Electricity
Communications
Data Source
National Museum of American History
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