The gentleman shown here is practicing copying Morse Code that the woman is literally cranking out for him, thanks to this automated code sender from the February 1944 issue of Popular Mechanics.

Today, it’s a relatively trivial matter for a computer to generate code, such as with this online code generator. But 75 years ago, saving a message for later replay probably involved paper tape. This machine allowed you to play such tapes, using a contact made of distributor points from a car. The tape could be prepared (using ticker tape) with a hole punch, or you could use commercially available tapes (probably Instructograph tapes).

The device could be powered with a crank, or with a sewing machine motor controlled by a rheostat.