Telegraph Sounder
Telegraph Sounder
- Description (Brief)
- 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 reportedly used by Joseph Henry, first Secretary of the Smithsonian, in his experimental work. Henry made significant accomplishments in developing electromagnets that directly affected telegraph equipment design.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Object Name
- telegraph receiver
- telegraph sounder
- Other Terms
- telegraph sounder; Telegraphy
- date made
- ca 1860
- user
- Henry, Joseph
- maker
- Chester, Charles T.
- Chester, J. N.
- Physical Description
- wood (overall material)
- brass (overall material)
- steel (overall material)
- copper (overall material)
- cloth (overall material)
- lead (overall material)
- paper (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 4 in x 4 5/8 in x 8 1/2 in; 10.16 cm x 11.7475 cm x 21.59 cm
- ID Number
- EM.181450
- catalog number
- 181450
- accession number
- 2006.0177
- Credit Line
- from the Smithsonian Institution Collection of Apparatus, thru William C. Winlock
- See more items in
- Work and Industry: Electricity
- Communications
- Telegraph Sounders
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
Nominate this object for photography.
Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.
If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.
Robert Feeney
Wed, 2018-10-03 08:26