REF ID:A60683 \ .\ Uni~e\d States Patent Office 

j 

2,851,794 

Patented Sept. 16, 1958 

1 

2,851,794 

CRYPTOGRAMMIC CODING AND DECODING 

APPARATUS 

Boris Caesar Wilhelm Hagelin, Zug, Switzerland, assignor 

to Anstalt Europiiische Handelsgesellschaft, Vaduz, 

Principality of Liechtenstein 

Application May 23, 1956, Serial No. 586,768 

Claims priority, application Switzerland May 26, 1955 

7 Claims. (CL 35--3) 

2 

drawings is equipped with an alphabet wheel for ijirect 

reading. Instead of the latter, a printing type whe.el could 

be used without departing from the scope of the invention. 

Other possible departures from the emboc\iment shown in 

5 the drawings will be indicated after the description of tbAt 

embodiment. 

The apparatus shown in the drawings genc:raUy <:QIUprises a rotatable character disc, a transmitting mechanism for positioning that character disc, a key disc Jllecha10 nism, a set of driving wheels for the latter, a key strip 

mechanism, separate sensing means for the key wheel and 

the key tape mechanisms, a common manual drive for tlJe 

transmuting mechanism and for both said key :m.ecn1ulism11, 

and a counter mechanism. 

The present invention relates to a cryptogrammic cod- 15 

ing and decoding apparatus. 

The moving parts of the apparatus are supported on a 

number of shafts each fixed in the bottom 1 of the 1;1.ou~ng 

of the apparatus. This housing preferably is of rectangular shape with rounded comers and of such size that it can conveniently be lodged in the pocket of a coat. The 

One general. object of the invention is to provide a coding and decoding apparatus which is suitable for uses for which. the existing coding and decoding machines 

are too cumbersome and expensive. The apparatus 

according to the invention is particularly suitable for 

such uses 1h diplomatic service in which it has been preferred. to up now to code and decode messages without 

resorting to mechanical devices, on account of the com- paratively small number and volume of the messages to 

be transmitted and of the difficulty of transporting the 

conventional elaborate coding and decoding machines 

while keeping them under the personal control of the 

user when travelling. 

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a coding and decoding apparatus of small weight and small 

overall dimensions, which may for instance be carried by 

the user in his coat pocket. 

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the said kind in which the code key is continuously transmuted in way which cannot be derived from 

the coded messages even by the most refined methods, 

whereby such apparatus affords a high or even absolute 

degree of secrecy. 

Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus having a high degree of reliability in operation. 

Further objects and advantages of the invention will 

appear from the description now to follow, in which reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, of a specific embodiment of the invention, \'Which is given by 

way of example only. · 

In the drawings: 

Fig. 1 is a view from above of the said preferred 

embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, 

the cover of its housing being removed to show the 

internal parts, 

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are cross-sections through the apparatus, taken on lines II-II, Ill-III and IV-IV of Fig. 1, 

respectively, 

Fig. S is a view from above of the lowermost, stationary disc of the transmuting mechanism which the apparatus comprises, 

Fig. 6 is a similar view of a rotatable disc of said transmuting mechanism, 

Fig. 7 is an axial section through the stationary disc 

and a number of rotatable discs of the transmuting 

mechanism, 

Fig. 8 is a view from above of the a:pparatus with its cover partly broken away and certain parts of the key 

disc mechanism removed to show one of the key discs 

from above, 

Fig. 9 is a view from above of certain parts of the 

transmuting mechanism in their positions at the beginning 

of a transmuting operation, and 

Fig. 10 shows some details of the apparatus comprising 

the key mechanism operated by a key tape. 

The coding and decoding apparatus shown in the 

20 said bottom 1 has an integral flange 2 of small width 

extending upwards from its periphery. The remainder 

3 of the peripheral wall of the housing is integral with 

the cover 4 and is connected by hinge.s 5 to one side of 

the bottom flange 2. The cover 4 has a circular recess 6 

25 accommodating a character ring 7 a11d a character disc 8 

rotatable within said character ring. The character ring 

7 which in the embodiment shown carries a set of alphabet characters is not rotatable but is readily removable 

for substitution of another ring bearing a different set of 

30 characters. As shown in Fig. 8, the character ring 7 and 

the character disc 8 each bear a set of ordinary letters 

alphabetically arranged in opposite directions on the ring 

and on the disc, but this iS: only one example of the sets 

of characters which may be used. The alphabets may l')e 

35 of any desired nature and the sequence of the individual 

letters in each alphabet may be as desired. For instance, 

the letters on the ring 7 may be each on a removable plate so that their sequence can be varied at will. 

The rotatable alphabet disc 8 is remQvably supported 

40 by the uppermost o.o.e 9 of a series of toothed discs which 

hereinafter will be referred to as transmuting disc&. 

Connection between the alphabet disc 8 and the uppermost transmuting disc 9 is established by means. of a 

few pins 10 fixed to the transmuting disc 9 and engaging 

45 corresponding bores in the alphabet disc when the latter 

is mounted on the machine. The alphabet disc is maintained in engagement with the pins 10 by mean,s of an annular spring 11 lodged in a circumferential groove of 

the alphabet disc. The uppermost transmuting disc 9 is 

50 secured to the upper end of a hollc>w shaft 12 which is 

rotatably supported on a stationary bush 13. The bush 

13 is welded at its lower end to a toothed disc 1.4 which 

is spaced from the bottom 1 of the housing by a number 

of tubular projections 16 on which it rests and to which 

55 it is secured by screws 15. The said stationary bush 13 

also supports an inner tubular shaft 17 which exte11.ds 

through the whole length of the bush 13. At its upper 

end, above that of the bush 13, the tubular shaft 17 

carries a radial arm 19 which serves as a unidirectional 

00 coupling member for rotating the transmuting disc 9. At 

its lower end, below that of the stationary bush 13, the 

tubular shaft 17 carries a gear wheel 18 for rotating the 

said shaft 17. The coupling arm 19 cooperates with an upwardly extending lug 20' of a disc 20 which is rigidly 

65 connected to the transmuting disc 9 and which together 

with the latter forms a housing for a spiral spring 21, the 

inner end of which is fastened to the stationary bush 1~ 

and the outer end of which is fastened to one of the 

pins 10. 

'lO Between the uppermost transmuting disc 9 and the 

stationary disc 14, a number of intermediate transmuting 

discs (five in the present embodiment) .22, 23, 24, 25 anct 
REF ID:A60683 

2,8151,794 

3 4 

26 are rotatably supported above each other on the The key disc mechanism shown in axial section in Fig. 

hollow shaft 12. The hollow shaft 12 may be supported 3 comprises a certain number of key discs which are on a portion of reduced diameter of the stationary bush rotatably supported on shaft 50, a bushing 51 being inter13. The stationary disc 14 is shaped as shown in Fig. S, po~ed between the shaft and the discs. Each key disc is 

and the intermediate transmuting discs 22-26 are shaped :l associated with a gear wheel for rotating the disc. As as shown in Fig. 6. AU these discs are provided with shown in Fig. 3, there are six key discs numbered, from 

teeth on the major part of their periphery; however, the bottom to top, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57. Their associated 

uppermost transmuting disc 9 has no teeth. At a short gear wheels are designated by 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 

distance from the last tooth (counted in the anti-clockwise respectively. Preferably, the gear wheels have different sense as seen in Fig. 6) each of the said intermediate 10 tooth pitches, and the key discs are provided at their 

transmuting discs 22 to 26 has a peripheral lug 27 which ch-cumferences with radial slots of the same angular pitch 

is bent downwards at an angle, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. as the teeth of their associated gear wheels. In each of 

A similar lug (not shown) is provided at the corre- these slots a lug 64 in the shape of a small plate is supsponding place of the uppermost. untoothed transmuting ported on a tangential pin 65. In Fig. 3, a few of these 

disc 9. The portion 28 of each intermediate transmuting 15 lugs 64 are shown. They are swingable on their supdisc the periphery of which is not occupied by teeth or porting pins between an inner position in which they 

by the lug 27 projects radially and serves as a support for extend inwardly and lie entirely within their respective a latch 33. A similar projecting portion 28 is also pro- radial slot in the key disc without projecting beyond the 

vided by the stationary disc 14 as will be seen from periphery of the disc, and an outer position in which 

Fig. S. The projecting portion 28 has an aperture 29 20 they project beyond the said periphery of the disc. In 

for reducing its weight and for another purpose which Fig. 3, three lugs 64 carried respectively by the discs 52, 

will appear later on, and two bores 30 and 31 on oppo- 53 and 56 are shown in their outer position, and one lug 

site sides of the aperture 29. The bore 30 receives a 64 carried by disc 54 is shown in its inner position. The 

pivot pin 32 on which the latch 33 is pivoted (see Fig. 1), inner position will be designated as the inactive position 

and the bore 31 is engaged by one end of a spring 34 25 and the outer position as the active position of each lug 

the opposite end of which is hooked to a lateral arm of 64. The width of each lug 64 corresponds to the axial 

the latch 33. The active arm of the latch 33 extends distance between adjacent gear wheels, so that the lugs 

clockwise from its pivot 32 and is adapted to be engaged are retained by the gear wheels of the key discs in their 

by the bent-down lug 27 of the upwardly adjacent trans- active or inactive positions in which they have been set 

muting disc. Fig. 1 shows such a lug 27 engaging the 30 in assembling the mechanism. In the embodiment shown 

represented latch 33. In order that the lug 27 may en- in the drawings, the diameters of the gear wheels decrease 

gage the latch when the transmuting disc carrying the from the lowermost one upwards. 

latch and the upwardly adjacent transmuting disc are Each gear wheel of a key disc meshes with a toothed 

angularly displaced in relation to each other in such a driving wheel fixed on a shaft 70 the axis of which is 

way that the lug 'J.7 of the latter approaches the latch 35 parallel to the axis of the key disc mechanism. In Fig. 4, 

33 on the former, such latch has an inclined guiding face these driving wheels are designated, from the lowermost 

35 against which the lug 27 will abut, thereby rocking the upwards, by 71, 72, 73, 74, 75 and 76. In addition to 

latch 33 outwards in such a way that the nose of the these driving wheels 71 to 76, the shaft 70 carries a ratchet 

latch will thereafter fall in behind the lug. The latch has wheel 77 by which the shaft 70 can be rotated from the a rear arm, the end portion 36 is bent downwards and 40 actuating lever 41 by means of a pawl 78 pivoted on the 

extends into the aperture 29 of the corresponding trans- hub of lever 41 and engaging the ratchet wheel 77. 

muting disc and thereby limits the angular motion of the Moreover, the shaft 70 carries a gear wheel 79 which 

latch under the effect of the spring 34. by means of an idler gear wheel 80 drives a further gear 

Moreover, the intermediate transmuting discs 22 to 26 wheel 81 keyed to the input shaft of a conventional 

and the stationary disc 14 each carry a ring 37 which is - counter mechanism 82. The motion of the pawl 78 is 

concentric with and rotatable on the respective disc and 40 limited by a pin 83 on the hub of the actuating lever 41. 

which has an integral radial arm 38 projecting beyond Feeler arms 92 which cooperate with the key discs 58 

the toothed periphery of the disc. The end of that arm to 63 serve to control the latches 33 of the transmuting 

is bent downwards for engagement with any desired tooth mech~nism, one ~u~h feeler arm being provided for each 

f th d" sh · F" 1 d 2 Th · key disc and one disengaging arm 93 associated with one gap 0 e tsc, as own in igs. an · e proiect- 50 of the feeler arms being provided "op each latch 33. The 

ing end of the arm 38 also is in the path of the bent- ~' • down lug 27 of the upwardly adjacent transmuting disc. feeler arms are swingably supported on a common shaft 

Whenever the bent-down lug 27 of an up]ler trans- 90 and each of them is acted upon by a spring 91 which 

muting disc is engaged by the nose of the latch 33 tends to swing it towards the periphery of the correspond- . d b h d" 1 ing key disc. The disengaging arm 93 either may be 

carr1e y t e a 1acent ower transmuting disc, the two 55 integral with the corresponding feeler arm 92 as shown in 

discs are angularly coupled with each othe1 on one Fig. 9, or it may be rigidly fixed thereto. 

hand by the said engagement between the lug 1.7 of the As indicated above, the apparatus in addition to the 

upper disc and the latch 33 of the lower disc, and on the key disc mechanism also comprises a key mechanism con- other hand by the lowermost part of the said lug 27, trolled by a perforated tape. 100 designates a tape store 

which extends downwards in a direction parallel to the 60 comprising a roll of perforated tape 101. This roll is 

common.axis of the transmuting discs, contacts the abut- supported by a shaft 102 fixed in the bottom of the 

ment 39 formed on the lower disc at the place "'here the housing. From the roll 100 the key tape runs over a 

latter's own lug 27 has been bent down out of the plane guiding roller 103 from which it leaves the apparatus 

of the disc, as shown in Fig. 7. 5 through a slot in the adjacent side wall of the housing, as 

The transmuting mechanism thus far described is 6 shown in Fig. 1. The guiding roller 103 is rigidly conactuated by a toothed segment 40 engaging the gear nected to a ratchet wheel (not shown) which can be 

wheel 18 on the lower end of the rotatable inner tubular moved step by step by means of an actuating pawl 104 

shaft 17 and formed on a manually operable actuating pivoted on the hub of the actuating lever 41. That hub 

lever 41 which is rotatably supported on the shaft 50 of 70 .also carries a pin 105 which limits the angular displacethe key disc mechanism. The actuating lever 41 extends ment of the pawl 104. Both pawls 78 and 104 pivoted 

through a slot in the lateral wall of the housing as shown on the hub of lever 41 are pressed towards their respecin Figs. 1 and 3 and outside the housing has a handle tive motion-limiting pins 83, 104 by springs. 

42 by which it can be operated by means of the thumb A number of feeler arms 106 each integral with a dhlijld ind~~ finger of one hand, preferably the left hand. 7fi ~ngaging arm 10~ lll1.d acted upon by a. spring 107 co-
REF ID:A60683 

9,851,794 

5 6 

<>perate with the perforated tape 101. These feeler m"Jns rotated, its bent-down lug 27 soone.r or later, depending 

106 and disengaging arms 108 are swingably suppo11ed on the previous setting of the transmuting mechanism, en- on the same shaft 90 as the feeler arms 92 and disengag- gages the latch 33 of the dc:.wnwardly adjacent transmuting arms 93 of the key disc mechanism. Thus, each ing disc 22. That lug 27 then slides along the inclined 

latch 33 cooperates with two disengaging arms 93, 108, 5 guiding face 35 of the latch until it contacts the abutthe first of which is controlled by one of the key discs ment 39 of the lower disc !2 and the nose of the latch 

and the other of which is controJ,led by the perforated key 33 falls in behind it, whereby the upper disc 9 and the 

tape. Either of the two disengaging arms can be used lower disc 22 become angularly coupled and the lower 

at will by arresting the other of these arms. For this disc 22 partakes in the continued rotation of the upper 

purpose, each feeler arm 106 of the tape mechanism is IO one 9. The disc 22 then in a similar way will carry along 

provided with a notch 109 adapted to be engaged by a its downwardly adjacent d;sc 23, the latter will carry 

common locking member 95 pivoted at 94 and cooperat- along the disc 24, and so on, until all the discs 9 and 2~ 

ing with all feeler arms. This locking member 95 also to 26 are in the same angular position with their latches serves for arresting the feeler arms 92 of the disc mecha- 33 just above each other and opposite their respective 

nism, each of which feeler arms for this purpose is con- 15 disengaging arm 93. When the lowermQSt intermediate 

nected to a further arm 96 in which a notch 97 for re- transmutmg disc 26 is 11imilarly arrested by the latcb. 33 

ceiving the locking member 95 is provided. In the of the stationary disc 14, all the transmuting discs are 

position shown in Fig. 1 the locking member 95 arrests arrested in the same position, which is their actual reset 

.... the feeler arms 106 of the tape mechanism and their or initial position for the ne.xt transn;mting operation. 

corresponding disengaging arms 108, while the feeler 20 Meanwhile, the spiral spring 11 has been fully tensioned . arms 92 and the disengaging arms 93 of the disc mecha- When the actuating lever 41 is released, it returns to its 

nism remain free. By rotating the locking member 95 original position under the action of a resetting spring 

into engagement with the notciJes 97 associated with the not shown in the drawing. Thereby, it releases the spiral 

feeler arms 92 of the disc mechanism, the arms 106 of spring 21 which then is enabled to rotate the disc 9 

the tape mechanisJD are freed while the arms 92 of the 25 clockwise. As the actu~ting lever 41 returns to its initial 

disc mechanism are maintained out of operation. position, the coupling member 19 bec:omc:s disengaged 

Below the hub of the actuating lever 41, a cam segment from the lug 20' of disc 9 and no longer controls the 

110 carrying a cam 111 is rotatably supported on the rotation of the latter. 

shaft 50 of the key disc mechanism. The cam segment At the beginning of the working; stroke of the actuating 

110 is provided with an arcuate slot 112 concentric with 30 lever 41, the cam segJilent UQ is in the position sb,own 

the axis of shaft 50. This slot is engaged by a pin 113 in Fig. 1, whereby it11 cam 111, by engaging the arm fixed in the hub portion of the actuating lever 41 and 114, maintained the abutm~nt arm 115 in a position in 

which is so positioned thereon that it moves the cam seg- which the latter prevents t:Qe disengaging arm 93 and 

ment along with the actuating lever 41 in both e11d por- 108 from engaging thi:ir respective latches 33- Totions of its motion, as \Vill be explained later on. The 35 wards the end of the said working stroke of the lever 

eontour of the cam segment cooperates with one arm 114 41, the pin 113 meets the right-hand end of the arcuate 

of a bellcrank lever 114, 115 swingably Sl,lpported on the slot 112 and from then on cat1ses the cam segment 110 

shaft 90 and the opposite arm 115 of which forms a to rotate along with the ai:tuating lever 41. The seg- common abutment for all disengaging arms 93 and 108 ment 110 thereby is rotated sci far that tjJ.e cam 111 is 

both of the key disc and the key tape mechanisms. 40 disengaged frQm the arm 114 and the latter drops onto 

In the following, the operation of the apparatus under the lower portion of the contour of the cam. segment 110. 

the control of the key disc mechanism will be described, Therefore, the abutment arm 115 releases !illl the diswhile its operation under the control of the key tape engaging arms 93 and so that they p.re enabled to swing 

mechanism will be dealt with subsequently, either of towards tlJ,c;ir respective latc;he$ 33 provided that their 

these key mechanisms bein{. adapted to act on the trans· 45 associated feeler arms 92 and 106 are free as well. 

muting mechanism. Insofar as the feeler arms 106 of the key tape mechNormally, the actuating arm 41 is in its position anism are concerned, it b.as al;ready been ass~ed that 

shown in Fig. 1, in which its handle 42 projects from this mechanism first will be: considered as inoperative; 

one, preferably the left-hand, side wall of the housing in these arms 106 therefore are arrested by tQe eommon 

~h a way that it can ea~ily be seized with the thumb 50 locking member 95 engaging their notcbe.s 109, and these 

and index :fin~er of the left hand of the operator. In this arms :J.06 need not be considered for tile moment. On 

position of the aetuating arm 41, the transmuti11g mech- the other hand, disengagemetit of each latch 33 by the 

anism is not in its initial position but already provides a corresponding disengaging arm 93 depends on whether 

transmuted reading. This i~ taken by means of the two the latter's assoyiated feeler arm 92 does or does not 

alphabets on the stationary alphabet ring 7 and the angu- 55 meet an active lug 64 of the correspondipg OD.I} of the 

larly displaced alphabet disc 8, for instance by selecting key discs 52 to 57 when moving under the actio.n of its 

the letter on the alphabet ring 7 which corresponds to the spring 91. Those feeler arms 92 which abut active lugs 

letter of the text to be coded (or decoded), and by read- 64 prevent their associated disengaging arms 93 from 

ing the letter on the alphabet disc 8 which is just opposite moving towards their corresponding latches 33 to such 

the selected letter on ring 7. The letter thus read on 60 an extent as to cause disengagement of these latcties . 

disc 8 is the required corresponding letter in the coded On the other band, those: disengaging arms 93 the as- (or decoded) text. This kind of reading will be used if sociated feeler arms 92 of which do not meet an active 

... 

the lett~ are arranged in the same sequence 1:>ut in op- lug 64 of their corresponding key disc will move farther 

posite directiqns on the rin~ 7 and on the disc 8 as shown. towards the transmuting discs and will engage and disBowever, if thi; letters are. in arbitrary order, tbe reading 65 place the latches 33 so as to disengage them from the lugs 

in decoding must pe taken from the inner alphabet if in 27. Thus, when the actuating lever 41 has completed 

coding it was tciken from the outer alphabet, and in- its working stroke, certain of the transmuting discs 9 and 

versely. If now the actuating lever 41 is swung from its 22 to 26 will be released by the latches of lhe downposition shown in Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrow A, wardly adjacent discs, while the remaining transmuting 

the toothed segment 40 will rotate the gear wheel 18 and TO discs remain arrested on their downwardly adjacent discs, 

the inner hollow shaft 17 anti-clockwise as seen in Fig. 1. the latches of which have not been disengaged. 

-· 

The coupling men1bcr 19 on shaft 17 then imparts its When the actuating lever 41 returns to its original 

rotatloAI to the uppermost transmuting disc 9 and to the position, the uppermost transmuting disc 9 is rotated in 

alphabet diso 8, whereby the spiral spring 21 becomes clockwise direction as already mentioned. If the latch 

tensioned. As the uppermost transmuting disc 9 is thus 75 33 on the downwardly adjacent disc .2.2 has not beell 
REF ID:A60683 

a,sl51,794 

7 

disengaged from the lug 27 of disc 9, the latter carries 

the disc :Z:Z along with it in its clockwise rotation. However, if the latch 33 on disc 22 has been disengaged 

from the lug 27 of di~c 9, the latter first rotates alone 

until its bent-down lug 27 meets the projecting end of r, 

the adjustable radial arm 38 carried by the lower disc 

22 and only thereafter carries that disc along in its 

continued rotation. In a similar way, the disc 22 carrie~ 

the downwardly adjacent disc ""3 along in it, rotation, 

either by means of its latch 33 through the full angle IO 

by which it is rotated, or by means of the radfol arm 

38 of disc 23 through the angle of its rotation left afte.· 

its engagement with that arm. Similarly, all the re- maining transmuting discs down to the lowermost disc 

which has been released from engagement with the latch 15 

33 of its downwardly adjacent disc, will be rotated i11 a similar way; that downwardly adjacent disc may be 

8 

wheels and various key discs with their corresponding 

gear wheels. 

In the transmuting mechanism, various possibilities of 

mutual rotation of the transmuting discs 22 to 26 and 

14 can be obtained by varying the angular positions of 

the adjustable radial arms 38 on the several discs. For 

instance, these radial arms 38 could be set to obtain 

a relative rotation of the uppermost disc 9 by one division, corresponding to the angular distance between 

two adjacent letters on the alphabet disc 8, whenever 

the disc 9 is disengaged from the latch 33 on disc 22, to 

obtain 1-otation of the disc 22 in relation to disc 23 by 

two divisions, whenever the disc 22 is disengaged from 

the latch on disc 23, and so on. In the described mode of operation, the disengagement 

c,f the latches 33 is controlled by the key disc mechanism 

through the feeler arms 92 and the disengaging arms 93. 

Meanwhile, the feeler arms 106 and their associated 

disengaging arms 108 are maintained inoperative by the 

the stationary disc 14 itself or any other disc maintained stationary by the latch 33 of the disc 14 or of 

another disc which is similarly maintained stationary. 

If none of the latches 33 has been disengaged, all the 

transmuting discs remain in their said reset or initial 

position which they occupy at the end of the working 

stroke of the actuating lever 41. Thus, the positions of 

the discs of the transmuting mechanism are varied at 

each return stroke of the actuating lever, and this results 

in a new position of the rotatable alphabet disc 8, i. e. 

20 locking men1ber 95 engaging the notches 109 of the 

feeler arms 106, as shown in Fig. 1. If it is desired 

to switch over to the key tape mechanism for disengaging 

the latches 33, one disengages the locking member 95 

from the notches 109 and one brings it into engagement 

25 with the notches 97 of the arms 96. Where the key tape 

as usual has five rows of perforations, it is only necessary 

to provide five feeler arms 106. Then only :five transmuting discs can be disengaged from each other and partake in the transmuting operations. Care must then be 

in a transmutation of the code. When this transmutation is completed, that is, when the actuating lever has 

returned to its original position, the coded or decoded 

letter can be read. For each letter of the te.i:t, a reading 

of this kind is taken, and the actuating lever is moved 

to and fro once before every reading. 

30 taken that these five discs are sufficient for obtaining all 

the desired transmutations. Of course, for communication between two or more stations using the described 

apparatus with key tape operation, it is necessary to use 

With each double stroke of the actuating lever 41, 

a rotation of the key discs is effected due to the fact 

that the pawl 78 rotates the ratchet wheel 77 by one 

step and thus rotates the shaft 70 and the driving wheels 

• strictly identical key tapes and to give them strictly iden30 tical initial positions for each message to be transmitted. 

71 to 76 through a corresponding angle. These driving 

wheels transmit their rotation individually to the several 

key discs 52 to 57 by means of their associated gear 

wheels 58 to 63. Simultaneously, the counter mechanism 82 is advanced by one step by the gear wheels 

79, 80 and 81. 

To change the setting of the lugs 64 of the key discs, 

these key discs must be removed from their shaft 50 and 

bushing 51. For this purpose, the key discs can easily 

be withdrawn from the bushing 51 after removal of a 

cover disc 120 placed on the upper end of the shaft 

If each key tape or each portion of a key tape is used 

only once, one obtains absolute secrecy of communica· 

tion provided that the perforation of the key tape is unknown to the persons from whom the message is to be 

40 concealed. The key tape is advanced by one step for 

each full cycle of operation, this being obtained by the 

action of pawl 104 on the ratchet wheel connected to 

roll 103. As soon as the end of a feeler arm 106 penetrates into a perforation of the tape 101 at the moment it 

45 is released by the common abutment arm 115, the cor- responding disengaging arm 108 is swung towards the 

transmuting mechanism whereby it disengages the corresponding latch 33 from the bent-down lug 27 of the 

50. At the same time as the key discs are placed on the 

shaft 50 and bushing 51, the corresponding driving 50 

wheels are placed on their shaft 70 and the corresponding 

bushing. In assembling the key disc mechanism, one first places the driving wheel 71 on the bushing of the 

shaft 70, then one places the gear wheel 58 and the key 

disc 52 on the bushing 51, making a mark on the key 55 

disc, which indicates the initial position thereof, to register with a fixed marking; moreover, care must be 

taken to bring the gear wheel 58 into mesh with the 

driving wheel 71. In a similar way, the remaining 

driving wheels and the remaining key discs with their 60 

gear wheels are mounted on their respective shafts and 

bushings. When all the driving wheels and key discs 

upwardly adjacent transmuting disc. If on the other 

hand the end of the feeler arm 106 meets an unperforated 

spot of the tape, the disengaging arm 108 remains in its 

inoperative position and the corresponding latch 33 con- tinues to arrest the said lug 27. Therefore, no relative 

angular displacement between the transmuting disc carrying the latch and the upwardly adjacent one carrying the 

lug can occur in this instance. 

Whether the disengagement of the latches be controlled 

by the key disc mechanism or by the key tape mechanism, 

the cam 111 of the cam segment 110 always maintains 

the arm 114 and thus also the disengaging arms 93 and 

108 in their locked positions during the major part of 

the working stroke of the actuating lever 41; only at the 

end of that working stroke it permits the arm 114 to 

fall in onto the lower portion of the contour of the cam segment, whereby the abutment arm 115 is allowed to 

release the disengaging arms 93 and 108. During the 

return stroke of the actuating lever 41 the arm 114 remains in its inner position until the cam segment 110 is 

carried along with the pin 113 shortly before the end of 

are in place, the driving wheels are secured against axial 

displacement by mounting a ring 121 on the shaft 70, 

while the key discs and their gear wheels are similarly 65 

secured by the abovementioned cover disc 120. Each 

key disc preferably carries reference number, and for 

coded communication between two or more stations 

using similar apparatuses it is of course necessary that 

the corresponding key discs of the several apparatuses 

are mounted in the same initial position and bear the 

same reference number. In order to increase the possibilities of variation it is recommended to supply with 

each apparatus p. plur~lity of sets of various driving 7 5 

70 the return stroke of lever 41, this time in anti-clockwise 

direction. The cam segment then follows the lever 41 

through such an angle that the cam 111 again lifts the 

arm 114 and thus forces the abutment arm 115 back to 

its locking position, whereby it keeps the disengaging arms 

93 and 108 moperativ~ as $hc>wn in Fig. l. 
REF ID:A60683 

2,851,794 

9 

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has 

been described above, it is evident that the invention is 

not limited to this embodiment. As already mentioned, 

the apparatus may comprise either the key disc mechanism, or the key tape mechanism, or both of lhem. Instead of, or in combination with, the alphabet disc a type 

printing wheel can be provided for printing the resulting 

text. The character wheel, that is in the described embodiment, the alphabet disc 8, may carry two rows of 

characters, for instance two concentric alphabetic series 

of letters. In such an embodiment, the disc before each 

transmuting operation may be positioned with reference 

to an index so that the letter to be coded is just opposite 

the said index. After the transmuting operation, the resulting letter is read from the other row of letters, either 

oppo~1te another index or opposite the index first used. 

In this arrangement, the mutual angular position of the 

two rows of characters may be adjustable. With this 

arrangement, a stationary character-carrying ring is redundant. 

The stationary character-carrying ring such as 7 in the 

described embodiment can be made easily removable, so 

tbat another ring carrying characters in a different sequence can be substituted for it. However, one could 

also p1ovide the character-carr}•ing ring with individually 

removable tablets each carrying one letter or other character. This would pe1mit to change the sequence of the 

characters at random. The position of the rotatable character-carrying disc, such as the alphabet di~c 8 in the 

described embodiment, could be an.,onlarly adjustable with 

respect to its supporting transmuting disc such as 9, so 

that the initial position of the rotatable character-carrying disc with respect to the stationary character-<:arrying 

ring rould be varied as desired. 

I claim: 

1. A cryptogrammic coding and decoding apparatus 

comprising a shaft, a series of transmuting discs coaxially 

supported on said shaft and including a stationary terminal disc at one end of the series, a rotatable terminal 

disc at the opposite end of the series, and individually 

rotatable intermediate discs between said terminal discs, 

a series of self-engaging latches movably supported each 

on one of said stationary terminal discs and intermediate 

discs and adapted to engage an adjacent one of said 

intermediate and rotatable terminal discs for angularly 

coupling said adjacent disc to the disc on which the latch 

is mounted, means for rotating said rotatable terminal 

disc in one direction to produce successively its engagement by the latch mounted on the intermediate disc to 

which it is adjacent and the engagement of each intermediate disc by the latch mounted on the intermediate 

or stationary terminal disc to which it is adjacent, means for rotating said rotatable terminal disc in the opposite 

direction, a key mechanism for individually and selectively disengaging said latches each from its said adjacent 

disc to permit relative rotation of the latter in the said 

opposite direction, abutment means associated with each 

10 

which said means for rotating the rotatable terminal 

disc in said opposite direction comprise a spring device 

acting on said rotatable terminal disc. 

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which said 

5 manual drive mechanism comprises a toothed segment and 

gear wheel meshing therewith, said gear wheel being 

mounted on said shaft and said shaft being connected to 

said unidirectional coupling device. 

4. A cryptogrammic coding and decoding apparatus 

JO as claimed in claim 1, in which said key mechanism comprises a shaft, a series of key discs each rotatably supported on said shaft, each of said key discs having at 

least one controlling lug, and a series of swingable feeler 

arms each cooperating with one of said key discs and 

15 adapted to abut said controlling lug. 

5. A cryptogrammic coding and decoding apparatus 

as claimed in claim 1, in which said key mechanism comprises a perforated tape having a plurality of rows of 

perforations, and a series of swingable feeler arms each 

20 adapted to abut said tape for control of the motion of 

said arm by the presence or absence of a perforation at 

the point of abutment. 

6. In a cryptogrammic coding and decoding apparatus, 

a transmuting mechanism for changing the position of at 

25 least one rotatable character-carrying member comprising a shaft, a series or discs coaxially supported on said 

shaft and including a stationary terminal disc at one end 

of the series, a rotatable terminal disc at the opposite 

end of the series, and a plurality of individually rotatable 

30 intermediate discs between said terminal discs, cooperating abutment means on each two adjacent discs for limiting their mutual angular displacement between two limit 

positions, a series of self-engaging latches each movably 

mounted on one of said discs and adapted to engage an 35 adjacent one of said discs as the latter and the disc on 

which said latch is mounted reach one of said two limit 

positions of their mutual angular displacement on relative 

rotation in one direction of that one of them which is 

nearer to the said rotatable terminal disc of the series, 

40 means for rotating said rotatable terminal disc in said 

one direction, a key mechanism for selectively and individually disengaging said latches each from its said 

adjacent disc, and means for rotating said rotatable terminal disc in the opposite direction, said rotatable char45 acter-carrying member being coupled to said rotatable 

terminal disc. 

7. In a cryptogrammic coding and decoding apparatus 

a transmuting mechanism as claimed in claim 6 in which 

said abutment means comprise an abutment member 

50 mounted in adjustable angular position on the one of 

said two adjacent discs and adapted to cooperate with 

the other of said two discs for limiting their mutual 

angular displacement on relative rotation in the said opposite direction of that one of them which is nearer to 

55 said rotatable terminal disc of the series. 

of said stationary terminal and intermediate discs for 

limiting said relative rotation of its said acljacent disc in 

said opposite direction, and a character-carrying member 60 

angularly coupled to said rotatable terminal disc. 

References Cited in the file of this patent 

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1,233,035 

1,416,973 

2,050,919 

2,093,731 

2,389,093 

2,706,079 

2,753,034 

Damm ----------------- July 10, 1917 

Piersen ----------------May 23, 1922 

Brauer ---------------- Aug. 11, 1936 

La Boiteaux ------------ Sept. 21, 1937 

Tann------------------ Nov. 13, 194S 

Connolly -------------- Apr. 12, 19SS 

Hell -------------------- July 3, 1956 

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said 

means for rotating the rotatable terminal disc in said 

one direction comprise a manually operable drive mechanism and a unidirectional coupling device between said 65 

drive mechanism and said rotatable terminal disc, and in 
r 

I 

, 

I 

f 

REF ID:A60683 

Sept. 16, 1958 B. C. W. HAGELIN 2,851,794 

C~RYPTOGRAUMIC CODING AND DECODING APPARATUS 

Filed May 2~, 1956 

l. 

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18 

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4 Sheets-Sheet 1 

I07 

!JI 

INVENTOR: 

BORIS CAESAR WILHELM HAGE.LIN 

~~,~ 

~~TTORNEYS 

BY 
REF ID:A60683 

Sept. 16, 1958 B CW HAGELIN 2,851,794 

CRYPTOGRAMMIC CODING AND DECODING APPARATUS 

Filed May 23, 1956 

42 

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INVENTOR 

BORIS CAESAR WILHELM HAG£LIN 

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p~~ ATTORNEYS 

BY 
REF ID:A60683 

Sept. 16, 1958 S. C. W. HAGELIN 2,851,794 

CRYPTOGJY\MMIC CODING AND DECODING APPARATUS 

Filed llay 23, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 

•• 

INVENTOR: 

BORIS CAESAR WILHELM 

BY n HAGELIN /'f"j.-DO~ 

~q,::_A~YS