[TenTec] W9WBL paddle is the Brown Bros. paddle?

w8au@sssnet.com w8au@sssnet.com
Thu, 08 Feb 2001 10:59:31 -0500


At 09:40 AM 02/08/2001 -0500, Corn wrote:

>I just went to the U.S. Patent Office web site and found the paddle that 
>was referred to by the patent number 3,757,045 and incorrectly called the 
>W9WBL paddle.  It was adverised and sold as the Brown Brothers 
>Paddle.  The Patent is dated Sept. 4, 1973.  The inventor was William F. 
>Brown, 1570 Fairmont Ave., St. Louis, Mo. 63139.  Is it safe to assume 
>that W9WBL was Mr. Brown's call?  I wonder if he is still around?   The 
>paddle was referred to in the patent as a "Twin leaver Radio-Telegraph Key 
>Unit".  The actual patent is five pages long and quite detailed.  Anyway, 
>while it may be a unique paddle and based on owning both, I prefer the 
>Vibroplex anyday to the Brown Broth. The Brown Bros. is just too stiff. - 
>73's- Corn- k4own.

Corn:

Stan Hails, W9WBL is not Wm F. Brown.....   Stan's paddles do not even 
remotely resemble anyone else's.  They were a totally new innovation in key 
design.

They are "vertical" paddles..... Either single lever or dual, brass with 
Gold anodized contacts, configurable to anyone's fist, large or 
small.  They are a work of art, to be sure.

Stan produced them in his own "semi-automated" PC controlled production 
line, and it is too bad He had to leave this venture for the moment.   His 
production line may still be intact, as he said he will have time to make a 
few now and then.

We sure hope so.

Perry     w8au






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