Hugo Koch

Hugo Alexander Koch ( born March 9, 1870 in Delft, † March 3, 1928 in Dusseldorf ) was a Dutch inventor.

Invention of the secret typewriter

Independently and almost simultaneously with three other inventors he filed on October 7, 1919, Application No. 10,700 Geheimschrijfmachine ( German: "Secret Typewriter " ) as an invention in the Netherlands for a patent. This was a description of a rotor cipher machine. On September 18, 1920, this key machine was filed in the U.S. patent, granted there on 14 April 1925.

Shortly before Koch's patent applications had been Edward Hugh lifters in the United States in 1917, the idea of ​​a rotor cipher machine, which he, however, until 1921 for a patent. Arthur Scherbius in Germany in 1918 year had a rotor machine patent pending. Three days after Hugo Koch also followed independently of the other, the Swede Arvid Gerhard Damm with his patent application.

Hugo Koch has never used the invention commercially, to perform a functional prototype or even a series production. The extent to which a connection between the NV Ingenieursbureau Securitas in Amsterdam and the " union Secutiras " in Berlin - and thus to Arthur Scherbius - has passed, has not yet been clarified. Often also appears to assume that Scherbius learned of Koch's invention of his brother, said to have been the patent law in the Netherlands.

Meanwhile, doubts about the authorship of Koch's have occurred. Instead, the name Theo A. van Hengel (1875-1939) and RPC Spengler (1875-1955) are mentioned. This is by two Dutch engineers, who are said to have built as officers in the Dutch navy, the machine in 1915. Under current during the war secrecy all the details are not passed on this.

Übtragung the patent rights to the N.V. Securitas in Amsterdam

On April 29, 1922 Hugo Alexander Koch transfers his patent rights to the Naamlooze Vennootschap Engineering Bureau Securitas in Amsterdam.

Wording of the instrument of transfer in the Dutch language:

Acte van Overdracht. Ondergetekende Hugo Alexander Koch gevestigd te 's Gravenhage verklaart over te dragen aan Naamlooze Vennootschap Engineering Bureau Securitas, gevestigd te Amsterdam Heerengracht 401/403, the verklaart aan te de nemen right voortvloeiende uit de Nederlandse Octrooiaanvrage No.13046 Ned. Kl 15g, concerned " het Machine dead omzetten van gewoon written in secret writing en omgekeerd " dat het bedrag that Overdracht waarvoor geschiedt, is geschat op vijf honderd gulden. 's- Gravenhage, April 29, 1922 ( W. G. ) H. A. Koch *. Amsterdam, 2 Mei 1922 N.V. Ingenieursbureau " Securitas " ( wg ) Frans de Boer. Volgt de lastgevening fiat inschrijving. Name Centrale de afdeling van den Octrooiraad ( wg ) Dijckmeester, Secretaris. Voor eensluidend Afschrift. De Ambtenaar, houder the register

The aforementioned Escrow (value of the machine is estimated to be 500 guilders) refers to the patent application 13046 Decree of 7 Oct. 1919. Patent NL 10700 was conditional.

In the patent application N.V. Ingenieursbureau " Securitas " of Amsterdam of 18 December 1920 in the United States is once again confirmed that HA Koch has assigned his patent.