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Commercial Land Line and Wire line
Telegraph Keys:
These
electrical telegraph keys were used by the commercial
land-line (wire) and radio telegraphy services including
Western Union and AT&T. |
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Chas. Cory and Sons Legless 2-A Western Union Key:
This key was used by
Western Union (W.U.) for use in landline
telegraphy. It is an oval shaped solid brass straight key with a black
standard knob and a shorting bar on the left. It is mounted on wooden
board as received. The rear of the key is marked: “Legless 2-A W.U. Tel.
Co.” The shorting bar is marked: “Chas. Cory and Son.” Chas. Cory was a major
manufacturer of keys and other communications instruments located in New York,
New York. |
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Joseph Bunnell Company Model 6B Miniature Key:
This Model 6B is one of the smallest actual operating straight
keys. It was made by Bunnell Co. for Western Electric. It is
about 2" long. It was used in telegraphy test gear in multiples
of four for meter bridge testing. This key was built in the
early 60's, and spent its life in the Gila Bend, Arizona. |
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Spies
Electric Works Polechanger Key 1-B Western Union
Telegraph Company: This is a Spies
Polechanger Key, made by Spies Electric Works in
Chicago, and used by Western Union for testing telegraph
lines. The lever is made of steel and the key has a
heavy duty black plastic base. There is a three position
switch on right of selects the polarity of the line,
hence the name, Polechanger. |
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Signal Electric Company Model R-63 Standard Wireless
Straight Key:
This heavy duty brass key was called the "Standard
Wireless Key". A large number of keys with this
design were made from the 1920's to the 1970s. They
were originally designed for keying high current
primaries of spark transmitters. The contacts seem to be
the 1/4" which makes this the model R-63. The key's base is embossed with
the following text:
SIGNAL ELECTRIC MFG, CO. MENOMINEE,
MICH. |
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Wood and Brass Railroad Straight Key: A wood base,
brass straight key that is approx 5" x 2” 3/4". The letters
"GELB" are stamped or cut into the base. The lever has a brass
mounting bracket and brass binding posts. It has an
unconventional contact arrangement with the tension adjustment
acting as electrical contact. This key is very unusual and is
probably a pre-1900 key.
Tom Perera’s site dates it around 1881. |
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Unknown
Manufacturer Oval Straight Key with Legs:
A straight Key with a triumph lever. It has a brass body
and legs with a brass shorting bar, steel lever and a
black plastic knob. It has two "legs" that extend
downward with threads and wing nuts for mounting on a
table. The "legs" are also the electrical terminals.
These were professional keys often used by railroads or
newspapers. |