US3210469A - Coupling elements for telegraph transmitter - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 5, 1965 A. E. HEINIG COUPLING ELEMENTS FOR TELEGRAPH TRANSMITTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec.

INVENTOR ARTHUR E. HEINIG ATTORNEY v Oct. 5, 1965 A. E. HElNlG 3,210,469

COUPLING ELEMENTS FOR TELEGRAPH TRANSMITTER Filed D80. 20, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m a? 42mm ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,210,469 COUPLING ELEMENTS FOR TELEGRAPH TRANSMHTTER Arthur E. Heinig, Chicago, 11]., assignor to Teletype Corporation, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 20, 1945, Ser. No. 636,216 9 Claims. (Cl. 178-42) This invention pertains to printing telegraph apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for recording information in plain or enciphered form.

A principal object of the invention is to provide simple, compact and reliable facilities in telegraph apparatus for converting messages from ciphered form to intelligible form and vice versa to facilitate the secret communication of messages.

Another object of the invention is to provide a telegraph transmitting device for rendering messages unintelligible to unauthorized persons.

Signaling systems are desirable for naval, military, and civil purposes wherein it is required that messages be rendered unintelligible to persons unauthorized to receive them. surreptitious interception of messages may be accomplished by unauthorized persons, for example, in the case of wire communications by tapping signal wires, and in radio communication by means of receiving apparatuses tuned to the proper frequencies.

In order to encipher messages by the present system with which the present apparatus is utilized, the elements of the code combinations of the original intelligible message are combined with the elements of code combinations provided by a ciphering device or maze. According to the principles of the present invention, opposite signaling conditions produce a marking signal, that is, with one impulse element of the original code combination marking and with the corresponding impulse element of the key code combination of spacing nature, then the resultant signal impulse is of marking nature. On the other hand, however, like signaling conditions, that is, with both impulse elements marking or both elements of spacing nature, produce spacing signals. This presumes, of course, that each of the elements of the respective code combinations are related to each other. That is, the No. 1 element of the original code combination is combined with the No. 1 element of the key code combination, and so forth. To take a specific illustration, let it be assumed that it is desired to encipher the character R which in the Baudot code is composed of spacing, marking, spacing, marking, and spacing conditions. Let it be further assumed that the code wheels of the ciphering device with which the particular enciphering operation is to be performed occupy such a position whereat it is conditioned for producing the letter Y combination which in the Baudot code is composed consecutively of marking, spacing, marking, spacing, and marking conditions. Under the assumed conditions, the enciphering operation would result in the production of an all marking or letters combination, since in this particular illustration opposite conditions of all the related elements of R and Y code combinations are provided. This will be readily apparent from the following chart wherein the letter M indicates a marking condition and the letter S indicates a spacing condition:

It is understood that both the transmitting and receiving stations of a telegraph system will be equipped with ice identical ciphering devices, the code wheels of which during message transmission Will occupy identical positions. During transmission the code wheels of the ciphering devices are rotated or stepped between characters to modify the key signal, but both sets of code wheels occupy the same corresponding position at all times. A station which receives enciphered signals is thus enabled to decipher the unintelligible signals transmitted over the telegraph line by combining enciphered signals with key signals provided by the ciphering device or maze.

To illustrate a deciphering operation, the example given above in connection with the enciphering operation will be continued and it will be assumed that a receiving station received the enciphered signal; namely, Letters. The Y combination provided by the ciphering device at the receiving station can now be combined with the re ceived Letters combination to decipher the enciphered signal to therebyreproduce the original signal R, as clearly shown in the following chart:

The transmitter, receiver, and ciphering device according to the present invention are associated and combined through the medium of electric circuits whereby various communication conditions may be readily established. Through suitable switching means, conditions can be set up for communicating secret messages, plain English messages, enciphering or deciphering. In the method of transmitting secret messages, not only is the message enciphered but also the spacing mechanism is conditioned to insert automatically an extra space every fifth character.

Reference is made to copending applications Serial No. 623,215 and Serial No. 636,217 filed on December 20, 1945 by T. O. Przysiecki and S. Janiszewski, respectively, covering other apparatus used in the system embodying the present invention.

A more comprehensive understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein,

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view, partly in section, of the transmitting mechanism according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmental perspective view of the transmitting contact operating mechanism;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the coupling element for the transmitter contact operating levers;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the transmitting unit;

FIG. 5 is a view showing the transmitter clutch mechanism; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmental view showing a brake mechanism for the transmitter shaft.

The transmitting device is shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, inclusive, and comprises a base portion 301 which houses a group of key levers 302 which are pivotally supported in well known manner in the housing 301 and are spring held in their upward position and are also provided with keytops (not shown) arranged in a bank similar to a teletype keyboard. Positioned below the key levers 302 and directed transversely thereof are a series of code bars 303. The key levers 302 cooperate with the saw toothed upper edges of the code bars 303 in well known manner to set the code bars in varying permutations. Operatively connected to the code bars 303 through the instrumentality of pins or studs 304 are a corresponding series of levers 305 pivotally supported on a pivot shaft 306. The upper end of each lever 305 carries a coupling element 307, the disc portion 308 of which fits into the open ended slot in the extremity of the upper arm of the lever 305. Integral with the disc portion 308 of coupling element 307 is a rib portion 309 of rectangular cross section. Also, integral with the rib portion 309 and arranged perpendicularly therewith and centrally thereof is a portion 311 of rectangular cross section, which performs the dual function of retaining the coupling 307 in slidable relation with lever 312 and also for cooperating with the depending arm 349 of bell cranks 348 to control the closure of contacts 319, as will presently appear.

Levers 305 are pivotally articulated to a corresponding series of contact operating levers 312 by means of said coupling elements 307 (FIG. 2). To achieve this result the horizontal arm of lever 312 is provided with an openended slot 313 which is adapted to receive the portion 309 of coupling element 307. Levers 312 are pivotally mounted on a pivot shaft 314 and each lever is provided with a cam follower arm 315 and a contact operating arm 316. Normal counterclockwise bias is imparted to levers 312 by individual springs 317. Secured to each arm 316 is an insulator 318 which cooperates with individual contacts 319 of a series of transmitting contacts. Cooperating with the cam follower arms 315 are a corresponding series of transmitting cams 321 carried on a shaft 322.

The power for operating the apparatus according to the present invention is derived from a motor (not shown) through a pinion 323 mounted on the shaft 324 thereof. This power is transmitted through gear 325 to shaft 322. Also fixed to shaft 322 is a gear 326 which serves the dual purpose of transmitting power through gear 327 to shaft 24 of the printer unit, and also through gear 328 to shaft 329.

Cams 321 are carried on a sleeve 331 which is operatively connected to shaft 322 through a clutch 332, comprising a gear 333, secured to the cam sleeve 331 and a gear 334 secured to shaft 322. Pivotally carried on a lug 335 on sleeve 331 is a main pawl 336 and an auxiliary pawl 337 which are normally biased clockwise by a spring 338. Associated with pawls 336 and 337 is a trip-off mechanism comprising a trip-off lever 339 having a depending portion similar to the depending arm of the contact control levers 305, which cooperates with a pair of studs similar to studs 304, on the universal code bar. Resting on the shoulder 341 of trip-off lever 339 is the horizontal arm of a clutch release lever 342, the vertical arm of which cooperates with pawl-336 to hold pawls 336 and 337 out of operative engagement with gears 333 and 334. Upon operation of any key lever 302, the universal bar is also actuated, as is well known, to impart counterclockwise rotation to lever 339 to effect the disengagement of shoulder 341 from lever 342 to permit spring 343 to bias lever 342 clockwise to disengage the vertical arm thereof from pawl 336. Springs 338 will be thereupon effective to engage pawls 336 and 337 with gears 333 and 334, to effect a single rotation of cam sleeve 331. An arm 344 is cooperatively related to lever 342 to effect, through the instrumentality of a cam on cam sleeve 331, counterclockwise rotation of lever 342 to effect the re-engagement of the horizontal arm with the shoulder 341.

Provision has been made to limit the rotation of clutch 332 to a single rotation, in the event a key lever 302 is held depressed. To achieve this result a lever 345 is provided which is mounted on pivot 306 and is provided with a shoulder 346 adapted to confront shoulder 341. Shoulder 346 is disposed at a slightlyhigher level than shoulder 341, so that following a normal release of lever 342 by the operation of a key lever 302 and the return thereof by arm 344 and with the key lever held depressed, lever 342 will engage shoulder 346, and then when the key lever is released the end of lever 342 rides off shoulder 346 onto shoulder 341, thus preventing lever 342 from escaping, except upon in response to a further operation of a key lever.

The cam notches 347 of cams 321 are disposed around the cam sleeve 331 in a helical manner, so that the transmitter contacts 319 are operated sequentially. Cooperating with the contact levers 312 are a corresponding plurality of bell crank levers 348, each having a depending arm 349, adapted to cooperate with portion 311 of the coupling elements 307, and a horizontal arm 351 adapted to cooperate with the armature 352 of an associated ciphering magnet 353. As will hereinafter appear, the energization of the ciphering magnets 353 is under the control of the ciphering unit 14. The signal transmitted by the contacts 319 is determined under the joint control of code bars 303 and ciphering magnets 353, in the manner disclosed in copending application Serial No. 513,375, filed December 8, 1943, in the name of A. H. Reiber, deceased.

Bell crank levers 348 are normally biased in a clockwise direction about pivot shaft 354 by individual springs 355. However, levers 348 are periodically actuated to their counterclockwise position, shown in FIG. 1, by a bail 356 which is operated by a lever 357 actuated by a cam (not shown) carried on shaft 322. After levers 348 have been actuated to their counterclockwise position by bail 356, they will be retained in this position by armatures 352 if magnets 353 are deenergized as shown in FIG. 1. If certain of the magnets 353 are energized, the armature 352 thereof will be swung out of the path of the shoulder or arm 351 of its associated lever 348, so that spring 355 is thereby enabled to rotate lever 348 to its clockwise position.

Thus, if a lever 305 is actuated to its counterclockwise position and its associated lever 348 is actuated to its clockwise position, then movement of lever 312 in a counterclockwise direction under the pull of spring 317, to close its contact 319 will be prevented because portion 311 will be blocked by arm 349. A similar condition will result if a lever 305 is actuated to its clockwise position and its associated lever 348 is actuated to its counterclockwise position. However, if the levers 305 and 348 assume the positions shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or vice versa, then the movement of levers 312 will not be blocked by portion 311, and the contact 319 will consequently be closed.

Power is imparted to shaft 329 by gear 328 through the instrumentality of clutch mechanism 358 (FIGS. 1 and 5). The clutch mechanism 358 comprises the clutch magnet 271, the armature 359 of which controls a clutch release lever 361 pivotally mounted at 362. Upon energization of magnet 271, the armature 359 is attracted, thereby permitting spring 363 to bias lever 361 clockwise. A pin 364 carried by lever 361 acts upon arm 365 of a 3-arm lever 366 pivoted at 367. The extremity of arm 365 cooperates with a pawl 368 of clutch 358. A spring 369 stretched between pin 364 and the end of an arm 371 of lever 366 whereby a normal clockwise bias is imparted to lever 366, to return arm 365 into arresting relation with pawl 368. The third arm 372 of lever 366 serves to provide a means for manually releasing the clutch 358 for rotation, as will hereinafter appear.

Upon the automatic release of clutch 358, as previously described, the pawl 368 is rotated counterclockwise about its pivot 377 to bring its tooth 378 into engagement with the constantly rotating driving gear 379 through the instrumentality of a spring 381. Pawl 368 carries adjacent the tooth 378, a pin 382 which cooperates with a second pawl member 383. Pawl 383 is also biased by a spring 381 so that when pawl 368 is rotated by its spring 381 the pawl 383 will follow along whereby pawls 368 and 383 are permitted to grasp a tooth on the driving gear. Pawl 383 also functions to prevent overrunning of the clutch. The plate 384 on which the pawls 368 and 383 are carried is provided with a cam surface 385 which cooperates with a follower arm portion 390 of lever 361 so that prior to the completion of a cycle of rotation, the arm 365 will be returned to its position of blocking pawl 368. A detent lever 386 pivoted at 362 and spring-biased by a spring 387 cooperates with a pin 388 carried on plate 384 to prevent chattering of the clutch 358.

Having reference to FIG. 4, a contact bank 392 is carried on the frame of the transmitter unit, which contacts are controlled by a lever 393, the upper end of which is shown in FIG. 4.

Clamped to shaft 329 is a crank member 396 (FIG. 5) which carries thereon a stud 397 on which is pivotally supported a link 398 which is the operative connection between the transmitter unit and the ciphering unit, as shown in copending application Serial No. 636,217, now US. Patent No. 2,802,463, filed Dec. 20, 1945, by S. Janiszewski.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown in the drawings and described in the foregoing specification, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to this embodiment but is capable of modification and rearrangement without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a secret code transmitter, a series of elements, means for setting said elements permutably according to a signal of plain English, a corresponding series of members set in permuted position according to an enciphering code, means including a group of contact controlling levers to transmit an enciphered signal, and coupling members for pivotally articulating said elements to said contact controlling levers, said coupling members being provided with a disc portion having a first integral diametric portion, a second diametric portion integral with said first diametric portion at the point of intersection thereof, cooperating extremities of said series of elements and said levers provided with open ended slots to receive said coupling members, whereby said coupling members function dually to pivotally interlock each element of said series of elements and associated ones of said contact controlling levers and to have a blocking or nonblocking relationship with said corresponding series of members.

2. In a secret code transmitter, a series of elements, means for setting said elements permutably according to a signal of plain English, a corresponding series of members set in permuted position according to an enciphering code, means including a group of contact controlling levers to transmit an enciphered signal, and coupling elements, each coupling element comprising in a unitary structure a disc portion, a first diametric rib integral therewith, and a second diametric rib perpendicular to said first rib and integral therewith at the point of intersection thereof, cooperating extremities of said series of elements and said levers provided with open ended slots to receive said coupling elements, whereby said coupling ele ments function dually to pivotally interlock each element of said series of elements and associated ones of said contact controlling levers and to have a blocking or nonblocking relationship with said corresponding series of members.

3. In a transmitter, a series of elements, means for setting said elements permutably according to a signal to be transmitted, means including a group of contact controlling levers to transmit said signal, and coupling elements, each coupling element comprising in a unitary structure a disc portion, a first diametric rib integral therewith, and a second diametric rib perpendicular to said first rib and integral therewith at the point of intersection thereof, cooperating extremities of said series of elements and said levers provided with open ended slots to receive said coupling elements, whereby said coupling elements function to pivotally interlock each element of said series of elements and associated ones of said contact controlling levers.

4. In a secret code transmitter, a series of elements, means for setting said elements permutably according to a signal of plain English, a corresponding series of members set in permuted position according to an enciphering code, means including a group of contact controlling levers to transmit an enciphered signal, and coupling elements, each coupling element comprising in a unitary structure a disc portion, a first diametric rib integral therewith, and a second diametric rib perpendicular to said first rib and integral therewith at the point of intersection thereof, cooperating extremities of said series of elements and said levers provided with open ended slots to receive said coupling elements, whereby said coupling elements function dually to pivotally interlock each element of said series of elements and associated ones of said contact controlling levers and to permit universal slidable relationship therebetween as determined by the permuted setting of said series of members.

5. In a code transmitter, a series of elements, means for setting said elements permutably according to a code signal to be transmitted, means including a group of contact controlling levers to transmit said code signal, and coupling elements, each comprising in a unitary structure a disc portion, a first diametric rib integral therewith, and a second diametric rib perpendicular to said first rib and integral therewith at the point of intersection thereof, the upper end of each of said series of elements provided at its extremity with an open ended slot to slidably receive the disc portion of said coupling element, the arm of said contact controlling lever cooperating with said elements provided with an open ended slot to slidably receive said first diametric rib, whereby said second diametric rib acts to retain associated ones of said elements and levers in cooperative relationship with each other to provide a universal connection therebetween.

6. In a code transmitter, a series of elements, means for setting said elements permutably according to a code signal to be transmitted, means including a group of contact controlling levers to transmit said code signal, and coupling elements, each coupling element comprising in a unitary structure a disc portion and a pair of ribs perpendicularly disposed to each other, one of said ribs functioning to space the other of said ribs from said disc portion, cooperating extremities of said series of elements and said levers provided with open ended slots to receive said coupling elements, whereby said coupling elements function dually to pivotally interlock each element of said :series of elements and associated ones of said contact controlling levers and to permit universal slidable relationship therebetween.

7. In a secret code transmitter, a series of elements, means for setting said elements permutably according to a signal of plain English, a corresponding series of members set in permuted position according to an enciphering code, means including a group of contact controlling levers to transmit an enciphered signal, and coupling elements, each coupling element comprising in a unitary structure a disc portion and a pair of ribs perpendicularly disposed to each other, one of said ribs functioning to space the other of said ribs from said disc portion, cooperating extremities of said series of elements and said levers provided with open ended slots to receive said coupling element's, whereby said coupling elements function dually to pivotally interlock each element of said series of elements and associated ones of said contact controlling levers and to permit universal slidable relationship therebetween as determined by the permuted setting of said series of members.

8. In combination, a first series of levers, a second series of levers, each of said first series of levers adapted to associate with one of said second series of levers, and coupling elements therefor, each coupling element comprising in a unitary structure a disc portion, a first diametric rib integral therewith, and a second diametric rib perpendicular to said first rib and integral therewith at the point of intersection thereof, cooperating extremities of said first and second series of levers provided with open ended slots to receive said coupling elements, whereby said coupling elements function dually to pivotally interlock associated ones of said first and second series of levers.

9. In a code transmitter, a series of elements, means for setting said elements permutably according to a code signal to be transmitted, each of said elements provided with an open-ended slot at its upper extremity, a group of contact controlling levers to transmit said code signals, each of said levers having an arm cooperable with an associated one of said elements, said arm also provided with an opened-ended slot, and a coupling element for 8 each of said elements and its associated lever comprising in a unitary structure a disc portion adapted to be slidably received by said first-mentioned open-ended slot, a first diametric rib integral therewith adapted to be slidably received by said second-mentioned open-ended slot, and a second diametric rib perpendicular to said first rib and integral therewith at the point of intersection thereof, whereby said second diametric rib acts to retain an element and its associated lever in cooperative relation with each other to provide a universal connection therebetween.

No references cited.

NEIL C. READ, Primary Examiner.

NEWTON N. LOVEWELL, JAMES E. KEELY,

HILLEL MARANS, Examiners.

Claims (1)

1. IN A SECRET CODE TRANSMITTER, A SERIES OF ELEMENTS MEANS FOR SETTING SAID ELEMENTS PERMUTABLY ACCORDING TO A SIGNAL OF PLAIN ENGLISH, A CORRESPONDING SERIES OF MEMBERS SET IN PERMUTED POSITION ACCORDING TO AN ENCIPHERING CODE, MEANS INCLUDING A GROUP OF CONTACT CONTROLLING LEVERS TO TRANSMIT AN ENCIPHERED SIGNAL, AND COUPLING MEMBERS FOR PIVOTALLY ARTICULATING SAID ELEMENTS TO SAID CONTACT CONTROLLING LEVERS, SAID COUPLING MEMBERS BEING PROVIDED WITH A DISC PORTION HAVING A FIRST INTEGRAL DIAMETRIC PORTION, A SECOND DIAMETERIC PORTION INTEGRAL WITH SAID FIRST DIAMETRIC PORTION AT THE POINT OF INTERSECTION THEREOF, COOPERATING EXTREMITIES OF SAID SERIES OF ELEMENTS AND SAID LEVERS PROVIDED WITH OPEN ENDED SLOTS TO RECEIVE SAID COUPLING MEMBERS, WHEREBY SAID COUPLING MEMBERS FUNCTION DUALLY TO PIVOTALLY INTERLOCK EACH ELEMENT OF SAID SERIES OF ELEMENTS AND ASSOCIATED ONE OF SAID CONTACT CONTROLLING LEVERS AND TO HAVE A BLOCKING OR NONBLOCKING RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID CORRESPONDING SERIES OF MEMBERS.

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