[CW] What is the best telegraph key??

[Gerry Maira]

I have a couple of those keys. Western Electric made 2 types of keys like this that were 
very similar. I think you are describing the one that has a regular steel lever like a 
triumph key. Most collectors believe they were made sometime in the 1890-1910 time 
period. The other type was almost the same but had a lever made of 2 parallel rods. 
These have an 1893 patent date stamped onto the lever. You can see one here-
http://www.netsync.net/users/gm/we3pce.htm

Gerry KA2MGE

Sherrill Watkins wrote:

> Dear N5DWI: Thank you very much for the information about the Triumph Key. It
> is appreciated. Question: I recently acquired an odd designed key made by
> Western Electric and stamped as such on the circuit closer. The odd thing is
> it has standards that are made separate from the base. The standards are
> about 1/2" long x 1/4" diameter. They are attached by screws to the base and
> held in alighment by an approx. 1/16" dia rod that runs perpendicular to the
> leaver but keeps the standards in alignment with the leaver piviot points.
> These standards (or stantions) are threaded with screws that support the
> leaver in the usual manner. I have never seen a key like this? Do you have
> any idea where I could find any information; perhaps a Western Electric
> patent? I don't know where to look? Thank's -73- Sherrill W. k4own.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: N5DWI [mailto:n5dwi at sbcglobal.net] 
> Sent: Thursday, August 19, 2004 7:42 PM
> To: CW at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [CW] What is the best telegraph key??
> 
> 
> Sherrill,
>  
> While I share your opinion of it, the "Triumph" didn't actually come out
> until 1906. 
>  
> Below is an excerpt from 
> 
>                         http://www.telegraph-history.org/bunnell/index.html
>  
> Beginning in March of 1906 the Bunnell Co. began putting out teasers to watch
> out for their new "Legless Key" that would be the "acme of perfection"
> Introduced as "the best regular key made," the Triumph made its debut in
> September of 1906. Also introduced was their new logo with "Bunnell" enclosed
> in a rectangle on the lever. (Prior to this "PATENTED FEB. 15, 1881 was
> stamped on the lever.) The Triumph's rugged base differentiates it from the
> skeleton base of the Standard Steel Lever legless key. This new base included
> thicker standards, a separate anchor for the circuit closer, and solid
> binding post connections to the frame and the lower platina contact. A
> glaring difference, though is the introduction of a new style binding post.
> When considering all the different binding posts available to Bunnell at this
> time, I find it more than coincidence that they selected a style that was
> similar to the standard binding post used by The Postal Telegraph Co. 
>  
> 73,
> jw N5DWI
>  
> -------Original Message-------
>  
> From: Sherrill Watkins
> Date: 08/19/04 17:52:20
> To: cw at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [CW] What is the best telegraph key??
>  
> Gentlemen: I still have the opinion that when all is said and done, the best
> telegraph (leaver style) key ever made was the "Triumph" style. It was
> originally patented about 122 years ago and has never been surpassed for ease
> of sending. -73- Sherrill k4own.
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