GB213968A - Ciphering device - Google Patents

Abstract

213,968. Marks, E. C. R., (Naamlooze Vennootschap Ingenieursbureau Securitas). Jan. 8, 1923. Type-wheel machines for ciphering; platenimpression arrangements; platen-shift mechanism.-In ciphering-apparatus with interchangeable connecting elements between the keys and indicating points, the number of indicating points, one for each cipher character, is less than the number of different characters in the clear text. The operating keyboard for the clear text is divided into rows of characters, the same point in each row being connected to one indicating point, and reversing or shift keys are employed to locate the row of operating points to which a particular cipher sign belongs. In the construction shown in the Figure, a constantly revolving type-wheel 60 bearing three rows of characters is provided, and is keyed to a distributor comprising insulated sectors 65 connected through cipher-key discs 32, 33, 34 to a row of operating-keys 21. Six of these keys bear rows of characters similar to those on the type-wheel, and three others are reversing or shift keys. Intermediate the cipherkey discs and operating-keys is a cylinder 26 with conducting-segments 27 for reversing the connections from ciphering to deciphering. The cipherkey disc 34 is longitudinally movable on the shait 35 by means of a lever 36, the discs 33 being capable of free revolution on the shaft to an extent determined by the gapped driving pinions 38. The reversing or shift keys are connected through a cylinder 67 with conducting-segments 72 upon which brushes 73, 74, 75 can bear. In the position shown the shift-keys do not operate the platen-shift mechanism, but the platen is rocked for impression on each current impulse by a solenoid and core 57, 58, the current being completed through the electromagnet 45, the armature 42 of which operates the cipher keychanging mechanism. The platen-shift mechanism comprises three solenoids 52, 53, 54 which energize the rocking-armature 49, causing it to be engaged in one of three positions by a spring 55 and thus raising or lowering the platen. For ciphering, each element of the apparatus is in the position shown, and on the depression of each shift-key a cipher sign is produced. To insert clear text in the cipher text, the cylinder 67 is rotated to bring the brushes 73, 74 on the segments 72, thus bringing into circuit the platenshift mechanism, the switch 76 is closed to shortcircuit the cipher key-changing mechanism, and the lever 36 is depressed, putting the disc 34 into contact with the right-hand disc 32. For deciphering, the lever 29 is lowered to the stop 31, the platen-shift mechanism is put into circuit, the cipher key-discs 33 brought to their initial position, and the switch 76 opened.