Model of Joseph Henry's electromagnetic bell
name: label: Maker
content: Western Union Corporation
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: The original device, consisting of an electromagnet arranged to ring a bell, was demonstrated in 1831 by Joseph Henry to his classes at the Albany Academy in Albany, N. Y. By closing a circuit, Henry energized the electromagnet with current from a battery. The magnet attracted a lever arm that rang the bell. This demonstrated electrical action at a distance and laid the foundation for later telegraph devices. This replica was made for the Western Union Museum.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Electricity
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.331677
label: accession number
content: 294351
label: catalog number
content: 331677
label: collector/donor number
content: 100-055
label: collector/donor number
content: 16-04
objectType: label: Object Name
content: electromagnetic demonstration
label: Object Name
content: electric bell ringer
label: Object Name
content: demonstration apparatus
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: wood (part: material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (part: material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 4 in x 19 in x 11 in; 10.16 cm x 48.26 cm x 27.94 cm