Ericsson receiver
Date: circa 1879
Inventory Number: 8014a
Classification: Telephone
Subject:
Maker: L. M. Ericsson (1877)
Owner: Jefferson Physical Laboratory, Harvard University (founded 1884)
Cultural Region:
Place of Origin:
Dimensions:
14 × 5.8 × 5.8 cm (5 1/2 × 2 5/16 × 2 5/16 in.)
Material:
Description:
A magneto telephone receiver/transmitter invented by Lars Magnus Ericsson. The device is made of hard rubber and nickel-plated metal, and is known as a "butterstamp" type, due to its shape. Ericsson's magneto receivers became the standard receiver on a number of models of European telephones until the 1890s.
Receiver consists of a handle, a straight-sided cylinder of hard rubber, with a pair of terminals or binding posts on one end and a bell-shaped mouthpiece/earpiece on the other end. The terminal end has a rounded, nickel-plated molding; the mouthpiece/earpiece end has a series of rounded nickel-plated moldings that expand into a bell shaped receiver/transmitter.
The diaphragm covering and molded earpiece/mouthpiece are missing from the end of the bell; the magneto assembly is visible inside the bell.
One of a series of four similar Ericsson receivers, items 8014a-d.
Receiver consists of a handle, a straight-sided cylinder of hard rubber, with a pair of terminals or binding posts on one end and a bell-shaped mouthpiece/earpiece on the other end. The terminal end has a rounded, nickel-plated molding; the mouthpiece/earpiece end has a series of rounded nickel-plated moldings that expand into a bell shaped receiver/transmitter.
The diaphragm covering and molded earpiece/mouthpiece are missing from the end of the bell; the magneto assembly is visible inside the bell.
One of a series of four similar Ericsson receivers, items 8014a-d.
Signedunsigned
FunctionConversion of electric signals into sound for output by telephone
ProvenanceJefferson Laboratory, Physics Department, Harvard University
Published ReferencesThis instrument is described in:
Thomas G. Hedberg, "Catalogue: Telephones, Phonographs and Related Instruments in The Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments at Harvard University." William Andrewes, Project Director (unpublished manuscript, President and Fellows of Harvard College and Thomas G. Hedberg, 1989. Fifth Draft), pp. 48-49.