Western Electric telegraph interrupter
Western Electric telegraph interrupter
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- Description
- Telegraph relays amplified electrical signals in a telegraph line. Telegraph messages traveled as a series of electrical pulses through a wire from a transmitter to a receiver. Short pulses made a dot, slightly longer pulses a dash. The pulses faded in strength as they traveled through the wire, to the point where the incoming signal was too weak to directly operate a receiving sounder or register. A relay detected a weak signal and used a battery to strengthen the signal so that the receiver would operate.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Object Name
- polar relay
- telegraph relay
- maker
- Western Electric
- Measurements
- overall: 3 in x 8 1/4 in x 4 7/8 in; 7.62 cm x 20.955 cm x 12.3825 cm
- ID Number
- EM.322147
- catalog number
- 322147
- accession number
- 244197
- Credit Line
- from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering, thru John A. Tucker
- See more items in
- Work and Industry: Electricity
- Communications
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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