IN REPLY 

REFER TO 

ft 

REF ID:A52209 ~­

WAR DEPARTMENT 

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF SIGNAL OFFICER 

WASHINGTON 

September 12, 1933. 

Memoral'llum For llessre. William F. Friedman, and Georp A. Graham, 

Office Of 'l'he Chief Signal Officer, 

Washington, D.c. 

Subjects Patent Application Serial No. 588,~, Filed Ja.nuary 23, 1932, 

Cryptographic System. 

l. For rea~ons heretofore explained, it is desired to suspend 

official action in ooIUlection with the above entitled application for the 

purpose of deferring the allowance and issuance of a patent. In other words, 

publication of the subject matter by the g1·ant of a pa.tent is 'to be postponed for a.n ind.etermina'te period. 

2 •• In cases of this character where deferment of the issuance of 

a patent is desired, it becomes necessary to invoke what is known as the 

three year rule. A full compliance with this rule require• a form&l transfer of title in favor of the Government, that is to say, a tull ·aHignment 

and tran1fer of ownership. As this case now stands, the record title or 

ownership is vested in the applicants, subject to an irrevocable non-exclusive 

licen1e in favor of the Government. In order to obviate the execution at this 

time of a.n outright assignment, which would divest :Meesre. Friedman and Graham 

of their ownership in this invention, application and patent to be granted thereon, the present procedure of requesting a 1Uspension of action has been adopted. 

'.Phis procedure is being followed purauant to a recent conference with the Commissioner of Patents and the law officers of the Patent Office, at which time 

1 t was officially suggested that a formal request for iruapension be filed and 

ratified by a paper in which the applicants herein would give their consent 

to IUCh suspension. 

3. It ie understood that this procedure will not in ~ise dieturb the title or ownership now vested in the llPPlice.n'\s. Accordingly, you 

are requeeted to please sign the consent paper herewith submitted and return 

to this office at the earliest possible date. The filing of said paper accompanied by a forma.l request for 1n1spension is required on or before the 24th 

of the present month. Your prompt cooperation i• therefore requested. 

:By order of the Chief Signal Officer. 

~~.a.~ Charles A. Ro•, 

Encls. Patents Section, Signal Corpe 

('f)~'i 

lassifie an ve for lea SA n 1- 9-2013 rs ntt .. 3 
. . - REF ID:A52209~ 

~. 

Sepi .. ber 12, 19SS • 

... oralll11aa :ror Ill•••· \fUUaa F. h1•4Jla.Q, and. Qeorp A. Grabaa, 

Ott1ce Ot 'fh• Chief S~l Ottlo•r, Waeh1~on, D.C. 

SubJeota Pa•ent Application Serial Wo. !88,~, ,tled J'&nu1l17 II, 19Z2, 

Or;yptosrap~10 •1•'••· 

l. l'or reaeon• heretofore explained, it ie d•eire4 to .u.pen4 

ottlcial ao,ion in nonneotion wltil the alto-.. entltl-4 applioattoa for the , 

parpoM ot deterring the allowanoe an4 hnance ot a patent. In other word.1, 

pu'tlUcaUon ot '\he n'bJeot •·"er '1 1he g· ant of a pa.'\en1 i• '\o 'b9 po1\-

poned ror an ind•ten11inate period. 

2. • rn oa ... or tht. oharaoier where defermen'\ ot tile iHuanoe of 

a pAtf'nt is deeired., 1' "08001H1 neoeseary to invoke what 11t known ae the 

three 1•ar rule. A tu.ll compliance with thie rule require• & tol'll&l tran1-

rer of title in ta"TOr ot '\he Gove~nmant, that i• to ,.,, a tall aa11gnmen'\ 

and ~ran1ter ot ownerehip. A1 th11 •• now 1·hnd.a, 'hi reoord., t1 tle or 

ownerab1p is "feste4 in th• applicanb, eu'bjeat to an. trrewoable non-exclu1i'N 

lioen .. in !a.Tor of th• Oo•onunent. In ortler to obYi&te the execution at iht• 

time ot an outrieht &•aignment, whtoh 1r01114 41..,it Jl•••r•. 1r1•411an and. OraJl&a 

ot their ownerllhip in thi• inven~1on, &pplication and pa"ient io lae grt'i.nted thereon, the preHnt prooe4ure ot r•ctu•1"1ng a n1pension ot action U.1 lteen a4opte4. 

lfbil proo\tdure 1 e 'be 1ng toll owed pvnant to a reoen' oontorence •1 'h the Caami eeioner ot Pat•~• and th• law officer• of 'he Pa\ent Office, at which 'lme 

U W&I offioiall1 INBR9•te4 that t. torm&l raquea'\ tor euapen•ion be .tiled and 

ratified b1 a p&per in whioh the appl1cante herein would gi•• their con .. nt 

to noh 11UJpenlion. 

s. It 11 understood that thi1 procedure will not 1n IUQ'Wh• d1etul'b the title or ownerah1p now "''" ln '\he 11ppUcM'\a. Aeoordingl~, 7f1D. 

are reques'\ed to plaaM sign 'he content paper herew1 th wbmi tted and re'\Ul'Jl 

to thi11 of'tioe at the esrlieet poHt'ble Aaw. '1'he t111nc ot aa1d paper acacmpan1e4 113 a tormtJ. requtttrt tor nqen81on ii Nqllired. on or '8rore the 24th 

ot 1he present month. Your r>rompt cooperation h 'therefore recpie11led. 

Jy order of 'h• L"bief Signal Officer. 

Oharl•• A .. Row, 

lnols. Pa"tente Seotion., Sign&). Corp1 

• I L f,._..