Patent GB-822995-A (GB)
Title: Tape perforating machine
IPC: B41B25/00
Filed: 1957-08-14
Abstract: 822,995. Type-making machines. MERGENTHALER LINOTYPE CO. Aug. 14, 1957 [Sept. 4, 1956], No. 25630/57. Class 100(3) [Also in Group XL(b)] Strip-perforating machines; justifying type. A keyboard operated machine for producing a coded tape representative of a composed line of type characters and including an automatic device for computing the line remainder comprises automatic means selectively controlled either by a quad-right function key which produces a code marking on the tape representing a blank composing operation at the leading end of the line equal to the width of the line remainder, or by a centering function key which produces a code marking representing a quadding operation at each end of the line equal to half the width of the line remainder. Character identification signal to tapeperforator. On depressing one of the fortyfour character keys universal switch 52. Fig. 1, is closed, also one of forty-four pairs of switches 50. A signal passes to one of eighty-eight conductors 60, according to the position of -the shift-key actuated switch 53, and thence to one of conductors 62 leading to a coding circuit 63 from which the signal is transmitted in binary form on one or more of conductors 64-71 representing binary values one to one hundred and twenty-eight, and thence to one or more electron tube circuits controlling solenoids actuating the punches in the perforator 600.  Character width signal to tape. The signal also passes from the conductor 60 to one of conductors 92, and thence through front selector contacts IF3-90 ... NF3-90, one group of eight-eight for each font, and only one group of which is closed according to the font selected, to one of the decimal coders 94A, 94B, &c., of which there is one for each font. The coder 94 leads the signal to one of the output conductors 95-109 representing width values of four to eighteen units in decimal form, there being eighteen units in one em. The signal passes to a unit spacing device 110 having eighteen output conductors shown as 111...118 for widths of four to twentyone units. The signal may pass through the device 110 unaltered, or alternatively, if certain push buttons are depressed, the conductors are so connected that one, two or three units may be added to or subtracted to the width, subject to a minimum width of four units, e.g. when kerning is desired. The conductors 111 ... 118 lead to a binary coder 119 connected so that the signal is transmitted in binary form on -one or more of conductors 123-127 representing binary values one to sixteen, which lead to electron tube circuits controlling punch solenoids. Width signais without characters to tape. By depressing one or more times one or more push-buttons on a width information keyboard 121, representing some width values between four and eighteen, the button circuits being connected to the conductors 111 ... 118, width signals independent of any character can be punched in the tape. This may be done for quadding left, or to code interword spaces as width signals when there are too many such spaces to be dealt with by the justification computer. Character width signal to computer. The conductors 124-127 (binary values two to sixteen) lead also to electron tube circuits for actuating solenoids 132, 133, 134, 135, Fig. 7, in the justification computer 130. The conductor 123 (binary value one) leads to an electron tube circuit for a stepping switch 274, Fig. 16, also in the computer. Actuation of one of the solenoids 132-135 or the switch 274 closes one or more parallel switches to energize a solenoid 504 and initiate a half-revolution of a cam shaft 486, Figs. 7 and 38. Operation of computersquirrel cage assembly. The squirrel cage 205, Figs. 7 and 8, comprises a rotor 211 pinned to a shaft 206, Figs. 8 and 15, and carrying in peripheral slots nine angularly spaced rotor bars 213 each slidable between two positions limited by lugs 214. The shaft is rotated by a continuously rotating motor 224 through a slip clutch 227. Normally the cage is stationary with a projected rotor bar engaging a stop 245 on a bracket assembly rotatable on the shaft 206, a web 240 of the assembly abutting against sponge rubber 250 occupying the space between it and a fixed stop plate 231, the position of the stop 245 being adjustable by a screw 243. The solenoids 132-135 act through levers 143, Figs. 8 and 9, to move one or more of four binary code discs 154, 160, 162, 164 to a second position. The discs support nine rods 170-178 pivoted at one end in a slotted collar 181, the rods representing the even decimal width values four to twenty. When a given combination, of discs is actuated, one rod is released by the alignment of peripheral notches in the discs, but is held against movement by one of the projecting teeth of a sprocket 185, one tooth being aligned with each rod. At a given moment in the cam shaft cycle, a cam 507 moves the sprocket to release the rod, which swings inwardly, a camming member 187 thereon acting on one of nine radially arranged striking members 192, so as to cause the latter to project a rotor bar. The previously projected rotor bar is restored by a link 260 on a U-shaped pivoted member 255 actuated by a reset cam 257. The cage thereupon rotates by an amount corresponding to the width value. Operation of computer justification drum. The drum 271, Figs. 7, 16 and 23, is secured to a shaft 267 and rotated by the squirrel cage through gears 264, 266, or by the stepping switch 274 through gear 272, so that the amount of rotation is proportional to the width value signalled. Since the drum is pre-set for line length, its position at any moment corresponds to the line remainder. The drum contains a cold cathode light tube 294, and its surface comprises areas coded by transparency and opacity. The justification part of the drum surface consists of two semi-cylindrical halves, one coded for a quotient and the other for a quotient remainder, so that the resulting justification signal enables the line remainder to be divided as equally as possible between the interword spaces. Each semi-cylindrical half is divided into five equal semi-cylindrical portions, representing the binary values one to sixteen. Each portion is divided into seventy-two axially extending rows and twenty-four circumferentially extending columns, resulting in a large number (1,728) of code squares, some of which are transparent. Supported on a carriage 303 are five photoelectric cells 301A-E and diametrically opposite them five cells 302A-E, reading respectively quotient and quotient remainder. The ten cells are relatively fixed, so as to be aligned with the corresponding square in all ten sections. In the initial position, at the beginning of a line, the cells are aligned with an end column representing zero spaces in the line, and with a row according to the pre-set position of the drum, so that they will be aligned with the last row at the end of the line, assuming no remainder. Adjacent the justification part of the drum is a part, similarly coded, for indicating line remainder in units, consisting of a cylindrical strip divided into five circumferentially extending columns representing the binary values one to sixteen, and into one hundred and forty-four rows divided into six indentical sections of eighteen each. Five photoelectric cells 300A-E carried on a fixed arcuate plate are aligned with the line remainder part of the drum, one being aligned with each column and adjacent cells being ten rows apart.. Each time an interword space is signalled, solenoid 322 is actuated, and by means of link 317, pawl 316, toothed segment 314, pinion 313 and rack 307, the carriage 303 is stepped one column along the drum. The photocells actuate punch solenoids, but are only operative when an end-of-line (justification, quad right, or centering) signal is transmitted. The carriage is reset by a solenoid 324. Line length indicators. A knob 344 and indicator dial 345, Figs. 7, 28 and 31, are mounted on a shaft 342, Fig. 29, geared to a shaft 355 carrying a groove cam 357. On a shaft 365 is secured a casing 361 containing a clock-spring 364 and having a series of projecting pins 360 engaging the cam. The casing 361 carries a lug 367 abutting a pawl 370 on a washer 371 rotatable on the shaft, pawl 370 abutting pawl 372 on washer 373 and so on through washers 374- 377, the pawl of which abuts a pawl 381 on a ratchet wheel 382 pinned to the shaft. When the spring is tensioned, all the pawls are piled up together. A digits counter 383 comprises a units wheel 384 pinned to the shaft, and a tens wheel 388 actuated from the units wheel by Geneva mechanism. The digits are viewed at 454. Integral with the wheels 384, 388 are coded contact cylinders 385, 394 having conducting and insulating areas representing binary values for line remainder in ems. The cylinders are read by switches 397 leading to punch solenoids. The shaft 365 carries a pinion 402, through which it drives a chain 414 secured to a carriage 420 carrying a pointer 424, co-operating with a scale 426 to indicate line remainder in ems. The carriage actuates a switch 427 when four ems remain, and a switch 431 if the line length is exceeded, to signal the operator. As the shaft 267 rotates, it rotates a units read dial 438 viewed at 554, and a cam 436 operating contacts 437 to energize an em indicator solenoid 441, Figs. 28 and 33, to step the counter ratchet 382. The indicators are reset by a solenoid 450 to a position determined by the lug 367. The knob 344 is pulled forward for rotation, and half a revolution is equivalent to one em, during which half revolution the cam 357 advances one pin, rotating the casing 361 and chaft 365 one-tenth of a revolution. Pre-setting of drum. The knob 344 through a pinion 343 rotates a bevel gear 455, rotatable on the shaft 267 and carrying a pin 456. When a solenoid 457 is