Prototype Hebern Cipher Machine
name: label: maker
content: Hebern, Edward
label: maker
content: Edward Hebern
notes: label: Description
content: This is a prototype rotary cipher machine made by the American inventor Edward Hebern. The black, white and silver-colored machine has a keyboard with letters arranged like those of a QUERTY keyboard, but no numbers or symbols. In the bottom row of the keyboard on the right are keys that read "Shift [/] Key" and "Space Code". The machine has no outer frame. In the back of the keyboard is an array of wires leading from a flat circuit board to a holder for a rotor. A second circuit board has wires that attach to prongs of a plug on the left side of the machine. This almost connects to 1991.0190.04. The single rotor has black bakelite rings on two sides with a cogged metal disc in between. It has the letters from A to Y around the rim, as well as a blank spot.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
topic: label: Subject
content: Mathematics
label: Subject
content: Codes and Ciphers
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Mathematics
label: See more items in
content: Military
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of T. Scripps Downing
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1991.0190.03
label: accession number
content: 1991.0190
label: catalog number
content: 1991.0190.03
objectType: label: Object Name
content: cipher machine
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: plastic (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 19 cm x 29 cm x 31.5 cm; 7 15/32 in x 11 13/32 in x 12 13/32 in