Patent GB-936289-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to photographic type composing apparatus
Inventor: FRANKEL GERALD
IPC: B41B23/00
Filed: 1958-04-09
Abstract: 936,289. Photographic type - composing apparatus. CAPS (RESEARCH) Ltd. July 9, 1959 [April 9, 1958], No. 11325/58. Class 98 (1). Photographic type-composing apparatus in which characters are photographically produced in visual form in successive lines following one another end-to-end on a strip of tape, includes a make-up blank, optical projection means for successively forming images of the lines of characters on the make-up blank, means for moving the tape relatively to the optical projection means and make-up blank to bring lines of characters successively into position for projection, and means for imparting relative movement between the make-up blank and the optical projection means in two directions at right-angles to each other for locating the line images on the blank whereby the lengths and positions of the lines can be set and/or checked. Preferably the apparatus also includes means for recording on the tape information obtained from observation of the make-up blank and required for the subsequent transference photographically of the lines of characters on to a film or a printing plate. For transferring the lines of characters arranged end-to-end on the tape, the tape is moved intermittently past optical projection means for forming images of the lines in the required positions on a makeup blank, the blank and projection means being relatively movable in two directions at rightangles to each other, and the tape is then moved intermittently across a film or printing plate, which is itself movable relatively to the tape in two orthogonal directions, and transferred thereto in page or column form, the information obtained from observation of the make-up blank being used to effect correct positioning of character lines on the film or plate. As shown, keyboard selected characters are projected on to an ultra-violet sensitive tape 12 to produce visible images by the developing action of heat from the plate 20. When the operator selects the initial character, " beginning-" and " endof-line " signals are recorded by light sources 21, 22 or mechanical punches to indicate the line length. Each character-projecting flash of the ultra-violet source 17 also energizes a photocell 14 to cause advance of the tape by the amount appropriate to the character width. The developed tape is illuminated by a lamp 23 and a magnified projected image of the line is formed on a line-form viewing screen 30 just above the keyboard, while a reduced image is formed by a lens 24 and a vertically displaceable mirror 25 on a translucent make-up blank sheet 26 on a transparent horizontally displaceable plate in a frame 27 disposed on an inclined surface above the screen 30 and having. a fixed horizontal scale 28 and a vertical scale 29 moved across the sheet for alignment with the start of each line. Thus the line may be positioned as desired on the sheet 26 and the information from scales 28, 29 recorded by a dial or by punch mechanisms (not shown) acting on the tape which is wound back for this purpose. Instead of providing a projected image of the line on the screen 30 the tape may be viewed directly. In a modification (Fig. 4, not shown), the tape is viewed through a periscopically disposed pair of plane mirrors, the upper of which is semi-transparent and displaceable to alter the apparent position of the recorded line on the make-up sheet which is viewed through the upper mirror, while a magnifying lens system may also be provided to give a separate view of the tape. To make up the text matter recorded on the tape into printing plate form, the tape is fed so as to be held in contact with a film or printing plate 31 by a guide 36 and is scanned by light from a source 38 by means of an optical system so as to record each line character by character and to effect justification -relative movement is effected between the tape and the plate under the control of a computer 40 including a photo-cell which senses from the tape beginning- and end-of-line signals, end-of-word signals and end-of-character line signal as well as the number of words and the scale readings 28, 29, whereby the plate 31 is moved vertically and horizontally by driving means 34, 35 to position the line correctly, and the guide 36 releases the tape between words and the motor 37 moves the tape by the appropriate justificatin increment. Instead of applying justification increments to the interword spaces justification may be effected by anamorphotic expansion of the line while if punched signals are formed in the tape instead of optical marks a mechanical feeler replaces the photocell sensing device. Specification 909,203 is referred to.