Telegraph Register

Telegraph Register

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Description (Brief)
This later-model Bunnell telegraph register came in a portable carrying case and included capacitors that allowed researchers at the Bureau of Standards to conduct experiments.
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
Object Name
telegraph receiver
telegraph register
maker
J. H. Bunnell & Co.
Physical Description
wood (case material)
brass (overall material)
paper (overall material)
copper (overall material)
leather (overall material)
felt (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 12 in x 8 in x 18 in; 30.48 cm x 20.32 cm x 45.72 cm
ID Number
EM.316733
catalog number
316733
accession number
228178
Credit Line
from the National Bureau of Standards, thru F. M. Diefendorf
subject
Communication, telegraph
See more items in
Work and Industry: Electricity
Telegraph Registers
Communications
Data Source
National Museum of American History
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