✅ SOLVED Is this a Telegraph in an 11 lb metal box?

[vscience]

Found this metal box with key. It's painted red on inside. Weight- It's very heavy- about 11 pounds.
Stamped into the metal on bottom: 1416; Made in Germany. On the center of bottom is a metal bell-like thing that appears to be brass.
I think it is a telegraph but not sure.
ALso, I found this 4 cent Martha Washington postage stamp.
Any guesses? Your feedback is welcome. Thx!

 

[Tony in SC]

Don't think telegraph but same principal. Looks switch would close to power the two coils that that would activate the hammer/striker. I don't see the bell but the hammer looks it would strike the side of the box ? Cool Find!!

 

[Rookster]

Nice find. Hope you can confirm ID.

 

[Plug N Play]

Somewhat like a call box for fire or police ?

 

[Anduril]

I don't think it's a call box or anything to do with a telegraph.

To me (an electrical engineer) it looks like it could be the equivalent of an over-glorified doorbell.
It's clearly designed to give an indication when an event occurs. (perhaps part of a weight scale, or ??)
It could also be an early version of an intervalometer (a device that counts time or events).
I think the batteries would go on the left and wire to the two posts there.
Then, with your eyes (or a voltmeter) you can almost trace out the circuit.
There's probably something on the bottom side too, so a photo of that would help.

I don't understand the trigger (which is, I am assuming, the round cutout on the bottom side.
Also, is this the trigger (start button), or the intended output (i.e., count)? IDK.
More photos would help!

I wonder what the key inside is for (if anything)?

Interesting find, for sure.

 

[Machkin]

My guess Portable telegraph with possible ticker tape register.
From the UK-



Since it had that (false bottom) my guesstimation is that a ticker tape register secured in the box on top of that false bottom. On yours, you have wear on the right side of box above the false bottom which would indicate that something was there, maybe the register was there. Not very portable but probably heavy to protect the contents.

Link to UK ebay item - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Morse-Code-Telegraph-Key-Under-False-Bottom-in-Metal-Box-RAF-/123319728948?rmvSB=true&nma=true&si=bp5gFBFYuHkqrTFDnRKoPpTL9sM%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Just saw the stamp with holes which makes me definitely guess ticker tape register.

 

[A2coins]

yepper.got it

 

[Reanm8er]

What about a primitive annunciator. Like the outdoor phone bell on a business that's always outside. Triggered by telegraph it thumps out the code against the case loud enough for someone to hear outside with a bunch of background noise. I don't know about Europe but the first telegraph services, in the Us, were routed through the railroad systems. They were the first to adapt telegraph in order to be able to communicate between stations in order to avoid potential crashes. I know they also had portable transmitters that could be wired in at the top of any pole along the line, but I don't see a key here for transmission. Western Union capitalized on that and expanded service to civilian messages. It later became Bell Telephone and a monopoly was born.

 

[Anduril]

Ah! Better pics!!

This could be a signaling device, but not a telegraph.
Maybe even a trip wire. ?

I'm thinking that a single wire, rope, chain, whatever, attached to the round hole at the bottom. (That would at least explain the tensioner.)
When this line was pulled, it engaged the circuit, which still looks to me to be nothing more than a battery-operator mechanical oscillator (vibrator - that round hammer striking the inside case).

 

[Plug N Play]

A sampling of "vintage alarmed strong boxes".

 

[trdking]

Yes I agree. Alarmed strong box

 

[Plug N Play]

... and a perfin.

 

[Plug N Play]

Does this look right ? ... what looked like a bell ... if the box was picked up the "clacker" would contact the "bell" and complete the electrical circuit and set off the hammer against the box ... so, it's the box that is the alarm bell, and this part is just the switch to set it off if the box is picked up?

 

[namxat]

Thats and old money box with an primitive motion sensor.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Lift the cash box and the alarm goes off. And a buzzer like that is loud!

We used to make buzzers that way - electromagnet and relay circuit. To make "booby-traps" we'd set out in coffee cans with trip wires.

 

[vscience]

Plug N Play- Yep, this is it! Your response solves the mystery! Thx

 

[vscience]

Yes, that is exactly what the bottom bell looks like.