Unspecified / 1849
Telegraph Register
Telegraph Register
The Smithsonian catalogs Telegraph Register as telegraph receiver in its Communication, telegraph records.
WHY IT’S INTERESTING
In 1849 Samuel F. B. Morse received U.S. patent #6,420 for an “improvement in electric telegraphs.” This patent model demonstrated a refinement Morse made to his original telegraph register. Rather than using electromagnets and a lever arm to emboss or ink the dots and dashes on the paper tape, this unit took advantage of the ability of some salts to make colored marks on paper in response to an e