Telegraph Key
Telegraph Key
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- Description (Brief)
- Telegraph keys are electrical on-off switches used to send messages in Morse code. The message travels as a series of electrical pulses through a wire. The sequence and duration of pulses represent letters and numbers. This patent model shows Martin Wessmann's design for an automatic key. His idea involved a key for each letter, number and character, somewhat like a piano keyboard. Each key included a circuit breaker controlled by gearing so that the pulses were generated at a regular speed. That prevented operators from blurring the message.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Object Name
- telegraph key
- Object Type
- Patent Model
- date made
- 1873
- maker
- Wessmann, Martin F.
- Physical Description
- wood (overall material)
- brass (overall material)
- gutta percha (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 4 3/4 in x 3 1/4 in x 9 1/2 in; 12.065 cm x 8.255 cm x 24.13 cm
- ID Number
- EM.308872
- catalog number
- 308872
- accession number
- 89797
- patent number
- 142826
- See more items in
- Work and Industry: Electricity
- Telegraph Keys
- Communications
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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