More American Bugs

In addition to the commonly seen keys like Vibroplex and McElroy, there were many other companies producing bugs. Some came up with some amazing variations on the basic bug theme.

Below are some pictures of a large variety of different bug designs. Click on each thumbnail to view the full size image:

PB Delany Auto-Dot. With Albright Label. Ca. 1907. Another Delany Auto-Dot, Top View A 1906 Ad For the Delany Auto-Dot That Shows a Very Different Key With a Lever That Folds Back on Itself. It is Believed This Key Design Was Never Actually Made Conkling Key. Produces Automatic Dots
Another View of the Conkling Key Unusual Right-Angle Bug. Maker Unknown. Some Suggest it Might be Made by Mecograph Co. Front View of the Right-Angle Bug Third View of the Right-Angle Bug. Please Contact Me if You Have Any Info About This Bug
The Vailograph. An Attachment to Convert a Straight Key Into a Bug. 1908. Another View of the Vailograph The Dinger, Cleveland Ohio The Hulit Transmitter With Carrying Case, Topeka Kansas. 1909.
A Close-Up of the Hulit Transmitter Unit Single Lever Dunduplex, NY. 1909 Single Lever Dunduplex Double Lever Dunduplex, NY. 1909. With the Unique Mailbox Style Carrying Case
Double Lever Dunduplex O.M. Thomas. St. Louis, MO (Gil Schlehman, K9WDY Collection) Mt. Auburn Specialty Co. Cincinnati, OH (Gil Schlehman, K9WDY Collection) Close-Up of the Mt. Auburn Label
A Double Lever Bug by Allen D. Cardwell, NY (Gil Schlehman, K9WDY Collection) An Intreresting Japanned Base Bug by Westinghouse Air Brake Co, Wilmerding, PA (Gil Schlehman K9WDY Collection) Close-Up of the Westinghouse Air Brake Bug Well-Made All-Brass Double Lever Bug With Albright Nameplate. Possibly Homemade
Another View of the All-Brass Double Lever Bug RL Boulter Bug, Los Angeles. 1916 Another View of the Boulter Bug Abernathy Bug, Ca. 1916 (Gil Schlehman K9WDY Collection)
Close-up of the Abernathy Name Stamp The Shawplex. St. Joseph, Mo. Ca. 1919 National Vertical Bug, Small Version. Ca. 1920 National Vertical Bug, Large Version. Ca. 1920
Two Versions of National Vertical Bug All 3 Versions of the National Vertical Bug (Gil Schlehman, K9WDY Collection) 1st Model Bunnell Gold Bug (Gil Schlehman, K9WDY Collection) Bunnell Gold Bug With Lollipop Style Knob
Bunnell Gold Bug With Adjustable Knob (N7CFO Collection) The Lytle Triplex, Philadelphia. Can Be Used As a Right or Left Handed Bug Or As a Straight Key The Lytle Triplex, Left Handed Position The Lytle Triplex As a Straight Key
Postal Telegraph Bug, NY (Gil Schlehman K9WDY Collection) Starkins "Equable" Motorized Bug (Gil Schlehman K9WDY Collection) Another View of the Equable Bug Peerless Bug. Made by Peerless Mfg. Co, Fordson, Michigan. Ca. 1920's. (Claudio Ruggieri, IZ0KRC Collection)
Another View of the Peerless Bug. This Version Has a Magnetic Damper Close-Up of the Peerless Nameplate Peerless Bug, Later Version Blue-Racer Sized Bug by O.E. Cote, Providence, Rhode Island. Ca. 1920's
Close-Up of the Cote Name Stamp Another Small Bug Called the Cope Bug (Gil Schlehman, K9WDY Collection) The Keen Kode Transmitter by OB McClintock, Minneapolis, Ca. 1925. Dashes Produced by a Straight Key Lever and Dots by a 6-Button Keyboard Unusual Bug by J.R. Youngblood. New Orleans, Louisiana. 1930
Top View of the Youngblood Bug Marvel Bug, Boston The Mogul Bug, Boston Side View of The Mogul
Signal Electric Sematic Bug, NY Ultimate Transmitter Co. "73" Bug, In-Line Model Another View of the Ultimate Transmitter In-Line Model Ultimate Transmitter Co. "73" Bug, Amateur Model. Los Angeles
"73" Bug With Cover Removed The First "73" Amateur Model Bugs Were All-Brass, Then Later the Base, Frame, and Cover Were Changed to Pot Metal (Zinc) Pot Metal Often Suffers From Warping and Cracking Over Time, as Can be Seen in this Picture Another View of the Badly Warped & Cracked Base. The Key is Now Unusable !
Another Picture of a Pot Metal Ultimate Bug that is Now Just a Box of Shattered Parts ! Ultimate Transmitter Co. "73" Bug, Professional Model. "73" Bug With the Cover Open A Miniature Version of the Ultimate Bug Shown Next to the Standard Size Key (Gil Schlehman, K9WDY Collection)
J.B. Alcorn Bug (Gil Schlehman, K9WDY Collection) The Bradyplex, a Very Elaborate Cast Base Bug (Gil Schlehman, K9WDY Collection) Another View of the Bradyplex Bug Go-Devil Bug, Early Version. AH Emery, Poughkeepsie, NY.
Go-Devil Model 4a, One of the Later Models (Gil Schlehman, K9WDY Collection) The Underside of the Go-Devil 4a Showing the Name and Model Cast Into the Base Late Version Go-Devil A Rare Version of the Master Teleplex Morse Code Practice Machine That Includes an Attached Bug
A Close-Up of the Master Teleplex Bug Standard Radio Bug, New York. Ca. 1930s Close-Up of the Standard Radio Bug Nameplate Speedoplex #1 by Leach Relay Co., Los Angeles
Close-Up of a Speedoplex #1 Nameplate Speedoplex #2 Close-Up of the Speedoplex #2 Nameplate The Melehan Valiant by Mel E. Hanson. Has 2 Levers For Automatic Dots and Dashes
Bug Designed by Lynn G. Heatherly While Working for Seaboard Coastline Railroad in Jacksonville, NC. Patented in 1941 (Smithsonian Museum) Another View of the Heatherly Bug (Smithsonian Museum) Lionel J-36. WW2 Brooklyn Metal Stamping Co. J-36. WW2
JH Bunnell J-36. WW2 Another View of the Bunnell J-36 Close-Up of the Bunnell J-36 Label Pinelli Patent J-36. 1942 (Gil Schlehman, K9WDY Collection)
Another View of the Pinelli J-36 The Bunnell Navy Bug Model CJB-26009. JH Bunnell, NY. WW2 The Side of the Bunnell Navy Bug Has "Property of US Navy" Cast Into the Base Rayco Bug. Raylynn Mfg. Co. Boston
Kenco Bug. Might Be Same Maker as Rayco A Pair of Bugs, Obviously Commercially Made. Maker Unknown Electric Specialties Co. Cedar Rapids Bug. Sold As a Kit Interesting Cast Frame Bug by Davis. Seattle, Washington (Gil Schlehman, K9WDY Collection)
Underside of the Davis Bug Showing the Davis Name and Address Bug With "Airline" Label. Sold by Montgomery Ward. Likely Made By Electric Specialties Co. Gem Key. Made of Sheet Metal. (Gil Schlehman K9WDY Collection) The ZIP Key. Another Inexpensive Key Like the Gem Key
Supreme Spring Co. Bug A Bug Designed and Sold by C.A. Garcelon, W1AWQ, North Lovell, Maine. 1920's-1930's Another View of the W1AWQ Bug A Different Bug Design Made By W1AWQ. (Claudio Ruggieri, IZ0KRC Collection)
Another View of the W1AWQ Bug The Codetrol. Made By Bernard Breedlove, Atlanta Brown Brothers CSA Bug & Straight Key Combo. Very Rare An Unusual All-Brass Bug With Ivory Paddles. Probably Homemade. Maker Unknown
 
Another View of the All-Brass Bug Homebrew Bug by Don Iverson, Linnton Oregon. Pendulum Folds Back Under the Paddle Another View of the Iverson Bug  

 

 

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