US880905A - Tabulated gage for telegraphic or secret codes. - Google Patents

Description

No. 880,905. PATENTED MAR. a, 1908.

B. McNEILL.

TABULATED GAGE FOR TELEGRAPHIC 0R SECRET CODES. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 3.1907.

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PATBNTED MAR. 3, 190a.

B." McNEILL. TABULATED-GAGE FOR'TBLBGRAPHIG 0R SECRET CODES.

AIPLIGATION FILED AUG. 3.1901.

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UNIED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BEDFORD MCNEILL, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

TABULATED GAGE FOR TELEGRAPHIC OR SECRET CODES.

Application filed August 3, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BEDFORD MoNEILL, a subject of His Majesty the King of Great Britain, and a resident of London, England, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in T abulated Gages for Telegraphic or Secret Codes, of which the following is a specification.

In telegraphic or secret codes it is now common to have a series of arbitrarily selected words or numbers usually arranged in alphabetical or numerical order and each word or number corresponds with a more or less complete sentence or different word.

In practical use it is not uncommon for a person who desires secrecy to arrange with his correspondent that when he uses say the third word or number on any page that he attaches to it the meaning set opposite say the third word following it, or such other combination as may be agreed between the parties, but such an' arrangement is so constant that in practice it is frequently not di'flicult for others to discover the arrangement made and to properly translate what is intended to be a secret message.

According to the present invention it is proposed to employ a tabulated gage which may be either removable or attached to each sheet or page of the code and so marked that if say the third code word has been used it indicates that the twenty-seventh or other word is. intended. Such a gage may be constructed in various ways but a convenient and efficacious form would consist of a plate with an opening therein corresponding to the column of words or figures of the code and marked on one side with the numbers corre sponding thereto in numerical order and on the other side of the opening with the arbitrarily selected number of the code word intended to be meant thereby. Thus for eX- ample if the numbers 1, 2, 3, and so on upon one side of the gage are placed opposite the first, second, and third word of the code, on the other side may be placed the figures 12, 6, 29, or as desired and for translation of such a code message if the first three words had been used it will be only necessary to glance down the column until the twelfth word is reached to transcribe its meaning, then go to the sixth word, transcribe that, and then the twenty-ninth. Such gages can be made of metal, cardboard, or other suitable material as may be desired, and if preferred the figures on one or both sides of the gage may be Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 3, 1908.

Serial No. 386,895.

on blocks or other removable pieces sliding in grooves or otherwise attached to the gage so that changes in the relative position of the figures on opposite sides may readily be made as between any two or more correspondents. For decodification the procedure is the exact reverse of that for codification.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1 represents a cardboard or like gage made in accordance with this invention, Fig. 2 a

gage of metal or other hard material with removable blocks, Fig. 3 is an end elevation of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 a perspective view of one of the removable blocks, while Fig. 5 shows the gage when laid or applied to a page of the code book.

In the construction of gage shown in Figs. 1 and 5 columns A and F are formed in one piece constituting a frame adapted to fit over and surround the code words as shown in the latter figure.

In Figs. 2 and 3 columns A B O are shown as separate blocks carrying three or more figures carried by a dovetailed projecting piece G adapted to slide in a corresponding groove in the frame of the gage, as does also the dovetailed piece H of the index finger or plate D.

It will be obvious that the numbers on the right of the gage at A may be arranged in any given order as agreed between any two correspondents and as illustrated in Fig. 2 there may be a series of columns A, B, O, of such irregular numbers each of which may be used for a given time or with a different correspondent and for convenience in reading from one side to the other of the gage and for directing the eye the movable index finger or plate D may be employed. As an example let it be assumed that two correspondents have agreed to the sequence of numbers as shown in column A on the right of Fig. 1, and in response to an inquiry as to whether an offer to supply certain goods still subsists it is desired to reply in the affirmative'o'r to say Still holds good.

Opposite this sentence in the code E Fig. 5 v

the right of the gage shows the figure 2 in column A and opposite 2 on the left of the gage in column F appears the word Eingri which is telegraphed and which apparently means Hold for The correspondent however by placingthe gage on the page containing Eingriff (see Fig. 5) finds that it is the second word and that opposite the figure 2 on the left in column A is the figure 9 on the right and that the meaning is really that set opposite the ninth Word on the page which ha pens to be "Einhert and means Still ho ds good.

What I claim is 1. A tabulated gage for telegraphic or secret codes having upon one side figures to correspond with the code words in the order in whlch they appear and having upon the other side arbitrarily selected numbers of the code Words intended to be meant thereby.

2. A tabulated gage for telegraphic or secret codes consisting of a plate having an opening therein corresponding to the column of words of the code and having upon one side of the opening numbers corresponding to said words arranged in numerical order, and on the other side of the opening having arbitrarily selected numbers of the code Words intended to be meant thereby.

3. A tabulated gage for telegraphic or secret codes consisting of a plate having an opening therein corres onding to the code words in the order in W ich they appear, and having upon one side of the opening numbers corresponding to said code words, and having on the other side columns of arbitrarily selected numbers of the code Words intended to be meant thereby.

4. A tabulated gage for telegra hic or secret codes consisting of a plate aving an opening therein corresponding to the code words in the order in which they appear, and having upon one side of the opening numbers corresponding to said code words, and upon the other side movable blocks carrying arbitrarily selected numbers of the code words intended to be meant thereby.

5. A tabulated gage for telegraphic or secret codes consisting of a plate having an opening therein corresponding to the code words in the order in which they appear, and having upon one side of the opening movable blocks carrying numbers corresponding to said code Words, and .upon the other side movable blocks carrying arbitrarily selected numbers of the code words intended to be meant thereby.

6. A tabulated gage for telegraphic or secret codes having upon one side figures to correspond with the code words in the order in which they appear and having upon the other side arbitrarily selected numbers of the code words intended to be meant thereby, and a movable index finger for directing the eye to the reading.

' In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BEDFORD MoNEILL.

Witnesses:

THOMAS HARRY EVERETT, GEORGE DORWARD PHILLIPS.

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