Patent GB-731596-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to photo-composing machines
IPC: B41B15/04
Filed: 1951-09-04
Abstract: 731,596. Photographic type-composing apparatus. MERGENTHALER LINOTYPE CO. Sept. 4, 1951 [Sept. 9, 1950], No. 20847/51. Class 98 (1). A photographic type-composing machine comprising means for composing a line of matrices bearing photographically reproducible characters, an sxtensible camera arranged to photograph the composed line, and a support for a photographic film on which lines of characters are photographed, is characterized by the provision in combination of a camera having a head and a lens carrier both adjustable relative to each other and to the composed line for controlling the scale of magnification or reduction of the image of the composed line produced on the film, a film holder carried by the head, a lens shutter incorporated in the lens carrier, means for controlling the shutter whereby the time of exposure is adjusted automatically in accordance with the scale of magnification or reduction, and driving means for effecting operation of mechanisms to produce a cycle of operations in the photographing of a composed line, the mechanisms including shutteroperating means to produce an exposure, and film-feeding means for producing a stepwise movement of the film in the holder after each exposure in preparation for the photographing of the next composed line. The matrices are provided with white inverted characters on a black background, e.g. by moulding on the brass body a black plastic face having a character recess, spraying white enamel to fill the recess, and shaving the excess from the surrounding area. The spacebands are blackened. As shown in Fig. 8, the assembled matrices are held by their ears during justifying and aligning operations on a bar D having aligning ribs d<SP>1</SP>, d<SP>2</SP>, the rib d<SP>1</SP> co-operating with matrices standing at the lower level in the first elevator A and the rib d<SP>2</SP> with the two-letter matrices when they stand at the upper or auxiliary level in the elevator. The bar D has a supporting member D<SP>1</SP> pivoted on a rod D<SP>2</SP> and is swung forwardly preparatory to justification and, immediately after exposure, is swung rearwardly to its inactive position. The alignment of the matrices is effected by a slight rising movement of the first elevator A immediately before the exposure. Where the image sizes required are exceptionally large and single letter matrices only are used, the bar D and the member D<SP>1</SP> may be adjusted bodily to a slightly lower position by operation of the handle D', Fig. 1, which is locked in adjusted position by engagement with a toothed segment D<SP>5</SP> and which operates a bail member D<SP>3</SP> supporting the pivot rod D<SP>2</SP>. A rocking lever D<SP>6</SP> carries rollers d<SP>4</SP>, d<SP>5</SP> engaging separate cam shoes f<SP>1</SP>, f<SP>2</SP> on the cam F <SP>1</SP> and is attached to a rod D<SP>7</SP> supported on a hinged prop D<SP>8</SP> and carrying a plate D having a slot d<SP>6</SP> engaging a stud d' on the projection D<SP>10</SP> of the rod D'. An extension D<SP>11</SP> pivoted to the rod D' projects through the aperture e in the control plate E<SP>1</SP> within reach of the operator. The extension D<SP>11</SP> has two shoulders d<SP>8</SP>, d‹ and is held down by a spring d<SP>10</SP> with the shoulder d<SP>8</SP> in engaging relation with the lever G. A slide rod B<SP>3</SP> is connected to a lever which is normally held against a stop by the spring b and contacts a lever B <SP>6</SP> whose end underlies the extension D<SP>11</SP> and lifts it when the elevator A descends and causes, through screw a<SP>1</SP>, the rod B<SP>3</SP> to be depressed. If the elevator A does not descend, the rod B<SP>3</SP> is not depressed and the extension D<SP>11</SP> actuates the lever G to stop the machine. The lever G has three arms G<SP>1</SP>, G<SP>2</SP> and G<SP>3</SP>, of which G<SP>1</SP> carries a plate g directly in front of the shoulder d<SP>3</SP> of the extension. D<SP>11</SP>. The lower end of G<SP>2</SP> coacts with the horizontal lever G<SP>4</SP> connected to the slide bar G<SP>5</SP> engaging the end of a lever H, Fig. 13, connected to the main driving clutch. The engagement of the main clutch to start a machine cycle is effected by the release of the lever H when a hinged spring- pressed plate H<SP>1</SP> carried by one of the cams on the cam-shaft F, Fig. 5, and controlled by the operation of the line delivery slide is swung upwardly, and the disengagement at the end of the cycle is effected by the operation of the lever H by devices controlled by the plate H<SP>1</SP>. The plate H<SP>1</SP> is actuated by the arm H<SP>2</SP> extending from the sleeve H<SP>3</SP> also carrying the arms H<SP>5</SP> and H<SP>6</SP>, the arm H<SP>5</SP> engaging a stop h and the arm H<SP>6</SP> engaging the stud g<SP>8</SP> on the bar G<SP>5</SP>. The start and stop push-buttons J<SP>1</SP> and J', Fig. 12, extending through the plate E<SP>1</SP>, are connected to links J<SP>3</SP>, J<SP>4</SP>, themselves connected (the link J<SP>3</SP> through pin-and-slot connections j) to rockers J<SP>5</SP>, J<SP>6</SP>. The links J<SP>3</SP>, J<SP>4</SP> carry plates J', J<SP>8</SP> respectively, and the spring J<SP>9</SP> holds the linkage in neutral position with the buttons J<SP>1</SP>, J<SP>2</SP> equally extended. The rocker J<SP>5</SP> carries an arm J<SP>10</SP> (not shown) having a stud j<SP>2</SP> (Fig. 13) engaging in the slot g<SP>3</SP> in the end of the lever G<SP>4</SP>. The fixed bracket E<SP>5</SP> carries a projection e<SP>6</SP> on which is pivoted a pawl J<SP>11</SP> sustained against counterclockwise rocking by the spring J<SP>9</SP> by the engagement of the surface j<SP>8</SP> with the bevelled corner j<SP>7</SP> of the plate J<SP>8</SP>. When the button J<SP>2</SP> is actuated, the lever G<SP>4</SP> is swung rearwardly by the arm J'‹ to stop the machine and the nose j<SP>9</SP> of the pawl J<SP>11</SP> engages the plate J<SP>7</SP> to lock the parts in position. When the button J' is actuated to restart the machine, the pin-and-slot connections j permit J<SP>3</SP> to move independently of the rest of the linkage until the engagement of the corner j<SP>7</SP> with the surface j<SP>8</SP> releases the pawl J<SP>11</SP> and permits the remainder of the linkage to move. The justification mechanism includes a bar K, Fig. 9, carried by the rods K<SP>1</SP> (not shown), K<SP>2</SP> and arranged to engage the spacebands of a composed line in the first elevator held between the clamping jaws. The rods K<SP>1</SP> (not shown) and K<SP>2</SP> are operable during a machine cycle by levers K<SP>3</SP> (not shown) and K<SP>4</SP> controlled from the cam-shaft F, Fig. 5, to raise the bar K in two stages to the position in which it drives the spacebands up to justify the line. The lever B‹ has three arms b4, b<SP>5</SP> and b<SP>6</SP>, Fig. 9, and is held in the position shown against the action of the spring B<SP>8</SP> arranged between upper and lower sleeves by a pawl B' whose end is directly over a finger-piece B<SP>10</SP> adjustably attached to the lower sleeve. The tooth b<SP>7</SP> of the pawl B<SP>7</SP> is held normally engaged by the spring b<SP>8</SP> with the upper end of the arm b<SP>4</SP>. The lower sleeve is connected by a strut to the bar K, and the upper sleeve has a collar b <SP>9</SP> engaging the arm b<SP>5</SP>.  The arm be carries a set-screw b<SP>10</SP> engaging the arm G<SP>3</SP> of the lever G, Fig. 8. When the bar K travels too far when the composed line is too short to justify, the finger-piece B<SP>10</SP> lifts the pawl B' out of locking engagement with the lever B<SP>6</SP> and permits the latter to actuate the lever G to stop the machine. On restarting the machine by the button J<SP>1</SP>, the defective line is distributed. The camera C, as shown in Fig. 1, includes a head C<SP>1</SP>, a lens carrier C<SP>2</SP>, a bellows C<SP>3</SP>, a detachable film holder L, and a rotatable spring- actuated drum M mounted on the base member C<SP>4</SP> of the lens carrier and connected by a flexible band c to the base member C<SP>5</SP> of the camera head. The composed line is illuminated by the fluorescent lamps 5. The members C<SP>4</SP> and C<SP>5</SP> slide in elongated guideways. The drum M is rotatable on a sleeve and houses a pair of helical springs anchored at their inner ends to flanges of the sleeve, and connected at their outer ends by a single pin directly to the drum. The sleeve is keyed to a spindle M<SP>1</SP> which is rotatable by an arm m<SP>4</SP> to adjust the tension of the springs. Operation of a hand wheel in the control plate imparts opposite movements through gearing to a pair. of rack bars C<SP>6</SP>, C' guided in the bracket N<SP>2</SP>, the bar C<SP>6</SP> having a banking screw c<SP>6</SP> engaging the base member C<SP>4</SP> and -the bar C<SP>7</SP> engaging a stud c<SP>7</SP> depending from the base member C<SP>5</SP>. Turning of the hand wheel in one direction extends the camera against the action of the springs in the drum M, while turning in the other direction allows the springs to collapse the camera, the -rod c<SP>8</SP> projecting from the member C<SP>4</SP> engaging one of a pair of stop elements p and the plate C<SP>9</SP> on the rear wall of the member C<SP>5</SP> engaging the other of the selected pair of stops. Twelve pairs of stops p are arranged in two groups on a drum secured to an elongated shaft-geared to a shaft P<SP>3</SP>, Fig. 29, carrying a dial P<SP>2</SP> arranged in a housing P<SP>5</SP> and provided with a handle P<SP>6</SP> having a limited longitudinal movement on the end of the shaft P<SP>3</SP>. The dial P<SP>2</SP> and the handle P<SP>6</SP> are normally looked against rotation by a pin p<SP>2</SP>, Fig. 27, attached to the handle, and the movement of the handle P<SP>6</SP> is limited in one direction by the body of the dial P<SP>2</SP> and in the other by the head of a screw p<SP>5</SP>. A spring detent