US2413592A

US2413592A - Coding and decoding chart for cryptography

Info

Publication number: US2413592A
Application number: US547894A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles B Strother
Original assignee: LAWRENCE H FORSTER
Current assignee: LAWRENCE H FORSTER
Priority date: 1944-08-03
Filing date: 1944-08-03
Publication date: 1946-12-31
Anticipated expiration: 1963-12-31

Description

DCC 31, 1945- c. B. sTRoTHER CQDING AND DECODING CHART FOR CRYPTOGRAPHY Filed Aug. 5, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 w'l 4 w r 2 7 3 7 Dec. 31, 1946. .c. B. sTRoTHl-:R

GODIN@ AND DECODING CHART-FCR CRYPTOGRAPHY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Eled Aug. 3, `1944 U H VR w w s c E F M` r N u A A A .J R W L V H k M F A D s c 52 L x f. I H c E A .J V .N

J M F L A E U D VA H Patented Dec. 31, 1946 CODING AND DECODING CHART FOR CRYPTOGRAPHY Charles B. Strother, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor ence H. Forster, Dayton,

of one-.half to Lawr Ohio Application August 3, 1944, Serial No. 547,894

1 Claim.

. 1 Y This invention relates to an improvement in devices for use in the practice of cryptography, having for an object to provide a compact, conveniently operable and uncomplicated device,

whereby the characters employed in the formation of a code composition or message may be quickly and accurately visually translated into the particular intelligence represented or symbolized thereby.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel device, such as indicated, especially useful in the rapid and sure decoding of a coded composition, wherein, as the composition is reproduced or visually presented thereupon, its translation into conventional intelligence will be concurrently visually effected. i l

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a device capable of use as a master coding or decoding means, enabling a user of the same to so adjust the symbol bearing elements thereof as to correspond in arrangement or relative ldisposition'to those of a secondary separate or individual decoding device, whereby theV accuracy oi the code composition presented or eiected upon the latter may be checked or veriiied, and moreover, whereby the particularly. displayedcode composition of` said secondary decoding device may be quickly and accurately decoded through its use, or the. code composition provided instrumentality (an admission ticket, receipt, etc.) may be quickly and correctly translated.

In order that my invention and its advantages and merits may be better understood by workers skilled in this art, the following word illustration of one mode of usage thereof, is ofiered.

It is quite customary, in the sale of admission tickets, to identify the issued tickets by presenting thereon, at an appropriate place, consecutive numerals or other suitably designated media. In this manner, the total sales of such tickets for a, given period of time may be accurately determined, and thus, the cash or money intake represented by the aggregate sales thereof, ascertained. Such information is both vital and necessary. Nevertheless, for various reasons which need not be here explained, it is undesirable that the number of tickets sold over any period of time shall be capable of determination by unauthorized persons.

Through, the medium of my invention, tickets issued say, by a theatre, etc..may be individually identified in the consecutive order of their issuance, by suitably codified intelligence, either in the form of letters, numerals, or otherpsymbols or combinations thereof, applied thereto.

When it is desired to effect the counting of such identified tickets to ascertain the total number thereof sold, for any selected period of time, the codified intelligence carried bythe tickets is decoded. For the accurate, convenient and quick accomplishment of such decoding and counting or auditing, as well as the positive verification of the same, my improved master and secondary devices are provided.

The foregoing, as well as otherv objects, advantages, and meritorious teachings of the invention, will be in part obvious and in part pointed out in the following detailed disclosure thereof, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it being understood that the particular form of the invention presented herein is a precise and, what is now considered to be.- the best mode of embodying its principles, but that modifications and changes may be made in speciiic embodiments, without departing from its essential features.

in the drawings:

Figure 1 is a face view of my improved coding" and decoding device.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction in which the arrows point.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal` section through the device shown in Figure 1, takenon a plane at substantially right angles to that in which Figure 2 is taken and having its intermediate portion broken away.

Figure 4 is a face view of ondary or decoding device.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 4, looking in the direction in which the arrows point, and

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section through the device shown in Figure 4, taken on a plane at substantially right angles to that in which Figmaster the improved1 sec- `ure 5 is taken and having its intermediate portion broken away.

In` a prefatory sense, it may be stated that I have herein shown two forms or adaptations of my invention, one being a master or key coding and decoding chart, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, and the other being an individual or secondary decoding chart, as shown in Figures 4 to 6, inclusive.

Having more particular reference to the drawings, in connection with which like characters of reference will designate corresponding parts throughout, the construction of the master or key chart, shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 o f the drawings, comprises a supporting or retaining versely disposed lines, dividing the same into jux- Y Y taposed and aligned columns of blocks or frames, each of which has a circular or otherwise suitably shaped window 6 formed therein. Also, said blocks or frames are provided with inscribed or suitably presented transversely disposed rows of indicating numerals 'I or other appropriate symbols. Other circular 0r suitably shaped windows 8 are formed in the upper end portion of the'face wall panel, in relative transversely aligned and spaced relationship, and yas will be noted upon reference to Figure l of the drawings, these windows are individually associated or juxtaposed with each of the transverse rows of theaforesaid blocks, or frames.

The'lower panel portion of the face wall 2 has a plurality of relatively parallel and equi-spaced slots, generally indicated by the numeral 9, formed therein, while'the adjacent or near portion of the panel has relatively transversely disposed and spaced lines ruled or otherwise presented thereacross, providing a plurality of longitudinally and transversely aligned blocks` or frames, each of which have numerals Ill or other characters or symbols arrangedtherein. Y

Code character provided elongated strips of substantially flat rigid or at least stable material, generally indicated by the numeral II, areA slidably received within the supporting body I, i. e., received therein via its open and normally outer end and arranged infabutting juxtaposed rela` tion, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. Since each of these elongated flat strips II are of corresponding formation and construction, reference is hereinafter had to but one of the same; it being understood that such reference will suiiice for all thereof.

The strip II has pairs or sets of transversely juxtaposed letters I2 and numerals I3, or other desirable or suitable symbols, presented upon its face side, particularly, that Side of the same adn jacent the face wall 2 of the supporting body I. These pairs of letters and numerals I2 and I3, it will be seen, are provided upon the normally upper or outer portion of the strip I vI and are arranged thereupon in equi-spaced relation.

The normally lower or inner end portion of the strip I I is provided-upon its face side with longitudinally disposed equi-spaced letters I4, or other appropriate symbols, and adjacent each of such letters, circular or otherwise shaped openings, generally indicated by the numeral I5, are formed therein.

With slldable reception of the strips II in the aforesaid juxtaposed relation within the supporting body I, the letters I2 thereon are normally Vadjacent to and exposed through the Window 6 in the upper or normally outer end portion of the face wall 2, while the numerals I3 are adapted, at times, to be aligned with and'exposed through the particular windows 8 formed in the face wall yi. and aligning therewith.

To facilitate longitudinal sliding adjustment or movement of the strips Ii with relation to the supporting body I and to each other, it is to be understood that a suitably pointed instrument (not shown) is selectively engaged in any one of the openings I5 in the normally lower or inner portions of said strips, through the particular slot 9 longitudinally aligning therewith o-r overlying the same. Thereupon, force in the desired direction is imparted to the thus engaged strip or strips I I and it or they are slid outwardly until the said engaged instrument comes into abutting contact with the upper or normally outer end of the particularly adjacent slot Il. And at said time, the engaged strip I I will be moved to a predetermined position so that certain or preselected letters and characters I2 and I 3, upon its upper portion, will be exposed through the

windows

6 and 8, respectively. In this manner, the master or key coding and decoding chart is operated or used to produce or reproduce thereupon some certain orparticular code, and especially, the particular code provided the individual or secondary decoding chart, shown by Figures 4 to 6, inclusive, of the accompanying drawings.

Because of the relative arrangement of characters upon the strips I I and their individual adjustabilities within the supporting body I, it will be seen that the master or key chart may be so adjusted or worked as to permit the formation of various codes, corresponding or related to the particular individual or secondary decoding chart which is to be or may be tested or verified thereby.

Having reference now to the individual or secondary decoding chart which is to be or may be tested or veried thereby.y

Having reference now to the individual or secondary decoding chart, illustrated in Figures 4 to 6, inclusive, of the accompanying drawings, it will -be noted that the same substantially corresponds in construction to the construction of the master or key chart, above described. To this end, the individual or secondary decoding chart consists of a supporting body I', including face and rear walls 2and 3', an end wall Il and side walls 5', the normally outer or upper end of the supporting body being open. Transversely disposed rows of relatively equi-spaced windows 6 and 8' are formed in the normally upper or outer end panel portion of the face wall 2 and, as will be observed upon reference to Figure 4 of the drawings, these several rows of

windows

6 and 8 are so positioned that their individual windows are relatively staggered.

The normally lower or inner panel portion of the face wall 2 has a plurality of longitudinally disposed relatively parallel and equi-spaced slots or ways 9 formed therein, the lengths of which correspond with each other, while transversely ruled or otherwise presented lines are provided upon said portion of the face wall in equi-spaced and relative parallel relationship, thus, providing a plurality of transversely and longitudinally aligned blocks or frames, each of which has an appropriate letter Ill or other symbol therein and upon an adjacent portion of the'face wall.

Strips I I are slidably received within the supporting body I via its open normally upper or outer end and are arranged therein,' as shown in Figure 6, in juxtaposed or abutting relation.

Pairs oi' transversely juxtaposed letters I2 and numerals I3,` or other appropriate symbols, are suitably presented upon the face sides of each of the strip-s I I in longitudinally equi-spaced relationship for portions o1 their respective lengths,

While other portions, i. e., the normally lower or inner end portions of said strips have longitudinally aligned and relatively equi-spaced openings l5 formed therein.

Assuming that the juxtaposed and slidably received strips l I are arranged Within the supporting body l', in the manner shown in Figure 6 oi the accompanying drawings, it will be understood that certain of the letters l2 of the aforesaid transversely juxtaposed pairs will be arranged adjacent to and exposed through the particular window or windows E' longitudinally aligning therewith, whereas certain of the numerals I 3 of said transversely juxtaposed pairs will be ad jacent to and exposed through the particular window B' longitudinally aligned therewith. Also, it will be seen that the longitudinally disposed and relatively equi-spaced openings I5' formed in the normally lower or inner end portions of each of said strips ll', will be aligned with the particularly adjacent longitudinally disposed slot or way 9 in the normally lower or inner end panel portion of the face wall 2' of the supporting body I'. Hence, by engaging a suitable instrument (not shown) in a particularly selected opening I5 of any one of the strips Il', sliding movement may be imparted to the thus engaged strip Il in order that it may be slid within the supporting body i' to a certain predetermined position, whereat, particularly desired letters l2 and numerals I3' may be aligned with and exposed through the longitudinally aligned windows 6' and 8', respectively, provided in the normally upper or outer end panel portion of the face wall 2.

By slidably adjusting the symbol-bearing strips Il to predetermined positions within or with respect to the supporting body I', it will be noted that a letter code will be exposed through the windows 6' of the face wall 2', while the particular numerical or other intelligence represented by said code will be concurrently presented adjacent to and exposed through the aforesaid windows 8. Thus, with the formation of a pre-selected code adjacent to and exposed through the windows 6 of the face wall 2', a decoding of the same will be concurrently effected and exposed or displayed through the windows 8 of said face wall 2'.

It will |be manifest to workers skilled in this particular art that the shape and size of the several supporting ibodies l and l', may` be changed or modified, as may be the symbol bearing strips ll and il slidably received therein. It is entirely feasible and practical that the supporting body, instead of being flat, may be circular or curved or of any other particularly desired or elected formation, provided only as the same permits of the slidable reception and juxtapositioning of the symbol bearing strips therewithin in a fashion whereby they may be individually moved or adjusted to certain or pre-determined positions to provide or eiect certain pre-selected codes.

I claim:

A device of the character described, comprising a substantially rectangularly shaped body having a chamber in and disposed longitudinally of the same opening onto the normally upper end thereof, the normally upper portion of the face side of said body having longitudinally arf ranged columns of relatively equi-spaced windows formed therein, the windows of said col umns being transversely aligned and relatively spaced, portions of the body face side in proximity to each of said windows having appropriate symbols presented thereon, a portion of said body face side in proximity to the open upper end of the chamber in the body having a plurality of transversely arranged windows formed therein corresponding in number to said columns of windows, said transversely arranged windows being individually offset positioned with relation to said longitudinally arranged columns of windows, the normally lower portion of said body face side having a plurality of longitudinally extending equi-spaced and relatively parallel slots formed therein each extending upwardly into proximity to the lower end of the body face side upper portion and downwardly into proximity to the lower end of the normally lower portion of the body lface side, said slots corresponding in number to the number of columns of windows in the normally upper portion of the body face side and laterally oiset with relation thereto and the normally lower portion of the body face side having longitudinally arranged columns of equi-spaced symbols presented thereon between said slots, and a plurality of juxtaposed flat strip-like elements corresponding in number to said columns of windows and slots slidable within the body chamber through its open upper end, each of said elements having a plurality of openings formed in their normally lower portions disposed longitudinally of the same and relatively spaced to substantially correspond to the spacing between the symbols on the normally lower portion of the body face side, and the normally upper portions of said elements each having a plurality of longitudinally arranged symbols presented on their face sides relatively spaced to correspond to the spacing between the columns of windows in the normally upper portion of the body face side and selectively registrable therewith. l CHARLES B. STROTHER.