Patent GB-650630-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in photographic type composing machines
IPC: B41B15/08
Filed: 1948-05-25
Abstract: 650,630. Photographic type - composing machines. INTERTYPE, Ltd. (Freund, H. R., and Stadelmann, F.). May 25, 1948, No. 14127. [Classes 97 (i) and 98 (i)] A photographic type-composing machine of the kind in which lines of type matter are produced letter-by-letter on sensitized film or paper from composed lines of elements bearing on their broad side faces photographable type characters of a basic point size and design, and including a channel from which the character-bearing elements are removed individually for photographing, a line-follower movable in steps in response to each element removal, a holder for the sensitized surface, mechanical connections between the linefollower and holder operative to move the latter in proportion to each step of the linefollower, an optical system adjustable to vary the size of the image produced on the sensitized surface by an element during photographing in order to obtain a desired type size, and ratio-changing mechanism in the mechanical connections operative to adjust the movements of the holder at each step of the line-follower to match the adjustment of the optical system, is characterized by the combination of a line-stop adjustable along the channel to line-measure positions proportionally related to justified lines of type matter of the desired length and type size, the linestop being movable with the line-follower in response to each element removal, a drum supporting a number of em scales, each em scale being graduated in proportion to a particular adjustment of the optical system, the drum being manually rotatable to expose a desired em scale, a pointer co-operating with the selected em scale, line-length selecting means manually operable for causing relative movement between the pointer and scale to set the pointer and scale to indicate the desired length in ems of the line to be produced in the type size corresponding to the selected scale and optical system adjustment, and a mechanical train connecting the line-length selecting means and the line-stop and operative to move the line-stop in correspondence with the manually produced relative movement between the pointer and scale. The machine is similar to the machine of Specification 615,559, but the pick-up lugs 33, Fig. 13, have an ear-engaging notch 34 and during upward movement towards the element-engaging position rock backwards owing to the link pin 232 being located in an enlarged hole 233. On engagement with an element and continued upward movement, the lug 33 rocks forward owing to the resistance of the element and also to the cam surfaces 234 in the side plates 22d. The driving chains are disposed at opposite sides of the element feed channel in parallel planes normal to the plane of the flat sides of the elements. To avoid strain on the gear train between the line feed rack 25, Fig. 1, and the film holder rack 43, the film holder is raised to its starting position by means independent of the gear train and comprising a chain 52 passing over sprockets 54 and linked at one end to the film holder and at the other to the line delivery lever. The camera' unit C is pivoted on one side in order that it can be swung out from the machine, a bolt 104 inoperative in the closed position restraining movement of the gear train connected to the rack 43 in the open position to prevent descent of the film holder 35. In order to obtain different point sizes from elements bearing characters of a given point size, the characters are photographically enlarged or reduced by the use of a lens turret, Fig. 12, comprising a notched disc 145 carrying a number of lens tubes containing fixed focus lenses of different focal lengths and rotatable on a fixed shaft 143 by gearing from a knob 149 carrying a scale 99. A stationary cover 147 having a single aperture piece 148 is provided over the disc 145, and the latter is located to position a given lens in alignment with the aperture by engagement in one of the notches 155 of a roller 154 at the end of the spring pressed lever 152. A rotary shutter s having an aperture s<SP>1</SP> is provided behind the lens turret. As shown in Figs. 15 and 16, a drum 127 carrying a number of point-size composing scales is rotatable by a knob 131 on a shaft 128 to display the appropriate scale in the window 134 of the casing 132, a spring-ball detent mechanism being provided for locating the several scales. The shaft 128 has a threaded end engaging in the bushing 129, and rotation of the shaft 128 by the wheel 138 through bevel gearing shifts the drum and casing to bring the desired line-measure reading into register with the pointer 139 on the assembler slide 140. As a line of elements is composed, the assembler slide 140 advances to the left to bring the pointer 139 to the zero mark on the scale. The shaft 128 is connected by gearing to the vertical shaft 163 carrying at its upper end a bevel gear 164 engageable with a bevel gear 178 in a bracket 172 secured to the line feed rack 25. Rotation of the gear 178 rotates the threaded rod 175 and adjusts the position of the delivery finger stop 11. Thus, adjustment of the scale drum 127 to a desired line-measure position moves the stop 11 along the rack 25 to the corresponding line-measure position relative to the element feed channel in the plate 22b, (Fig. 1). When however, the line feed rack 25 is released for leftward movement, the operative connection between gears 164, 178 is broken, a brake lever operative on release of the connection being provided to hold the gear 178 against rotary movement while disengaged from the gear 164. The variation of the letter-by-letter feed of the film or paper to suit different degrees of enlargement is effected by the provision of a number of readily exchangeable fixed-ratio. gear boxes 42, Fig. 1, normally stored in the compartment 185. As shown in Fig. 27, the gear box 42 held on the shaft 186 is latched in operative relationship to the rack 43 by a spring-pressed lever 188, and on release of the box 42 by raising lever 188, the box falls outwardly until the pin 190 engages the depression 190a and may then be withdrawn. The gear wheel 191 engaging the driving gear 41 is of the same size and location of all boxes. The driving ratio is dependent on the pair of gears on the shaft 199, which is located in each box in such position that one gear engages the gear 191 and the other gear 192 engages the rack 43. In inoperative position, a pin on the spring-pressed lever 194 engages between the teeth of the gear 191 to prevent rotation, but on insertion of the box into operative position, the fixed pin 196 rocks the lever 194 to free the gear 191. The gear 41 may be removed by operation of a finger lever from engagement with the gear 191 into engagement with the rack 43 to allow the box 42 to be rocked outwardly for removal and to lock the rack 43 against gravity descent. In order to present a uniform line-starting margin, notwithstanding enlargement or reduction of the projected characters, the adjustable head 44, Fig. 29, attached to the top of the rack 43 forms a seat for the bracket 45, Fig. 1, secured to the film-holder 35. The head 44 is internally screw-threaded to engage the member 209 and is held against rotation by slidable engagement of a wing 210 with a guide 211 secured to the rack 43. The member 209 is pinned to a shaft 205 connected to a gear 202 geared through the gear 201 to the gear 200. A spring-ball detent mechanism 216, 217 is provided to locate the gear 200 in the positions in which the point-size markings on a flange of the gear 200 register with a scribe-line on the cover of the camera unit, and a second locating mechanism is constituted by the notched collar 203 connected to the gear 202, and cooperating with a spring detent 215. The film or paper is fed from the supply case through the holder 35 into the receiving case 82 by the rotation of two film- or paper-engaging milled discs 79, 80 (Fig. 4), on the shaft 78 pinned at each end to the ring member of a ball clutch. On the bottom cover of the film-holder is mounted a sliding bar 57 having a stop 58 urged towards the upper end of a lever 60 by a spring 59, the lever 60 being connected by the rod 62 to a lever 63 having a roller 65 spring- urged to follow a cam 66 on the main camshaft 67. A rotatable drum 70 pinned to the shaft 71 having setting dial 72 is formed with a number of stepped surfaces 73 corresponding to different point-sizes. The stroke of the bar 57 is controlled by the engagement of a pin 69 thereon with the appropriate step of the drum 70. Fastened to the bar 57 are the ends of a wire cord 76 wound round a pulley 77 secured to the rotor of the lower clutch 83. Thus, on leftward movement of the bar 57 the clutch slips, but on the return movement the shaft 78 is rotated to feed the film or paper by an amount dependent on the extent to which the bar 57 shifts to the left before the pin 69 encounters a step on the drum 70. The shaft 78 turns freely with reference to the rotor 223, Fig. 24, of the upper ball clutch. Secured to the rotor 223 is a toothed member 222 engaged by a toothed member 220 pivoted at 221 and connected to the lever 85. Upward movement of the lever 85 to an extent determined by the notches on the slidable stop 226 rotates the shaft 78 through the clutch to feed the film or paper to increase the line-spacing by a selected number of points when winding on the film or paper manually when threading. Specifications 496,927, 568,929 and 590,553, also are referred to.