Monday, March 11, 2013, 2:30 a.m. — I received a nice e-mail from Clauddio, IZ0KRC today with news that surprised me — Clauddio was browsing the photos of my keys when he ran across the one at right. I assumed it was a nicely handcrafted homebrew bug when I purchased it in late 2011.
Apparently I was wrong!
Clauddio now owns a twin to my bug, which I now know is an Auto Plex that was built and sold by R.W. Steele of Winnipeg, Manitoba, about 1910 or so. His bug retains some features that mine does not, however.
His has unique “tiger stripes” painted on the base; mine is just bare copper plating. I’ll check the base again to see if it has remains of any paint on it, but my photos don’t show it. My key also has had the dot and dash contact screws and lock nuts replaced with Vibroplex parts. The keying lever appears also to be a replacement; Clauddio’s has the earlier box-style hinge that Vibroplex and other copies used prior to about 1923. I suspect the keying lever in my Auto Plex is also of Vibroplex manufacture, though I’ll need to check it closely. It is of the classic “bent lug” design. The other screws, lock nuts and other features are identical to the Auto Plex. One of the unusual features on the Auto Plex is the long circuit closer; my Auto Plex has had the bakelite handle shaved down from its original length. The other fasteners are original. My key did not come with a nameplate; however it does have mounting holes for a nameplate. I wonder if the original op removed the nameplate due to concerns related to Vibroplex’s protection of its trademark and patents?
My Auto Plex is equipped with the Vibroplex-style dot contact that slides onto the weight rod. From the pics on Clauddio’s website, it looks like the contact point may have been attached directly to the vibrating part of the keying lever, much like the Electro Bug.
I’m too lazy to link my Auto Plex photos to this entry right now, but I will soon. I have always wanted an Autoplex, and guess I have one … sorta!
You see a photo in my album here, and you can visit Clauddio’s webpage about his Auto Plex here.
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