Popular Science Monthly 



59 



Typewriting in Code on a Specially 

 Constructed Machine 



THE war has brought forth many devices 

 for communication in code; and many 

 different codes are used in the different 

 departments, as well as among individuals. 

 The invention of a typewriter which will 

 print in code follows as a natural con- 

 sequence, for time and speed cannot be 

 sacrificed continually, even in the interest 

 of secrecy and safety. 



The code typewriter is a complete type- 

 writer, standard keyboard, with nothing in 

 its appearance to indicate that it is not an 

 ordinary typewriter. On this machine a 

 stenographer may produce the cipher 

 writing with the same speed as though he 

 were writing in English. It is the inven- 

 tion of Edward Hebern, of Oakland, Cal. 



All the characters of a standard keyboard 

 may be represented, in the cipher of letters. 

 In placing figures and other characters not 

 letters into cipher the shift key is not 

 operated, but in order to translate them out 

 of the cipher it is necessary to hold down 

 the shift key in copying the cipher letters 

 that represent figures and other characters. 



For the receiver of a cipher message to 

 ascertain what letters represent other 

 characters than letters, he simply copies the 

 whole of the message. The parts repre- 

 sented by figures remain in cipher. He 

 then sets the shift key and recopies those 

 portions; the result will be that the figures 

 or other characters will be printed. 



An unlimited number of different codes 

 may be used. A change of code is effected 

 without changing the position 

 of the letters on either the 

 keyboard or type. The 

 code is changed by means 

 of a small aluminum de 

 vice called the "code 

 bar," weighing about 

 one ounce. It is 

 simply withdrawn 

 from a slideway and 

 another bar, set in a 

 different code, is in- 

 serted. The code bar 

 contains twenty -six 

 graduated letter 

 blocks. By unscrew- 

 ing a thumbscrew 

 and moving the let- 

 ter blocks to a differ- 

 ent position a change 

 is made. 



The code is changed by means of a small 

 code bar having twenty -six letter blocks 



A bunch of fire-crackers to scare away the 

 malicious spirits of storms and submarines 



Fire-Crackers: A Chinese Protection 

 Against Submarines 



THE Chinese are superstitious. They 

 are constantly trying to slaughter the 

 myriads of malicious spirits and sprites that 

 are supposed to flutter everywhere, even 

 under the bed or between the cracks of a 

 floor. 



Fortunately, it is a comparatively simple 

 matter to put a couple of thousand sprites 

 out of the way in one fell swoop. 

 All you need do is to explode a 

 fire-cracker. The evil spirit 

 and malicious sprite 

 can't stand noise. It 

 irritates them to dis- 

 traction. If loud 

 enough it kills them. 

 Conseq uen tly, 

 when a Chinese crew 

 makes ready to hoist 

 anchor the first cere- 

 mony is to unpack 

 the fire-crackers and 

 slaughter the evil 

 spirits with a five- 

 minute bombard- 

 ment. Nowadays 

 great quantities of 

 fireworks are carried. 



