In addition to sending and receiving text, Teletypes could also be used to transcribe text from keyboard to paper tape for storage and eventual re-use, and also to create line-printer carriage-control tape loops for printers such as the IBM 1403.

What is the purpose of teletype?

A teletype (or more precisely, a teleprinter) is a communications device that allows operators to send and receive text-based messages using a typewriter-style keyboard and printed paper output. The term “teletype” originated as a trademarked term for a brand of teleprinters created by the Teletype Corporation in 1928.

How does a teletype work?

Teletype machines operate by the transmission of electrical “pulses” over wires from a sending unit to a receiving unit. ... Teletype machines “listen” to a code in which each letter or number is made by a combination of electrical pulses of equal length and automatically translate this code into printing.