Dumont Cathautograph Apparatus

Description (Brief):

Includes power supply and hood. Manufacture: Dumont Laboratory. Designed to send messages for CRT viewing at a time when television camera development was still in its infancy. The procedure was to vary horizontal and vertical deflection voltages on a CRT by a variable resistance method employing a "writing" pen. The viewer would then observe beam force-out on the CRT screen that would correspond to the transmitted writing. By using high persistence phosphors, messages could be retained on the screen for a period before the next transmissions were received. This invention is a CRT variation of the Telauthgraph and was patented under that title in 1935A later patent under the title of cathautograph was issued in 1940 and is substantially this instrument, though the CRT is missing from the case. Initial experiments were done in 1932-33. In September 1933 a cathautograph system was demonstrated at the National Electrical Exposition held at Madison Square Garden. A 9" CRT was used in that instance. References: A. B. Dumont notebook, page 46, 30 Sept 1933; US Patent 2000014 and 2185705; "Radio Pen", Popular Science, December 1933.

Date Made: ca 1933

Maker: DuMont Company

Location: Currently not on view

See more items in: Work and Industry: Electricity

Exhibition:

Exhibition Location:

Credit Line: from Ethel DuMont

Data Source: National Museum of American History

Id Number: EM.327760Catalog Number: 327760Accession Number: 270106

Object Name: Cathautograph

Measurements: tablet: 5 in x 6 1/2 in x 23 in; 12.7 cm x 16.51 cm x 58.42 cmpower supply: 9 1/2 in x 13 in x 10 1/4 in; 24.13 cm x 33.02 cm x 26.035 cm

Guid: http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746b0-0bd0-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Record Id: nmah_713327

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.