Patent GB-590553-A (GB)
Title: Method and apparatus for producing justified type matter
IPC: B41B15/24
Filed: 1944-07-05
Abstract: 590,553. Photographic type-composing machines. INTERTYPE, Ltd. July 5, 1944, No. 12802. Convention date, July 16, 1943. [Class 98 (i)] - Apparatus for producing a 'justified line of type matter from a composed line of elements including word-spacers and representing the various width characters and spaces, comprises means for gauging the difference between the length of the composed line of elements and the length of the line to be produced, progressively movable means adapted to respond to the variant width-dimensions of the elements for reproducing successively the characters and spaces represented, and a means moved conjointly by the gauging and reproducing means and operative to modify the effective extent of the successive movements of the latter means in accordance with the gauged amount of linelength difference. The machine described is similar to that described in Specification 568,929, but expansible space bands are not used and the composed line is hot justified prior to reproduction of the characters thereof. As shown in Fig. 1, matrices drawn from the magazine 1 by operation of the keyboard 4 are arranged edgewise in composed order on horizontal supporting rails in the assembling elevator 8 by means of the conveyer belt 6 and rotating star-wheel 7. The line is supported between the yielding finger 9 secured to the assembler slide 10 and the star-wheel 7. To slide 10 is secured an em scale 10a by which an elongated. block 12 can be set to the desired line measure. The slide 10 is under light spring tension towards the right and has a friction brake. The length of the composed line is checked on the em scales 11 and 13 and increases until the pointer 12a encounters a stop surface on the tight-line release lever 14a. Oversetting to the extent of one-half em is possible by raising the lever 14a. On raising the elevator 8, a gravity latch 8a is tripped to permit, the spring-urged delivery lever 15 to move the slide 18 and the line follower unit 90 to move the line to the position M3. The film holder 20 is moved stepwise for individual exposure of the matrices as they are displaced vertically from the end of the composed line by engagement of the rack 22 with the gear 28, itself driving a gear 29 and a rack 30 on the film holder. The rack carries a rider 23 which is preset manually and clamped to the appropriate line measure on the em scale 24. The cross-bar 60 is rigidly secured to vertical rods 61 slidable in a bracket 62, and is elevated and lowered by a lever controlled bv a cam on the main cam-shaft. The block 65 may be set to the required line measure along the em scale 66 carried by the bar 60. A lug 67 on the block 65 lies in the path of a surface 67a of the unit 90 when the bar 60 is at normal elevation, the engagement occurring at the same time as the latch 51 on rider 23 engages a recess in arm 50 of unit 90. As the latch 51 rocks, it momentarily raises bar 52 to close the switch 48, which energizes a relay to start the machine for the first part of its cycle. The bar 60 is elevated to engage lug 67 with notch 76 in the unit 90 and rail 92 is tilted to engage roller 107 and raise the wedge 88, and is locked in this position. Raising of the wedge 88, Fig. 5, moves leftward the plunger 89 against the spring 110 to force the line of matrices against the wall 45 of the feed channel 27. In the case of an' underset line, the angle to which rail 92 is tilted represents the amount of undersetting. With a correctly set line, rail 92 moves to a horizontal position, and with an overset line to a position short of horizontal. The normal inclination of rail 92 is such that one-half em advance of the plunger 89 is produced as the roller 107 travels from its point of contact with the rail 92 to the end point where its axis coincides with the pivot axis 93 of rail 92. In the case of an underset line, the movement of the follower unit 90 and hence of the film holder upon withdrawal of a matrix or space from the line is greater than the actual thickness of the matrix removed by a fraction of the space to be added which is proportionate to the thickness of the matrix or space in question, due to the roller 107 running down the rail 92 and moving down the wedge 88 to retract the plunger 89. In the case of a correctly set line, equal movements. are obtained due to the horizontal disposition of the rail 92, and in the case of an overset line, the spacing is diminished due to the upward inclination of rail 92. To accommodate overset lines when delivered to the position M3, the em scales 66 and 24 are offset to the right by one-half em to provide an extra one-half em of space between wall 45 and the face of the plunger head 108 when the latter is fully retracted. The movement of the rail 92 from its normal position to the horizontal position moves up the wedge 88 to advance the plunger head 108 to absorb this excess one-half em of space. To prevent premature displacement of the leading line element, a depending arm on the front one of the lower pair of feed-pawls co-operates with an aperture in a plate 68 (Fig. 1) secured to cross-bar 60 to rock back the lower pawls each time the feed bar approaches the lower end of its down stroke, and feeding cannot occur until the bar 60 is lowered after the justification controls have been operated. After the last matrix has been displaced and photographed, the start of the second part of the cycle, in which the parts are returned to their initial position, is delayed by timing mechanism until the last matrix has been moved to the top of the feed channel 27 and discharged on to the elevator bar 43 by the reciprocating pusher 38. Specifications 14582/90, [Class 100], 496,886 and 496,927 also are referred to.