TRANSISTOR MUSEUM Historic Transistor Photo Gallery
Transistor Size (5/16”Diameter X 1/8” Thick) Date Code 12-53 (1953 Week 12) on Back Text on Cardboard Package	WESTERN ELECTRIC 1760 TYPE Germanium Bead Type Point Contact Transistor USAGE Switching DATE INTRODUCED 1952 CASE STYLES White Epoxy Semi-Circular Bead AVAILABILITY Rare (Limited Production)
HISTORIC NOTES There were several case styles used by Bell Labs/Western Electric for the early point contact transistors. The 1760 shown above represents the commercial version of one of these case styles, known as the “bead type” case style – this case type was used only for point contact transistors by Bell Labs/Western Electric. The 1760 was the early version of the 2N26 transistor. The process used by Bell Labs/Western Electric for developing early transistors sometimes resulted in similar model numbers, distinguished by prefix identifiers to indicate maturity of design. For example, an “M” was used to identify a very early design still under development at BTL in (M)urray Hill. An “A” was used to identify a more mature design, but still not yet ready for production at the WECO (A)llentown manufacturing facility. So, there were M1760, A1760, 1760 and 2N26 transistors, each representing a more mature step in the commercialization process. Like all Western Electric transistors, these were not typically sold commercially, and were available only for military and phone company uses.
Copyright © 2002 by Jack Ward http://www.transistormuseum.com