# Help ID Old Office Equipment.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-old-office-equipment/525463>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 18, 2010, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-old-office-equipment/525463 "2010-01-18T20:39:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-old-office-equipment/525463/1 "2010-01-18T20:39:44Z")

</div>

Back in the old days around 1972 or so, before PCs and email etc, we had a device that you could write with, and at the same time, the writing was duplicated at a remote location. We used it to send parts orders from our office to a warehouse. It used a dedicated wire set. When we actuated the pen at our end, the pen at the other end followed. It was not an exact duplicate, but pretty close.

I can’t remember the name of this device. The item was about 8"x5" and maybe 1.5" thick.

Any help?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-old-office-equipment/525463/2 "2010-01-18T23:15:15Z")

</div>

It was probably a [Telautograph](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telautograph).

A [patent filing](http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/3950614/description.html) gives some insight into how it worked. And a bit more info [here](http://www.jmcvey.net/cable/elements/telautograph1.htm).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![J-P\_L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/j-p_l/32/3156_2.png) [@J-P\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J-P_L)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-old-office-equipment/525463/3 "2010-01-19T01:50:38Z")

</div>

[Teleprinter, teletype or Telex](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teleprinter) also come to mind

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-old-office-equipment/525463/4 "2010-01-19T02:18:23Z")

</div>

> [@J-P\_L](#):
>
> [Teleprinter, teletype or Telex](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teleprinter) also come to mind

Not for transmitting handwriting.

As \*\*gotpasswords \*\*said, Telautograph was the big name, but there were a few competitors.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-old-office-equipment/525463/5 "2010-01-19T12:59:43Z")

</div>

Yes, that’s the type of device as well as how it worked. I googled the term and looked at some images but did not see any that matched the piece of equipment we had.

Thanks for the knowledge increase.