Loading Coils

In 1899, loading coils were invented to help telephone calls go the distance! Electrical signals weaken as they travel down a telephone wire, so researchers had to come up with a way to strengthen the signal so a conversation could make it from Point A to Point B. One way to increase the distance of a quality call was to use a thicker wire coiled around an iron core. When properly spaced along telephone lines, it became possible to build a line of 2,000 miles, and AT&T opened a line between New York and Denver in 1911.

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This custom lobby scene, Knowledge Archive, celebrates AT&T’s rich legacy as one of the nation’s most prolific inventors and largest patent holders. Each abstract object surrounding you is a unique data sculpture quite literally derived from the data points of individual AT&T patents. Every sculpture in the lobby is unique and represents one of AT&T’s thousands of patents.

There are six major patent categories, each with its own set of identifiable data sculpture characteristics. This patent is one of many AT&T patents for Communications & Entertainment. The playful quality of this sculpture represents the flow of information as diverse colorful media.

Scan other QR codes to discover how each AT&T patent has impacted your daily life.