Vibroplex Telegraph Key
name: label: maker
content: Vibroplex Company, Inc.
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: Telegraph keys are electrical on-off switches used to send messages in Morse code. Semi-automatic keys like this "Vibroplex" automatically produced rapid morse code dots by using a weighted pendulum to quickly make and break contact in the electrical circuit. The operator would make the dashes manually but could send much faster than with an ordinary key. This key came to the Western Union with its original carrying case.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Electricity
label: See more items in
content: Telegraph Keys
label: See more items in
content: Communications
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: from Western Union Corporation
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: EM.331629
label: serial number
content: 73832
label: collector/donor number
content: 72-18
label: accession number
content: 294351
label: catalog number
content: 331629
objectType: label: Object Name
content: bug
label: Object Name
content: semi-automatic key
label: Object Name
content: sending key
label: Object Name
content: telegraph key
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: plastic (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: cloth (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: leather (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: case: 9 1/8 in x 4 1/4 in x 4 1/4 in; 23.1775 cm x 10.795 cm x 10.795 cm
label: Measurements
content: key: 3 1/2 in x 8 in x 3 1/2 in; 8.89 cm x 20.32 cm x 8.89 cm