REF ID:A70407 

{ I • 

" ,_ 

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. 

LlJ'IGI NICOLETTI, OF ROME, ITALY 

, 11 .. CIPHER APP AB.A.TUB _ 

1,311,4:57 Specification of Letters Patent Patented July 29, 1919 I 

Application flied December 7, 1918 SenalNo 265,776 

To all whom 1t may concc1'11. -

Be 1t known that I Lumr NrcoLETrI, 

bllbJe<..t of the King of Italy, residmg it 

Rome, It.1.ly, have mvente<l. certam new and 

5 useful ln1 provements m Cipher Apparatus, 

of "luch Lhe follo,Hng I~ 't specific'ltion 

Tlus nn-ention has for its obJect an app 1r.ttm, b) means of whu h It IS posSJ.ble to 

uph<>r .mcl decipher mess'lges and wntm~ 

10 of .my km<l 'lnd m any langua.ge by multiple tr ms position of e tch letter and by nsmg 

a numbe1 as key 

The .i.pp.u ttus acco1dmg to this mvent1011, comp11ses e~sentmlly 't set of burs 

15 mounted p tr illel with e'l.ch other and adapted to shde mto 't frame havmg two station'lry reference members or p'trts On 

e'l.ch shdmg b't1 figures arc marked, the 

s.1me bemg arr.mged m any desired suc20 cession and bemg spaced apart from each 

0Lhe1 to equal spaces, so that by carrymg 

s:ud bars m a given poSitlon correspondmg 

with the key number adopted, a table is obtamed on the apparatus the same providmg 

25 rules for dividmg mto vanous assemblage 

the lctt<>rs formmg the message or writing 

to be ciphe1ed the letters bemg assumed 

to be \Vntten after each other without leav- m~ 'l free space between subsequent words, 

30 sa1<l. letter::. may thus be assembled m sever'tl manners, to form the cipher message, 

accordmg to 'lny desired rule, but m any 

case the letters are m a given relation with 

the des1. ed key number or, if reqmred, with 

35 other rules stated by the correspondents - The annexed drawmg shows by way of e~nmple some constructions of apparatus accordIDg to the mvent1on, and - Figure 1 shows a const1 uction of the ap40 pnratus ID its closed position, 

Fig 2 is a view of· the same during use, 

Fig 3 shows another construction of the 

apparatus m closed pos1bon, 

Fig 4 is a cross-section of the apparatus 

45 shown m Fig 3, 

Fig 51s a bottom view of a detached shdmg oar, - Fig 6 shows the apparatus represented ID 

Fig 8 m use~ and 

Fig 7 is 't face view of a c'lrd "'Inch may 50 

be used m connection with the appar.ttus shown ID Fig 3 

In the construction shown ID Figs 1 and 

2, the apparatus comprises a fr'l.me maue of 

two side members a and b connected by 55 

means of two tr'tnsverse members o and d, 

ten bars e bemg mounted to shde longitu<lm illy 01 end,vise bet,veen said !members On each of said bars are marked 

figures from 0 to 9, the same bemg located 60 

'lt tho side of each other and bemg repeated 

In th<> S'lllle SUCC(.'C:SlOil Oil <Heh respectn e 

b ir, the succession of the figtires bem~ any 

reqmred one and, 1£ desired, different in the 

mchv1d11'll bars, as shown ID Fig 1 Eitch 65 

of saiu bars e may be proVIded \VIth a parbcula1 1eference or character, say m roman 

numer'lls, located preferably at one of its 

ends, the snme bemg mtended to d1fferentmte 

e'lch bar from the other ones, further each 70 

bar is provided, also ne'tr one end, with a 

clea1 or unmarked space the same bemg 

positioned under the transverse member o 

when the appar"ttus is m closed pos1t1on, 

s:.ud tranc:'\'erse member bemg taken as ref- 75 

erence part 

The transverse member o is preferably 

vro' ided with a vertlc'll openmg o' to safely 

mdn'lduate the figure of e'l.ch bar wluch is 

earned m register with the reference part 80 

\Vhen usm~ the appantos ' 

By: movmg the several b'trs e it is always 

possible to C'lr1y any requned figure thereof 1n rew.ster with openmg o' and the apparatus will be ready for use when mto said 85 

openmg appear the figures forming the 

number adopted as key 

In the above described apparatus the key 

m.ty have up to ten .f!gures, but it may comprise a smaller numoer of figures' m this 90 
REF ID:A70407 

l,311,467 

case, if required, the correspondents m'l.y 

take as a rule that the figures of the key 

number must be ac;c;umed to be repeated m 

the same succession 

5 Thus,- by way of B'qtmple,. in Fig ~ the 

apparatus is shown in its position for the 

ke;y: 910140 

Bet" cen transverse membei:s c and & are 

thus arranged ten vertical rows and ten 

10 horizontal rows of figures, the same. givmg 

rise to a ciphering table that is a table which - may be w;edr m accorde.DCQ with any desired 

rule stJ.ted by the correspondenti:. to properly assemble the letters formin$' the words 

15 of the writing to be ciphered mto groups 

each formed by the number of letters grven 

by the &ubsequent figures of the table, for 

tlus operation said words are to be wntten 

in close succession after each other, that 1s 

20 'v1thout leavmg a free space between two 

subsequent words Thus by assummg by 

"a) of e"Cample that it has been agreed upon 

to ieacl s:nd figures in vertical rows from 

top to bottom and from left hand to right 

25 hand, the cipher (0) bemg omitted, the subsequent figures of the table as appearmg 

from Fig 2) in n.ccordJ.nce with the key 

assumed, are 5 2 4: 7 6 8 9 5 1 8 3 7 6 2 -:I: 

2 3 2 8 6 , and by assummg that the 

30 follo" i:ng sentence has to be ciphered 

"Kindly reach me in1medi'l.tely I will a'va1t 

you nt the st'l.ted plil.ce on twenty fir.st instant at Sl"'t o'clock," the words of this sentence will be a.ssembled m the followmg 

35 grou.Ps Kmdl y1 en.ch me1mmecl i'ttelJ- iwillawa it~ ountth estat e dpln.ceon twe ntyfi1s tmsh 

nt atsi xo. 'cl oc k. 

Obv1oui;;l;}7 the lJ.st letter group may com40 prise a smaller number of letteis with regard 

to that shown by the I.1st figuie Should 

the message contmu.e after all the table 

:6gu1es hale been used the so.me table is 

used .igaln f1on1 begmnmg to the required 

415 numbei of times 

The several groups of letteJ.s thui;; oht .. nnecl 

1re then wrJ,tten m rQ\VS on ..t pape1 sheet 

provideQ: witl1 Qases, these iows bemg 

marked by fi~es 1 to 9 J.rrJJJ.ged, by way of 

50 example, m the same succ~ssion as these 

:figqres are located mto one of .the horizontal 

01 '\"ertical rows of the table, the same hor1 - zon.tal or ~ e:rtJ.cnl ~w bemg known as ti rule 

by the cerre!u>ondents 

55 'By asswnmg th'l.t the J.rrailgement 0£ the si~th hor1zont..tl row must be ado,Pt~d be-

•' 

cause the key J.ssumed contams sn: figmes, 

the tollowmg arrJ.ngement 'v1ll be formed 

6 2 ; 4 9 8 3 - - ... .. .. - .... .. =====:::;;:z:::::===-=== 

________ n d ,_ ----__ ,_ 

~ Y r _o ___ a ___ c_,_h _________ --

--;-1-0--1-I~ ~-o- -d-----

__ ,_ --------------

a 8 y 

w D w D 

____ ,_ -----------

0 u 0 h 

_____ 0 JI t a. t , __________ _ 8 

d p D 0 0 0 n 

________ ,_ -------- w 0 

--------------1--- ____________ n y L r I ,_ ---- n I 

-----------.-----~ 

n t 

--........... --._ ~'- ----.--- D 

--------------.----- 0 

0 

__________ 0 0 , ______ _ k 

60 

65 

70 

75 

80 

85 

90 

95 

By wr.itmg m succession by WO.) of example fiom top to bottom the letteri;; located 100 

m th~ verjac.,t.I rows marked by figures 1, 2, 

3, 4, 5 the followmg IS ootn.mcd p,t:r;urae,J.wt~P" tittocchtlhmeloaa;fs.leyan.e1 1. 

kJ en.uue~dtntnax 'pknc;i.tiytJeynsld,vtoc;lw.llq. 

tcit 103 

The letters mJ.y 'be arranged to fo1m ~­

semblngeS-for msta.nce Qf five eac:h m orcler 

to fac1Iit.1.te the ti.ins»uiis10.n by cable ancl 

the ' er1fication 

The co1_respo11dent who ~$ p1ovided with 110 

the ::;nme appai:'ttus and k11.ows the koy as 

'vAU a::; ot"'e.r J.;Ules abo-vo .referiQd to, '1J.l.f).Y ~ -
REF ID:A70407 

1,311,407 a 

translate mto usual language the message 

by followmg th.e &ime metfiod, buL m tlie 

reverse succession, that is by wr1tmg the 

letters m rows from toI? to bottom, on a 

:s paper sheet /rovided with cases, without 

gomg beyon a lower limit determmed by 

a~eement 

In the construction illustrated m Figs 

3 and 6, the l\p~aratus comprises t\\.enty 

10 shdmg bars e, each of them bemg provided 

with ten figures (1, 2, 3, 4 0) arranged 

m their natural succession from left to right 

hand 

In such a case, by brmgmi a gn en figure 

15 of one of stud shdmg bars e mto the opemng 

c' of the transverse member c, a number of 

spaces is left free between the right end of 

the same bar and the opposite transverse 

member d of the frame, such number bemg 

20 equnl to the umts of sa1rl figure 

Thus, after the bars h'tve been moved to 

c'trry m register with opemng c' the respective figure of each bar to foim the key 

11umber mste'ld of obtammg on the appar't25 tus 't table showmg the number of lettc1s 

havmg to be written mto a horizontal row 

of a paper sheet, .i.s m the abm e descubed 

e""Cample, the apparatus provides d1rectl) 

iows of free cases each row hanng a d1ffe1-

SO ent number of cases mto wluch the letters of th~ message may be wp1tten 

In this <.onstruction the key m ty comp11sc UJ? to twenty figures As it appe'l~ trom 

Fig 6, on the app't11ttus a number of L tses 

35 is left free mto which cases are then written 

m succession the letters of the message, 

thereby bemg obtamed their arrangement 

by honzontal and vertical rows, there'lfter 

said letters are written by vertical rows 

40 taken m the succession shown by figures on 

the frame member a as m the e"Cample 

above referred to, and the Ciphermg is obtamed 

In order to allow of wr1tmg the letters on 

45 the same apparatus also m the case of a 

somewh.i.t long message, it 1s useful to provide behmd the bars e a space / mto w Inch 

cards g 01 the b.ke ma.y be mserted one 

a.fter another the cards bemg provided with 

50 hou7ont.i.lly numbered rows of cases (Fig 7), the letters are written m the respeLtne 

cases winch are cleared by bars e afte1 the 

same have been carried mto their res{>ect1ve 

key positions and the cipher sentence is then 

55 obtamed by cot>ymg from the said cards the 

letters by vertical row succession as shown 

by figures marked on the top of said ca.rds 

The bars e are preferably mterengt~etl 

with each other by me'tn::, of tongues or lips 

It and slot~ i pr°' i<led on the sulcs thereof, 60 

so as to hold them m the bame pla.ne, the 

under smf.i.ces of suid bars are convemently 

provided with 1 ecesses l m registe1 with 

etch figure mnrked 011 the front. or top surf tees, sau.l reccsc;cs hem~ mteml.ctl to en- 65 

gage a p10Ject1on 111t p1ovllled on the frame 

membe1 c (sec F1~ -:I: .mu 5) fo1 the purpose of lockmg s.ud pint.ob "ith their figures 

.irran!fC<l e:s:'tctly m vcrt1c'll rows 

Obv1onsly the number of bars ancl of 70 

.figures marked on each of tl1cm may bo 

mod1fi.ccl accordrn~ to requirements, also tho 

construction of t11e appu .. ratus m..iy <l1ff er 

from th'lt described .i.nd illustrated the 

sttme bemg g1Yen merclv by way ot example 75 

In 'tny c'lse the described tpp n 'l.tus 1llov. Ei 

of qmc.klJ 'lncl e 1silv c111hermg sentt.nces 

and mcss'lges by multiple transposition of 

letters, the langt1'tge bemg 1mm'lterial 'lS the 

ti anspo.,1tion Ilil mule upon 1 ules b 1sed 80 

upon the 1r1thmetlc Y'llue of the figmes ' 

Furthe1 tluc; 'lpp m1tus provides the ad-

' 'lnt.i.ge of 'lllowmg the use '\::. key of a number "lm.h m 1~ be kq>t m mmtl "ithont ieqmrmg the n'>e of formula. 01 of nohng bv 85 

wr1tmg s'l1cl ke', tlus l 1tte1 method bemg 

hc.lble to cauc;e the same kev or fmmnl l to 

be detected ~ 

The kev mn \ 'llso be \'lr1ed or mo<l1fied 

'lt "ill iml c..1.nnot be <letettctl by mspect- 90 

mg the 'lpp'lr'ltns when the l>'lrs h't' e been 

restored to their closed position 

The appar'\tus .i.ccor<lmg to tlus m\ ention 

may hn' e yer) small size and 'lllo" s qmck 

and enc;y m'lmpnlations while prov1dmg 'l 95 

'en large numbe1 of combmntions, say 

about ten m1lh 1rcls, so th it it is practI<.ally 1m~c;s1ble to rletc<.t the key 

'Vh'lt I cl um ts my mvenhon wcl dt's1re 

to secure by Umtc<l Stites Letters P'ttent is 100 

1 C1pheung appa1 ttus compusmg, m 

combm.i.hon, 'L f1.i.me h'tvmg fi.""Ced reference 

me 1ru, the1 eon, and .i. plur-ihty o.f p'trallel 

bars slulably mounte<l m the frame for displacement md1ndually with relation to b.t1d 105 

reference me.i.ns tll of the difft.rent b'l1s 

beanng an equal numbei of figures so a.s to 

fnrmsh for c tch posmon of the b'lrs determmecl m accordance \\.Ith a selected numerical key 't ciphering tible wluch fo1ms no 

a gmde tor the breakmg up of the mcss'lge 

mto cle.fimte groups of letters 

2 C1phermg ttppar'ttus comprising, m 

combmatlon, a frame h i vmg fixed reference 
REF ID:A70407 

me11ns thereon, and a. .Plurality of parallel 

b irs shclably mounted in the frame for d1spl11cement mtl1v1dually with 1Pht1on to said 

refe1em.o means, all o.f tl1e different bu.rs 

5 bearing an equal nulllber of .figures in regQl.!r numerical order, so as to fmn1sh for each 

pos1t1on of the bars determme<l m accordance with a selected numeru .. al key d. c1pbe1-

mg t-tble coru.htutell by tl1e rows of letter10 1ccc1v.mg c'lses left free by the mo'\-ement o.f 

the btus ctnd ,vluch dete1mme the groupmg 

of the letters of the message 

3 C1pher1ng apparatus comprismg, m 

combmat1on, a frolme havmg fixed reference 

15 means the1eon, a .Plurality of parallel bo.1::. 

shdably mounted in the fr'l.Ille for displatement md1viduo.lly with relation to said reference means, all of the di tf e1 ent bli.rs be.irmg an equal number of figures in regular 

20 numerical or<ler, so ns to furmsh for e.i.ch 

pos1t1on of the b..trs deternuned in .i.ccordnnce with a selected nmneucal key a c1phermg table constitutecl by the rows of letterrece1vmg cases left free by the mo,ement of 

25 tho b.trs and ,viuch deternuno the gioupmg 

of the letters of the message, anti cards on 

\vluch the letters of tlie: message. nre to be 

~1oupecl, a.ml cu.rtls- J.daptecl to be insertcu 

m tho f1 nmo bohmd the bars. 

4: Ciphering appar.itus compr1smg, in so 

combmation, a frame havmg fixed refc1ence 

means thereon, a _PhU'tthty 0£ Earallel biirs 

slulably mounted m tlie fr'lme for displncenient mdn uluall;r. 'vith rcl.i.tion to said reference meallB', said bars bemg engaged with 85 

one another and \VJ.th the frame 1111<1 all of 

them beaung an equ.il numbe1 of .figures in 

regulur numer1c11J. order, so ns to furnish 

fo1 eJ.eh posit.ion of the bJ.rs <letermmed m 

accordance with a selected key o. ciphermg 40 

tibble con&t1tutetl by the ro\vs of letter-recen•-

1ng cases left .f1ee by the movement of the 

ba1s and wlueh deternune tho groupmg of 

the letteis of the messaga., anCl car<ls on 

wluC?h the lette1s of the message .i.10 to be 45 

g-rouped, snul cards ad.1ptetl to be mserted 

m the h ame belnnu the b.irs 

Iu testimony whe1eof I tfli..."C my siguatme 

LIDGI NICOLETTI 

"\-Vitnesses 50 

RELSOGI St.OTrI, 

EDUARDO NILESE 

Oople1 of W• 1atent may be obtained for Ave oent1 each, by addre11in1 the "Commi111ioner 6f Patents, 

Washington, D C" 

" 

I I • I I-. 
1,811,457. 

REF ID:A70407 et 

L NICOLETTI 

CIPHER APPARATUS 

APPLICATION FILED DEC 1 1918 

Patented July 29, 1919 

2 SHEETS-SHEET I 

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L u-.z 2.z Nz e.,;.Z e~~.z 

~~$~ ,/f-et'-117'",,,,.. 7 

• I 
REF ID:A70407 ~ 

L NICOLETTI 

Cll'HER Al'PARA I US 

APPLICATION FILED DEC 1 1918 

1,311,457. Patented J nly 29, 1919 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 

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