[GreenKeys] Help dating early Model 14

Thu Jan 22 08:22:04 EST 2026

And here’s the 1930 Model 12 reperforator manual
https://www.navy-radio.com/manuals/tty/jh/ttyman2/TeletypeManuals/model12/143B-Nov30.pdf

I know almost nothing about the early machines and history. I just
accumulate and archive info.
https://www.navy-radio.com/manuals-ttycorp.htm

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

On Thu, Jan 22, 2026 at 8:10 AM Nick England <nick at navy-radio.com> wrote:

> 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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>>
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