Familiar to historically oriented science buffs is the 1879 patent issued for the first automatic telephone exchange to McTighe and Connelly Brothers. Previously lost is one of the copper second place medals received by the group at the first electrical exposition in Paris. It has all three of the participant's names misspelled.
Eight stations were set up to dial each other without intervention of a manual switchboard. McTighe the inventor of the automatic switch was also a lawyer at the firm. One hundred years later Onyx Systems (Same founder as Zilog) would make the first UNIX eight user microcomputer.
Eight stations were set up to dial each other without intervention of a manual switchboard. McTighe the inventor of the automatic switch was also a lawyer at the firm. One hundred years later Onyx Systems (Same founder as Zilog) would make the first UNIX eight user microcomputer.
Most of the exhibits from that time are lost to history but as fate would have it the partners law firm was located near the Smithsonian. The complete exhibit is preserved for future generations in the American History Museum although not currently on display.
Large copper second place medal awarded in 1881. Restored medal has less patina.
Blinkenlights are everywhere as even the lighthouse has a red-white flasher.
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During the summer of 1881 the first science festival ever held for electrical devices was about to get underway in Paris. The setting was the Palace of Industry built by Emperor Napoleon III for the 1855 World’s Fair to rival the Crystal Palace in London.
American participants included a young Thomas Edison literally sweating problems with his long legged Mary Anne and Alexander Graham Bell phoning the opera two blocks away for a live telecast. The building was steamy hot under a roof of cast iron and plate glass. One half of the building was devoted exclusively to French electrical exhibits. A first ever congress of electrical engineers had gathered to sort out terms for Volt, Ohm and Amp while also testing light bulbs from Swan and Edison for the best efficiency.
American participants included a young Thomas Edison literally sweating problems with his long legged Mary Anne and Alexander Graham Bell phoning the opera two blocks away for a live telecast. The building was steamy hot under a roof of cast iron and plate glass. One half of the building was devoted exclusively to French electrical exhibits. A first ever congress of electrical engineers had gathered to sort out terms for Volt, Ohm and Amp while also testing light bulbs from Swan and Edison for the best efficiency.
