Patent GB-694942-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in record-actuated photographic-composing machines
IPC: B41B27/32
Filed: 1948-12-15
Abstract: 694,942. Photographic type - composing machines. ACKERMAN, H. B. Dec. 15, 1948 [Dec. 20, 1947], No. 32406/48. Class 98 (i). [Also in Group XL (b)] A photographic composing machine for producing justified lines of text matter on a light-sensitive sheet for use in the production of printing plates and of the class controlled by character and space signals on a strip record of the text-matter and including means for moving the. strip through the machine, a carrier for the light-sensitive sheet, and electrically-actuated mechanism for moving the carrier relatively to a mechanism which prints photographically the characters on the sheet in response to space signals on the record strip to provide justified spacing between words, is provided with a master character plate of part-cylindrical shape mounted for axial sliding and peripheral rotary movement and positionable relatively to the photographic printing means, electrically-actuated mechanism controllable by character signals on the strip for positioning said character plate to select the character required, character width measuring means positioned by the latter electricallyactuated mechanism simultaneously with the positioning of the character plate; means for then printing photographically the character on the light-sensitive sheet, and means for thereafter moving the sheet-carrier through a distance equal to the width of the character printed as determined by the character-width measuring means. Preferably also infinitely variable justification means are operated by space signals carried by the strip to move the sheetcarrier to provide justified word-spacing, the character-width measuring and justification means being separate and independent but having a common current supply. As shown, the machine comprises a photographic projection printing unit 96 which employs as originals character units 90 carried by a part-cylindrical plate 84 which is moved by motors 83, 87, motor 83 selecting the characters in a given alphabet or sequence and motor 87 selecting the caseordinary or italic sets of small letters, capital letters, and figures, punctuation and other symbols-the plate 84 being retained in the selected position by a pin 92 engaging in a corresponding hole in a plate 89 coaxial with plate 84. Each selected character-a transparent silhouette on an opaque ground-ia projected on to either a cut light-sensitive sheet which is supported on a carrier 31 that is fed forward for each line and is changed with simultaneous return of the carrier at the end of the sheet by any known means, or a continuous sheet mounted between a supply spool and a driven take-up spool, the cut-sheet carrier or the continuous sheet being fed forward perpendicular to the plane of Fig. 1 for printing successive lines by a ratchet drive 33 ... 35 operated by the lateral return of the table which is fed by a worm 27 from a position against a. stop 36 to the right by an amount appropriate to the character to be printed or a space. The machine is controlled by a perforated code strip 10, which may be produced by a machine as described and claimed in Specification 651,057, [Group XVI], and whose feed perforations are engaged by a sprocket 12 driven by a motor 13 so as to pass the strip beneath a group of signal switches 1... 9 comprising spring contact fingers 15 which engage an earthed plate 11 through the code perforations. Character spacing.-Arms 60 (Fig. 3) and 70 (Fig. 5) on the driven members of clutches 59, 71 on a shaft 38 driven by a motor 37 rotate anticlockwise levers 47, 69 secured on the driving-members of clutches 46, 68 to bring arms 48, 77 against adjustable stops, pins 50 and nose 78 respectively, controlled by character width and justified space mechanisms so as to drive on returning to their original positions the worm 27 clockwise and move the table 28 to the right for the appropriate distance. This movement of the worm winds up a spring 41 which is prevented from rotating the worm anticlockwise by a brake 43 engaging the driven member of the clutch 46 until it is released by energization of a solenoid 45 prior to the start of a new line. The adjustable stop for the lever 47 is comprised of pins 50 carried on a character width cylinder 49. keyed for axial movement on a shaft 51 which is rotated by a motor 52 to select a character width corresponding to the character to be printed and along which the cylinder 49 is moved vertically by an arm 53 on a rack 54 driven by a pinion 55 on the shaft of a fountselecting motor 56, each motor 52, 56 having a contact for each character-width or fount as appropriate. Different pin cylinders may be used if styles of type of very different character widths are used. The character plate 84 is held in its selected positions by a solenoid 91 overcoming the return-spring 94 for the pin 92, the solenoid being energized by the relays 135-139 in their rest positions shown and being de-energized, releasing the plate 89, to allow case and character selection when the switches 1-9 are closed, the pin entering its new hole when the relays return to rest. Justification.-Prior to each set of character signals as 16, 17, 18 on the code strip 10, justification signals-perforation 19 and opaque line 20-actuate the switch 9 and a space determining mechanism, the perforation 19 energizing solenoid 45 to release the brake 43 and allow return of the table against the stop 36, while the opaque line 20 in front of one of a pair of similar photo-electric cells 21 causes a current to be generated in the secondary of a transformer 112 when the thyratron-amplified outputs of the two cells 21, illuminated through slits in hoods 110 by a lamp 109, are out-of-balance, so driving a motor 107 until it has moved an opaque line 104 on a clear sheet 103 carried by a bar 104 to redress the balance, thereby adjusting the stop for the lever 69 which is the nose 78 of the bar. Type style selection.-The kind of type to be used is determined by the operation of a relay 142 including a reversing switch. A code perforation preceding the character signals for ordinary type closes switch 7 which effects energization of a relay 20D, ensuring that the switch connections of relay 142 cause currents to pass through the field coils of motors 56, 87 to bring the three right-hand character rows 90 and the top three pin rows on the cylinder 49 into the projection field and the path of lever 47 respectively, while italic characters will be presented when the character signals are preceded by perforations closing switches 2, 4, 5 so that the relay is energized via line 149 to reverse the current to the field coils. The fount employed for either kind of type is determined by further character signal-preceding signals which cause driving of the motors 56, 87. For small type the strip 10 bears a signal closing switches 2, 4 to pass current through relay switches 136<SP>1</SP> 138<SP>1</SP> and line 150 to the central contacts of the motors. Capitals are presented when a signal closes switches 1, 3, 4 to cause current to pass along line 151 to the righthand contacts of the motors, while figures and other characters are presented when switches 1, 4, 5 are closed by perforations on the tape 10 so that current flows to the left-hand contacts of the motors along line 152. Type size selection.-The size of the projected image may be adjusted manually by a knob 102a which moves the projection lens unit 98, and the character width feed may also be adjusted by a knob 66a which controls a stop 57 limiting the movement of the arm 47 when this returns from against the pin 50 to drive the table to the right. Alternatively these adjustments may be effected automatically by an opaque line controlling, by means of balanced photo-cells 66, 102, motors for moving the stop 57 and the lens unit in a similar way to the control of motor 107 by justification signal 20. Operation.-If it is desired to print on a new line in ordinary small type the word " and " followed by a space, the operation is as follows. On closing a master switch (not shown), the motor 13 is energized through the right-hand switch of the relay 120 and feeds the strip 10. Assuming the switch 142 and motors 56, 87 to have been previously set by " ordinary " and " small type " signals, the first signals on the strip are the justification signals 19, 20. Signal 19 by closing switch 9 energizes solenoid 130 to open switch 132 and de-energize the magnetic clutch 46 freeing the worm 27, energizes solenoid 45 to release the brake 43 on the driven member of clutch 46, releasing the worm which under its spring 41 returns the table 28 against the stop 36 and pin 32, which in turn by means of the ratchet-drive 33 ... 35 moves the carrier 31 forward one line, and energizes solenoid 124 which changes a ratcheted reversing switch 126 opening the right-hand switch of relay 120, so stopping the motor 13, and closing the left-hand switch of the relay to start a motor 128 which lights the lamp 109 by allowing closing of switch in line 129 while de-energizing the solenoid 124. Signal 20 then through operation of the motor 107 moves the adjustable stop 78 to its appropriate position. After one revolution of the cam on the motor 128, the lamp 109 goes out due to opening of the switch in line 129, and the solenoid 124 is re-energized by re-closure of switch 122 in line 121, so that the reversing switch 126 effects opening of the left-hand switch and closure of the right-hand switch of relay 120, thereby stopping motor 128, and restarting the strip motor 13, so opening switch 9, re-energizing magnetic clutch 46 by solenoid 130 letting switch 132 reclose, and de-energizing solenoids 45, 124. When the signals 16 for " a " pass beneath the strip contacts 15, switches 4, 5 and 8 are closed, energizing solenoids 4a, 5a, 8a of relays 138, 139 and 140, 143, so that current is supplied to the character selecting motor 83 and the chara