Note
Round weights
Tiger stripe base
Serial number 0766
The Mecograph key was an early 20th-century semi-automatic Morse code key, famously known as one of the very first "bugs". Patented in 1906 and manufactured in Cleveland, Ohio, it dramatically sped up telegraph operations by automatically generating dots while requiring the operator to manually key the dashes.
The "Dit" Mechanism: The key used a spring-loaded, vibrating pendulum. When the operator pushed the paddle to the right, the pendulum was released to rapidly open and close contacts, creating a steady, uniform stream of Morse code dots.
The Mecograph sparked intense competition with Horace Martin's Vibroplex Company. Because Vibroplex held patents on left-to-right dot actions, Mecograph engineered its Model 3 with a distinct right-angle and "release of tension" action
Vibroplex eventually absorbed Mecograph in 1914, making Mecograph keys rare and highly sought-after collector's items.
