History of the manufacturer
Federal Radio Corp. / Federal Telephone & Telegraph Co.; Buffalo, NY
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| Name: | Federal Radio Corp. / Federal Telephone & Telegraph Co.; Buffalo, NY (USA) |
| alternative name: |
 |
| Brand: | Orthosonic / Ortho-Sonic |
| Abbreviation: | federal-ra |
| Products: | Model types Tube manufacturer |
| Summary: |
Federal Radio Corp. (Division of the Federal Telephone & Radio (Manufacturing) Corp.) Trade names: Federal (Fed), Orthosonic In the August 1926, McGraw-Hill Radio Trade Catalog on page 211 the Federal Radio Corporation was located at 1738 Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo, New York. The August 1925 Radio Trade Directory lists over 20 components made by the company. |
| History: |
The Federal Radio Corporation was formed in 1926 following some years as being known as the Federal Telegraph and Telephone company, founded in the late 1890's. This former company resulted from some consolidation of smaller US telephone manufacturing companies. The radio division was apparently a separate entity. The First World War and introduction of wireless as a means of communication lent the company towards large quantity production of equipment for military use. Navy type air core transformers, buzzers and the famous "Liberty" headphones were some of the products made for the Allied Forces. Not long after the War ended, the type 226 iron core transformer was developed and this had some use until 1925.
In 1922 the company began making a range of radio apparatus for commercial use, including the Federal "Junior" crystal set and optional one tube amplifier. In that year the company made four tube receiving sets and two other amplifiers. In 1923 one radio was made and in 1924 three were made. Eight sets were made in 1925 and the first of the Orthosonic range was made. Nine were made and in 1926 three were made. In the following years to 1929 the company made 40 radios. Some "Orthosonic" sets were made to stand on a loud speaker table and were fine looking pieces of furniture. Detector and rf amplifier tubes in these sets were shielded with what looked like upended conical jam tins. The power tubes were both housed in a shielded box. The whole chassis was quite heavy as all fixed parts were nickel plated brass.
While a going concern with assets exceeding liabilities, some attempts were made in the last half of 1929 for the Federal Radio Corp to be taken over. One of these, reported in the June 1929 issue of the "Radio Retailer and Jobber" claimed that a tube partnership of the Royal Radio Tube Co (Clara Quinn) and the Lucien tube Corp, (both listed as being in Cleveland Ohio) had seized the company. The following issue of the same magazine claimed that the Acme Apparatus Corp of Cambridge, Massachusetts, which was one of Federal's creditors, had acquired them. Neither was true. In July/August of 1929 the Acoustic Products Co (formally the Sonora Phonograph Company until 1927 and renamed Sonora again after September 1929) purchased Federal Radio for US$225000. Sonora filed for bankruptcy in December 1929. |
| Country | Year | Name | 1st Tube | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | 24 | 102 | UV199 | One dial (primary tuning control knob). Tuned RF, untuned Audion Det., 2 Audios. The Feder... |
| USA | 47 | 1027 | 12BE6 | |
| USA | 46 | 1030T | 6SS7GT | Sams photofact, set 8, folder 468-13, date 11-46, features the Federal Telephone models 10... |
| USA | 47 | 1034 | 12BE6 | |
| USA | 47 | 1035 | 12BE6 | |
| USA | 47 | 1040TB | 12BE6 | |
| USA | 24 | 110 | UV201A | Three dials (primary tuning control knobs) One dials (primary tuning control knobs) |
| USA | 24 | Drop in radio panel for phonograph 135 | UV201A | Drop in radio panel for all upright phonographs and Victor No.210 console. There is a... |
| USA | 25/26 | 141 | UV201A | Two dials (primary tuning control knobs) The Federal 141 chassis was... |
| USA | 25/26 | 142 | UV201A | The Federal Model 142 uses the same chassis as the Federal Model 141&nbs... |
| USA | 25/26 | 143 | UV201A | Two dials (primary tuning control knobs) The Federal Model 143 uses the same chassi... |
| USA | 25 | 144 | Two dials (primary tuning control knobs) |
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