Patent GB-884818-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in ciphering devices
IPC: G09C1/08
Filed: 1957-11-15
Abstract: 884,818. Ciphering devices. LINDSTEIN, V. W. Nov. 15, 1957 [Nov. 17, 1956], No. 35657/57. Class 146(2) In the ciphering device shown in Figs. 3 and 5, wheels 5 are rotatable on a shaft 4 and are turned by means of discs 8 fixed to the shaft and having pins 9 (not shown) which are normally urged into engagement with holes 10 (not shown) in the wheels by a spring 58 but may be disengaged by pushing shaft 4 axially by means of knob 57. Endless tapes 11-15 bearing pins 19 and letters 16, pass around free wheels 20 and through slots 24 in plates 25, and have holes 17 which engage teeth 18 on wheels 5. Mounted above plates 25 is a case 32 with holes 33 into which pins 19 can enter, and into which is placed a code card 34 having perforations 94. Plates 25, which are guided for vertical movement, may be lowered by depression of handle 49 which rotates shaft 28 counterclockwise, but are normally raised by springs 30 acting via levers 27. During vertical movement plates 25 cause levers 51 to pivot. When a pin 19 engages in a hole 94 the respective plate 25 is raised fully and causes the corresponding lever 51 to pivot to the position shown in Fig. 5, in which the signal spot 53 on the lever is'not visible through a window in the top of the apparatus. When a pin engages the card 34 itself, however, the plate 25 is partially raised only and the lever 51 pivoted through a smaller angle so that the spot 53 thereon is visible through the window. Counterclockwise rotation of shaft 28, by means of handle 49, also acts via a ratchet and toothed wheel to rotate shaft 4 one step counterclockwise, and thus advance the tape. In operation a card 34 is inserted in the case 32, knob 57 is pressed to disengage wheels 5 from discs 8, wheels 5 are turned to give the desired combination of letters 16, knob 57 is released, and handle 49 depressed to lower plate 25 with the tapes, and to rotate wheels 5 so that the tapes move one step when handle 49 is released, plates 25 are raised, and the five levers 51 are positioned to show either spots 53 or blank portions, and this combination can be read as a letter in the five unit system in telegraphic work. To allow greater variety of coding the holes 94 at the ends of the rows may be substituted by slots 95. Pins 19 are so spaced that as one leaves the last hole position in a row the next is moved adjacent the first hole position of the row. A smaller key card 67 may be used, as in Fig. 11, wherein the tape 62 is provided with six pins 63, 64, 65 arranged in three rows corresponding to three rows of holes 66.  In the construction shown in Fig. 12 the tapes are replaced by drums 68 each having three spring pressed pins 76, 77, 78. Slides 84 are moved longitudinally, by handle and spring similarly to the manner in which plates 25 are moved, and when advanced each rotates a drum by means of ratchet 85 and wheel 69. The operative pin then passes through a hole in case 91 and through a hole in the key card 90 or into engagement with the key card, and the degree of movement of the slide causes indicator levers 80 to show spots or blanks. Pins 76, 77, 78 are spaced axially and widthwise of the drum and the key card has three corresponding rows of perforations adjacent each drum.