NEMA (machine)

The NEMA is a rotor cipher machine from Switzerland. The acronym NEMA was formed from " new machine " and refers to the successor of the German cipher machine ENIGMA.

Use

The NEMA was used for military and diplomatic purposes. There was a version for training purposes, a never- used version in case of war, and a version for the radio message.

History

The device was developed as a successor to the German ENIGMA K, which was used by the Swiss army during the Second World War. The NEMA was produced in 640 copies in 1946 by Zellweger Uster AG. For the labeling of the device and in the operating instructions, the designation "TD" ( button -pusher machine ) was used.

In the Swiss army NEMA has been largely replaced by the crypto - wireless - telegraph KFF-58/68 from the end of the 1950s, the embassy radio NEMA was to about 1976 used. In 1992, the NEMA was entklassifiziert and 1994 sold the army several copies to collectors.

Technology

The first difference relates to Enigma, the number of rotors. Next four normal rotors known in the NEMA contact rollers, the reflector is rotatably disposed. The reflector is referred to in the NEMA as well as in the reverse roll Enigma. The improvement over the Enigma is the feed system of the rolls. As happens with the advance of the Enigma as a counter, wherein the feed NEMA each contact roller is controlled by a separate indexing roller. Each time the button is pressed, a plurality of rollers move simultaneously.

The above-mentioned three models ( model for training, mobilization model, a model for the embassy radio ) are most easily distinguished by the serial number: TD 100 and TD 199 belonged to the then Swiss Federal Political Department, TD 200 and TD 419 were as a training machine with the troops in use, and TD 420 and TD 740 of mobilization were provided for the case.

At the message machine at least three different sets of rollers were used in the ( reversing rollers A, B and D). The training machines are equipped with the following rolls: contact rollers A, B, C, D and indexing rollers 16, 19, 20, 21, 23 / second War machines have the contact rollers A, B, C, D, E, F, and the indexing rollers 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, and No 22 / first