Patent GB-396236-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to photo-composing machines
IPC: B41B17/02
Filed: 1932-09-10
Abstract: 396,236. Photographic type-composing. STEVENS, A. H., 5, Quality Court, Chancery Lane, London.-(General Printing Ink Corporation ; 100, 6th Avenue, New York, U.S.A.) Sept. 10, 1932, No. 25271. [Class 98 (i).] A photo-composing machine comprises a master member bearing a plurality of characters, a layout table connected to a light sensitive surface and movable therewith as a unit, a projecting system for projecting a selected character to view on the layout table and sensitive surface, and means whereby the position of a projected image is adjustable relatively to the previous projected character. In the form shown, the machine is mounted on a frame structure comprising legs 1, Figs. 1 and 4, and panels 3, and carries a bed plate 4 which is grooved to receive a slidable carriage unit 5. The unit comprises a structure 8 one face of which is formed with flanges which are embraced by a vertically slidable channel plate 20. Vertical movement of the plate is effected by a hand wheel 17 engaging, by a screw 18, a bracket 19 connected to the plate. Secured to the plate is a flanged sleeve 28 around which is rotatably mounted a drum 30, provided on its periphery with three circumferential rows of perforations 33 each of which can be brought into register with an aperture in a removable plate mounted in a bracket 169. The hub 50 of the drum is keyed to a shaft 54. A bearing 66 for the shaft is formed integral with a pair of arms 67 which are secured to horizontally extending arms 68 of the plate 20. The shaft 54 has an axial bore 95 for receiving a longitudinally movable spindle 89, and is provided also with an axial slot 96 for guiding a radial pin 97 carried by the spindle, and passing through aligned radial holes in the hub 50 so that an axial or rotational movement of the spindle produces a corresponding movement of the drum. The outer end of the spindle is secured to a pointer 77 one arm of which carries a spring-urged spindle 79 which engages with a series of holes 75 in a fixed dial 73. The pin 93 is removable and is adapted to engage in one of three holes 94 in the spindle 89, the holes being spaced apart by a distance equal to the axial spacing of the holes 33. The dial 73 is provided with markings 76 which correspond with markings on a phosphor bronze band 38, Fig. 8, which encircles and is secured to the drum 30. Perforations in this band register with the perforations 33, and over each perforation of the band is cemented an opaque plate 45 bearing a transparent character. Within the drum and secured to the sleeve 28 by brackets 104 is a light shoot 103, a reflecting plate 113 in which deflects the light rays from a lamp 13 through a condenser 114, a selected perforation 33, and thence through lenses and shutters on to a sensitized surface carried by a casing 128. This casing is carried by a casting 120, Fig. 10, mounted to run on rails 119 disposed at right-angles to the grooves in the bed plate 4. A bush 121 depending from the casting is guided by two guide plates 111 and receives a screw-threaded shaft 122 the rotation of which effects the movement of the casting along the rails 119. The casing is raised or lowered by two arms 181 of two shafts 172 extending through the casting. These shafts are rotated through links 102 connected to a lever arm 101 of a manually rotatable shaft 91. A pawl 182 and ratchet 191 hold the casing in any desired position and a scale 192 on the ratchet indicates the degree of lift. As shown in sectional elevation in Fig. 13, and in plan in Fig. 12, the casing 128 is fitted with blocks 137 so arranged as to provide guides 139 for a flexible rolling cover 140 which is arranged over the sensitized plate 160. The top section of the cover has a member 148 grooved at 149 to receive a curtain 153 the ends of which are received by two cylindrical cases 155, 156. The movement of the curtain is at right-angles to that of the cover so that an aperture 154 in the curtain can be brought into any desired 2 position over the plate 160. The aperture is brought into the path of the light from the lamp 13 by the arrangement shown in Figs. 3 and 4. As shown, the bracket 169 is connected to the plate 20 and cemented to the bracket is one end of a bellows 180, the other end of which is similarly secured to a housing 183 connected to the structure 8. To the lower end of the housing is secured a second bellows 204 also connected to a vertically adjustable casing 205 housing a lens system and a shutter. A third bellows 213<1> connects the casing 205 with a sleeve 221 the lower flange of which is suitably connected to the curtain 153 above the aperture 154. Laterally extending arms 233, 208 of the sleeve 221 and casing 205 slidingly engage with a downwardly extending arm 209 of the housing 183. The aperture 154 can thus be brought into any desired position above the plate 160 by moving either the casting 120 or structure 8. In order to ascertain, before exposure, if the parts are in the correct position the character is first projected upon a layout table 259. This table is slidably mounted in a guideway 263, Fig. 3, of a plate 260 which is secured to angle pieces 112 extending from the casting 120. The table is adjustable in its guides by means of a rack and pinion device 269, 271, the pinion being mounted on a rotatable shaft 266. The light from the lamp 13 is normally deflected on to the table by deflectors 188, 256, arranged respectively in the housing 183 and upon a tubular casing 238. The deflector 188 is mounted on a shaft 186 a spring-actuated arm on which normally retains the deflector in the position shown in Fig. 4. The deflector is moved to cover the end of the casing 238 and to effect exposure of the sensitized plate by a manually actuated tube which is connected to the spring-actuated arm. This tube also houses the actuating mechanism for the shutter. A lens system 240 is slidably mounted in the casing 238 and is secured in any desired position therein by screws extending through longitudinal slots 243. The deflector 256 is carried by a member 251 which is adjustably mounted on the casing 238 to which it can be locked in any required position. Scales on the casing indicate the positions of the lens system and deflector 256 respectively. In operation, the channel plate 20, casing 205, and lens system 240 are adjusted to a position in which scales co-operating therewith indicate the required degree of enlargement or reduction. The structure 8 and casting 120 are then moved until a selected character on the drum 30 is projected in the correct position on a sheet 274 on the layout table 259. This sheet corresponds exactly with the sensitized plate ; thus all adjustments as to the position and degree of enlargement of any character may be made before actuating the shutter mechanism. In order to permit of fine adjustment the structure 8 is actuated by a screw-threaded shaft 316 which is connected by bevel wheels 314, 315, to a shaft 309, which may be rotated by a handle 318 on a shaft 319, the two shafts being geared together. To effect micrometric adjustment, a worm and worm wheel device 328, 329, actuated by a handle 331, is provided. A third form of actuating mechanism -comprises a pawl and ratchet device 293, 294, the ratchet 293 being loosely mounted on a shaft and rigidly connected to three gears 303, 304, 305. Three gear wheels 306, 307, 308 loosely mounted on a shaft 309 mesh with the gears 303, 304, 305 and are provided with radial holes so that any desired wheel may be pinned to the shaft. The pawl 294 is pinned to the shaft 283 and the latter is rotated by an arm 284 which co-operates with a number of markings on a fixed selector dial 285, which indicate the angle through which the arm must be rotated to give a correct spacing of the characters exposed on the sensitized plate. The plates 45 are provided with similar markings 49 which indicate the width of each character. In a modification, the drum 30 is replaced by an apertured plate over which is mounted a horizontally-adjustable character-bearing unit.