The TS-170 is one of only three devices in the exhibit that have the Argus name on them (the others are the BC-1158 and the BC-1156 components of the AZON system). The TS-170 was made in large numbers by several manufacturers.

It was used to test an aircraft’s RN-89 glide path receiver, which picked up signals from transmitters near the runway that guided the aircraft in direction and elevation as it approached the airfield. This system was used when visibility was diminished due to darkness, fog, or other weather conditions. The transmitted signals were highly directional, so it was necessary to have a local source for them when testing a receiver in the hangar. The TS-170 provided the required signals, which could be transmitted to the receiver through the air by a small antenna or through a cable on the front of the TS-170. [Thank you to Jerry Woodhall of the Bendix Foundation for this explanation.]

The most memorable fact about the Argus TS-170 is that it was manufactured for Argus by the Lewyt Vacuum Cleaner Company of Brooklyn, New York. Lewyt was a successful manufacturer of vacuum cleaners after the war. It’s founder and president, Alexander Lewyt, was famous for his assertion in 1955 that “nuclear powered vacuum cleaners will be a reality within ten years.” This statement later made PCWorld’s list of the “7 Worst Technical Predictions of All Time.”