Patent GB-906116-A (GB)
Title: Type composing machine
IPC: B41B27/00
Filed: 1958-09-12
Abstract: 906,116. Typewriters. AMERICAN TYPE FOUNDERS CO. Inc. Sept. 12, 1958 [Sept. 25, 1957], No. 32706/61. Divided out of 906,113. Class 100 (4). [Also in Group XX] A machine for producing type composition on a sheet comprises a supporting frame; a carriage mounted on the frame for progressive step-by-step escapement movement therealong in a given direction; character reproducing means mounted on the frame and adapted to function at a fixed point relative to the frame; a sheet carried by the carriage and adapted to be moved thereby past the reproducing means to receive character images successively to produce a line of composition; means on the carriage for feeding the sheet vertically for the reception of a succeeding line of composition; actuating means for the feeding means comprising a rotary member mounted on the carriage and having a one-way driving connection with the sheet-feeding means, and a pull-tape connected at one end to the rotary member and at the opposite end to operating means to tension it and rotate the rotary member through a predetermined angular movement; and settable means for adjusting the extent of angular movement of the rotary member and thus of the sheet feeding means according to the desired line spacing. As described, the opposite end of the tape is connected to the supporting frame via means for positively pulling the tape to effect return movement of the carriage, the vertical line spacing feed of the sheet being effected within the limits of angular movement of the rotary member before carriage return force is transmitted to return the carriage, while the machine derives much of its operational and control features from the justifying typewriters operable both by keyboard actuation or by means of a coded tape described in Specifications 750,454 and 763,463, and the invention may be applied to systems for producing type composition other than the photographic typecomposing machine which alone is specifically described. As shown, the invention is applied to a photographic type-setter unit which is a modification for photographic recording of the proportional spacing automatic typewriter justified copy reproducer of Specification 763,463, wherein a punched tape prepared in an electric typewriter which also produces a trial copy is used to operate the reproducer by automatic operation of the keyboard mechanism, the tape bearing justification information as well as character and interword identifications. Essentially the modification consists in replacing the paper support-roller on the reproducer by a photographic film carriage F and replacing the type basket and bars and ribbon by a rotatable master character disc D arrested with the required character in position at a fixed location relative to the keyboard 10B for optical projection on to the film under control of the appropriate keyboard lever mechanism and providing a lamp and a shutter S to effect a controlled exposure, whereafter the reproducer typewriter carriage escapement is operated to effect along-the-line spacing, a control shaft C carrying the shutter being provided to time correctly the cycle of exposure and escapement operation. The film f from a supply spool 517 is fed transversely to the width of the film carriage F by spiked wheels 576 on a shaft engaging the film margins, the take-up spool core being driven through a slipping clutch by gearing from the same shaft. Film edge guides are provided, the right hand one and the adjacent wheel 576 being laterally movable to accommodate different widths of film. The film carriage F is movable across the machine by rollers 56<SP>1</SP> running on a rail 56 fixed to the machine body and has light sealing connections with the rail above and below the photographe exposure slit aperture 213. The drive to the film carriage is derived from the typewriter stub carriage 425, which is driven by a tape 460 connected to it at 461 and to a spring-powered drum 465 (Fig. 2, not shown) under control of ratchetwheel escapement mechanism (see Specification 763,463), by rack-and-pinion gearing between the carriages. At the end of a line the carriages are returned to the right, simultaneously tensioning the spring of the drum 465, by a tape 610 attached to a drum 601 driven by being clutched to a continuously driven shaft 96 (Fig. 2, not shown) and provided with a spring to hold the tape taut at all times. The carriage return tape 610 is used to effect interline spacing by attaching the tape to a drum 650 provided with a return-spring 657 (Fig. 9, not shown) adjustable in tension for holding the tape taut. The drum carries a pawl 672 engaging a ratchetwheel 662 on a shaft geared to the shaft 575 of the film feed wheels 577 to drive the ratchetwheel clockwise, so winding up the film, a double finger spring pawl being provided for the wheel 662. The extent of the winding is determined by the initial position of a stop 677 on a disc 655 set by engaging a finger 690, controlled by a pull-button 686, in one of the slots 680 on the disc whereafter the disc is locked to the frame, the drum 650 rotating between the fixed stop 695 and stop 677 to drive the film as the tape is wound up initially by the drive of the power shaft 96 which thereafter causes the tape to return the carriages to the right. A knob 700 co-operating with a scale 702 is also provided on the right-hand end of the shaft 575 to permit manual interline feeding of the film, and a counter driven from a gear 620 on the shaft 575 indicates the length of film used.