Patent GB-846268-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to photographic type-composing apparatus
IPC: B41B21/36
Filed: 1955-08-02
Abstract: 846,268. Photographic type-composing apparatus. HIGONNET, R. A. E., and MOYROUD, L. M. July 19, 1956 [Aug. 2, 1955], No. 21610/56. Divided out of 846,261. Class 98(1) Photographic type-composing apparatus comprises means for supporting a sensitized sheet with a portion coincident with a printing position; means for forming character images successively in said printing position; character-spacing means for effecting relative movement between the sheet and the printing position to form a spaced line of characters on the sheet; linespacing means for effecting a relative movement between the sheet and the printing position perpendicular to the line direction; an escapement mechanism; and means for coupling said escapement mechanism selectively to the character and line-spacing mechanisms. As shown, the character - spacing mechanism comprises a movable prismbearing carriage as in Specification 691,763 which traverses the width of a photographic strip film 16 in a projection printing gate 20 of a removable magazine 28, the carriage being secured to a rack 100 driven by a pinion 102 slidably keyed on a shaft 104 and operable by an escapement mechanism 110 as described in Specification 846,261. The line-spacing mechanism comprises film-feeding means comprising a sprocket 38 and friction drives to the film spools 30, 32, all driven through worm drives 44, 72, 74 respectively from the shaft 64, the drives to the spools tending to wind up the film on to them and being overcome by the sprocket drive so that the film is always held taut and may be fed in either direction by energizing electromagnet 62 controlling a pivoted arm 60 engaging a reversing gear 56 slidably keyed on the shaft 64. During composition in which the keyboard set character and space information is stored in a register, e.g. as in Specification 669,531, the brush 116 of a stepping switch 114 moves from the home position 0 over contacts a, b, c, d and as described in Specification 846,261 causes a one-way escapement mechanism 110 driving a shaft 104 first to move the prism carriage to compose a justified line of characters and then causes return of the carriage and resets the escapement mechanism to its initial position. When the brush 116 engages contact e electromagnets 101, 108 are energized over line 136, clamping the rack 100 and sliding the pinion 102 out of engagement with it respectively, these conditions being maintained for contacts f, g, h, i. To obtain a desired spacing "s" between lines, keys 118 are closed by the operator to prepare circuits to the magnets M1 .. M128 of the escapement 110 which would result in a space "s/a" and keys 128 are similarly closed equal to the digit "a". In practice the keys 118 are not manually closed as shown but are contacts of relays energized by a register as described in Specification 669,531, relay 120 being energized by a key 122. Instead of a key 122, contacts closed alternately with energization of the flash device illuminating the characters projected on to the film may be employed. When brush 116 reaches contact f the magnet 112 of a clutch is energized over line 138 to connect shaft 64 to the shaft 104 and this connection is maintained at the next contact. When brush 116 reaches contact g relay 120 is energized over line 140 and closes contacts in the circuits to the magnets M 1 .. M128 and in the circuit to the electromagnet 134 of the stepping switch 130, whereby pulses generated by the cam-operated contact 132 step switch 130 to energize sumultaneously the selected magnets in the escapement mechanism for each switch 128 that is closed to produce an interline-space of "s" by "a" equal increments. Position h of switch 114 de-energizes relay 120 and disengages the clutch between the escapement mechanism and the film feeding shaft 64. When the switch 114 reaches position i the escapement mechanism is reset by a pulse over line 142 in a manner described in Specification 846,261 and in position j the parts resume their original position, magnets 101, 108 being de-energized to release the rack 100 of the prism carriage and to re-engage the pinion 102 with the rack. Specifications 754,104 and 794,498 also are referred to.