Historical Document · 1944
US Patent 6,175,625, "Control Circuits for Electric Coding Machines" (L. F. Safford, D. W. Seiler)
The ECM Mark II's control circuits: controller, zeroizer, index maze, printer (14 pp., 5 drawing sheets) [writer A]
Historical Document · 1944
The ECM Mark II's control circuits: controller, zeroizer, index maze, printer (14 pp., 5 drawing sheets) [writer A]
USOO6175625B1 (12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 6,175,625 B1 (45) Date of Patent: Jan. 16, 2001 Safford et al. (54) (56) CONTROL CIRCUITS FOR ELECTRIC CODING MACHINES References Cited U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS (75) Inventors: Laurance F. Safford; Donald W. Seiler, both of Washington, DC (US) 1,540,107 6/1925 Damm .................................... 380/52 2,116,683 * 5/1938 Lemmon et al. ... 380/55 2,116,731 5/1938 Noll ....................................... 380/55 (73) Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the National Security Agency, Washington, DC (US) * cited by examiner Primary Examiner Bernarr E. Gregory (*) Notice: Under 35 U.S.C. 154(b), the term of this (57) patent shall be extended for 0 days. ABSTRACT The machine involves code wheels in cascade or in a maze (21) Appl. No.: 02/568,368 Dec. 15, 1944 (22) Filed: (51) Int. Cl." .............................. H04L 9/38; H04L 9/10; with random or mixed circuits which operate a printing device to print the cipher conjugate of the letter on an operated key when the keyboard is connected to one end of the code wheel maze, and to print the plain conjugate of the letter in cipher when a key bearing Such letter is operated with the keyboard connected to the other end of the code wheel maze. The printer is connected to the end of the code wheel maze opposite the end to which the keyboard is H04L 17/02; H04L 17/16 (52) U.S. Cl. .............................. 380/26; 380/287; 380/52; 380/56; 380/57; 380/59; 341/50, 341/90; (58) 341/91 Field of Search ..................................... 380/255, 259, connected in both cases. 380/270, 287, 26, 51, 52, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 27, 47; 341/90, 91; 178/17 A 68 89 OUVo C | 58 69' 16Q sl Od g e 21 Claims, 5 Drawing Sheets h ". O e s (0. " .- o OO 72 o 2326 | | 56 e os- 50 200 52 " | e l 57 15O so f 84 e NE e | 62 --- 'll O .l . 5 99 78 t| 82 ..- O87 2N. a. -- s S8 462Ee - 9e s 78 hh d s oPERA | s 2. 3. 68 s &626s 3. s 36,39 s l 54 e 55 l h --a a th l f l U.S. Patent Jan. 16, 2001 Sheet 1 of 5 US 6,175,625 B1 N Sas A C 2 s A 2N M a S. 2a O V 3SMEasySSRTHA / 1ON E. V sa. is . W . .. s AS A ?t W &RNGS 2S 2 a if it Y W U.S. Patent Jan. 16, 2001 Sheet 2 of 5 US 6,175,625 B1 54 A - 9 s-N- O2 -- - - 2 O 6O 0- T 39 N l l O3 ho 56 O4 O3 In "". IO7 O8 62 63 -69 O9 16 (I-IO o C 6 O6 52 N 53 t 55 57 F. G. 2 U.S. Patent Jan. 16, 2001 Sheet 4 of 5 US 6,175,625 B1 U.S. Patent Jan. 16, 2001 Sheet 5 of 5 F.G. 6 US 6,175,625 B1 US 6,175,625 B1 1 2 CONTROL CIRCUITS FOR ELECTRIC Broadly delineated, the machine involves “code wheels' in cascade or in a “maZe’ with random or mixed circuits CODING MACHINES which operate a printing device to print the cipher conjugate The invention described herein may be manufactured and of the letter on an operated key when the keyboard is to one end of the code wheel maze, and to print used by or for the Government of the United States of 5 connected America for governmental purposes without the payment of the plain conjugate of the letter in cipher when a key bearing Such letter is operated with the keyboard connected to the any royalties thereon or therefor. end of the code wheel maze. The printer is connected This invention relates to electrical circuits for controlling other to the end of the code wheel maze opposite the end to which the operation of the mechanical elements of a cryptographic the keyboard is connected in both cases. machine. The Switches and circuits herein concerned are manipu Among the Several objects of this invention are: lated to reverse the connections for enciphering and To provide means for changing the circuits of a crypto deciphering, to connect the keys directly to the printer for graphic machine to condition them for enciphering, printing plain text, and to cut out the printing and ciphering deciphering or writing plain text and numerals, circuits and to connect certain other circuits that control 15 To devise circuits to control the mechanical operating mechanical devices for resetting and Zeroizing, as will be elements of a cryptographic machine to introduce a fully explained hereinafter. very high degree of complexity and unpredictability The construction of the machine will be first set forth to make clear the functions and relations of the electrical into the Selection of Such elements for operation; To provide means for cutting out the ciphering circuits circuits. and cutting in circuits for controlling the mechanical Referring to FIG. 1, motor 50 drives shaft 51 through operation only; worm pinion 52 meshed with worm gear 53 on the shaft to To provide a Switch having four operating positions to Supply power for operating the mechanical elements of the condition the circuits in groups to perform different machine under control of the electrical circuits. Shaft 51 and functions requisite in the electromechanical encipher 25 the means for determining the operation thereof are Set forth in detail in the application of Theodore I. Przysiecki, Ser. ment and decipherment of messages, 02/568,365, filed Dec. 15, 1944. The keyboard has keys To devise a Second Switch to cooperate with the aforesaid No. for the letters of the alphabet, the numerals 1 through 9 Switch in condition circuits to Separate purely mechani 54 cal functions of a cryptographic machine from those and Zero, blank, dash and repeat, and Space bar 55. Main Switch 56 has a shaft 57 that is rotatable by handle involved in recording textual matter. 58 with cam lobes 59 on the shaft to contact telephone type BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS pileups 60. The shaft 57 has five positions, indicated by index 61 in conjunction with marks on plate 62, which Other objects will become manifest when the ensuing positions are “Off,” “Plain,” “Reset,” “Encipher,” and description is read in connection with the drawings, in 35 “Decipher.” In the first or “Off” position all current is cut off which: from the machine. The second position of Switch 56 con FIG. 1 is a perspective elevational view showing a coding nects the alphabet and numeral keys directly to the printing machine with the code and control wheel unit removed; mechanism, shown in the application of Krum and FIGS. 2 and 2a are together a schematic lay-out of the Thienemann, Ser. No. 02/568,366 filed Dec. 15, 1944, now electric circuits, 40 U.S. Pat. No. 4,185,928. The third or reset position of switch FIG.3 illustrates the mechanism for Stepping the code and 56 actuates pileups 60 in Such a manner that all ciphering circuits and those to the printer are opened and other circuits control wheels; are closed to effect mechanical operations for mechanically FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the code and control wheel Setting the code wheels to predetermined initial positions. In unit with one control wheel and one index wheel removed; 45 the fourth position the pileups 60 are actuated to close the FIG. 5 shows a wheel used in either the code wheel or the circuits for enciphering, and in the fifth for deciphering. control wheel Set, Code wheel 61, as shown in FIG. 5, has an annular series FIG. 6 depicts an index wheel; of contacts 62 on each face So disposed that one contact on FIG. 7 illustrates the electromagnets, with their armatures, each face corresponds to a letter on the periphery of the that control the operation of the mechanism in FIG. 3. 50 wheel. Each contact of one face is connected at random, or as otherwise determined, to a contact on the opposite face, DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION as is well known in this art, and indicated at 77 in FIG. 2a. The code wheels 61 are assembled in a set (five in FIG. 4) The cryptographic machine with which the proposed on a spindle 63 readily removable from basket 64 to facili invention is concerned is an improvement of that shown in 55 tate the interchange of wheels. The spacer 65 between each the application of Larsen et al, Ser. No. 02/317,454 filed Feb. two code wheels is provided with an annular Series of Spring 5, 1940, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,659. Other related appli pressed plunger conducting members (not shown) extending cations disclosing various aspects of the improved machine, through to connect the contacts in one wheel 61 to those in more or less dependent on the present invention and filed the adjacent wheel. Basket 64 is disposed in the machine So concurrently herewith will be identified in the course of the 60 that the conducts 66 in the two side members 67 of the description. basket establish conductive relations with contacts 68 in the AS used herein "cipher conjugate' is the letter, which may left side member 69 of the frame of the machine and with be any letter in the alphabet, printed in the enciphered text contacts 68' in the right side member 69' and thus make when a key is operated during the process of encipherment complete through paths from one side member 69 through and the “plain conjugate' is the letter that is printed in the 65 the wheels 61 and spacers 65 to the member 69'. The five control wheels 70 are identical with the code deciphered text when the key bearings its cipher conjugate is operated during deciphering. wheels 61 in structure and manner of assembly in the basket US 6,175,625 B1 3 4 64 to establish through paths between the contact series 71 and series 72 in side members 69 and 69' by way of contact first of these it closes fie circuits from index wheels 73 to the stepping magnets 99 of the code wheels 61 and a circuit to control the driving shaft 51 and at the same time opens the are index wheels 73, each of which has ten random or mixed Zeroizer circuits. In the second position, Zeroizer Switch 100 connections between its faces to Set up through paths 5 opens the five circuits from the index wheels 73 to the between the contact series 75 and series 74 through contact stepping magnets 99 of the code wheels 61 and the shaft series 75' and 74", respectively. The five index wheels 73 are control circuit, and at the same time closes ten circuits to the rotatable but are Set manually in one position at the begin five stepping magnets 99 of the code wheels 61 and the five ning of enciphering or deciphering a message and remain stepping magnets 93 of control wheels 70 for resetting all without change. In FIG. 4, four index wheels shown are set these wheels to respective pre-determined initial positions, with the respective numbers 10, 20, 30, and 40 alined with as will be more fully described. reference line 76 in the spacers and side members of the The fourth position of Switch 56 is “encipher.” Each basket 64, the fifth being removed to show contacts 75'. alphabet key 54 has an associated contact 101 that is closed It will of course be understood that other numbers of code when the key is depressed, completing a circuit from Supply wheels, control wheels and index wheels may be used as 15 to a contact in a pileup 60 in Switch 56, which Switch is shown in FIG. 2 as set for enciphering. If the A key is well as other numbers of contacts on the aforesaid wheels, operated, current passes through conductor 102 to Switch 56 and that the number of code wheels, control wheels and indeX wheels need not be the same. thence by conductor 103 to the A contact at the let hand end Fixed upon shaft 51 is member 78 having formed in one of the alphabet maze, thence by haphazard path through the face a cam-groove 79 (FIG. 3) in which is disposed a wheels 61 and spacers 65 to, say, the N contact at the right follower 80 attached to a bell crank lever 81 that is part of hand end of the alphabet maze thence by conductor 104 and a rocking bail 82 mounted on shaft 83. Pivoted to bail 82 are Switch 56 to the N magnet 105 of the printer which sets the five stepping drive bars 84 each of which underlies a code printer to record the letter N in the enciphered message. wheel 61 and the control wheel 70 alined therewith. The current then flows from printer magnet 105 through 25 Each drive bar 84 has pivotally mounted thereon a bell the common lead 106 to zeroizer Switch 100, thence by crank lever Stepping pawl 85 having an arm 86 disposed to conductor 111 to the printing timing contacts 107 which are be engageable with the teeth 87 on the periphery of the closed by cam 108 on shaft 51 when the shaft is stopped after respective code wheel 61 or control wheel 70, as the case the completion of one revolution, and thence through the may be, with which it is associated, a Spring 87 biasing each operating contacts 109 of clutch release magnet 110, which pawl 85 to Swing the arm 86 toward the wheel. Pivoted on trips to engage the clutch (not shown) through which shaft the drive bar 84 adjacent each pawl 85 is a stepping pawl 51 is driven and which is disengaged after each complete latch 88 having two shoulders 89 and 90 thereon that are revolution of shaft 51. engageable with the arm 91 of pawl 85, the spring 92 being Clutch trip magnet 110 also serves as a locking magnet to provided to move the latch 88 into engagement with arm 91. 35 prevent a Subsequent release of the clutch by operation of An electromagnet 93 has a pivoted armature 94 with one end another key before a revolution of shaft 51 has been com disposed under the arm 95 of latch 88 and biased away from pleted. Universal bar 112 underlies all the alphabet keys so that when any key is operated it is depressed. AS is shown that arm by spring 96. When the parts are as shown in FIG. 3 and the magnet 93 in FIG. 2, the universal bar 112 when not depressed holds is energized by a pulse of current, the armature 94 is drawn 40 contacts 113 separated but when it is moved downwardly toward the magnet and latch 88 is rotated clockwise through these contacts close and establish a circuit through the contacts 114, conductor 115 and contacts 116 to clutch trip contact of arm 95 with the end of armature 94. This releases arm 91 of pawl 85 from the shoulder 90 and permits the pawl magnet 110. It is thus apparent that the magnet 110 will to be rotated clockwise by its spring 87 so that the arm 86 remain energized until universal bar 112 has again moved engages a tooth 87 on the wheel associated therewith, the 45 upwardly after release of a key. rotation of pawl 85 being limited by contact of arm 91 with After shaft 51 has turned through one-fifth of a revolution, shoulder 89. Subsequently, the rotation of cam 78 moves the the cam 108 has moved to permit contacts 107 to open, bail 82 toward the left in FIG. 3 and the movement thus breaking the circuits through the code wheels 61 and the imparted to drive bar 84 caused the wheel associated with printing magnets 105; and at the same time cam 117 on shaft the pawl 85 to be rotated one step. Continued rotation of cam 50 51 closes contacts 118 to energize stepping magnet 93 of the 79 moves bail 82 toward the right and causes arm 97 of pawl third control wheel 70, counting from the left, by way of 85 to contact the reset pin 98 which rotates pawl 85 contact 121 that is closed while Switch 56 is in the enci backward and effects re-engagement of arm 91 with shoul phering and deciphering positions, but open in all other der 90 so that the arm 86 is held away from the associated positions. Thus this third wheel 70 turns one step each time wheel until the mechanism is again tripped by a pulse of 55 a letter is printed during the processed of enciphering or current to magnet 93. The banks of magnets 93 for operating deciphering. the control wheels and magnets 99 for operating the code The electric circuits are connected to insure the utmost wheels are shown in detail in FIG. 7. degree of unpredictability in the changing of the paths FIGS. 2 and 2a will be considered together, since they between the alphabet keys 54 and the printing device during present a Schematic layout of the electrical circuits. While 60 encipherment. This is accomplished by having one, two, the System is described as using direct current, it is to be three, or four of the code wheels 61 move one step after each understood that due to the fact that all electromagnets have time a letter is printed, the number of wheels 61 that move a trigger action, So that a pulse of current is Sufficient to at any one time and the selection of the individual wheels 61 effect operating, alternating current may be used provided to be Stepped being determined by the control circuits and motor 50 is constructed to operate on that type of current. A 65 particular positionings of the control wheels and index second witch 100 is provided, herein termed the Zeroizer wheels. Code wheels 61 and control wheels 70 are inter Switch, which has two positions, operate and Zeroize. In the changable and reversible, each having 26 contacts on each series 71" and 72 in basket 64. Also assembled in basket 64 US 6,175,625 B1 S 6 face, interconnected at random, Such as A on one face to M on the other, B on one to G on the other, etc., but the tively in circuit with Six paths and five paths through the control wheels 70, another conductor 130 may be connected to four paths and three paths through the wheels 70, still another to three paths and two paths, another to one path and one path, and the fifth to one path and Zero paths through the arrangement of the connections is preferably not the same in any two wheels. Index wheels 73 have ten random or mixed connections between the faces of each, the wiring patterns in all being different. It will be noted that no mechanical means to step index wheels 73 is provided, they being set manually and remaining unchanged through the complete message. Each of the wheels 61 and 70 has a peripheral boss 122 (FIGS. 4 and 5) which on the third control wheel, once each control wheels 70. While any number of input connections 128 may be used, experience has shown that the most advantageous number is less than the number of wheels being Stepped through the index maze, in this case five. If five input connections are employed, all of the coding wheels 61 may be stepped at one time and thus the scrambling of the circuits would be revolution, moves contact Strip 123 to close a circuit through contacts 124 and 125 and connects wire 119 to the stepping magnet 93 of the fourth control wheel 70 and causes the diminished and if fewer than four connections are made fourth wheel to rotate one step. In its turn, the boss 122 on there is a possibility that none of the coding wheels 61 might the fourth control wheel operates contact strip 126 to close 15 be stepped at Some one time. contacts 127 and So connect the Stepping magnet 93 of the When switch 56 is in the encipher position the Z key second control wheel 70 to the wire 119, thus effecting connects to the X lead 102 and the space bar 55 is connected meterwise operation of the third, fourth, and Second control the Z lead 102, by the Switch 56 contact connections 133 wheels. The first and fifth control wheels are not changed to and 134, respectively, FIG. 2. Thus, when the Z key is during the writing of one text but are set at prearranged operated the cipher conjugate of X is printed and this will, positions. It will, of course, be understood that other Step in deciphering, with connections 133 and 134 in the dotted ping actions of the control wheels may be used and that the line positions, give the letter Z in the plain text in place of first and fifth control wheels are not necessarily motionless Z, as XERO for ZERO. However, the letter Z is so seldom during the writing of one text. used, and the Substitution for it is so obvious in the The wire 120 is connected to four contacts 128 at the right 25 words where it occurs, thatofnoXdifficulty arises. hand end of the control wheels 70, so that four paths through For deciphering, the connection 135 is moved to the the control wheels 70 are supplied with current. It will be dotted line position to open the circuit to the Z printer understood that more or less than four contacts 128 at the right hand end of the control wheels 70 may be connected to magnet 105 and close the circuit to the print SuppreSS magnet the conductor 120. At the left hand end the twenty-six paths 136 so that when the key of the cipher conjugate of Z in the message is operated the impulse that would otherwise through the control wheels 70 are connected to nine leads. cipher have gone to the Z magnet 105 goes to print SuppreSS magnet For example, one lead may be connected to Six paths, one to five paths, one to four paths, two others to three paths each, 136 and prevents the operation of the printer to record any one to two paths, and three others to one path each, So that letter So that a Space appears in the text. the total is twenty-six. It is within the purview of this 35 The fifth position of switch 56 is “decipher.” When invention that other group combinations may be used So deciphering a message the alphabet, Stepping, and index long as all twenty-six paths through the control wheels 70 wheels are all Set to the same initial position as when the are connected to the index wheels 73. The nine leads from encipherment of the message was started, So that identical the left hand end of the control wheels 70, designated through paths are established. Changing the Switch 56 to the generally by 129, are at their other ends connected to the left 40 decipher position alters the pileups 60 so contacts 101 of hand ends of nine of the ten paths through the indeX wheels keys 54 are connected to the right hand end of the alphabet 73, thus leaving one of the paths through the index wheels maze and printer magnets 105 to the left hand end. Thus, the without a current Supply connection. At the right hand end paths through the code wheels 61 being the same as during of the index maze the ten paths through index wheels 73 are the enciphering operation, if, Say, the N key 54 is operated, connected, in groups of two, to five out-put leads designed 45 consequent upon the appearance of that letter in the enci generally by 130. It is thus apparent that, since there are but phered message, the current will traverse N lead 104, go fourth paths through the control wheels 70 that carry current through the wheels 61 to the A lead 103, and thence to the there can be no more than four of the conductors 130 that are A printing magnet 105, and the letter A, which has been Supplied with current but, depending upon the fortuitous assumed as the plain conjugate of N, will be printed in the arrangement of the paths through the control wheels 70, 50 deciphered text. In like manner, when the key bearing the there may be fewer than four. Due to the connection of the cipher conjugate of Z is operated, the current will flow to paths in groups as above described there will always be at print Suppress magnet 136 and a Space will appear in the least one of the output conductors 130 that will carry current. deciphered text. The space bar 55 is rendered inoperative by It is evident that other groupings of the right hand end action of Switch 56 when deciphering. 55 contacts of the index wheel maze may be employed. The second position of Switch 56 is “plain.” the machine Each of the conductors 130 is connected through a may be used as an ordinary typewriter with Switch 56 set at respective pair of contacts 131 in Switch 100 to a conductor the plain position for recording plain language. The Aprinter 132 and thence to a respective stepping magnet 99 of the magnet 105 is then directly in circuit with A contacts 101 code wheels 61. Thus the number of the code wheels 61 that through pileups 60 and the connection 139 therebetween. are moved at any one time depends upon the number of live 60 The upper pileups 60 remain as shown in FIG. 2 while the conductors 130 at that time. A further clarification of the movable element of the lower pileup is moved to contact the manner in which the magnets 99 are energized will be had upper fixed element thereof, thus completing the circuit by considering the connections between the right hand end from the key to the printer magnet. The contact connections of the index wheels 73 and the left hand end of control 140 and 141 in Switch 56 are open in the enciphering and wheels 70. For example, two paths through index wheels 73 65 deciphering positions of Switch 56 but are closed in the plain to which one of the conductors 130 is connected may be at position So that the current is Supplied to day (-) key 142 their other ends connected to conductorS 129 that are respec and to the numeral keys 143. The printer magnets 105 for US 6,175,625 B1 7 these keys are connected to the common lead 106 so that the clutch trip magnet 110 is energized and the shaft 51 is caused to rotate when one of these keys is operated. Also, in the plain position, the contact connection 134 is moved to the dotted line position and establishes a circuit directly from Space bar 55 to the print SuppreSS magnet 136, and thence by contacts 107 to clutch trip magnet 110. While the machine is being used for plain typing, the contact connection 118' in Switch 56 is opened so that no current is supplied to the stepping magnets 93 and 99. The code wheels and control 8 through paths in the control wheels 70, conductors 129, index wheels 73, conductors 130, the contacts 131, and conductors 132 to the stepping magnets 99 of the code wheels 61, so that the code wheels will be stepped in a haphazard manner during the final Setting of the control wheels 70. It will of course be understood that the code wheels 61 and the stepping wheels 70 may be set manually, if preferred. The first position of switch 56 is “off.” The switch 56 operates a Snap Switch 160 to control the Supply of electric wheels therefore remain motionless. power to motor 50, and to the other electric circuits in the The third position of Switch 56 is “reset,” in which circuits machinery, the machine being Supplied with power in all are established to move the alphabet wheels 61 and the positions of Switch 56 except the “off” position. This switch Stepping wheels 70 to respective predetermined positions to 56 also operates a control to cause automatic Separation of begin the enciphering or deciphering of a message. The 15 the letters in an enciphered message into groups of five and Zeroizer Switch 100 is manually changed from the “operate” to prevent feeding of the tape upon which the letters are to the “Zeroize' position, closing circuits through the contact printed when in the reset position. However, Since these connections 144. The contact 145 is opened and cuts off mechanisms are not a part of the present invention, and are current supply to the alphabet keys 54 and the space key 55, fully shown and described in the concurrently filed appli and hence to the through paths in the alphabet wheels 61. cation of Howard L. Krum et al Ser. No. 02/568,364, filed To reset the code wheels 61 and the control wheels 70 to Dec. 15, 1944, they are not shown in the present drawings. their initial positions, the blank key 146 and repeat key 147 Interchangeable resistors 161 of different values are Sup are held down. The former closes a circuit through the print plied to adjust the impedances of the electromagnet circuits suppress magnet 136, contacts 107 and 109, to the clutch trip for operation from Sources of different Voltages, and Spark magnet 110, so that shaft 51 is permitted to rotate. Keeping 25 Suppressors comprising a resistance 162 and capacitance repeat key 147 depressed breaks the circuit through contacts 163 may be connected at whatever points are desirable. We claim: 114 So that no holding circuit is established to the magnet 110 and hence the clutch trip is held disengaged and it is not 1. In a cyclically operable cryptographic machine having necessary to release the blank key after each revolution of a set of Stepwise rotatable code wheels, mechanism condi shaft 51. Cam 117 on shaft 51 closes contacts 118 once tionable So to rotate Said wheels individually, and a respec during each revolution and permits the current to flow tive electrically actuated device associated with each wheel through conductor 148 to the contacts 144 and thence by to condition in a random manner Said mechanism to Step conductors 149 to the stepping magnets 93 and 99 of the Such asSociated Wheel; a Set of control Wheels each carrying control wheels 70 and code wheels 61 which causes these a plurality of conductive elements having their ends ran wheels to be rotated one step each revolution of shaft 51. 35 domly connected to contacts at the opposite faces of the The Stepping of these wheels continues until the peripheral respective wheels, means connecting each Said element into boSS 122 on each wheel acts upon the respective contact Strip a respective through path, means to Step one of Said control 150 associated with the wheel to break the circuit to the wheels each cycle of operation, means to operate meterwise respective Stepping magnet by opening contacts 151, leaving the two wheels adjacent thereto, a fixed input conductor 40 connected to Supply current at one end to any four of Said them at their “Zero” position. After all of wheels 61 and 70 have stopped at “Zero” due through paths positioned to connect therewith, nine fixed to the opening of the Zeroizer contacts 151, the Zeroizer output conductors each connected to at least one contact Switch is manually set to the “operate” position with Switch disposed to be in conductive relation with the other end of 56 remaining in the “reset' position. With the Switches set a respective through path, So that the nine conductors in these positions, due to the fact that in the reset position of 45 constitute output connections for all the through paths, a Set Switch 56 the contact 137 is moved to the dotted line of indeX wheels each carrying ten conductive elements position, a circuit is set up from conductor 148 through having their ends randomly connected to contacts at the opposite faces of the respective indeX wheels, means con conductor 152, contact 137, conductor 153, contacts 154, and conductor 155 to a second print suppress magnet 156. necting each indeX wheel element into a respective index There is also established a circuit from conductor 152 by 50 through path each of which except one is conductively way of conductor 157 to the contact 158 associated with connected at one end to a respective Said output conductor, and five fixed Selector conductors connected to place each in each of the keys 143 of the numerals 1 to 5, the contact 141 being open and de-energizing the contacts 158' of keys 143, conductive relation with the other ends of two of Said index numerals 1 to 5. Each of the numeral keys contacts 158 is through paths that are positioned to connect there with, each connected by a conductor 159 to a respective Stepping 55 of the Selector conductors being connected to a respective Said electrically actuated device to effect Stepping of the magnet 93 of the control wheels 70. The key of numeral 1 is connected to step the control wheel 70 at the left hand end asSociated code wheel when current is Supplied to the of the Stepping maze, the key of numeral 2 is connected to Selector conductor, the total number of code wheels So step the second wheel from the left hand end, etc. Thus by Stepped not exceeding four at any one time. repeatedly operating a numeral key the control wheel gov 60 2. In a cyclically operable cryptographic machine having erned by the Stepping magnet connected thereto can be a set of Stepwise rotatable code wheels, mechanism condi rotated to any prearranged position to start the encipherment tionable So to rotate Said wheels individually, and a respec of decipherment of a message. Also, since the Switch 100 is tive electrically actuated device associated with each wheel in the “operate” position the contacts 131 will be closed, the to condition in a random manner Said mechanism to Step contact 118' will be closed, and the contacts 144, 121 and 65 Such associated wheel: a set of control wheels each carrying a plurality of conductive elements having their ends ran 125 will be open. Current will flow through contact 118' thence through conductor 120, the four contacts 128, the domly connected to contacts at the opposite faces of the US 6,175,625 B1 9 10 respective wheels, means connecting each Said element into to Step the code wheels respectively associated with the Said a respective through path, means to change Said through devices thus Supplied with current. 5. In a cyclically operable cryptographic machine having paths in a haphazard manner, a number of fixed input conductors each connected to Supply current at one end to a a set of Stepwise rotatable code wheels, mechanism condi respective through path positioned to connect there with, Said tionable So to rotate Said wheels individually, and a respec number being not greater than the number of code wheels, tive electrically actuated device associated with each wheel a Second number of fixed output conductors, greater than the to condition in a random manner Said mechanism to Step number of Said code wheels, disposed to be in conductive Such asSociated wheel: a Set of indeX wheels each carrying relation with the other end of at least one through path So that ten conductive elements having their ends randomly con each through path has an output connection, a set of indeX nected to contacts at the opposite faces of the respective wheels each carrying Said Second number plus one of indeX wheels, means connecting each element into a respec conductive elements having their ends randomly connected tive through path, means to Supply current at one end to an to contacts at the opposite faces of the respective indeX unpredictable variable number of Said through paths not wheels, means connecting each indeX wheel element into a exceeding four, the paths to which current is thus Supplied respective indeX through path each of which except one is 15 changing unpredictably from cycle to cycle and five fixed conductively connected at one end to a respective Said Selector conductors disposed to be each in conductive rela output conductor, and fixed Selector conductors, equal in tion with the other ends of two of said through paths that are number to Said code wheels, disposed to be in conductive positioned to connect therewith, each of the Selector con relation with the other end of at least one of said index ductors being connected to a respective Said electrically through paths So that all the index through paths are con actuated device to effect Stepping of the associated code nected to the Selector conductors, each of the Selector wheel when current is Supplied to the conductor, the total conducts being connected to a respective Said electrically number of code wheels So Stepped not exceeding four at any actuated device to effect Stepping of the associated code one time. 6. In a cyclically operable cryptographic machine having wheel when current is Supplied to the conductor, the total number of code wheels So Stepped not exceeding the number 25 a set of Stepwise rotatable code wheels, mechanism condi tionable So to rotate Said wheels individually, and a respec of Said input conductors at any one time. 3. In a cyclically operable cryptographic machine having tive electrically actuated device associated with each wheel a set of Stepwise rotatable code wheels, mechanism condi to condition in a random manner Said mechanism to Step tionable So to rotate Said wheels individually, and a respec Such asSociated wheel: a Set of indeX wheels each carrying tive electrically actuated device associated with each wheel conductive elements greater in number than the number of to condition in a random manner Said mechanism to Step the code wheels with each element having its ends randomly Such associated wheel: a set of control wheels each carrying connected to contacts on opposite faces of the respective a plurality of conductive elements having their ends ran Wheels, means connecting each element into a respective domly connected to contacts at the opposite faces of the through path, means to Supply current at one end to an respective wheels, means connecting each Said element into 35 unpredictable variable number of said through paths fewer a respective through path, means to change Said through in number than the number of the code wheels, the paths to paths in a haphazard manner, a number of fixed input which current is thus Supplied varying unpredictably from conductors, not greater than the number of Said code wheels, cycle to cycle, and fixed Selector conductors equal in number disposed to Supply current at one end to a like number of Said to the code wheels disposed to be in conductive relation with through paths positioned to connect there with, and means to 40 the other ends of at least one through path positioned to connect to a respective electrically actuated device each of connect therewith So that all the through paths are connected an unpredictable number of Said through paths to which to the Selector conductors, each of the Selector conductors current is Supplied by Said input conductors, the number of being connected to a respective Said electrically actuated through paths. So connected in any cycle of operation being device to effect Stepping of the associated code wheel when not greater than he number of Said input conductors, thereby 45 current is Supplied to the Selector conductor, the number of to Step the code wheels respectively associated with the Said code wheels Stepped at any one time being always less than the total number of the code wheels. devices thus Supplied with current. 7. In a cyclically operable cryptographic machine having 4. In a cyclically operable cryptographic machine having a step of Stepwise rotatable code wheels, mechanism con a set of Stepwise rotatable code wheels, mechanism condi ditionable So to rotate Said wheels individually, and a 50 tionable So to rotate Said wheels individually, and a respec respective electrically actuated device associated with each tive electrically actuated device associated with each wheel wheel to condition in a random manner Said mechanism to to condition in a random manner Said mechanism to Step Step Such associated wheel: a Set of control wheels each Such associated wheel: input conductors fewer in number carrying a plurality of conductive elements having their ends than the code wheels, haphazardly variable paths greater in randomly connected to contacts at the opposite faces of the 55 number than the inputs So disposed that each input is respective wheels, means connecting each element into a connected to one of the paths, the paths. So connected being respective through path, Said control wheels being mounted variable from cycle to cycle, output conductors fewer in for individual Stepwise rotation to make possible the chang number than the paths but greater in number than the input ing of Said through paths, a number of fixed input conductors, each output conductor being connected to at conductors, not greater than the number of Said code wheels, 60 least one path So that all the paths are connected to the output disposed to Supply current at one end to a like number of Said conductors, a Second Set of variable paths equal in number through paths positioned to connect there with, and manes to to the number of output conductors plus one, each output connect to a respective electrically actuated device each of conductor being connected to one end of a respective path in an unpredictable number of Said through paths to which the Second Set, and Selector conductors equal in number to current is Supplied by Said input conductors, the number of 65 Said devices, each Selector conductor being connected to at through paths. So