Editing Stepping switch (section)

==Applications==

Stepping switches are used in a variety of applications, other than telephone systems. By connecting several in series with the highest output of one going to the stepping contact of the next, a [[Counter (digital)|counter]] could be constructed. Or by feeding the stepping contact with an endless [[pulse (signal processing)|pulse]] train via a [[relay]], and controlling the relay from the switch's own output, it can be made to automatically hunt for the first unpowered line (or powered, depending on whether the relay is [[normally open]] or [[normally closed]]). They could also be used as a [[Multiplexer|demultiplexer]], so that two input lines could control a number of output devices. One input line steps the switch until the correct device is selected, and the other then powers that device. Many other applications are possible.

Such switches were used in a series of Japanese cypher machines during [[World War II|World War 2]]: [[Coral (cypher machine)|CORAL]], [[JADE (cypher machine)|JADE]], [[Purple (cipher machine)|PURPLE]] (the names were American). The British code-breaking machine called Colossus used rotary stepping switches, which was used to break the German Lorenz cipher.