[GreenKeys] Iron Horse question

[Duncan Brown]

Bill,

I was waiting for one of the Teletype Corp. gurus to answer your 
question, but since no one has replied to you, I'll try to answer your 
questions.

I think the "Iron Horse" name come about just because it was such a 
robust and simple machine  and kept on working & being used for decades.

In about 1880, Emile Baudot came  up with the idea of a 5-bit code to 
represent the alphabet and stared using it for printing telegraphs.  But 
he used a 5-key keyboard and printed on tape. In the early 1900s, Donald 
Murray, a New Zealander, came up with the idea of using a 5-hole 
perforated tape to transmit printing telegraph signals.  Western Union & 
other communications companies were very interested in maximum 
through-put of their systems. They found that even expert typists 
couldn't keep up a high speed of typing for any length of time.  But if 
the typist stored the message on a perforated tape, then the tape could 
be later sent at the maximum system speed.

Pre-punching tape became the standard process for TTY message handling 
for the TTY circuits until electronic systems took over. Western Union & 
US Military (among others) made very wide use of the "torn-tape relay 
system" for all their message handling.

Have fun,

Duncan Brown, K2OEQ
USASA  31J30

Antique Wireless Association Museum Asst. Curator, Commercial Equipment
(also Chief TTY operator & repairman)
http://www.antiquewireless.org/




On 12-Feb-16 10:25, Bill Strangfeld wrote:
> Can anyone explain how the Iron Horse perforator got its name and how it was used?
>
> It seems to have had a very long life according to this -
>
> http://www.baudot.net/teletype/GPE.htm
>
> Thanks,
> Bill W8FIX
>
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