Bain chemical telegraph receiver
date: label: date made
content: 1850-1866
name: label: maker
content: Bain, Alexander
notes: label: Description
content: Alexander Bain Chemical Telegraph Receiving Instrument, 1850-1866. Wooden base, train of clockwork in frame made of 2 cast brass plates bolted together 7" x 11" x 18". Operated by cord and weight; metal disc, 15 1/2" dia. with blotting paper cover and upper metal disc, 6 1/2" dia., having spiral groove or upper surface. Brass standard 8"H supporting moveable arm carrying wire holder and guide; binding posts in base of standard and in frame for connecting wires. Used on lines in New England from about 1850-1866. The blotting paper was treated with a chemical that reacted to electrical impulses by changing color. The disc and paper rotated under the receiving arm leaving a message traced in a spiral pattern.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Electricity
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: from the Telegraph Historical Society
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: EM.002081
label: catalog number
content: 002081
label: accession number
content: 6860
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Receiver
label: Object Name
content: receiver, telegraph
label: Object Name
content: telegraph receiver
label: Other Terms
content: Receiver; Telegraphy
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: overall: 18 in x 18 in x 15 in; 45.72 cm x 45.72 cm x 38.1 cm