GB944411A - Improvements in photographic type composing apparatus and methods - Google Patents

Abstract

944,411. Photographic type-composing. CAPS (RESEARCH) Ltd. Oct. 7, 1959 [Oct. 9, 1958], No. 32337/58. Heading B6W. A keyboard-operated composing unit for photographic type-composing in which successive lines of characters following one another end-to-end are composed on a radiationsensitive recording strip comprises means for applying to the strip outside the projection area of the lines formed thereon at least one signal in the form of two marks spaced along the strip, the means being such that the spacing can be varied, the signal representing a length which can be sensed and used in locating the lines when they are photographically transferred from the tape in make-up form. A make- up unit for use with the tape so produced comprises a holder carrying a radiation-sensitive film or plate movable in directions perpendicular to each other for positioning the character lines, an aperture through which the lines are projected on to the film or plate and the size of which is controlled by a movable mask, means for sensing the beginning of signal mark of each signal and acting thereon to stop movement of the tape and start a movement of holder or mask, and means for sensing the end of signal mark and thereon action to stop the movement of the holder or mask. As shown in Fig. 1, a recording tape 10 moved in the direction shown by the arrow 12 in the keyboard unit by grippers as described in Specification 941,604 is passed over a punch unit 15 comprising punches 16, 17, 18 disposed at different distances across the tape and operated by keys 19, 20, 21 to apply beginning of signal marks for horizontal location, vertical location, and interline spacing. The end of line signals are recorded by exposure of the tape by illuminating a marker 30 on a rack-operated slide positioned by a knob 28 cooperating with scales 35, 36. The tape so produced is fed into the make-up unit shown in Fig. 2 and is arrested when spring fingers 65, 66, 67 senses the holes formed by the punches. Each signal is read in turn to adjust as appropriate the holder 40 vertically or horizontally or the mask 60, until the end of signal is sensed when the tape may also be restarted automatically. To do this, the lens 73 includes prismatic elements to produce three separate images of each signal which due to the different location of the beginning of signal marks operates only one of the photo-cells 46, 50, 58 controlling the movements of the holder 40 and mask 60, the spring finger which engages the punch hole in the tape completing the circuit for the appropriate photo-cell only. A photo-cell 145 which senses an end of line signal 142 on the tape controls an optical justification system 140 employing cylindrical lenses which may be as described in Specification 936,290. In the modification of Fig. 4 (not shown) which employs a strip film wound between rollers in the make-up unit, the interline spacing signal is arranged to control the movement of the take-up roller. The tape 10 and the film may be of a material sensitive to ultra-violet which after exposure yields a visible image directly on heating. Specifications 909,203 and 940,382 also are referred to.