The receiving instrument formerly universally used in the Morse system.
It is now but little employed, the sounder having displaced it. Several
types were invented.

It consists of machinery which carries a reel of paper ribbon arranged
to be fed over a roller by clockwork. A pencil, inking roller, or
embossing stylus (for the latter the roller must have a groove) is
carried by an arm with restricted range of vibration just over the paper
and roller. The armature of an electro-magnet is attached to the arm.
When the magnet is excited the armature is attracted and the marking
device is pressed on the paper. If the clockwork is in operation the
marker will make a line as long as the armature is attracted. When
released no mark will be produced. In this way the dots and dashes of
the Morse code are made on a ribbon of paper.

As an inking arrangement a small roller is carried by the end of the
vibrating arm. The embosser, or dry point stylus, was very extensively
used. The clockwork was generally driven by descending weights.

Synonym–Morse Recorder.