Early Television
Early Television
Early Television
Early Television
Early Television Early Television

Mechanical Television

Mercier 60 Line Set

Early Television

(click on picture for high resolution image)

This is a 60 line receiver built by Murry Mercier Jr. and Sr. in 1928. The disk is almost 3 feet in diameter. You can see the disk and motor in this photo. The Merciers put this set in the window of their store on north High Street in 1929. They put a mirror in front of it so that Murry could keep the picture synchronized for viewers outside the store.

Early Television

The viewing window is made of sheet metal, and has Mercier Corp. labels on it.

 

Early Television

Here is a rear view of the set. Behind the disk is a metal track on which the motor was mounted. The motor had a rubber wheel which contacted the disk to rotate it. The wheel on the right side of the cabinet moved the motor in and out, thereby changing the speed of the disk. Constant adjustment of the wheel was necessary to keep the picture synchronized.

 

 

Early Television

This photo shows the motor mounted on a plate that slides in the track. The rubber wheel is visible on the left end of the motor.