Patent GB-807752-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in type-composing machines
IPC: B41B27/00
Filed: 1954-04-21
Abstract: 807,752. Type-composing machines. HIGONNET, R. A. E. and MOYROUD, L. M. April 4, 1955 [April 21, 1954], No. 11539/54. Class 100(3) Justifying type. Apparatus for storing information corresponding to the selected characters in a line of type, comprises a keyboard for selecting characters for composition, input circuits associated with the keys of such keyboard for selective energization in accordance with a character selected for composition, output circuits associated with a register for storing coded information significant of selected characters, and at least one group of multiple circuit elements for selective association with said input and output circuits, such elements being adapted to interconnect said input and output circuits in manners characteristic of the individual elements whereby the coded information stored in the register to represent a selected character depends upon the selected multiple-circuit element or elements associated with the input and output circuits. The keyboard unit KB, Fig. 1, comprises forty-five character keys, a spacebar SB, and special keys, and actuates a permutation bar unit PB. The unit PB has four output circuits, (a) a universal wire u, (b) six wires B-G, (c) forty-five wires in a cable 12, (d) a wire 14. The wire u is engaged by any key, and is effective when a case-shift key CSK is depressed to energize a wire A. The wires B-G are energized in a selective combination when a character key is depressed, and with the wire A form an alphabetical code group AC connected to a recording unit REC which transfers information to a register REG, which may be of the construction described in Specification 691,910. Depression of a character key energizes one of the wires in the cable 12, which is connected to a wire in one of two cables 28, 30 according to whether in the case shift relay CS is not or is energized The wires in the cables 38, 30 lead to inputs to style selection cards, and thence to twenty-four output wires representing the relative set width of the character. These outputs lead to set selection cards and thence to seven outputs in a cable 158, representing in binary form the product of the relative width value in the style selected and the unit width of the set sign selected. The product, representing the actual width of the character, can be doubled or halved by switches DSK, HSK energizing relays DS HS, and is then passed as a numeral code group NC to the register, and to a line counter CL, being a binary relay accumulator of the construction described in Specification 691,738, which accumulates the widths of the characters in the line, whereupon the justification increments are determined by a justifier JU, of the construction described in Specification 691,738. An interword counter CI, which is a stepping switch controlled by an interword relay IW, is also connected to the justifier. The line in the register being visible before composition, can be corrected. The information in the register is read by a reading device REA, which tranfers it to a transcription unit TU and a spacing mechanism SM, the latter being also controlled by the justifier. The wire 14 is energized when the spacebar SB is depressed, and (a) energizes the relay IW, (b) energizes a wire 20 connected to the 4-unit relative width output from the style selection cards, (c) energizes a wire S connected to the register, (d) energizes a wire 18 connected to the binary output from the set selection cards representing 4 units. The style selection cards are held in overlapping parallel relationship in four groups each of sixteen cards in a support 66, Fig. 3, which can be removed from and placed in a carriage 65 by lifting a latch 90 and releasing a latch 94 from a rack 96, the latter by means of a magnet 98. The carriage 65 is slidable when the latch 94 is released to position a desired card in each of the four groups opposite a series of brushes as 106, by means of a block 60 slidable on a rod 62 by a lever 58. The lever 58 is settable in any of sixteen positions by a handle 40, Figs. 3 and 10, which is set in a desired recess in a grille let in a plate 44. A second handle 46 controls a similar mechanism holding the set selection cards. The style selection cards, such 34, Fig. 13, are of insulating material formed on one side with vertical metal strips connected to fortyfive input brushes 126 and on the other side with horizontal strips connected to thirteen output brushes 124, when the cards are in operative position. The strips on the two sides are connected together where desired by metal passing through holes in the cards. All forty-five input wires 28 (or 30) are connected to the brushes for all four groups, 28 to two groups and 30 to the other two, so that two groups are for lower and two for upper cases. The possible relative set width outputs are divided between the two cards of each case. Thus in Fig. 13, the left hand brush 132, for character "a", is connected to the output for 8 units, "b" to 10 units, "d" to 10 units, and "c" has no connection, its width, 7¢, being allotted to the other card. The set selection cards are of similar construction but have forty-nine input brushes and nine output brushes. The input brushes are connected to the twentyfour input wires by means of rectifiers, four or five to each wire. The nine output brushes are connected to seven binary wires 2-128, and to two wires representing 6 and 24 units and connected to the binary wires accordingly. The possible set sizes are divided into two sections, each allotted to two groups of cards, and the relative width value inputs are also divided into two sections, each section being allotted to one of the cards of each of the two set ranges. The two sections of set ranges are selected by a key SRK controlling a set range relay. When the style is changed, a coded signal is also sent to the register by selected ones of wires B, C, D, E, F, G, S. The connections are made by coded plates of insulating material having metal strips engageable by brushes associated with the handles 42, 46. Movement of the handle 40 to a central, neutral position, when changing a style, energizes a style change relay which energizes wires S and C and a selected combination of D, E, F, G, representing the new style. Movement of the handle also energizes the magnets 98, 110 to release the carriage and disengage the brushes. A similar coded plate associated with the handle 46 produces a signal as wires S and B when the set is changed, and on a selected combination of wires D, E, F, G. The output wires from the style cards are connected to the set cards through contacts of a special style change relay controlled by a switch SSK (for use for example for italics). When a composition using two styles devised to be alternated as desired rapidly, the switch SSK is closed. When the style is to be changed, a key SCK is operated to energize a style transfer relay. In this operation, the relative width of all characters in both styles must be in one only of the two sections of values referred to above, and cards for the second style are used in place of the normal second pair of cards, the output contacts of the second pair being normally connected to contacts of the transfer relay and those of the first pair being directed to the transfer relay by the change relay. Actuation of the key SCK also sends a code signal to the register on wires S, A, B and S. A. C in succession. Specifications 691,761, 706,690 [both in Group XX] and 754,104 also are referred to.