Yes, it is a Morkrum (pre-Teletype Corp.) Model 12 keyboard from about 1920, although I have not seen one like this with the distributor.  It may be an early version.

I agree that the distributor is probably for serial  to parallel conversion for the printer. Other M12s I've seen use the goose-neck levers & cams (like for the keyboard) for the printer series to parallel conversion.  See Attached.

The M12 was the first practical teletypewriter printer.  It was initially just a parallel-input printer (with five selector magnets) used with the early Murray Multiplex System. When the (serial) Start-Stop System came into general use, the M12s could be converted to "Direct-to-Line" operation by adding a keyboard with its own motor and serial-to-parallel conversions.

The M14 & M15 used the same keyboard mechanics.


Have fun,

Duncan
K2OEQ


On 12/6/2024 10:46 PM, Harold Hallikainen via GreenKeys wrote:
It IS interesting! It does look like a model 15 keyboard in the lower part
of the picture. I recognize the switches and cams that do the parallel to
serial conversion. There is a shaft sticking out to the right that would
normally have a gear driven by the main shaft of the model 15.

But, there is a motor and distributor near the top of the photo. As
mentioned by others, that COULD be the receive serial to parallel
conversion for a model 12. I note small segments in the distributor that
might be for sampling the data in the middle of the bit.

But, it doesn't look like the unit at
https://navy-radio.com/manuals/tty/114B-M12-2705.pdf .

Harold
https://w6iwi.org


On Fri, December 6, 2024 8:00 pm, Jeffrey Golas wrote:

Seen at a local science museum...whats it from? Its not a 15/19 (they had
that too)

Jeff KC3GJX


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