Patent GB-691910-A (GB)
Title: Justification mechanism for type-composing machines
IPC: B41J19/64
Filed: 1949-11-03
Abstract: 691,910. Photographic type - composing. HIGONNET, R. A. E., and MOYROUD, L. M. Nov. 3, 1949, No. 28189/49. Class 98 (i). [Also in Group XVI] Justifying mechanism for a type-composing machine in which each line is first stored or registered and then composed comprises a width accumulator which, during registration of a line, moves a line follower from an initial position towards a final position in steps of distances proportional to the widths of characters registered, the distance between the initial and final positions of the line follower being proportional to the justified line length; an interword accumulator moved during registration by steps equal in number to the interwords in the line from an initial position to a second position in which it co-operates with the line follower, the interword accumulator being returned towards its initial position by one step during the composition of each interword thereby permitting the line follower to approach its final position by a distance proportional to each step, the interword accumulator on regaining its initial position cooperating with the line follower in its final position; the line follower co-operating with the character-spacing means of the typecomposing machine to form each interword with a width related to the distance the line follower moves during the return by one step of the interword accumulator. The justifier may be incorporated, for example, in a photographic type-composing machine, in which keyboard mechanism causes the characters of a line to be stored in coded form in a register, such as that described in Specification 691,761. The keyboard also records the widths of the characters, and the number of interword spaces, in the register. After storing, the register controls selection of characters, e.g. by means described in Specifications 669,531, 669,556, [Group XL (b)], or 669,608. Selected characters are projected on to the photographic material, the positioning thereof being effected by means described in Specification 691,763 or 669,531, controlled by the justifier. The justifier may be duplicated so that a line may be registered at the same time as a previously-stored line is being recorded. The justification mechanism, Fig. 1, includes a flexible tape J2, one end of which is fastened to a point J12, normally fixed. The tape passes over a number of pulleys and is connected at its other end to a carriage J40, which is latched in position during composition and the movements of which determines the spacing of the characters. Carriage J40 may comprise projection means or a film carriage, or the carriage of a justifying typewriter. Pulleys J14, J22 are fixed, and pulleys J16, J18, J20 are also fixed during operation of the justifier. The tape passes over a pulley J48 on a line follower J46 sliding on a rod J50, urged to maintain tension in the tape by a spring J56. Pulleys J4, J6, J8, J10 are mounted for guided vertical movement on threaded rods J24, J26, J28, J30 which carry nuts J32, J34, J36, J38, the pitch of the threads being such that for an equal rotation of the nuts the rods move distances in the ratio of 1 :2 :4 :8. The nuts are in mesh with pinions J162, Fig. 5, movable axially to mesh also with a double toothed rack J69. During composition, four circuits which are selectively closed by the keyboard mechanism and which determine the character width operate electromagnets to engage the selectively operated pinions J162 with the rack, which is then moved to the left by a lever J154 operated by an electromagnet J150. Levers operated by electromagnets J77, J79 move rack J69 laterally so that its second set of teeth engage selected pinions J162 on return of the rack under action of a spring J71. The distance through which the rack moves is determined by a number of stops J75, one of which is selected according to the size of the character image projected and brought into the path of the rack by electromagnetic means. According to which pinions J162 have been engaged, one or more of the nuts will be rotated to advance the threaded rods, moving the pulleys upward and moving the carriage J46 to the left. When the space bar is struck, nut J36 is geared to the rack and rotates to raise pulley J8 a distance corresponding to the minimum interword space. A nut J64 engaging a threaded rod J62 is also rotated so as to lower a member J66 suspended therefrom by a given distance. When the composition of a line has nearly been completed, a member J60 mounted on the carriage J46 comes into contact with member J66, pressing it against a spring-pressed lever J68 which is rocked about a pivot J9. On completion of the line, lever J68 is locked by an electromagnet J72 acting on a bar J74, which is linked to lover J68 and moves in guides J80. The justifier is then arranged to act under the control of the register during printing, the nuts being moved in the reverse direction as each character is recorded. Carriage J40 is urged to the left by a spring J86, which is stronger than spring J56, and so keeps member J60 pressed against member J66. As the pulleys return, therefore, carriage J40 moves to the left step by step to record each character in its proper place. When an interword space is reached, nut J36 is actuated to cause a movement equal to the minimum interword space. At the same time nut J64 is actuated, raising member J66 one step and allowing carriage J46 to advance, thus increasing the movement of the carriage J40 by an amount equal to the length by which the non-justified line is short of the length of the justified line, divided by the number of interword spaces. At the end of the line carriage J40 is returned to its latched position allowing carriage J46 also to return. The length of the justified line can be altered by moving pulley J16 up or down by means of a rack-and-pinion J110, J114. Inter-character justification.-When the length to be added to the interword spaces for justification is too great for good composition, it may be added between the characters. For this purpose a nut J90 is actuated each time a character is registered, so that a threaded rod J92 carrying a member J98 moves downward step by step. Normally, at the end of a line carriage J46, and hence member J74, will have moved sufficiently to release contacts J108 normally held closed by member J74. If these contacts are still closed at the end of a line, an electromagnet J102 is operated, which acts through a linkage to move a flat member J100, to which the tape is secured at J12, away from the abutment against which it is normally urged by a spring J43. Member J98 is pressed against member J100 by a spring-pressed lever J96. The tape is drawn to the left, and also the carriage J46, until contacts J108 open; bar J74 is then locked by electromagnet J72, and lever J96 is locked by a similar arrangement; and electromagnet J102 is de-energized. During composition, member J98 is raised step by step for each character, allowing member J100 to return step by step adding a small amount to the spacing of each character. Centring and quadding is achieved by means of pulleys J18, J20, which are mounted on rods J120, J122 slidable in tubes or in grooves in the frame. For centring, the line or heading is composed, and pulleys J18, J20 are pulled down by hooks J132, J134 on their axles engaging a movable plate J130, pulling carriage J46 to the left as far as it will go. The pulleys are then locked in positlon by means of electromagnets which act on sliding plates in which the pulley axles are journalled, and are released from the plate J130. The prism carriage J40 is released, and pulley J18 released thereafter, whereupon the carriage J40 moves by half the distance by which the heading is short of a justified line, so that it is centred in printing. If neither pulley is released, the line begins at the left-hand margin, and if both pulleys are released, it ends at the right-hand margin. If the pulleys are released, by a special signal in the register, between two groups of words, these groups will be separated by the distance by which the line is short. Should short lines ending at the right-hand margin be required, the pulleys are pulled down by a fixed amount limited by stops before composition. The lines are then composed, and are printed as short justified lines aligned with the right-hand margin. In modifications, (1) the pulleys over which the tape J2 are replaced by pinions meshing with a series of slidable racks which replace the tape; (2) in another rack-and-pinion arrangement, rods J24, J26, J28, J30 are splined where they pass through grooved rotating members replacing nuts J32, J34, J36. J38, and the rods are rotatably connected to certain racks and are threaded in lugs of others; (3) rods J24, J26, J28, J30 terminate in plungers entering a liquid-filled chamber. Other plungers connect them hydraulically to the carriage J46 and to the flat member J100, and a pipe connects the chamber to a cylinder containing a piston connected to the prism carriage.