Typex Mark 22 Cipher Machine
name: label: maker
content: Great Britain
notes: label: Description
content: Before and during World War II, British cryptologists developed variations on the commercial ENIGMA cipher machine. These were used to encrypt and decrypt messages so that communication could be sent secretly, particularly over the radio. Scrambling and unscrambling of text occurred by passing electrical signals through a series of adjustable circuits set up by moving rotors. The rotary cipher machine, first called the Type X, quickly became known as the Typex. Several models of it were made, including this Typex Mark 22. The Mark 22 was introduced during World War II, widely used from 1950 and used until about 1970. By this date, the machine was helpful in communicating secure messages between Great Britain and embassies abroad. This one was used at the Embassy of Zimbabwee, and reportedly was used at that embassy up until about ten years before its donation in 1980..
label: Description
content: The black metal machine has two metal drums flanking the central keyboard. Immediately behind the keyboard is a metal stand, behind it is a metal cover that holds two metal reels for paper tape. The cover can be raised to show the inside of the machine. Accessories include six plugboards, twelve paper tapes, a set of seven rotors, and twenty-six cables. Two plugboards fit on the front sides of the machine and could be used to increase the security of coding.
label: Description
content: Reference:
label: Description
content: Accession file 1988.0587.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United Kingdom: Grand Bretagne
topic: label: Subject
content: Mathematics
label: Subject
content: Codes and Ciphers
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Mathematics
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of the Embassy of Zimbabwe
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1980.0587.01
label: accession number
content: 1980.0587
label: catalog number
content: 1980.0587.01
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: 40 cm x 82.5 cm x 59 cm; 15 3/4 in x 32 15/32 in x 23 7/32 in