[GreenKeys] Help dating early Model 14

Thu Jan 22 08:10:51 EST 2026

This 1927 manual for the Model 12 lists Teletype Corp. as a subsidiary of
Western Electric. Was is a later reprint of an earlier manual?
https://www.navy-radio.com/manuals/tty/114B-M12-2705.pdf

Nick England K4NYW
Chapel Hill NC
www.navy-radio.com

On Wed, Jan 21, 2026 at 8:16 PM Duncan Brown <duncanancy at earthlink.net>
wrote:

> Brian,
>
> Your unit is probably from about 1928-30. In 1930, the Teletype Corp. was
> bought by AT&T for $30 million and became part of Western Electric and
> "Western Electric" would have probably shown up on the nameplate after that
> date.
>
> Some background:
> In the early 1920s, there were two American companies making
> teletypewriters: The Morkrum Co. and the Kleinschmidt Electric Co., but
> neither company was making any money.  Customers (mainly Western Union and
> railroads)  were wary of investing too much money in either of these small
> companies, since they might fold at any time.  Conversely, both of these
> companies were hungry for business and  their customers could play one
> against the other to get the best price.
>
> Things came to a head in 1924 after Morkrum sued KEC for patent
> infringement on the start-stop process and KEC counter-sued. A protracted
> suit would probably have killed both companies (with only the lawyers
> benefiting), so it was agreed to merge the two companies. The
> Morkrum-Kleinschmidt Co. was chartered on 29 December 1924.  In 1928, the
> name "Morkrum-Kleinschmidt" was felt to be too cumbersome and the name was
> changed to "Teletype Corporation." (Morkrum had been previously using
> "Teletype" as a model name.)
>
> WU had been asking for a stop-start tape printer for immediate, written
> communications. Both Morkrum and KEC had been working on designs to meet
> this need, but now they could combine their plans into a new, type bar,
> start-stop, keyboard tape printer; which became the Western Union Model
> 2-B. After tests & evaluations in about 1926, WU's first order was for
> 10,000 machines at $317 each – a total of $3.17 Million. No such quantity
> of a printing telegraph had ever been ordered before!
>
> This was initially just a tape printer (not a reperforator) and was *not*
> referred to as a "Model 14."
>
> (Note: Western Union assigned their own model numbers to equipment that
> was manufactured for them. Also, WU reused model numbers for different
> types of equipment. So you could have a "Model 2-B" tape printer, a "Model
> 2-B page printer", a "Model 2-B tape reader", etc.)
>
>
> Teletype Corp.'s first reperforator (non printing) shows up in about 1936
> as the "Single Magnet Reperforator" in tall box that fit under a Model 19
> table. It was referred to as an "RPE" and later (1938) as a "Model 14".
> (Note: there are two model designation systems used for Teletype Corp.
> products!  A letter designation system [Fxx= M14 series; Lxx=M28 series,
> etc.] and the number designation [M11; M12; M14; M28].  I have heard that
> the number system was more of a Bell/WE numbering system, but the M11 & M12
> came before the purchase of Teletype Corp. by AT&T.)
>
> Around 1940, the original WU 2-B model strip printer was modified to also
> be a reperforator and that  is the model that we typically think of as the
> M14 Typing Reperforator.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> have fun,
>
> Duncan Brown, K2OEQ
> USASA    31J30
>
> Antique Wireless Association
>  Communication Technologies Museum
>    Asst. Curator, Commercial Equipment
> (also chief TTY op & repairman)
>
> i-Telex: 212503
>
> www.antiquewireless.org
>
> AWA Youtube channel:
> https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX55peBhzeX1qps_VYXdLBA
> Virtual AWA Museum TTY Tour:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpB6jM90VV8
>
>
> On 1/19/2026 9:02 PM, Brian Dunlop wrote:
>
> Greetings,
>
> I came across a Teletype model 14 that looks like an early Morkrum-Kleinschmidt
> but has Teletype badging.
>
> Could this model 14 be a transitional unit from around December 1928 when
> the company changed its name to Teletype Corporation?  Photos in the folder
> linked below.
>
>
> https://1drv.ms/f/c/abb4389819d8f96e/IgCpSHniEaO7SY55E9eyPK0MAWCVzZIaYNqu2Gg5HjguXRs?e=zk2e8W
>
> New to the list.  Any information appreciated.
>
> Regards,
> Brian Dunlop
>
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